The Alpha's Progeny [The Alpha's #3]
Chapter 16

MALIK VLADIMIR

If Malik thought he had trouble sleeping before, he spent the rest of the night proving himself wrong. Sleep evaded him at every turn and when the sun eventually rose in the morning, he was absolutely drained but his eyes still wouldn’t close. Not even when he pretended to be asleep in hopes of tricking his body into it.

Despite all the conflicting thoughts and emotions rushing through him, Malik left his room the next morning like nothing had happened. Like he hadn’t eavesdropped on his dad and a secret group of wolves sounding as if they were trying to free the werewolf God.

Not to go against everything that we’ve grown up believing, but how do things work if Lord Erebus is locked away? his wolf asked him. And how long has he been locked away?

I have no idea. I could barely understand half of what they were saying.

Why didn’t you wake me up?

There wasn’t any time, Malik huffed, this not being the first time that his wolf had asked the very same question this morning. If I hung around to wake you up, then I wouldn’t have even caught the last of what they were saying.

I guess, his wolf huffed. I don’t understand how Lord Erebus can be locked away.

Me neither but all I can think is: can the rumours be true?

Don’t let those nasty rumours sway you. They’ve been going round for years.

And this is the first we’re hearing of them, Malik frowned, growing more and more confused with each passing second. They kept talking about sacrifices. A few sacrifices and they’ve reached their goal.

Whatever that is, Malik snorted.

Their goal must be to raise Lord Erebus, his wolf murmured in a quiet voice. They kept talking about that.

If they just want to raise Lord Erebus, why are they keeping it such a secret? Wouldn’t that be something to rejoice about?

Yes, it would be. Which makes me think that there’s more to the story than what you heard.

Not to mention the sacrifices, Malik’s voice trailed off as he thought hard. What exactly is being sacrificed? Rabbit? Deer? Elk?

What if it’s not animals that are being sacrificed?

What do you mean?

No, it can’t be! his wolf swore under his breath. You don’t think those wolves from the Lupum Griseo pack were speaking the truth, do you?

What? Sacrificing new born pups? Malik questioned in shock, unsure if the suggestion was too absurd or not to be ruled out.

It would make sense why Nathan tried to kidnap Penelope, the creature pointed out. I’m not saying that this is definitely it…but if it’s not this, then what else could it be?

I have no idea but we need to replace out, he spoke with the utmost conviction even though, right now, neither of them had the means or knowledge of how exactly they were going to get to the bottom of this.

His mind remained clouded during the entire training session. He didn’t do as well as he usually did and when his dad sent him a funny look by the end of it, he mentally cursed himself.

If you keep acting so obvious, he’s going to figure out that something is wrong, his wolf chastised him.

I know that! Malik forced the words out through gritted teeth. It’s not like I did it on purpose.

It doesn’t matter whether you did it on purpose or by accident. Keep control of your stupid face and don’t let up that we’re suspicious about all of this. At least not until we replace out more about what’s going on.

If my face is stupid then so is yours, Malik snorted and rolled his eyes; he was veery aware that his comeback was childish but he couldn’t bring himself to care. Not right now. Not when he had far more important things to worry about.

Like they always did at this time of morning, the pack gathered out in the fields. Some had already started their day while others were just waking up. Some had finished up with training and were moving onto breakfast while others chose to shower first.

None of that mattered as at this time of morning, every morning, they all gathered to pray.

When Malik was away from the pack, he would pray by himself. And as much as he loved spending time with Marcellus, Anastasia and their little family in the Lupum Griseo pack, there was just something about praying in union with his pack.

Or rather, there was.

I’m glad I’m not the only one that feels like something isn’t quite right, his wolf murmured as they bowed their head and clasped their hands together like everyone else.

That’s because we’re now starting to doubt everything that we’ve ever been told, Malik murmured back, keeping his ears peeled as his father had already begun leading the prayer.

Previously, he hung onto every word during the prayer and when they broke off later for their individual prayers, Malik made sure to ask the Lord for everything that was not quite right in his life. But now, he could barely pay attention and when it finally came to their personal prayers, he had nothing to say.

What could he say when he was starting to question the very existence of his Lord? If he was questioning his entire belief?

If Malik was human, he was sure that this would be classed as an identity crisis…but as he was a werewolf, it was so much more.

Praying to Lord Erebus wasn’t just something that he did every morning. It was a ritual, a peace-bringer. In the past, he had found great solace in speaking up to the Lord but now, the great being didn’t feel so great anymore.

