Alex walked through the busy corridors that were packed with fairy nobles, servants, advisors, and guards. Everyone was bustling with excitement for tonight's feast. Everyone except him. He didn't care about choosing a Luna. He didn't care about exchanging formalities with people who only saw him as a source for their own power and ego. He only cared about one thing and it was driving him mad.
As he reached his room, Raphael mind linked him.
"Alpha, the meeting with the fairy council will begin in half an hour. Are you getting ready?"
Alex sighed in dejection. He completely forgot about the council meeting that was to take place before the big Luna reveal. He had no intention of choosing Lady Seraphina to be his Luna. He knew she was power hungry and even though he found her physically desirable, that was really all there was to it. His heart never fluttered like it did with Priscilla. His thoughts never consumed him like how it did with Priscilla. Even when he didn't want to think about the fairy girl, there she was—always in his mind. It was maddening and humbling, to say the least.
"I will be ready soon. I would like you and Charles to do something for me."
Raphael wondered what his Alpha had planned.
"Yes, what is it?", Raphael asked via mind link.
"I need you to take care of Lady Seraphina. I have no plans on making her my Luna. Find incriminating evidence on her. I don't care how clean she appears. I know she has something she's hiding."
Raphael was too stunned to speak. He held in the chuckle that tried desperately to escape.
"Alpha, Charles and I have already been investigating her. However, we didn't find much.. She has a clean record, even volunteering at the Miss Fae Daycare on weekends."
Alex rolled his eyes in disbelief. He knew that woman was full of crap and there had to be something on her.
"Go underground. Ask servants and fairies of lower position. They may not expose her but there's bound to be one that slips. That is all."
And with that, Alex closed the mind link.
———————————————————-
Priscilla worked hard in the kitchen, preparing for tonight's preparation. A few other servants joined her which helped speed up the process. As they started rolling food carts into the main hall, she couldn't help but think of what happened earlier in the pantry. The Alpha called her name beautiful. No one ever complimented her that way. And he introduced himself so casually. His name was Alex. Her stomach dropped at the thought of him wanting to speak to her again. What did he even want to say and why couldn't he just say it then?
Priscilla didn't want any trouble but she felt caught between a rock and a hard place. If she chose to not meet with him, she feared he would find her again and this time, he wouldn't be so friendly. But if she did choose to meet with him, she would get caught and be punished. She wanted to go back in time, before she entered his room. Before, his advisor asked for a meal to be sent to their rooms. She cursed at herself for not making another servant do the task for her. She messed up, big time.
As Priscilla rolled her cart, she suddenly felt a hand grab her wrist and pull her behind a pillar that hid in the shadows of the moonlight. She fell hard on the marble floor, disoriented. She took a few seconds to recover before opening her eyes to see that Lady Seraphina was towering over her. Her face was scrunched in anger and vengeance. Priscilla quickly stood back up and took a step back, standing level with the angry fairy noble.
"You think you're so clever, don't you…", Seraphina said as she stalked towards Priscilla.
Priscilla instinctively took a step back, maintaining distance between her and the furious woman.
"I- I don't quite understand, Lady Ser-"
Before Priscilla could finish, Seraphina slapped the girl across her face. Priscilla instinctively held her cheek as the burning sensation of the slap left her face feeling raw.
"Do not insult me with false innocence. I know you're trying to have Alpha Alex all to yourself."
Priscilla now stood in shock and confusion. What was Lady Seraphina talking about? Priscilla had no intentions of canoodling with Alpha Alex. She felt wrongly accused and needed to clear her name.
"Lady Seraphina, it is not like that. I only served him food and nothing more. I swear on my life!"
The fairy girl fell to her knees, pleading for her life. She didn't want to get punished especially for something she didn't even do. She cursed the Alpha for getting her involved in this. Seraphina chuckled at the sight of Priscilla on her hands and knees, begging.
"You poor, wretched girl… You have no idea what you are interfering with", Seraphina spoke condescendingly. "Stay away from Alex or I swear your fate will become much worse than staying in that rotten attic. Remember your lowly place. I don't want to have to remind you."
Seraphina walked away as Priscilla sat on the floor trembling. Hot tears slid down Priscilla's face as she sobbed uncontrollably. She felt alone, unsafe, and embarrassed. And within that moment, she knew she had no plans of seeing the Alpha later or ever again.
