---Anders' POV---

Slowly but surely, my island was turning back into its former glory ; a serene and quiet place, void of other people roaming around.

There was still some families that were lingering around whilst my allies dealt with the fallout of us eradicating the pack hierarchy.

The Red Hill's pack wasn't the same after we killed off the fake Alpha, the corrupted Elders and most if not all of the royal guard.

It had left the remainder of the pack in an uproar, scrambling to find a form of unison, something that would hold the pack together.

Luckily, that was where Willem came into play. The old lycan had easily taken over the pack and was willing to govern over it until the rightful Alpha had been found.

Of course, several of the corrupted pack members had yipped at the idea of an outsider ruling the pack, suggesting that it would be better to pick someone among their own.

Of course, the rest of the pack had balked at the outrageous idea ; an Alpha needed to be a strong individual, capable of maintaining order and fighting off possible intruders.

What other canine shifter was stronger than a Lycan?

Naturally the corrupted members had tried to usurp the throne, challenging Willem in a fight. A fight he won with cheeky ease, as he had even allowed the wolves to work together and fight him six to one.

It was a humiliating defeat on their end and Willem had spent the next following days rooting out the members whom were still under the influence of the old pack's hierarchy.

Males, females, some barely pups that were being paid to spy and inform their employers what was going on. Willem rooted them all out, throwing them in the prisons to let the rightful heir deal with them, whenever they were found.

It would perhaps be tough, placing a normal werewolf back on the throne after a Lycan had sat on it. But Willem had already waved away my worries; any Alpha that was being endorsed by a Lycan was an Alpha the pack would gladly support.

"Really Anders, you're doing me a favor. I've been bored out of my mind during the past few centuries, so cleaning house in a small pack like this is quite entertaining." Willem had grinned widely, cracking his neck when I had proposed my plan to him.

Whilst he was playing house, so to speak, Vanessa, Elvira and Craig had been roaming around to both find clues of the Alpha's whereabouts and to eliminate any of the corruption that had slipped through the system.

As a Dhamphir or half human, half vampire, Craig could quite easily blend into the crowd. The blonde, curly haired twink didn't look a day older than twenty, combined with his disarming smile and wide-eyed innocent gaze, he was quite capable of winding just about anyone around his finger.

Vanessa on the other hand was a pureblooded demon and a rather valuable asset in this case. She was capable of sensing the malice pouring off an individual miles away, could read their thoughts and could sense anyone lying to her face.

Currently she was heading for the Supernatural Council to pull some strings, and mostly to see if anyone at the Council was behind this mess.

It would make sense as to why a well-known pack could suddenly change leadership in the span of a few days with not so much of a peep from the upper echelon.

I chuckled when warm hands splayed over my stomach, making an attempt to slide further down before I placed my hands on Benji's.

My mate flashed me an adorable pout when I turned to him, arching an eyebrow questioningly. Normally he wasn't this bold, especially with Vane and Elijah just a single room away.

Not to mention Elvira was sitting across the table, acting as if she wasn't paying close attention to us. Yet I know she was storing each fragment of knowledge in her brain as if it was a precious gift.

I could already tell that she was coming up with ways to turn any new information in a riddle of sorts. After millennia of roaming around on this realm, Elvira was one of my most knowledgeable friends I had.

Yet, she was also one of the more dangerous ones, as the Sphynx would have no qualms with ripping anyone to shreds if they angered her in any shape or form.

Acting as if one was all-knowing and then failing one of her riddles would end in a gruesome aftermath.

"I'm bored." Benji groaned against my back, rolling his face so his cheek was smudged between my shoulder blades.

A chuckle escaped me as I turned to take my mate in my arms. "Aw, poor kitten." I teased, biting my cheek when Benji looked up with a glare in his eyes.

"I can't do anything to help and there's nothing to do on this island besides you, and apparently that's off the menu as well." He stated bluntly, making me choke whilst Elvira snorted before clearing her throat.

"Not exactly; I assumed you didn't want to give Vane anymore ammunition to tease you with, love." I stated carefully, knowing Benji's exact reaction as he blushed a deep red.

Vane had, after all, taken a deep delight in cock-blocking us whenever he good. Payback for Benji's merciless teasing of his mate Elijah, who was too gentle to admonish Benji and had instead complained to Vane.

Well, the polar bear had taken the complaints to heart and had proceeded to interrupt us with immaculate timing whenever things started to get steamy.

"I could send them away-" I started, only to get a whack in the stomach from Benji. "Are you kidding me? That insufferable bear will think he's irritated me so much that I came to you, begging to send him away!"

I chuckled and lovingly tucked a few strands of hair behind his ear before pressing a kiss to his forehead. "Ah love, you do lighten up my life."

"Well, glad I amuse you" Benji huffed before pushing away from me, shooting a glance at Elvira. Curiosity filled his gaze before he said "I don't believe we've met. I'm Benji, short for Benjamin. Anders here is my mate."

Elvira smiled gently, eyes flitting with amusement as she eyed my adorable little mate, who didn't know how dangerous she could be.

"A pleasure to meet you, little one. I'm Elvira."

Benji raised a curious eyebrow, "And you're... what exactly?"

