Chapter 76
"GOOD AFTERNOON, Your Majesty."
As she strolled through the palace, Helga was greeted by the Alpha and Beta of the silver pack with a deep bow. They had already been kicked out by the Alpha King and warned to make a proper appointment next time instead of causing a fuss. The beta was furious, not anticipating that his daughter would be caught. He pleaded with the Alpha King to let him see Miranda, but his request fell on deaf ears, even with the support of their own pack's Alpha.
"You're leaving already?" Helga asked, though she could tell their talk with her husband didn't go well judging by their expression.
"Yes, but we're going to come back once we have an official appointment." the beta answered, "But since we're already talking, could you possibly speak to His Majesty about letting me see my daughter?"
"I'm sorry, but we can't allow you to meet Miranda. We don't know what mischief the two of you might get up to," she said, shaking her head and causing the beta to let out an annoyed sigh. "Your daughter has used magic, and my mate and I are aware that she is associated with a warlock. And surely, there was someone backing her schemes up."
"Are you accusing me that I helped my daughter to use magic?" The beta of the Silver Pack attempted to maintain a calm and respectful demeanor as he spoke, but the stress of his daughter being locked up in the dungeon and the potential danger to their pack made it difficult. "I know you hate Miranda, but this is too much, she wouldn't have taken such a risk if only you didn't exist—"
"Watch your mouth!" Portia bared her teeth and prepared to lunge forward; her body ready to shift into her formidable wolf as she glared at the old man before them. But before she could move, Helga blocked her arm and held her back before looking at her and smiling, appreciating her support. With a deep breath, Portia reluctantly stepped back, leaving the situation in the capable hands of the Queen.
"Too much?" Helga scoffed, "What I did was merely expose her true appearance, I still haven't revealed all of her wrongdoings, such as the fact that you gave your daughter a lethal poison to kill the previous Alpha of Incarnadine, and then framed me for it."
A chill ran down Miranda's father's spine as he met Helga's steely gaze. Beads of sweat formed on his forehead and his heart began to pound with a sense of dread as her words echoed through his mind. His thoughts raced, searching for the right response, but his tongue felt heavy in his mouth. Helga's brow furrowed as she observed him, a warning glinting in her eyes not to push her any further. She was not one to be trifled with, and he knew that if he said the wrong thing it could lead to disastrous consequences for him, his daughter, as well as their pack.
"Please forgive him, Your Majesty." The Alpha of Silver Pack spoke up, his tone respectful and composed. "He was deeply affected by his daughter's ordeal. And as for the accusation of
trying to poison Aldous, we ask that you provide proof that he and Miranda really—"
"What's going on? Why are you two still here?" Siegren's voice echoed through the stairway as he stomped down, his furrowed brows revealing his annoyance with the two unwelcome visitors who should have left by now. Helga sensed that things could become tense if her partner were to find out about the conversation she just had, so she intervened quickly.
"They just greeted me," she smiled, glancing at the Alpha and Beta of Silver Pack with a warning in her eyes that they immediately caught on. "Have a nice day, too, and safe travels." With reluctance, they bowed to her and exited the room. Portia followed suit and excused herself, prompting a sigh from Helga as she turned to Siegren who was approaching her. "Are you going somewhere?" she asked.
"I was going to join you, but it looked like you had finished your tea," Siegren answered as he reached for her hand and entwined their fingers. The annoyance he had felt moments before was replaced with pure adoration. “Come, let's go to my study instead. I have something to show you."
"Hmm, what is it?" Helga wondered as they began walking. The maids and pack members couldn't help but admire how well-matched they appeared to be. They could also sense a shift in their relationship and were pleased by it.
"It's about the Hunting Competition." the moment those words slipped out of his mouth; Helga couldn't deny feeling a bit anxious, but she had already made up her mind earlier that day when she decided to shift into her wolf form. She was fully aware of the potential repercussions and was ready to face them.
Siegren led Helga into his study, locking the door behind them. He guided her gently to the plush sofa and then made his way to his desk. With a sense of carefulness, he retrieved a newspaper and handed it to her, settling down beside her as she nervously scanned the pages. On the front page, a striking image caught her eye, it's a photo of her wolf, Stella. The accompanying article detailed the events that had unfolded that day, from the revelation of the Queen's wolf to Miranda's use of magic to alter her appearance and the rejection Ezra had made. To Helga's relief, there was no harsh criticism or judgment towards her.
"Miranda told me something when I was interrogating her earlier this morning," Siegren spoke, causing Helga to glance at him with a mixture of curiosity and concern. "She mentioned that your wolf possesses unique abilities that are not found in ordinary werewolves. Is that true?"
Helga's heart raced against her chest, and she took a deep breath to calm herself when she felt Stella stir within her soul. In that instant, she wondered if Siegren could sense her true thoughts or if she was able to keep her face neutral enough to hide them. She had completely forgotten that Miranda had witnessed Stella using her unique power twice, something that an ordinary werewolf would not be capable of doing.
"That's right,"
Helga let out a deep sigh, her thoughts swirling with turmoil as she struggled to decide how to reveal the truth. After much contemplation, she finally decided to blurt it out simply. She knew that now that they had admitted their love for each other, it was time for her to reveal the details of her identity slowly. It felt like the right thing to do, even though it scared her. After all, she didn't want to deceive Siegren, not after everything they had been through together-he didn't deserve it. And if he were to get angry and reject her once he learned everything about her, she would accept it with open arms.
The thought pained her, but she refused to let fear hold her back any longer, not when she had found someone who loved her for who she truly was.
you
"Do recall when I told you that I have the ability to shift into my wolf form at any time, but I made a promise to my wolf that I would only do so in dire situations?" Helga asked, reminiscing about her conversation with Siegren after she woke up from passing out during her tests in the Ardan Woods. "You then remarked that we have a secret we're trying to keep hidden."
The Alpha King nodded, his mind replaying every detail of the conversation he had with Helga. He found it not just interesting, but fascinating and enthralling. However, at the time, he didn't push for more information because he wasn't desperate enough. But now that their relationship deepens and their feelings for each other grow stronger, he wants to know everything about her. He knows she is guarded and concealing secrets, but with patience and understanding, he hopes she will eventually open up to him and trust him completely. "So, that was the secret you and your wolf were keeping?" he inquired, his gaze fixed on her as she set the newspaper down on the table. "What abilities does your wolf have, exactly?" "Stella possesses the ability to emanate an aura that exerts intense pressure on her enemy, which can result in their death without her needing to physically attack them. Once she used this power, the affected wolf will experience weakness and blood will spurt from their mouth and ears, almost as if they had exploded."
As Helga explained, Siegren felt as though he had been frozen in time, his mind racing
to catch up with the shocking revelation because Ivo possessed the same thing. He fell silent, considering the fact that this kind of power was typically only possessed by those with special bloodlines, like royalty. As this thought crossed his mind, he turned to look at Helga before finally speaking again.
"Could it be... You're part of the fallen royal family of Narva?"