————————————————————
Alex, Charles, and Raphael walked together as they made their way to the council meeting where they would discuss Alex's Luna and alliances. The council team consisted of many royal elders but Alex had a particular disdain for two specific members. Lord Edmond and Advisor Winston. Lord Edmond sat at the highest position on the fairy council and it didn't help that he was also Lady Seraphina's father. As for Winston, Alex was surprised that the old man's lips hadn't fallen off yet from the ass kissing he always performed.
The three men entered and were greeted by five elder nobles who all had already taken their seats. Alex sat at the end of the table with Charles on his left and Raphael on his right.
"We are glad you have finally arrived, Alpha Alexander."
"Thank you for having me. Let us begin the meeting."
The five elders all looked at each other and nodded.
Lord Edmond spoke first, "As you all know, for many years there has been tension between our two races; fairies and wolves. But we are hoping that when Alpha Alex picks his fairy Luna tonight, this will signify a truce and future prosperity between our people."
Alex stayed silent.
Lord Edmond continued, "Alpha, as you already know… My daughter is the best candidate for the Luna position. I believe you two are already acquainted…"
"May I?", Raphael asked Alex via mind link.
Alex gave a single nod.
Raphael cleared his throat before speaking, "Lord Edmond, our Alpha has gotten to know Lady Seraphina but choosing a Luna is no easy task. There are several matters that go into it, one being her compatibility with our pack."
Lord Edmond's face soured. Elder Winston noticed this and quickly interjected, "So why don't we arrange for her to visit your pack?"
Alex shot Raphael a glaring look.
"Alpha Alex has a very busy schedule and may not be able to give his full, undivided attention to Lady Seraphina. Not only that, but our Alpha has many suitors. He needs time before he can make any announcements about his future Luna", Raphael continued.
"Preposterous!"
Everyone looked at Lord Edmond as he slammed his fist on the meeting table.
"You are here to make my daughter your rightful Luna. Are you backing out now?"
Alex stood up from his chair and everyone watched, waiting for what he would do next.
"I am here to discuss choosing a fairy Luna for my pack. I made no such promise that it would be your daughter. Are you asking me to choose based on popularity or choose based on competence?", Alex spoke.
Lord Edmond's face turned red as Alex stood there adjusting his cuffs and collar. Before the situation escalated any further, an elderly councilwoman interjected.
"We ask that you choose based on competence. That is why we will give you a week to make your choice. We highly recommend Lady Seraphina, however if you have another fairy in mind…"
Lord Edmond and Winston looked at the councilwoman with disdain. The two men refused to give the Luna position to anyone other than Lady Seraphina. If Seraphina became Alex's Luna then that meant Lord Edmond could gain influence over one of the strongest wolf packs in the North and Winston would be his right hand man through it all. Power amongst the fairies and the wolves was just too enticing to pass up.
"Don't be ridiculous! There is no other fairy more competent than my daughter", the Lord spoke.
"I will have my decision in a week", Alex said, decisively.
Edmond and Winston wanted to push the issue further but a guard knocked on the door.
"Come in!", a council member ordered.
The door opened and the guard entered inside.
"The feast will be commencing shortly and the esteemed Alpha is expected."
Alex felt joy at this wonderfully timed excuse to end the meeting. And he would get to cross paths with the silver haired beauty again.
Priscilla…, he thought to himself.
"Thank you, we will be finishing up", the council woman spoke. And with that, the guard left, closing the door behind himself.
"This isn't over Alpha Alexander", Lord Edmond spoke through gritted teeth.
Alex donned a charming smile, "It will be, in one week."
Alex, Raphael, and Charles left the council room and started to make their way to the main hall for the feast. Both men felt uneasy about this sudden development and decided to mind link their Alpha.
"Is one week truly enough time, Alpha?", Raphael asked.
"No, not at all", Alex replied.
Both men stared at their Alpha, mouth agape.
"As you both know, I have zero plans on making Lady Seraphina my Luna."
"So then what is your choice of strategy?", Charles joined in.
"For right now, I want to find dirt on her so I don't have to outright reject her. If no dirt is found, then we make her withdraw."
Raphael and Charles looked at each other again and knew their Alpha was up to no good.