* * ☾ * *

King Romulus POV

It was the third time he was meeting the two men, Clive and Ray, to see what else he can tempt to get out of them. But this time things were improving, as survivors from the camp that Rhea—Amory—Had saved were starting to resurrect.

The perseverance was mind-boggling, and the King didn't hesitate to pass on the knowledge that he would pay for all their troubles. Set them up wonderfully in the kingdom and give them whatever they pleased.

Hoping that it appeased them, but also Amory, if she ever decides to show herself.

"Shh, Ray just fell asleep." Clive hissed, his shoulders hunching as he realized it was the king. "My apologies. We can take this to the hallway if you want." Ray settled the matter as he turned around and eyed the King before letting out a nod.

"—Wanna listen." Romulus could smell the infection in the male starting to fester further into his chest, and while he had one of the best of the Kingdom's Healers working closely. Even he couldn't figure out the tonic that Rhea had managed to scrounge out in the forest.

Clive tried to remember how she created such a concoction, but Romulus was here to give a bit of news. News he wondered if they could digest at the moment.

"My scouts have found a few dozen or so survivors. I am not sure if they're the ones from the camp Rhea has saved you from or not, and I have no desire to scare them further. But, if you are up to it, I would like you both to be the middle band in communicating with them." His eyes lingered on Clive, his thin figure slowly growing in muscle mass the more meals he took—And Romulus was very pleased to know that his guard teased him for having the appetite of a wolf, but Romulus didn't care if he ate a deer on his own.

At least he ate, unlike Ray, who could hardly stomach much more than broth.

"More?... Were there any more females? My sister was—"

"I did not allow my males to say either of your names, they will be here in a few days. The carriages are slower than I like and there was a bit of struggle..." Another reason why Romulus did not want to come forward, as there would no doubt be a casualty or two.

"I—I'll do it, sir. Maybe they know more than we do about—" Clive had turned in pure panic to hear Ray's harsh cough, and Romulus couldn't help but come forward and hand the male a glass of water. Hoping it would at least clear the poor man's throat.

"My family...They were there too." His gravelly voice was not entirely cured with the water, but enough to get his thought out. "I'll try to find them, Ray. I'll even give up my bed here for them, yeah?"

Affection was strange to comprehend from a wolf's position, as he didn't think humans had that sort of ability. Not like his pack members. But here, Clive was patting the cool cloth on Ray's forehead and chest, trying to get his body temperature down.
Making Romulus' head tilt in attention to detail, hadn't Amory been affectionate?

Was that why he was so caught up on the Queen?
That his wolf was touched by the fact that she allowed him to hide in her bed when the storms settled over the castle?

Shaking off the thought, the Alpha King cleared his throat and nodded. "Lyall will debrief you both then, please do not make promises that you cannot keep without my knowledge, yes? I plan to rectify—"

"We know, sir. But some won't see it that way. Damage control only goes so far." The King expected this and nodded in that instance. Yet the sound of an incoming carriage had rung in his ear, electing a smile to come between them.

"Then you are up to greet them, young man...Healer Maverick will be in the main room, to give the rundown of limited servings to not cause too much harm." Clive nodded, saying a quick goodbye to Ray as he followed after the king.

"I didn't want to bring it up in front of Ray, but do you think Rhea is here?"

"My males know what she looks like and are instructed to make sure she's secure and well before escorting her directly to me."
"And then what?" The question had caused the king to stop in the thin hallway, his ears flinching at the fact that the inn's hallways were hardly built to his standards. "Pardon?"

"When Rhea is found, is she—Will she really be safe?"

"Of course."

"Your Enforcers won't kill her on the spot?"

"No."

"God, you've scared her half to death, sir...Are you sure you aren't going to sign her—"

"Clive..."

"I'm just saying, sir. We didn't ask much when we found out she was running from the King. It wasn't long after that we found out why...And she was right, considering the wolf hunt was directly behind her, but perhaps that was a blessing." The King had let the young man babble a bit before grunting once more.
If this is what Clive has managed to conjure up, he didn't want to know what his own men did—Let alone Lyall.

"I suppose I deserve it. But I promise that no harm will come to her."

"What do you plan to do with her?"

"I haven't decided." It didn't pass the King's knowledge that Clive's heart rate had risen tenfold at the fact that there wasn't anything set in stone. That possibility was still looming over Romulus he didn't want Clive to feel that stress either.

With an interruption of Lyall waiting on Clive, Romulus eyed his Delta with a smirk before turning back to his makeshift office—He wasn't too worried about the foundation of this inn, not when he now owned it with the funds of his own design.

He needed his own home base, as did the Enforcers that were stationed out of the Kingdom—It would need a bit of redesigning, but as of this current point in time. He was hopeful the number of rescued would amount to something where Rhea was concerned.

Within the following days, Romulus was swamped with letters filled with Wilhelm's outrage. But it was a quick threat to order him this way that truly halted any more of that treatment.