All of this whispering about sacrifices and freeing Lord Erebus – the same Lord that he had never heard being locked up in the first place – to get revenge on the Moon Goddess really put a plug on his thoughts. Instead of them leaving his mind when he was finished processing them, they continued swirling around and around, adding more to the pile as his mind continued to wander.

If Lord Erebus was truly locked away, then why were they praying to him? How was he able to hear their prayers? How was he able to grant them?

How was he looking down upon them from God prison or wherever else the werewolf God would be taken to be imprisoned?

And then that raised the question of who had imprisoned him? The Moon Goddess? And why?

By the end of the prayer, Malik felt the early incoming of a headache with all the back and forth thinking that he had been doing, trying to come up with both sides of the argument. A discredit to his efforts: he found himself even more confused than he had been at the start.

“Malik,” his dad called out to him from behind. “Can we have a quick word in my office before you get started on your day?”

“Sure,” Malik murmured as he turned around, trying to keep a poker expression on his face. “What did you want to talk about?”

“It’s probably best if we wait until we’re in my office,” Orpheus called over his shoulder as he walked past. “We’ll have some privacy there.”

Malik gulped but kept up the poker face, desperate to not let anything slip through the cracks.

“I know that you followed me out to the forest last night,” his dad announced, closing the door behind them both with a gentle click. “Or should I say this morning?” he teased with a grin on his face even though there wasn’t anything the least bit humorous about this situation. At least not for Malik, anyway.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Malik denied, deciding to play coy and ignorant. “I was asleep last night.”

“Come on, don’t lie to me. You did a terrible job of masking your scent. I knew you were going to follow me the moment you stepped out of the bed,” Orpheus quirked a brow, daring him to deny it.

“Fine.” Malik gritted his teeth, immensely disappointed in himself for being caught. Especially when he thought he had done a good job.

You need to play this cool. Stay on his good side. Don’t let him know that you’re onto him, his wolf instructed him in a grave tone, purposely pronouncing each and every word and syllable.

Easier said than done.

“Are you going to tell me what you were doing?” his dad asked, almost making it feel like he was scolding him.

“I couldn’t sleep last night. I kept thinking about Nathan and what happened over at the Lupum Griseo pack earlier yesterday,” he made sure to include as much of the truth as possible so his story would be believable. “I heard some noise outside my window and I thought it was a little strange. When I looked out of it, I saw you walking toward the forest.”

“And you decided to follow me?” Orpheus quirked another questioning brow, his eyes unwavering as he studied Malik.

“Yes,” he nodded, making a show of bowing his head in shame. In reality, Malik was not the least bit ashamed with what he had gotten up to last night but if his dad thought it was, perhaps it would help his case some.

“Why didn’t you just ask me what I was doing?”

“I didn’t think you would tell me.”

“And why would I tell you?”

“I don’t know,” Malik shrugged and huffed as he turned his attention up to look his father in the eye. “You don’t exactly tell me everything so I thought this would be another thing that you wouldn’t tell me.”

Orpheus pursed his lips and narrowed his eyes as he stared at his son. Several moments of silence passed between them before he finally spoke up.

“What did you hear?”

“I didn’t manage to hear much,” Malik answered after a moment, making sure that he didn’t speak too fast and give himself up. “By the time I managed to get close enough without you realising that I was there, you were nearly finished.”

“So, you didn’t hear anything?”

“I only heard that you mention that Lord Erebus needs us to help free him.”

“So, you did hear quite a bit,” Orpheus hummed with a thoughtful expression on his face, cocking his head to the side as he watched his son carefully. “Anything else?”

“No, that was about it,” he shook his head. “I actually wanted to talk to you about that today.” When his dad nodded, he took that as his cue to continue. “I want to know more about what’s happened to Lord Erebus. Why is he locked away? Who locked him away? And how can we set him free?”

“You want to help?” Orpheus murmured the question in a low tone, rubbing his hand along his jaw.

Malik nodded eagerly, purposely twisting his face into an unpleasant expression. “We can’t just sit around and do nothing when someone is transgressing against our Lord like this.”

“I’m really glad to hear this from you! I’m so glad that you wanted to get involved!” Orpheus grinned, a somewhat proud look on his face. “I haven’t got time to go through it all with you right now but I promise when the time is right, I’ll tell you everything that you need to know.”

“Thanks dad! I’ll catch you later then!”

Malik walked away with a fake smile on his face, very aware that his dad was staring holes into his back.

-

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Layla Knight

17.08.2021