Louie’s POV
I arrived at the Blood Dawn early, hoping to meet Archie and his wife to have a chat and get to know them better. However, I ended up waiting for Archie in the VIP lounge for two hours, and he still hadn't shown up.
My messages to Theresa remained unanswered, and I figured she must be busy. Bored to the core, I found myself drinking alone in a corner, forced to overhear various trivial gossip from the other guests.
"In a little while, the succession ceremony will begin, and we'll have the chance to meet the Alpha of the Blood Dawn. They say he's ruthless and incredibly powerful, often leading teams to hunt rogues in the Dark Forest. He's a king with an iron fist."
"Yes, I've heard about his prowess. He perfectly inherits his mother's gifted bloodline. Having such an Alpha guarding the Dark Forest in the North gives us a sense of great security."
"But personally, I think the Alpha of the Golden Crest I is even more formidable."
"I heard that the Alpha and Luna of the Golden Crest will also be here for the ceremony at Blood Dawn."
"Alpha Archie is said to be the most handsome and powerful in the werewolf world. I wonder what kind of exceptional woman would be worthy of becoming his Luna," one of the she-wolves remarked in awe.
"But, it is said that he seems to have problems with … with his…" a she-wolf spoke in a hushed tone as if sharing a secret.
"What problem?" others wore curious and gossipy expressions as they asked.
"Emm, but please don't mention that I told you. I heard he's impotent."
Upon hearing this, I started coughing heavily, and the others let out sounds of disbelief. "You must be kidding!" "How could that be possible?"
"Believe me, my cousin is from Deep Moon, this news is definitely true!"
"Wow, how could his Luna endure him?"
I must be crazy to stay here to waste my time on this ridiculous idle chatter, I couldn't help but feel a mix of anticipation and impatience. Where was Archie, and why was he taking so long? I sipped my drink, trying to distract myself, but he murmurs of the crowd continued to drift into my ears
Another chimed in, “Actually, I have seen her.”
Curiosity lingered among the werewolves as they wondered who the true Luna of the Golden Crest could be. "Where is she? I can't wait to see her!" Someone exclaimed.
"She is … is a disable she-wolf."
The crowd fell into an awkward silence as these words hung in the air. I furrowed my brows and followed the direction of everyone's gaze, only to find Erma standing there, looking both remorseful and defiant. It was clear that she had more to say, but her words had already caused enough shock among the guests.
Erma's hand quickly covered her mouth, as if she regretted speaking out loud. "Oh, I shouldn't have said this. Luna will never forgive me if she knows it," Erma murmured, "I feel truly sorry, but..."The atmosphere grew tense, and I felt a mixture of anger and curiosity rise within me.
I approached Erma, my voice firm as I addressed her, "Erma, if you feel regretful and know that you're offending Luna, then you should stop right there and not discuss other people's private matters in public."
Erma stared at me with a mixture of anger and embarrassment. "Which pack do you belong to? How did you manage to get in here? What gives you the right to criticize me?" she retorted defensively.
"I am Louie Blancato," I replied in a flat tone, refusing to back down. "Any person with a sense of justice wouldn't turn a blind eye to your despicable behavior."
Erma seemed to recognize my name and asked fearfully, "Are you from the Blancato family?"
Ignoring her question, I pressed on, "You've reminded me of something. This is the VIP lounge, so how did you get in here?" I knew Erma's celebrity status in the human world, but she didn't hold any significant position in the Golden Crest. She should have only been allowed in the outer hall for the regular guests' party, not the VIP lounge.
Erma's face flushed red, but she tried to maintain her pride as she answered, "Alpha Archie brought me here." The crowd looked at her with respect after hearing her words, further fueling her arrogance.
Surprised by Archie's decision to bring Erma to Blood Dawn, I furrowed my brows in confusion. Why would he do that? He had explicitly said to bring Alisha to relax and announce her as his only recognized Luna. So, why would he bring another she-wolf here?