Course, the issue here is, all the information that Clive had managed from the survivors pushed for the downfall of packs like Alpha Dernet of Moon Ridge. Making his claims of the snatched females a lie, a cover-up.

Oh, Romulus couldn't wait to sink his teeth into the lying no-good fuc— "Alpha Romulus!" The voice had settled his forsaken thoughts and caused him to rise to his feet, recognizing the voice—and the crack in his voice that followed through his excitement.

The lad still had plenty to learn.

"I hope you're having better luck than me, Clive. Perhaps I should make you my Advisor instead."

"Oh goddess no, please. The last thing I want is to deal with the court, Rhea said it was awful!" He mentioned, and Romulus smirked off to the side, knowing full well that comment aligned perfectly with what he remembered from his time spent with her.

"You are the best excuse to get out of afternoon tea with the noble women, Romulus. They're acting as if they can replace my mother, telling me this and that—Not realizing I'm higher ranked than any of them. And you know I absolutely hate using the title, but in that room, it's the only way one can survive the wrath of the court."

It has been duly noted since.

"Hm, and it's lived up to it...But I do have a position somewhere in the Kingdom, both you and Ray—I appreciate the work you are doing with them."

"That's just it, remember I was trying to speak with Jetson?... Well, he said that he was paired with another man, one that hasn't been found yet—I think...I think this is what's happening with the humans—With us." The flickering in Romulus' eyes was entirely involuntary, but even Clive had felt the urge to tilt his head in submission.
The growl had settled the room as Romulus' rich voice filled with an order.

"Jetson's partner worked in the mines, just off toward the Westview mountain. The unclaimed territory between the Tirean Kingdom and Creasan." It felt like Romulus couldn't breathe, and that hadn't happened for quite some time.

Not since Amory was pronounced dead.

Not since his father had finally walked to the moon.

And not since his father's former Beta had bent down on his knee and was one of the first to express his utter loyalty to the next Alpha King to rule.

"The Creasan Kingdom, you're sure?"

"I'm not sure what they're mining, perhaps they're digging tunnels? That damn mountain is awful to travel around...But Jeston is old, sir. His memory and temperament are waining." With a quick link to Lyall, Romulus made the requirement to what Westview Mountain is and to search for its importance.

Clearly, the Rogues found something important and are willing to risk everything, even enlist the help of a few of his entrusted Alphas to the packs—Gods, this was such a mess.

"Alpha, sir. What can I do?" Romulus picked up his attention back from the window which made him lose his thought process and huffed. "Rest. I know the Healer checked your lungs and they were still weak. Make sure to stay in good health. You're an important young man in my ranks, Clive. I need you well."

"Yes sir, Alpha!" The boy bounced and hurried down the hall to do just that, which ultimately meant that he would go and stay with his remaining family members that had been saved thus far.

Lyall, who had paused just outside the door to see the energetic human rush past him without even acknowledging him, earned Clive a laugh from the usually stoic male. "Did you give the boy caffeine?"

"No. A motive...I want to find him a position once this is solved. Something indirectly on the court."

"Yes, that'll kill his spirit soon enough...Why do you want to know about Westview, that god-awful mountain is hazardous." The Alpha frowned, wondering just what the Delta meant. "Sir, you must know the legends...The shortened elves stored their treasures at the heart of the mountain. It's said to house everything from their lifetime."

"Shortened elves? Don't you mean dwarves?"

"I doubt they care about the technicalities, sir. They're long dead."

"Ah, but the legends usually are told to keep the faith alive to those that know better. I want it researched to find out what exactly we're dealing with." Lyall stepped forward, eyeing the wax seal that Wilhelm continues to use.

Not discreet, but did the job when things needed to be rushed.

"Suppose that's right. And I will be reaching out to our ambassador— Voron of the Elfin Kingdom might know something to aid us here." Romulus praised his Delta for thinking that way. Especially since this was starting to be an issue that needed containment.

"Should I send out Enforcers to search around the mountain?"

"No, we need fast scouts for that—In case there truly is a base there." The idea of an actual home base for these disgusting creatures was starting to dawn on Romulus' mind, so much so that his heartbeat and ravaging thoughts picked up.

"Amory, she could be—"

"We don't know that yet for sure, sir. It's better to plot now than think of details we can't afford blinding us. I'll get the fastest runners we have." Romulus nodded, but his face still remained pale over the idea that Amory's torture was getting worse by the day.

Leaving his days to be long and without much sleep, not when he didn't know the Queen's fate.

______

Date: 05/06/23 

Time: 11:11 (make a wish!)

Words: 2078

Author's Note:

Romulus is making his rounds and securing the escapists that managed to survive Rhea's bombs!

This will give Alpha Romulus the support the needs to get further leads, let's just hope Rhea/Amory can manage that long in the Rogue's King encampment!

I hope you all have a fantastic weekend and I will see you Wednesday/Thursday with another two updates🤗✨