Chapter V:

KINGDOM OF CRAENIA

MONARCHY: FERET

The sun has risen again over Craenia, after a long day filled with presentations, news, and a night that, according to many, passed too quickly. The sun has made its presence known alongside beautiful white clouds that rest in the blue sky, accompanied by the vast and calm sea.

In the palace, it is considered a day like any other. The servants, up early, carry out their tasks while the king, who seems to have some strange pact with the sun, appears in the hallways as soon as it rises. It's as if being in bed until seven in the morning is sacrilege, a stark contrast to the queen, who always tries to rest as much as possible.

After so many years serving the Feret monarchy, the majority of the servants knew that she didn't spend her time sleeping but rather reading and looking out at the horizon through her huge and ornate balcony, which was filled with butterfly flowers brought from the Caribbean island of Bacub, and blue roses imported from the northern part of the globe, a small indulgence they had given themselves since the monarchs had stopped sharing a bedroom many years ago.

The main kitchen is in full view, made of stone and wood, filled with sounds and delicious smells. Plates, cutlery, and glasses move back and forth with the agility of the cooks. Perfectly sliced fruits, freshly baked pastries, fried eggs or succulent omelettes, as well as jam, butter, juices, cereals, among others.

"Good morning, my king," greeted the alpha in a uniform and flat voice towards the king. Her storm-gray eyes gave him a quick glance before nodding and turning his full attention back to the sheets in his hands as he sipped his tea and tasted some of the delicacies on the table. "Any good news?" asked the alpha, taking her seat while the servants placed food and drinks in front of her.

"Good news seems to be a luxury hard to come by for us nowadays. It seems like only misfortune is interested in our company," he grumbled with displeasure.

Eric's scent briefly made its presence known, causing Karina to feel complete disgust and provoking a desire to vomit in the alpha. However, she took a deep breath, trying to ignore the intense smell of coffee, sea, and that repulsive aroma that she couldn't quite identify even after so many years of knowing each other.

"It makes me think of some terrible curse. After all, contaminated blood can be inherited," he added with disgust, making the fetid aroma in Karina's nostrils grow stronger, almost suffocating.

Karina clenched her jaw and tightened her fists, hating every word. Her wolf barely raised its furry head inside her mind before closing its eyes. Just that, just a slight reaction, and Karina knew she wouldn't get more. The alpha shifted in her chair, and her own scent abandoned her. ‹Hydrangeas, pine, and caramel› subtle but present. The cautious servants around her didn't comment.

"Perhaps it's true that the Ferets are cursed," she smiled while looking directly into the alpha's eyes, maintaining a friendly and calm gaze. Eric's iris changed to red, and she took a deep breath, refusing to be intimidated. "Maybe…it has something to do with blood," Eric observed her with what could only be translated as anger. A tight smile blossomed from his masculine lips.

"Stay in your place, my lady," the reprimand came clear.

The alpha clenched her jaw, and the pain in her chest struck her like a whip, but she remained stoic and confident, interlacing her hands, forcing a smile, almost unable to breathe due to the suffocating smell, a putrid one that she couldn't identify, which made her want to run away from there and made her wolf lower her trembling ears.

"You can rest assured, King Eric," she turned to look at him with red eyes and her fists clenched under the table, anger coursing through her body. "I would never be capable of losing my place to you," she said in a low and proper voice, as if singing a soft melody that had been rehearsed.

"It's good to know, my lady," he raised an eyebrow, a cynical and disgusting smile spread across his lips. "Now, why don't you find something productive to do? You could try to establish a relationship with your future son-in-law," Karina was genuinely surprised, her thin lips parted as if the idea was completely absurd.

"I don't think-"

"It wasn't a suggestion, Karina. Go ahead," he ordered, looking at her straight in the eyes. "And make Axe feel comfortable, as if he were at home."

Karina took a deep breath, feeling her lungs ache from the effort. She closed her eyes, finding the distant golden and opaque orbs of her wolf watching her. Karina opened her eyes and looked around, all the servants remained focused on their work.

"It will be a pleasure, sir."

Nothing more was said. Karina left, containing all the boiling emotions hidden in her chest and holding back tears. She was too accustomed to it all. Her wolf whimpered silently and finally closed her eyes, feeling pathetic and disposable. She was a damn alpha, for the sake of the Great Mother Luna, may the goddess forgive her.

Eric let a smile escape his lips, gradually diminishing his scent, and observed the papers with a serious expression. Everything was problems that he needed to resolve as soon as possible.