Recalling how Archie bought Theresa's song and gave it to Erma, I couldn't help but feel confused by his actions and growing even more disgusted with Erma.
If I had known this would happen, I wouldn't have helped Archie with that favor. I wasted Theresa's work and left her with a bad impression of my company. Her lack of response to DM entertainment's offer weighed on my conscience, and I deeply regretted my actions.
Pushing those thoughts aside, I knew I had to face the situation head-on. After dealing with matters here and seeing Archie and Alisha, I must go see Theresa and be honest with her about everything, hoping to earn her forgiveness.
Refusing to engage with Erma any further, I snorted, "I advise you to think carefully. Offending your Luna in public, do you think Archie will let you off easily?"
Erma's face paled at my words, and a hint of fear flickered in her eyes. She seemed to realize the gravity of her actions and how they could affect her relationship with Archie. "I didn't mean to cause trouble. I am so sorry, please don't …" she stammered, her bravado diminishing in the face of possible consequences.
"Well, you did cause trouble," I said firmly. "And you should take responsibility for your words and actions. Show some respect to your Luna, Alisha. She deserves better treatment than the gossip you spread about her."
As I was about to take my leave from the bustling crowd, a glimpse of a familiar figure amidst the sea of werewolves caught my eye – it was Brad, the loyal and formidable Beta of the Golden Crest. Intrigued by his presence, I quickly made my way through the throng, intercepting him with happiness.
"Hi, Brad," I began, "has Archie arrived yet? I've been trying to reach him, but he hasn't responded."
Brad's expression seemed flustered, as if my unexpected appearance had taken him by surprise. However, he composed himself and nodded. "The Alpha is on his way, Mr. Blancato. He should be arriving within the next few minutes."
Relieved by the news, I replied, "That's great to hear. I'll wait for him then and also take the opportunity to finally meet his wife, Alisha."
Anxiety flashed across Brad's face as he responded, "I must apologize, Luna is already here, but she's not feeling well. In fact, I was about to take the witch doctor to attend to her."
My concern surfaced upon hearing about Alisha's condition. "Oh no, what happened to her? Is she alright?" I inquired, hoping to get a better understanding of the situation.
"It appears that she was affected by the Dark Forest when we entered the Blood Dawn territory," Brad explained, his eyes clouded with worry.
This answer perplexed me. Shouldn't Alisha be protected from the influence of Archie's powerful mate mark?
For werewolf, the mark also contained power and vibe from mate, therefore, a strong mark would work as a shield, protect the mate from other bad influence and werewolf.
I wondered if there was more to the story, but I decided not to pry further, knowing that Brad might not be at liberty to divulge all the details.
Offering my assistance, I said, "Since Archie hasn't arrived yet, I'd be more than willing to accompany you. If there's anything I can do to help, please don't hesitate to ask."
Brad hesitated for a moment, Brad nodded in acceptance of my offer. Together, we made our way towards a nearby rest area, where Alisha was said to be resting.
Before we could open the door, a strong she-wolf rushed out of the room, her eyes filled with anxiety. "Brad, I just went out to get some food for Luna, but when I returned, she was gone."
Brad's face turned pale as he heard this, and he immediately reassured her, "Don't worry, I'll have someone search for her."
Curiosity got the better of me as they left, and I quietly stepped into the room. The open window and faint footprints on the windowsill caught my attention, sparking my instincts to follow. Without a second thought, I leaped out of the window and cautiously made my way through the moonlit garden, following the mysterious trail left behind. With every step, the night air seemed to thicken with an aura of secrets waiting to be unveiled.
After a few moments of tracing the path, I found myself in a secluded corner of the garden. The moon cast a gentle glow upon the area, revealing a blurry but familiar figure, a little far from me, Theresa?
But in the blink of an eye, the figure ahead had vanished. Could it be that I was missing Theresa so much that I started having hallucinations?