Chapter 9: Strange Visitors

AUTHOR'S POV

Alpha Marcus sits on his throne in the throne room, going through the documents in front of him. The throne room is so beautiful and exudes a powerful aura. The golden chairs and designs with a spark of white is a beautiful sight to behold. His Beta, Master Aldrien is with him, going through the files as well as bringing up a solution to the problems of the pack at hand.

"How's the pack training going?" Marcus asks his Beta. He is in charge of training the pack pups strategies and improving their fighting skills and techniques. You never can tell what will happen. That has been a common slogan in the White Fur Pack. They always make sure to be prepared for anything that might happen after the tragic experience they encountered, one reason that they are the leading and most respected wolf pack in Alacia.

"The training is going well and surprisingly, the recently admitted pups are so good. A little training, they develop it into something bigger with greater ideas." Aldrien replies proudly. He is proud of being able to perform his duties right with great results.

"Well done, Aldrien. You're such a blessing to me. I appreciate your efforts in ruling this pack and the whole of Alacia and I hope we don't have to go to war again."

"I know what you're worried about, Marcus. Things will fall in place soon for the better."

"I hope so, just that I'm having a bad notion these days and I have no idea what is about to go wrong...... perhaps, he's in danger."

"That reminds me, I wanted to give a suggestion the other time Emal was bullied."

"Go on, I'm all ears."

"Don't you think Emal should begin the pack training?" Aldrien suggests.

"Why do you say that?"

"We all know his situation and no one knows about him more than we do. His powers are not ready to be awakened, but we can trigger it. At least, he has to learn how to stand for himself."

"You're right, Aldrien. I'm so confused about him recently. He didn't even sleep in the castle last night."

"What happened? We both know Emal is not much of a rebellious pup."

"I'm not so sure about what happened, all I know is that something happened between him and his mother. I told him to go get some treatment, but the guards reported to have seen him crying when he left her room. Moreover, his bruise was bleeding."

"Do you mean Maliya punished him? What for?"

"Exactly what I'm thinking, but you know, it's so hard to question her these days without getting an irritating response."

"Sometimes, I wonder what's wrong with her too." says, Master Aldrien.

"I don't have much time to think about her, I've got a lot of things to worry about."

"I'm here for you buddy." Master Aldrien shows a friendly salute to the Alpha.

"Sure, who else would I trust if not you?"

"Well, we have to start training Emal, what do you say about it?"

"Go ahead, but be gentle with him please. He's already hurt so much."

"Of course, I can feel it but it's just a matter of time."

Just while they are talking, a palace guard rushes in with a sword in his hand. He bows in respect in front of them, keeping a firm pose.

"What is it?" the Alpha asks.

"There are some visitors who want to see you. The castle guard just sent me a notification to inform you."

In the pack, the castle guards are those guards who are well trained for war from the outsides. They guard the castle at the big metal gate and the fences around it. Since the Royal palace of the Alpha is inside the castle, the guards there are referred to as Palace guards and they are easy to differentiate. They wear different uniforms.

"Who are they?" Aldrien questions.

"I don't know, he wouldn't tell me much."

"Alright you can go."

The guard left and the Beta looked at the Alpha with a confused look.

"Who could it be that couldn't be mentioned."

"We'll know soon " Alpha Marcus closes his eyes, reaches out to the castle guard outside the huge castle gate and asks them what's going on. For a while, he is still conversing with the guard making the Beta worried.

Suddenly, his eyes flash open. "What's wrong?" the Beta asks with a worried look on his face.

"It's the Arctic Howlers!"

"What? What are they doing here?" Aldrien almost yells. The Arctic Howlers are a group of creatures who were said to be eerie in nature. Legends says that they possess an impure bloodline of werewolves and they never associate with other beings. Deep in the mountains, far beyond the valley and way across the rivers, their territory in the south of Alacia is a forbidden area for other werewolves. and they haven't been seen outside their pack in decades. The only thing that can be used to identify them when seen is the cactus symbol on their forehead. Not the regular cactus, but a unique one.

'The white wolves in the north, The Arctic creatures in the south' has always been a slogan whenever they want to be referred to.

For an unknown reason, no one in the White Fur Pack is allowed to talk about them or mention them. Only the elders of the pack know about their existence and it brings fear to their faces. Legend states that the Arctic Howlers are a clan of the White Fur Pack who were banished due to some reasons, but no one knows the truth of it all.

Once, the king of Alacia got worried about their upkeep and sent a letter to them asking about their welfare but he never received a reply. How they live is something unknown to the other beings in Alacia.

"We shall know soon. I gave the order to let them in."

"For the first time in decades, they are seen for the first time? This is so unusual."

"The guests arrive..." one of the palace guards announces in a loud voice as Aldrien already informed him.

Two men enter the palace, with a little girl who looks like she's in her early twenties. The man wears a black regalia made of a thick fabric. The dress compensates his great body build and expresses his powerful aura. The one behind him wears a normal shirt and trouser while the girl wears a skirt and a top that barely covers her stomach. Their hair was shiny and black, its length reaching down behind their necks.

They walk down the length of the throne hall and stops exactly six feet before the Alpha's throne.

"Greetings to the Alpha King," the deep, husky, scary voice speaks and Alpha Marcus swallows on nothing.

"Greetings to you too, how may I help you?"

"My king, I am Serivon, the Beta of the Arctic Howlers." the man in a regalia speaks first. "He is Alfredo, an Arctic guard, and this is Tavida, an Arctic Omega. We traveled down here from our pack and we are here on behalf of our Alpha. He sent us a report to you which requires urgent attention." he hands over a rolled leather skin to Aldrien who collects it dutifully and gives it to the Alpha king.

Alpha Marcus opens it and after reading it, his eyes grow wide with shock. "What's going on?" The Beta wanted to ask, but he hears Marcus mind-link him not to say anything.

"This matter is a very sensitive one we have to discuss personally first." says, the Alpha. "I've read the report, friends, but can we please talk about this tomorrow? I was about to retire to my chambers when you came"

"Yes please, he was feeling under the weather. You don't have to worry about accommodation. We'll make sure to provide you the best services in due time before we have the discussion. I'm sure the journey down here was not so easy." the Beta interrupts, owing to his mind-linked discussion with his Alpha.

The guests look at themselves and agree to the request. A palace guard takes them outside the throne room and goes to attend to them. Marcus sits slowly on his throne passing the report to the Aldrien for him to read.

"What?" the Beta gasps, surprise showing on his face.