Freeing Starr
Chapter 48 ~ A Kingdom's Pride

Leondro’s POV

I sat behind my desk as I sifted through the many documents the Cardinal secretary had prepared for me. It’s been a few days since Starr had gotten kidnapped and every day Leon continued to fall deeper into the pit of his rage. It was to the point where locking him in a cell was our only option.

I understood that he was anxious to get to his mate but recklessly charging into the enemy’s territory while they were on such high alert was too risky. I didn’t want to lose him.

I kept a guard in front of the cell to monitor his movements closely. If Starr really died then we’d be able to tell by his reaction. For now, I opted to take care of the pack in his stead.

The whole Kingdom was antsy after that attack that left a thousand people dead. They grew even more nervous as the news that their Queen was kidnapped and their Alpha had gone over the edge. I tried my best to calm their panic but I knew it was futile until we could get Starr back.

I looked up as the door to the office opened and Griffin walked in.

I immediately asked, “Any news?”

He pursed his lips and shook his head, coming to sit in the seat across from me.

“The trackers that were sent out are doing everything they can to find her but she’s left no trace behind for them to pick up on. Our spies are currently trying to track her location within the city but the mayor has that information on tight lock and key. They said to give them a bit more time. They’ll try infiltrating Ryan’s home and see if they find anything.”

I sighed and ran a hand down my face in frustration. “What about the mall? Has it been cleaned up yet?”

He nodded. “All the enemy bodies has been cleared out and burnt. Our people’s bodies were sent back to their families for a proper burial. The business owners who got their businesses destroyed are requesting compensation. Their business was their livelihood, they’ll go hungry if we do nothing.”

“Call the Taino Construction company and file a contract with them. I want the reconstruction of the mall to start as soon as possible. When that is finished, they’ll have their stores back. For now, give them their compensation. Though, since our budget is tight right now, we’ll have to prioritize who needs it more. They’ll have to understand. If they complain, offer them a few job positions in the castle. We’ve been looking for more help anyway.”

“Alright.” He got up and prepared to leave.

“Wait,” I called out after him, having not seen my wife in a few hours. With her thoughts shut off from me, I wasn’t able to pinpoint where she was or what she was doing. It worried me. “Where’s the queen dowager?”

A bitter smile tilted his lips as he replied, “She’s been down in the chambers looking after Alpha King Leon since she woke up this morning.”

I sighed, “And Lorena?”

“She’s with her mother.”

I nodded and waved a dismissive hand, “Alright, you’re dismissed.”

He nodded and twisted the door knob, but someone suddenly flung it open from outside. Griffin quickly stepped out of the way as the door banged against the wall.

We looked in surprise as Lomar came charging in with wide, panicked eyes.

“Dad, you need to see this.” He waved an envelope in his hand as he tried to catch his breath. It seemed like he had just ran a marathon.

Griffin closed the door, not bothering to leave and gazed at Lomar curiously. As the Cardinal Beta, he was required to know any information that may be damaging to the kingdom.

“What is it?” I asked.

He came and placed the envelope on my desk and I picked it up and saw that there was no name or address on it.

“Open it,” Lomar urged. “You’re not going to like what’s inside.”

Griffin came closer to peer over as I opened the envelope and took out a written note that came with a few pictures. The pictures fell onto the desk.

“Fuck.” I heard Griffin swore as I took one up to carefully look at it.

My anger simmered as I observed the woman that was naked and tied up in the photo. Her body was beaten and bruised to the point where I knew she had to be in a lot of pain. She looked sluggish as she limply hung from the chains that had her arms bound above her head. I didn’t need to see it in person to know that this woman was dying. The fact that she wasn’t healing meant that they had injected wolfsbane into her. The wolfsbane was gradually killing her. Written on the bottom of the picture were the words.

Day 4

I looked at the other pictures and sure enough, each of them had a day on it. She seemed less bruised on Day 1.

My hand came down to slam onto the desk in my anger, and the desk broke in half at the force I exerted.

Lomar grimaced and handed me the note. “That’s not all. Read that.”

