Louisa's POV
As Lucas carried me into the Grand Auction Hall, everyone was looking at us.
My enhanced hearing helped me to catch their gossip even in the lowest voice.
"What's Alpha Lucas doing with that service maid?"
"Why is she still alive after making such a notorious scene in front of everyone?"
"This is preposterous! He's holding her! Unbelievable."
"Just when I thought I'd seen everything."
"Has anyone seen this girl before? Anyone knows anything about her?"
"I heard that she's Alpha Jacob's daughter, traded to Alpha Lucas as a maid."
"Alpha Jacob from the Crimson Pack?"
"Yeah, who else."
"Well, if you ask me, I'd say that girl must be good in bed."
"No one is asking you anything, Cyrus."
“What? The one thing I can tell is that Alpha Lucas' into freaky things in bed."
"If I may ask, how on earth did you learn what happened in his bed, Alpha Cyrus?"
"You've all seen the warlock he keeps. He's a freak."
"In my opinion, all the great and powerful minds are of great eccentricity."
"Are you insinuating His Excellency, Alpha Zackery?"
"Don't put words into my mouth, Julius. Although we do know he's a queer. I've never seen him taking interest in a girl before."
"Oh, shut up, Cyrus. Maybe he's just waiting for his mate. Maybe he's just being hopelessly romantic."
"Yeah, darling, you keep that beautiful thought in your mind, until you find out he's consummating with a horse or something in the stable."
"Well, he does show abnormal fondness of his horses, I'll give you that."
"Cyrus, Julius, you two have been drinking too much malt and are getting lewd and obnoxious now."
"Oops, His Excellency's coming right now. Laugh, as if I'm telling you something hilarious."
Everyone starts to laugh loudly.
The hypocrisy behind their faces was so appalling to me. I wondered how Alpha Zackery would react if he knew what they were talking about.
"Alpha Zackery, Your Excellency, it's always a pleasure to meet you." One of them bowed modestly at Alpha Zackery and said.
Alpha Zackery smiled gently and said, "Alpha Julius, Alpha Cyrus. Do continue your conversation, please. Don't let me stop all the fun. What were you laughing at anyway?"
That man called Julius immediately looked a bit uncomfortable and prevaricated, "Well, we were talking about complete nonsense, Your Excellency. It wouldn't be appropriate to..."
"Don't be too modest. I need some entertainment to cheer up for the upcoming dreadful event. Come on. Try me. Tell me a joke and make me laugh," Alpha Zackery said.
He smiled with a pair of emotionless blue eyes, which made his casual proposal turn into bone-chilling command.
The man named Cyrus had already become agitated. I could tell that he was literally grilled, with his face turning red and white at the same time.
Sweats started to streak down his face.
"I'm so sorry, Your Excellency... Er..." Cyrus wiped his forehead and said, "We were talking about... You know... Why did the wolf chase the vampire?"
Alpha Zackery stared at him peacefully without saying anything. So Cyrus had to continue by himself awkwardly, "Because he wanted a bite! Haha..."
His hollow laughter tuned down as the smile on Alpha Zackery's face disappeared.
It looked like Alpha Cyrus was about to faint because of hyperthermia.
"You're sweating, which reminds me of something." Alpha Zackery looked at him seriously and said.
"I'm sorry, Your Excellency. I was just... You know... I guess I'm about to have a stroke..." Alpha Cyrus gripped his chest and said.
"No, it's OK. You can have a stroke later. You must hear me out on this one." Alpha Zackery wagged his index finger.
"Yes, of course, Your Excellency..." Alpha Cyrus nodded and replied. His giant body looked like a balloon that was about to explode.
"Why did the wolf stay in the shade?" Alpha Zackery asked with a mysterious smile on his face.
"...Why?" Alpha Cyrus and Alpha Julius asked simultaneously.
"Because he wouldn't turn into a hot dog." Alpha Zackery dropped the punch line with a deadpan face.
Alpha Cyrus and Alpha Julius were silent for a brief moment. It seemed that they weren't sure whether they should laugh or not. Then, when they noticed the smirk on Alpha Zackery's face, they looked at each other and roared with laughter hysterically.
"Your Excellency... You really nail it! He's a... a grilled hot dog... Haha... I can't... catch my breath..." Alpha Julius pointed at Alpha Cyrus and laughed.
"Your Excellency... Your joke is... killing me..." Alpha Cyrus laughed so fiercely that he started to cough in tears.
"Really? I thought only malt kills people." Alpha Zackery laughed out loud, with eyes gleaming with ominous sparks.
Alpha Cyrus was clearly under a panic attack. There were hot flushes on his face. He opened his mouth wide as if he was struggling to catch his breath. Then, he gripped his chest and curled up as if he had been hit in the stomach. Eventually, he passed out on the site like a giant deflated balloon.
His wife exclaimed next to him and tried to stop his huge body from falling apart with Alpha Julius.
"I'm utterly sorry for everything, Your Excellency," Alpha Julius apologized nervously.
After trying multiple times to pull Alpha Cyrus up like a carrot, Alpha Julius gave up. He stood stiff with a straightened back and pulled the most awkward smile I'd ever seen in my life at Alpha Zackery.
Then, he started to talk in gibberish in a panic, "Your Excellency, my cousin isn't himself these days... He must have consumed too much alcohol... My aunt, his mother, died a few months ago... So did his terrier... One thing leads to another... He's practically dying... You know, the family tragedy... Sadness, trauma... gout, indigestion, and alcohol... Yes, especially alcohol... It shorts the circuit in his mind..."
"Yeah, they say drunk mind speaks a sober heart," Alpha Zackery nodded his head with a faint smile. "But I don't know anything about it, for I have never been drunk before."
Then, he noticed me in the crowd.
"Talking about being drunk..." Alpha Zackery mumbled to himself without looking at Alpha Julius, stepping over Alpha Cyrus' body on the ground and walking towards me.
"Oh, fuck. Now he's coming." Lucas said and covered his face.
"He looked vexed... And a bit sad..." I whispered.
"That's what he looks like. Like a fucking sad rabbit." Lucas said and put me on the ground, "Listen, I need you to do something for me." Lucas stared at me and said.