3. THE ROOT

HELENA’S POV

Yes, I and Draco are sworn enemies. No one can dare mediate between us. We might have loved each other crazily in the past, but now we hate each other more than we had once loved ourselves.

I became a trash to him overnight. He saw me as nothing but a filthy rag he could dispose of. The warm hands that once held me turned cold and icy, it was as if I was bare naked with nothing to cover me.

I worked so hard to achieve this position. Well, people might tag it as an overnight success, but only I knew what it took me to be in this seat, maybe also Secretary Han and my boy too, Jerry.

There are so many secrets hidden that I must dig out. I will not let my parents bear this shame no matter what. They were not even properly buried because they were considered traitors who had killed the royal family. They were thrown on the mountain, where the snow fell the hardest.

I still cannot sleep well in the night because I can see that moment where I saw their frozen corpses in my dreams. I had to dig their graves myself and bury them with my own hands. It was infuriating, saddening and painful.

I know fully well that I have no right to ask for the Luna’s position and I also don’t want to do anything with the Peony pack anymore, but I have to avenge my parents and for me to do that, then I have to be in the pack once again, this time as a higher entity that will command all truth to her feet.

Knowing the fact that Draco is at the risk of losing his throne, I held to his weakness and used it to my own advantage. He will either have to go back with no cure and get dethroned or take me as his Luna to get the cure and stay on the throne.

It’s a painful decision for both of us, but we have to make it after all.

***

Beta Gray motioned “Can we have a word?” to Alpha Draco and he went over to his side of the table. “Don’t you think this offer is too extreme? We are not even sure if the cure will work”, Gray whispered to Draco.

“She has the cure. Crest Pack also had a similar case and she was the one that gave them the cure. Alpha Collins of Crest Pack was the one that linked me with her, so she definitely has the cure”, Draco explained.

“This is too much to ask for in exchange though, even if you approve her, the elders back at home will protest” argued Gray.

Helena remarked “They can either protest or die of the virus and that will be their choice to make. I heard the eleventh tribe’s household has lost three wolves and some are sick to the bones. Was it the tenth tribe that ran away recently? The pack might be empty soon” from where she was sitting with a grin and Gray wondered how she got to hear them even though he was communicating to him in a silent mode.

She pouted “You seem to have forgotten that I am a wolf like you” as she tapped her fingers on the table and Gray released a tired sigh.

“She’s well prepared” he gritted between his teeth.

She asked “So what’s your decision? Should I have you go back empty handed or will you hug your child here?” placing her hands under her chin, she was getting tired of their unending talks.

Draco was torn between the offers in front of him. He had tried his best to develop a cure for the strange illness by killing wolves in his pack, but nothing worked. He cannot afford to lose the throne that his parents died for and now here he is with an offer to marry the daughter of his parents’ murderers.

After thinking for a while, he decided it would be best to go with the marriage. He doesn’t have any Luna for now and she’s offering to give the cure free of charge with the Luna’s position. It’s not like he cannot have concubines and just make her feel the emptiness of the seat.

He can also deal with her very well to avenge his parents because she will be right under his nose. It seemed like a good deal to him and before his beta Gray could try to negotiate, he spoke up.

“Fine! Bring the documents” he declared, and Gray’s eyes popped out in shock. Even Alfred was so shocked that he growled a bit within him, but he ignored him.

“But Alpha Draco, we don’t even have the proof that the child is yours. How can you just agree to sign like that?” Gray countered.

“It doesn’t matter if he’s mine or not, I am accepting the mother, so should I throw him away? I cannot let my own selfish and personal desires block the saving of other wolves in the pack. They are my people after all, so this wouldn’t hurt” Alpha Draco said in an authoritative tone.

Gray understood at that moment that his mind was made up and if he tried to talk him out of it, another argument would arise between both of them. He just kept shut and watched as Secretary Han brought the documents forward. She placed them in front of each party and they went through it.

“Pen” Alpha Draco requested and Secretary Han provided one for him.

They signed the contract and closed the file to start a staring battle at each other.

“Alpha Draco, I hope we both achieve our goals. Thank you for your cooperation” she said to him and stretched forth her hand for a shake.

Draco watched her hand hang in the air for a while before stretching his hand to take hers. It was a contract of life and death where only one of them would survive. They were both assured that it wouldn’t be them but still aware that they had various cards up their sleeves, it was a matter of who would suffer the most.

Beta Gray just sat there looking at them in bewilderment. This was definitely what they had come here to do, but it seems the Alpha will be returning home with a Luna they didn’t plan for.  This is a drama that will surely be interesting to watch, but no one knows how bloody it will be. It will be a tug of war, the battle of the powerful which might cause more bad than good.

“Show them their quarters and make sure they are comfortable. As you can see, they are royal guests” she said to Secretary Han and turned to Gray and Draco, “I wish you a wonderful night rest” she said, before leaving the room with her flowing garment following her.

“Yes, you can flaunt as much as you want, Helena. I will make sure to erase that smile from your mouth. I will make you cry blood, you will beg for death, but I will not let you die. You will realize that the decision you made here tonight was the beginning of digging your grave”, he vowed in his mind as he watched her leave the room.

“Please follow me” Secretary Han said to them and led them out of the room.

They walked to the right side of the huge sitting room and turned into a hallway where they walked for close to two minutes. She pushed the door open and a row of stairs lay down in front of them. They walked up the stairs and stopped in front of a golden door. She opened the door to display a luxurious suite.

The sofas were all white and the other decor was golden in color. The amount of money spent on the luxurious decorations would obviously be enough to erect an average house, everything about the house screamed money.

“There is a master bedroom on the right side and another bedroom on the left. I hope you will have a wonderful night after dinner”, Secretary Han informed them and bowed a little before walking off, leaving them behind.

****

Secretary Han went up to Helena’s room to have a chat with her about the next step. It seemed like they had overcome the first hurdle. She met her drinking wine straight from the bottle in her hand while rocking to the music coming out of the speaker. It was hard rock this time around, but the room being soundproofed didn’t make it disturb others in the house.

“Are you sure this is the right way? I feel bad for you going back into the midst of those people”, she stated, and Helena smiled before turning to her.

She walked briskly to her side and drew her closer to herself, she trailed the stray hair on her forehead down to her temple while grinning. Helena whispered “You worry a lot about me, what do I do if you are this worried?” and slowly enveloped her in a hug.

“You should not be weak, Han, you are the only one I have right now and you should be here to give me strength. Don’t worry about me because I will never get hurt. Just stay by my side as you have always done and everything will be alright. You just have to trust me” she let out slowly to her ear and Han slowly worked her hand up to her back.

Han muttered “Of course, Helena. I trust you”, and hugged her tighter.

***

The car carrying both Alpha Draco and Helena drove into the compound with many ancient houses. They were built in ancient styles but they were extremely classical and royal. She opened her eyes to look everywhere as the car sped into the large compound.

“This place hasn’t changed. I guess I was the only one that changed”, Helena mumbled, and the car came to a halt.

Beta Gray alighted from the car and opened the door for Alpha Draco, who came out first and extended his hand to Helena. She took his hand and came out in her white knee-length, wrapped gown. She stared around and saw that the servants were covering their mouths at the sight of her.

“That is it! This is my roots! This was also the beginning of my problem, the place where all the answers to my questions lie and the place where all the puzzles will be put together” she thought as she walked into the house with the classiest step possible.