The Werewolf King’s Mate
Chapter 39

Lucas' POV:

I left Cory after breakfast to attend the meeting with the council. I went upstairs to pick up a couple of documents. On my way to the palace, I took the time to greet my parents - well, their portraits. If they were here, they would treat Cory with so much love.

"Father, Mother, I hoped you had met her. You would have liked her for sure."

I headed down and met Silas at the end of the staircase. David and the car are already waiting outside. Even though they're both within the gates, getting from the chateau to the palace is quite a trek. During our journey, Silas gave me a thorough rundown of what to expect at the upcoming meeting.

"Aside from your announcement, they received words about the Midnight Moon's old Alpha and family."

"What about it?"

"They want an update on this. But that's not all. One of the council members was the uncle of Chloe." "Hmm. Who is this uncle?"

"He is Hendrix Lancaster, your Majesty."

"No wonder. Hendrix is an old conniving man. He's been eyeing the throne ever since, and it was undeniable that he had a powerful influence over the council. We'll see what he says about his niece's actions."

We arrived at the esteemed great hall promptly at ten in the morning. This is where we convene for our most engaging political debates and social functions. When I entered the hall, the council members were already present.

"Welcome back, your Majesty! How was your trip?" Sir Patton, one of the senior members of the council, asked.

"It was great, Sir Patton. I learned a lot."

"Good to hear that, your Majesty. Your grandfather and the deceased King would be proud." Sir Patton has been a trusted advisor to the Dacre family. He had served three generations of Dacre Kings already.

"We'd love to hear your stories, your Majesty." Sir Rufian said.

"Ah yes, I would be glad to, but we have other important matters to discuss today. Silas, please proceed with the agenda."

"Yes, your Majesty. First on the list is that the kingdom has found its queen."

"Marvelous! Marvelous! This is great news, your Majesty! Congratulations!"

The council members warmly received the good news. I've got a lot of questions about when Cory will arrive and when the ceremony is happening, along with other details.

"Congratulations, your majesty! However, I heard rumors roaming around." Of course, Sir Hendrix has something up his sleeves.

"What rumors? We just got here yesterday, and there are already rumors. Hmm." Either he was bluffing, or he already knew about this beforehand.

"Oh, you know how maids are. Being tattletales is their pastime. Anyway, I heard that you found your mate at your last stop. Midnight Moon pack, correct?"

"That is correct, Sir Hendrix. What about it?"

"Well, forgive me for this, your Majesty, but is it true that the future Queen was an omega, a slave in that pack?" The great hall was filled with gasps and murmurs.

"Cory came from the Crimson Valley pack. She was the beta's daughter. Unfortunately, their pack was attacked, and only a few survived. The Midnight Moon pack took them in and enslaved them, tortured them, and abused them. And that brings us to the second agenda for today."

"During his majesty's visit to the Midnight Moon pack, it was initially to investigate the embezzlement and corruption of the family. However, we discovered a far worse crime they have committed. They starved and physically and mentally abused the omegas. We have stripped the Alpha and his family of their titles and are now imprisoned." Silas informed the council.

"Then, who's leading the pack now?" one of the members asked.

"Before we left, we appointed John Wyatt as the Alpha. They are in good hands right now."

"But, your Majesty, what will we do with the future Queen?"

Hendrix is testing my patience. Where is he getting at by asking that question? And does he think this will make any difference? He's crazy if he thinks that.

"What do you mean, Sir Hendrix?"

"Please take no offense, your Majesty. I wonder how the Queen will lead if she has no background or skills to rule."

Members are worried about Cory's readiness to be a leader and want to ensure she's fully equipped before introducing her as Queen.

"We should look for a good Sigma to teach her. I have a few connections. I can introduce her to some, your Majesty." Hendrix suggested.

"Yes, Sir Hendrix. That is a great idea! We can have someone teach her our customs and traditions." The whole council was in agreement about this.

"Council members, they are all great ideas. I would love to inform my mate about this. But, Sir Hendrix, I was wondering how you got the information on my mate?" Everyone looked at Hendrix and waited for his answer.

"Oh, your Majesty. My niece told me about it. I believe you met her in the Midnight Moon pack."