I took a deep breath to control myself and opened the letter with trembling hands.

Dear Heavenly Alpha Kingdom,

This is Glacial City, your friendly neighbor. We’re writing this letter with much regret to inform you that our friendly tug of war is coming to an end. We have your Queen Luna in our hands and her death draws nearer with each day that you choose not to submit. We want the Alpha King to personally come to us in exchange for his mate’s life. Seems fair, no? Give up your Kingdom. Otherwise, we won’t stop at just the Queen. I heard there’s a little Princess in that castle. The Queen Dowager is old but I believe we can still make use of her as well. Fortunately, we don’t want to go that far. We just need you to raise the white flag and then we’ll all be happy.

Sincerely,

Ryan (Deputy Mayor of Glacial City)

“What bullshit is this!?” I roared as I flung the letter away, my jaw clenching as I tried to reign in my anger. “They dare threaten us? Our Kingdom?”

Lomar cursed. “Those bastards are going too far. At least fight like men. Who fucking goes after the women!?”

Griffin growled, his eyes starting to glow as he also took offense, “And worse of all, it’s one of our own who’s aiding in all of this. He knows how important a mate is to a werewolf and had the balls to threaten us! He’s disrespecting our moon goddess!”

“Griffin,” I called out, my voice eerily calm.

Griffin’s body shuddered at my voice and he turned to me with his head slightly bent in submission. “Your highness?”

“Pull back the guards and trackers. Everyone who had been searching for Starr. Recall them to the Kingdom.”

Lomar’s eyes widened as he stammered, “Father. You’re not thinking of giving up, are you? This is ridiculous! Mates are sacred to us! They’re a gift from our goddess! They’re insulting not only our Kingdom but our Goddess as well!”

I raised a hand and silenced him, giving him a look that said shut up and listen. Never have I felt this angry before.

“Call everyone back and have them gather outside of the castle. Alert the human task force and tell them to send all available men. Create a broadcast and let it be known to the Kingdom that we’re going to war. The reason? Glacial city had gone too far. They not only kidnapped our Queen but they insulted our Moon Goddess as well. They’re underestimating us thinking we’d just tuck our tails and give in to their ridiculous demands. If there’s any civilian willing to help, they should come to the castle by dawn tomorrow. We’re not forcing anyone. If they want to come, let them come. We’re attacking Glacial City head on. Prepare the doctors and transport vehicles. We’ll show those bastards what it means to have the pride of a werewolf.”

Griffin nodded, his eyes swirling with anticipation as he left to carry out my orders. I knew he was just as ready to sink his teeth into someone’s neck as I was and I didn’t blame him.

This move was long overdue. To dare target our goddess’s gift so blatantly was blasphemy to our goddess. As werewolves, we had to protect our own.

I glanced at the pictures that laid there as if to taunt us and growled, “Burn those pictures. We can’t let Leon or your mother see them.”

Lomar nodded and collected the pictures.

I stood from my chair and strode towards the door, “I’m going to go see your brother and tell him the news. I’m sure he’ll be more than happy to let loose.”

When I entered the chamber, I found my mate and daughter sitting right outside Leon’s cell, their back plastered to the iron door. I paused in my stride as my heart weakened at the sight.

They were leaning against each other, a book in Lorena’s hand as she read quietly to her mother who had her eyes closed. She was sleeping.

Lorena looked up as I sighed and approached them. I bent down on one knee and cupped Stacia’s cheeks, brushing my thumb over her lips that were tilted into a frown.

She stirred gently as she leaned into my touch but didn’t wake up.

“How long has she been asleep?” I asked my daughter, glancing over at her tired eyes that looked like they were going to flutter close any moment now.

She shrugged, “It’s been a while now. I tried getting her to go to bed but she refused to leave Leon’s side. I had no other option but to stay with her.”

“How’s your brother?”

“He’s calmed down for a while now. I haven’t heard him try to break out of his chains since I’ve been down here.”

I nodded and patted her head, “Good job. Can you take your mother to her room for me? I need to speak with your brother.”

