77 Congratulations... I Guess??
[GREALOR]
"Excuse me, but the royal Lycan convoy is at Tamiko's shelter… With Tamiko," Judd said as he looked at the alpha and everyone who was in the alpha's infirmary room.
"Tamiko is back?" Gabe asked carefully, worried that there was something he didn't know of.
He couldn't quite understand, though, why the Lycan envoy was with him at the shelter. Was there something they had missed? Was there more to the situation that they had to understand?
"Who is leading the team?" Alpha Ashton asked as he got up and started dressing up.
"There is a Lycan lord, Toshiro. He is with the barbaric bounty hunter too," Judd said and the alpha visibly relaxed.
"That doesn't sound as important then. Let's go," Alpha Ashton said, not even waiting for his son and the others to tag along.
"Father, are you sure about this? What do you know about Lord Toshiro?" Gabe asked as they hurried towards the woods.
The wolves had seen him and were glad he was alive, though they could also see that alpha Ashton was busy, so they made sure to steer clear of his way. Perhaps they would see him at a later time, right?
"Toshiro must be a new lord because otherwise Sadako would have come over himself," Alpha Ashton said confidently.
When they got there, he wasn't surprised that the Lycans were outside the shelter while their leaders and Tamiko were in. So expectedly, alpha Ashton walked in with Gabe, Galya, Zakhar, and Judd as the others waited outside in case shit happened.
"May we come in?" Alpha Ashton said as he took in the sight before him.
Everyone was seated and they had deliberately left one side of the room for them. It was like this was some negotiation, but what could be negotiated when there was a 'dead' Lycan that had been at the root of Tamiko's taking from Grealor?
Chief Konstantin was dressed in regular Lycan chief clothes, and Tamiko he was in his usual clothing. Nothing had changed about the outcast save for the smile on his face that was never there, and it looked genuine and healthy.
With them was a man who was covered from head to toe. It was like his entire identity was a secret or something, so Alpha Ashton assumed that it was the Toshiro lord.
He was curious however because the Lycans were always proud, no matter what they did, even if they were on the wrong, so their appearance wasn't something that they could shy off of. But maybe he would know it later, right?
"You're already in, Ashton. Have a seat and let's get started," Chief Konstantin said, his voice so cold and chilly, almost like he was here on an official capacity, and not because he wanted to strangle the wolves for what had been done to his erasthai.
He was a patient man, but how long would the barbarian be patient with them? How long before he crashed and wanted their blood for whatever reason there was this time?
"Thank you, Igo—" Alpha Ashton began.
"That would be chief Konstantin to you," a voice interrupted Alpha Ashton and he looked at the covered man with a bright yet dangerous aura around him.
He looked so strange and so new, and maybe that was also why Alpha Ashton tried to take a jab at the man who was before him. Perhaps it was the worst decision he had made or maybe this was just how crazy shit was about to get.
Meanwhile, Tamiko was silently seated in between Kosta and the covered man
"I know. But what I don't know… Is who you are. My informants tell me you are lord Toshiro, but that is definitely a lie, because there is only one Lycan Lord position in Kawai, and that is meant for the enforcer, Lord Sadako.
"So, out of courtesy, I will ask about you, yeah?" Alpha Ashton said as he looked at Toshiro who was smiling like a lost sheep at the man before them.
However, if Ashton had been keen enough, he could have seen how tense the Lycan warriors were, how even Chief Konstantin looked like he was praying for everything to come to an end right now.
The tension was more than obvious, but perhaps the sword that had gone through the Grealor alpha earlier had fucked him up real good.
"So—" Alpha Ashton continued, but Toshiro interrupted him.
"Relax. Ashton. I know you were thinking Sadako would come, but I am here. I will be following Chief Konstantin's orders, which means you know I am just another warrior, one who was appreciated by King Zaffuto enough to send me on this mission.
"Pretend I am not even here. I was sent to learn how negotiations are made, or whatever the fuck we are to do here," Toshiro said calmly. Toshiro removed the hood over his head, revealing the scars on his face, and a distinct scar along his eyebrows.