"I believe so. I banished her for committing acts of harm and abuse towards her members."

"That's right, your Majesty. But Your Majesty, she was not part of the Alpha's family yet when she was convicted of the crime. He never marked her. Therefore, she should be given the right to make a plea. She should not have been banished. Well, not yet, I believe." "So, Sir Hendrix, do you mean that even with the evidence and proof of her abuse, she should be free to walk around?"

"Oh, no, your Majesty. I'm just saying she should have the right to defend herself in court. But don't worry, your Majesty. I asked her to be escorted here for an official court hearing."

"What do you mean, Sir Hendrix? WHAT DO YOU MEAN SHE'S HERE?!"

"My apologies, your Majesty. I thought my secretary informed you. Chloe is here. She is staying with a family member."

"This meeting is adjourned. We will talk about this, Sir Hendrix."

My heart racing, I hurried out of the hall and frantically dialed Cory's number. Her phone was ringing, but she hadn't answered it yet. "SILAS!"

"Yes, your Majesty?"

"Check with the guards where Cory is."

He dipped his head and moved to a corner to call one of the guards. I am panicking. Chloe was in town, and f*ck! I'm feeling uneasy about this.

We should have imprisoned that woman and let her rot in the cell! This news aggravated Kali.

The f*ck was that. And how dare Hendrix veto my decision?

Blood is thicker than water.

I felt my phone vibrate in my pocket. The caller ID showed Cory's name, and I answered her immediately.

"Cory, where are you? Why didn't you answer your phone? Are you OK?" My heart is racing.

"Lucas, I'm sorry I didn't answer your call. We bumped into Elias and Iris on our way back, and I left my phone on the nightstand."

"Are you home right now?"

"Yes, Lola and I immediately returned after lunch."

"Alright. Thank you, goddess!"

"Why? Is there something wrong, Lucas?"

"I'll tell you later, babe. I will be home soon."

I am glad that she got home safely. A thorn has been lifted off my chest. I called Silas and told him everything was good for now, but we still needed to discuss Chloe being in town. Cory needs to know that she is in imminent danger. How could I let this happen?! We returned home, and I quickly looked for Cory. I found her in the living room with Lola, Elias, and Iris. They seemed to be in a deep discussion. "What's going on?"

All their heads turned to me, and their faces looked dark.

"You should sit down and listen to Cory's story."

"Babe, what's going on? Are you OK?"

"Lucas, I told you earlier that we went home after lunch, right? We were supposed to go to a boutique shop but decided to go home instead. That's when we bumped into Elias and Iris."

"Alright. But what's wrong? Did someone do anything wrong to you?"

She shakes her head, "No, Lucas. It's just that when we exited the cafe, we bumped into someone familiar. We didn't see her face, but her voice..."

I waited for her to finish her sentence. She gulped, and she seemed anxious. Just who did they meet?!

"Her voice. I know I heard it before, but I couldn't be too sure."

"Who's voice, Cory?"

"Chloe's."

What.The.F*ck! Was this staged? Is this Hendrix's plan? What is their plan? I didn't foresee this coming! That son of a b*tch! Hendrix will never stop unless he gets the throne. He opposed my kingship before and now even Cory's. "And Lucas, we also think Chloe has some connection." Iris' speculation was on point.

"You're correct. I learned a while ago that Chloe is Hendrix Lancaster's niece. And it might not be impossible that it was Chloe."

"What?! She's a council member's niece?"

"Yes. Hendrix wanted his niece to have a proper court hearing and overruled my decision about her banishment." "Can he do that?!"

"Under our law, one can appeal to the court and reinvestigate the crime. It is quite complicated, but yes."

"Lucas, we didn't know that Hendrix had a niece, nor did we think Chloe had that level of connection."

"What are you trying to say?"

"We think Chloe knows Laura..."

The world is not as big as I thought it was. How could these people even know each other? This is ridiculous. I needed to increase the security precautions for Cory. It would be wise to avoid taking any risks, especially with these individuals wandering about. Time is also of the essence.

Silas, go to court and ask when we can have the hearing. The sooner, the better.