She nodded as she gently removed herself from under her mother. I held Stacia’s head to keep it from falling as Lorena got up and stretched. I lifted Stacia into my arms and placed a gentle kiss on her forehead, my heart racing as I pictured what would’ve happened if the both of us were in our son and his mate’s shoes. It drove me insane just thinking about it.

I gave her over to Lorena, who waited with outstretched arms and murmured, “Stay in her room until she wakes up. Tell her to look for me the second she opens her eyes.”

Lorena nodded then quickly disappeared with her mother in her arms.

I sighed and opened the door to Leon’s cell.

The moment I stepped into the room, I had to clench my jaw from the pressure that pushed down on my shoulders. This was my son’s power. I really was getting old for it to affect me like this.

The air reeked of his dominance and bloodlust. I blinked my eyes to adjust to the dark before my eyes strayed towards his wolf that laid in the corner of the cell. There was a chain coated with wolfsbane wrapped around his neck. It wasn’t enough to kill him but it was enough to weaken him so that he couldn’t escape.

He laid there silently, glowing eyes staring at me with a calmness that had my heart ready to leap from my chest. I knew at that moment that if he wasn’t currently restricted, I’d have had my head torn from my body. It didn’t even look like he recognized me as his father.

My heart reached out for him as I greeted, “My son.”

He continued to stare in silence, not saying a word to me.

I continued, “Tomorrow at dawn. We plan to launch a full scale attack on Glacial City.”

A reaction.

His eyes blinked as he tilted his head to state that he was listening.

I promised. “We’re going to get Starr back. Our spies are currently infiltrating Ryan’s house as we speak. We should get news on her whereabouts in a few hours. Then I’ll release you so that you could go and get her yourself.”

His powerful voice boomed inside my head, causing a shiver to run down my spine.

“Untie me.”

I hesitated, not sure if I could trust him to wait until tomorrow. This was the first time I’ve ever seen my son this angry. I couldn’t predict his actions anymore and it really worried me.

“Are you going to wait until we get news of her whereabouts? You can’t recklessly charge into their city without us.”

“What I do or don’t do is of no concern to you. I am your King. Know your place.”

My heart shook with surprise and I refuted, “I am your father.”

He continued to stare at me with those blank eyes of his, refusing to acknowledge me at all.

“Release me.”

The command shook me to my very core. I gritted my teeth in an attempt to refute it but gave in.

“Fuck it.” I cursed, striding forward and taking the keys for his chains out of my pocket. The lock clicked as it opened. I watched with cautious eyes as the chains fell to the floor.

I stepped back towards the door, preparing to leave if he decided to attack me.

There was a brief silence before he began to stand. His large frame towered over me as he shook out his fur and stretched his limbs. Then to my surprise, he sat back down with his back facing me and murmured over our link.

“You may leave. Tell me when it’s time to get my mate.”

I couldn’t help the smile that creeped onto my face as relief washed over me. He hadn’t completely lost his rationality.

I quickly left and went to prepare everything for our battle tomorrow.

Leon’s POV

As the door closed behind my father, my body shuddered as I laid back down and curled into myself. There was a void where Starr’s connection was supposed to be. I couldn’t feel her. I couldn’t feel her presence, her thoughts nor her emotions. I was scared. I was so scared.

One wrong move. One wrong move and that void could crack and disintegrate, signaling the end of her life.

I felt useless. I had lost control of myself and almost charged in recklessly. I could’ve given them a reason to end her life.

Why didn’t I protect her better? Was it complacency? Did I get too confident after dealing with the Shadow Rogue pack? My thoughts were scattered as the guilt, anger and pain ate at me.

I closed my eyes as I curled my head into my side and rested.

I needed to rest. With the chains now off of me, the wolfsbane will be fully drained from my system in time for tomorrow’s battle. I’ll be able to fight at peak strength.

This way, I’ll be able to find and protect her. A whimper escaped my muzzle as I thought of her currently suffering in the arms of her father.

Never in my life had I ever been this helpless. A tear slipped from my eye as I forced myself to remain in this cell.

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