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«It feels good, the wind blows and there are birds fluttering around and the scent of roses is intense. Axe lies down on the grass while letting himself be enveloped by the atmosphere, he likes it, it feels good, peaceful, happy.

In the distance, the river water flowed freely and he swears he can feel at home.

"Axe," the omega looked up and searched around, the low, cheerful voice came without an apparent owner, "Axe, I'm here," again, nothing, he was alone, accompanied only by the landscape, but that's it, "Axe!"

He sat up in the grass, stood up and searched around, his name seemed like desperate pleas, and yet, there was no one to help. His body trembles and his heart stops for a second when his eyes catch sight of the animal in front of him, a wolf, oh mother Moon! A wolf at least three meters tall, black and with eyes as red as blood, fierce jaws and in an attacking position.

Axe took a step back, but he believes it was too late, the large wolf ran, with its bright red eyes, it seemed maniacal, and when it finally jumped on him, Axe closed his eyes, falling to the ground, ready for the end.

He furrowed his brow and blinked, he was naked, his body felt cold, wet, and full of pain. He opened his eyes, however, the wolf seemed to have disappeared, he twitched and his whole body trembled, the sun was high, and the clouds wandered in the sky like a beautiful painting as if spring knocked on the door accompanied by winter, he closed his eyes and took a deep breath, snowflakes fall from the sky, his heart beats uncontrollably, he looks around, he gets up from the ground, apparently, the animal had really gone.

A small snowflake falls directly on his nose, it is red, like fresh blood, and he swears to feel the ground tremble, the neighing of the horses hits his ears like a powerful song, and the sound of metal travels through the wind like lightning. The wind embraces his body in sharp cuts, making him shiver, Axe tries to take a step back and run away from there, however, it seems impossible, even when the sword of that warrior, deadly and cruel, runs in his direction at a pure and strong gallop, just grazing his neck skin.»

Axe wakes up and embrace tightly, was it his idea or had the temperatures around dropped during the night? He stirs and lets out a sigh, his eyelids heavy and his head hurting, and there remains a strange senseless sensation around his neck that he prefers not to pay attention to. By the goddess Luna, if it weren't for the fact that he is a hundred percent sure he had arrived in Craenia, he could attribute the relentless headache to a wild night of partying or a good round of fighting with soldiers.

He closes his eyes and touches his chest, trying to search for any trace of his wolf in the corners of his mind, «Igna? Let go of the name softly.» but he receives no response, opting to wait for the wolf to want to communicate with him on her own.

Axe had become somewhat used to it, it wasn't the first time it happened, sometimes his wolf seemed to be filled with a strange muteness that he had stopped worrying about over the years, because she always came back to bother him, to fill him with her playful and accusing voice at times, with those bad and risqué jokes, then everything was fine, he always returned to being fine.

He smiles, stretching his body still wrapped in the sheets, getting up from the bed, taking slow steps towards the windows, drawing the curtains and opening the huge windows, stepping out onto the small terrace from where he could see a large part of the land surrounding the palace.

The sun hit his face and warmed the patches of exposed skin, and Axe leaned against the balcony edge and looked out at the horizon. He has to admit that the Ferets can be a monarchy that leaves much to be desired in terms of rule, but Craenia is beautiful, with lush and varied vegetation, as well as exquisite architecture.

In the distance, to the east of the garden, there was a huge pool, Axe smiled, he loved swimming, being born in a country surrounded by warm waters had made him adore the sea since he was little, and living here allowed him to enjoy the delights of nature for most of the day.

The faint growl in his chest alerted him that Igna was back, he smiled.

"Welcome home, little wolf," he whispered softly like a secret between them, the dark strands of his hair fluttered in the wind. "I thought this time, you had decided not to come back," the figure of Igna appeared in his mind, moving back and forth with her white fur.

⟨You won't get rid of me easily, Axe Noir." said his she-wolf⟩.

"As if I didn't know," he agreed amusedly, the wolf stopped and lay down, Axe couldn't see beyond the darkness. "Will you tell me where you went?" Igna shook her head and settled more comfortably.

⟨There are things you will know at the right moment, meanwhile, just be careful, little one. You are an omega from a strange bloodline, and soon to be the husband of a declining monarchy." Her words were like a song, Axe straightened up, turning his back to the landscape.⟩

"What do you mean by that?" he asked, frowning, but only found silence. "Igna?" he tried again, but the wolf remained in total muteness, then Axe understood that he wouldn't get any answer.