"Benji!" I snapped, fearing for his safety. Elvira waved her hand, as if to push away my worries.

"It's quite alright Anders. It's refreshing to see someone young like him with some curiosity. I'm a Sphinx, little one."

Benji's eyes widened slightly, mouth slacking as he undoubtedly realized the nature of my sudden outburst. Sphinxes weren't creatures to be messed with.

Everyone knew the stories of the Sphinxes massive base of knowledge, their thirst to learn more and their appreciation when they found other, likeminded creatures.

"Can we play a game of riddles?" Benji asked, much to my astonishment. He must've noticed my look of pure fear as he quickly amended, "You know, without the whole tearing apart the opponent when they lose? I'm just so bored!"

Elvira hummed thoughtfully, though I could already tell the Sphinx would agree. She'd instinctually be all too eager to test Benji's knowledge.

I could only pray that he wouldn't become arrogant and start boasting.

"Very well." Elvira said, leaning back in her seat with hooded eyes. "A word I know, six letters it contains. Remove one letter and twelve will remain. What am I?" She asked, tilting her head to watch Benji think.

My little mate hummed, pacing softly as he thought about the riddle. I could tell Elvire was starting of easy, holding back to test Benji.

"Six letters in a word... remove one and twelve remain?" benji muttered before his eyes lit up. "Dozens! If you remove one letter, you'll get one dozen, which is twelve!"

Elvire chuckled, laughing out loud when Benji asked, "My turn?" Mirth danced in her eyes, the thick golden locks threatening to spill from the small hair tie.

"It's a rare time when someone has asked a riddle from a Sphinx. You have quite the curious mate, Anders." She laughed before her eyes fixed on Benji. "Let's hear it then, little one."

"Thanks! Alright, my sister told me this once." Benji cleared his throat before he said, "What English word retains the same pronunciation, even after you take away four of its five letters?"

Elvira leaned back before humming. "Cute if you think that'll stump me. The answer is Queue."

"Oh, I didn't think that was going to stump you, the riddle just reminded me of my sister." Benji sighed wistfully and I could understand why.

He had been close with his sibling for most of his life but thanks to the Red Hills pack, he had spent fearing for her life. Of course it did help that she was well within lion pride territory, and no wolf, sane or not, was willing to meddle with lions.

"Another one?" Elvira verified before tapping her cheek with amusement as Benji nodded instantly. "What disappears as soon as you say its name?"

"As soon as you say its name?" I smirked as Benji huffed, scratching at his hair while Elvira stretched herself in an almost feline way before she pushed herself on her feet.

Benji smacked his head and I grinned as I could sense his frustration at the rather obvious riddle. "Silence."

Elvira's mouth quirked, motioning silently for Benji to think of his riddle. I was kind of surprised when I sensed a hint of amusement coming from Benji.

"More just than the most righteous of gods and yet more evil than the foulest deity. The rich need me while the poor do not. What am I?"

Benji's lips slowly twisted in a grin when Elvira blinked, seemingly stunned. It wasn't the riddle that stumped her, more the fact that she was trying to remember the vast quantity of gods and deities she had encountered, thinking too literally for the riddle.

A low growl rumbled through her chest, eyes narrowing and fixing on Benji's smirk, that quickly wiped off his face when he realized he was pissing her off.

"Nothing. The answer, is nothing." Elvira snapped, pushing off the wall before muttering icily, " My turn."

I frowned, arms dropping beside me as my muscles tensed, prepared to jump in between them if she lost her temper.

Slowly, Elvira started to circle around Benji, eyes fixed on him... like a lioness stalking her prey..

"It will appear before you at any time and any place." She whispered, circling around Benji, making him turn on his heels to keep an eye on her. "It will never let you escape, yet you can never talk to it."

"It is right behind you. Give up." She whispered in his ear, making Benji squeak in surprise as she had moved inhumanly fast.

"What am I, Benji? You better think fast, cub. Five seconds." Elvira hissed, eyes glowing golden before they flashed to me, freezing me on the spot so I couldn't move.

Her feet tapped on the floor, adding an ominous sound in the otherwise silent room. Benji was sweating, eyes flitting around as if trying to find help in any shape or form.

"Five.... Four..." Fur started sprouting from her hands, fingers adorned with deadly claws that seemed to keep growing.

"Be-" I croaked, anger flooding my system. How could I have underestimated her that much?!

"Three. Two." Elvire hummed, shoulders rolling as if she was readying herself to pounce. "On-"

"Death!"

Benji shivered, silence ringing through the room as he eyed her with pure fear in his eyes. In a blink of an eye, she shoved Benji against the wall, clawed hand on his throat.

And then she smirked, tapping his nose before she released both of us.

"You have a smart little cub, Anders. Make sure he learns not to play with fire." She squeezed Benji's cheek one last time, exiting the room as she waved at us over her shoulder.

Benji sagged on the floor, letting out a stressed whimper before I had him in my arms, both of our hearts racing.

"Next time... I have a bright idea... like riddling... a fucking Sphinx? Punch me." Benji gasped and despite the serious situation we'd just escaped, I couldn't help but erupt in laughter.