"If you say so. Anyway, Chief Konstantin, what is the meeting today about? Have you decided to bring me back my wolf?" Ashton asked as Gabe sighed defeatedly, making Tamiko almost snort at Gabe's reaction.
He looked so scared and worried sick for Tamiko. Then again, Tamiko looked so healthy and alive. Worrying about him was clearly a waste of time that could be invested in other things; such as worrying for themselves, yeah?
"Yes, of course. He said he had a mate here, and as you know, the Lycan customs demand that every mate be united with their soulmates. We are here to confirm this. If he has a mate, then we shall leave him with you.
"However, if he doesn't have a mate here, and we realize he lied to escape his duties as a war captive in Kawai, then we shall imprison him for a year and force him to do hard labor in Kawai.
"You know how the system works, which is why Toshiro is here to bear witness to your statement. He will then send the report to King Zaffuto Hinata," Igor said as he looked at Alpha Ashton.
He knew their condition was crazy, and he knew that shit could easily go sideways, but here and now, he was going to see whether Gabe would stand up and claim Tamiko like he always insisted, or he would cower and hide behind his father's protection.
"You can't be serious. All these warriors to Grealor just to confirm what an outcast says? You can have him for all I care," Alpha Ashton said and Gabe whimpered, though his father paid no attention to that.
"What Chief is saying is simple, Alpha Ashton. If Tamiko didn't lie, we will leave him here, and unharmed. But if he lies, our warriors will take him to the werewolf square, whip him a hundred times.
"Then we will drag him through the woods to Kawai, where he will suffer a pain worse than death and still participate in his war captivity, for the murder of one of our Lycans, by your wolves.
"Is that clear enough, or should Tamiko here explain it in even simpler terms to you?" Toshiro said, his voice so amused and yet glad they were here. He was happy, a little too happy for what he had us6t said.
Perhaps Kawai Lycans were always this psychotic, right?
"I understand what he said. And I tell you, that kid has no mate here. Do with him as you wish," Alpha Ashton said dismissively, only for Gabe to interrupt him.
"No. Tamiko didn't lie. I am his mate," Gabe said, and Tamiko raised a brow, only for the alpha's son to correct his statement faster than lighting.
"He just rejected me," Gabe added as he remembered Tamiko's warning earlier on. Gabe knew it was pointless hanging on to the possibility of Tamiko accepting him, so he just faced his reality head-on, even before Tamiko rejected him.
"I'm not stopping you, Gabriel Grealor. Tell the pack, tell the world that you got a mate, and that your mate is the outcast, and watch me reject you in front of that very world. If anything, I have nothing to lose anyway. I was born of nothing, remember?" Tamiko had said.
"Pay up, Kosta. I told you he wouldn't let me go," Tamiko suddenly said, making Igor and Toshiro facepalm, while the werewolves with them stared in confusion as Kosta handed Tamiko a few gold coins, before all their faces became stoic, again.
"Is this a game for you?" Alpha Ashton asked when he noticed how the Lycan had changed so fast.
He hadn't expected this at all and honestly, it was creeping him out how a man he hadn't wanted had turned out to be playing games with him, and was laughing with the highest of powers in the Lycan kingdom.
Then again, what else could he do anyway, he was just a mere alpha, in front of a Lycan prince, a truth he knew so well but was hoping wouldn't come to light. But would Karma listen to alpha Ashton?
"No, Ashton. This is not a game. Like I mentioned earlier, we will leave Tamiko here with his mate, because he clearly didn't reject his mate, there was just a simple misunderstanding, which the two kids can sort out.
"And to clear the young wolf's doubts, since Tamiko didn't lie, the Lycans will take care of the entire wedding and mating ceremony of Tamiko and his mate, who happens to be your son and heir.
"Congratulations, alpha Gabriel Grealor, on your upcoming wedding. Maybe the goddess bless you union with Tamiko," Chief Konstantin said earnestly, in his cold voice again, and this time Zakhar was the first to choke on air, while the wolves stared in shock.
