CHAPTER 2 – MANSION

Many things happened to her three years ago. Things that she wanted to ever not remember if possible. Things that changed almost everything in her…both in good ways and in bad ways.

And three years ago, she made a vow to protect the people who saved her from herself and from the pain she had gone through. The people who made her realize that life is full of chances. Life is full of happiness waiting to be sought in the right moment. That life can just not be about pain, regret, hatred and…rejection.  

She promised that she will protect them all from harm…even with her own life.

-o-o-o-

*Cough! Cough! Cough!*

‘Damn these colds.’  She took a clean handkerchief from the wooden bedside table and blew out her red noise. She is sure that she looked like that silly reindeer from the old tale of a large man in red giving off presents to children on Christmas.

“Say ‘ahhh’ Silvi.”

She glared at Antares who was holding a spoon of soup in front of her mouth, looking so silly with that goofy grin on his lips.

She wanted to smack him hard, but she doesn’t have the strength to do it because of the stupid fever she have.

She unwillingly opened her mouth and accepted the offer and gulped it without removing the glare she’s giving him.

“Awww…who’s the good girl.” Antares praised like she was some kind of pup who obeyed her master’s orders. Antares ruffled her head and a really annoying way. He is really treating her like a pup. She swatted his hand away.

“Just wait until I get better.” She said in a hoarse and weak voice, then she coughed again.

“Awww…But that’s when you get better.” He pouted in a teasing way. He patted her cheeks lightly. “But I’ll be able to run away when that happens.” He said, grinning like an idiot.

She sent him dagger looks.

*Cough! Cough! Cough! Achoo!* She took the handkerchief again and blew hard.

“Now now…stop tormenting our sick patient Antares. Don’t stress her out.” Calber said and took the empty bowl from Antares and gave him the bottle of pink medicine that Lucy used to take when she was the one having the colds.

“Haha…Sorry Dad. It’s really rare to see her like this. She can’t properly return an insult back.” Antares poured the medicine unto the spoon and made her drink it.

She gulped down the awful-tasting medicine. She took the water from the bedside table and drank it in one go.

“Gosh! That was awful.” She breathes.

“I thought you were tough?” Antares snickered at her.

‘He’s not going to stop is he?’

“The great Silvi Eon Mayne is defeated by a mere cold remedy.” Then he laughed his heart out.

“Try it then.” She challenged him with her eyes squinting in annoyance.

He shrugged. “I can’t. I’m not sick.” He snickered again and ruffled her hair, completely disarranging the strands.

She wanted to grab him back but her coughs halted her.

“I’m really sorry Silvi. I think it’s because you caught my colds that you’re sick in the bed like this.” Lucy said in a guilty tone. Her motherly voice calmed her down.

“It’s not your fault at all, Lucy. It’s just really cold outside nowadays because of the upcoming winter.”

“She’s right darling. There’s a sudden outbreak of fever within the pack.”

Silvi laughed. “I thought wolves are supposed to have good immune systems, especially in this type of weather.”

“Don’t generalize wolves Silvi, we come in different circumstances.” Calber said.

Calber took a folded cloth and soaked it in a bowl of clean water. He squeezed it and lays on top of her forehead. He touched her cheek and neck to check her temperature. He frowned. “It’s not going down.”

Silvi coughed again and pulled the blanket closer that it reached her neck and her face is the only part of her body visible. Her body feels terribly cold.

“Maybe the wolf medicine is not effective on her. Maybe she needs human medicine.” Lucy suggested.

“Right…I’ll go to the market tomorrow and see what I can find.” Calber said.

Calber can’t probably go outside right now because it is already night so the stores are surely closed. Plus, there’s a strong autumn wind that’s visiting the pack.

“Thank you for taking care of me.” She said in her hoarse and squeaking voice. She can’t properly speak because of her now blocked nose.

The two adult wolves smiled at her.

“Of course, Silvi. You’re part of the family.” Lucy said.

Silvi smiled. That’s why she loves this family. Blood or not, they treat her as one, nevertheless.

“Goodnight Silvi.” Calber said when he was at the door of her room.

“Goodnight.”

“Stand guard Antares.” He added before he left with his wife and closed the door of her room.

“Yes sir!” Antares saluted like a knight and buffed his chest. Then he props his arms on the side of her bed and stared at her with her usual goofy grin. Then he ruffled her hair again. It was annoying but satisfying.

She rolled her eyes at him and closed it with a thankful smile on her face. She’s happy that she’s not going to spend the night alone tonight.

-o-o-o-

“What do we do now Dad?” Antares asked his father who was thinking so deeply.

They’re in the kitchen. And with Silvi sick in bed, his dad is going to be her temporary substitute cook.

His dad is an amazing chef. Everybody knows that. He did build the diner with his own sweat and blood and is still the owner. It’s just that Silvi cooks a little bit better than his dad. So they decided to make her the head cook. But they didn’t just put her in the position just because of that. His dad just wanted Silvi to take over his position because Silvi needed to be preoccupied with something or else other unnecessary things are going to preoccupying her mind.

 Though his dad still cooks during special occasions.

However, the crisis they’re currently facing is the food that’s going to be delivered for lunch in the mansion.

Silvi gave them the recipes for the dishes that are included. But he never thought that it was going to be this many and complicated.

Silvi does all of these every day? Wow. And all he does is deliver them.

His dad scratched his beard. “We’ve got no choice but to follow the recipes. I don’t want to disturb Silvi’s sleep just to ask her every time.”

“I’m sure that Silvi wouldn’t mind if you ask Dad. She would probably mind if it’s me.” He said.

His dad shook his head. “No…we can do this.” He said. But he could sense that his dad is not fully confident about this.

-o-o-o-

“There, finally done.” Calber said and puts the lid on the basket. They were able to finish all of the orders just before the clock strikes 10:30. “Antares, deliver this to the mansion. Good thing we finished just in time.”

Antares nodded and got inside and came out in his wolf form, Diego, with his sling-belt pack. Calber took the handle and made Diego bite unto it.

Diego took off and dashed towards the direction of the Alpha King’s mansion.

He prayed that their customers there would be satisfied with everything they made. It has been a long time since he prepared that much food.

-o-o-o-

“Another request for aid from the Shadow Heart pack? Just how many more warlocks do they need?” Kallean irritatingly breathed out after seeing the stamped letter Marthus was giving him.

“They didn’t ask for another set of warlocks. They are asking for someone who could possibly give them the solution they need to solve their problems. Their beta sent this letter.”

Kallean pinched the bridge of his nose and took the letter from Marthus’s waiting hand. He placed the letter on his office table and didn’t bother opening it because he already knows what was inside.

The Shadow Heart pack was asking them for their warlock’s knowledge because their Alpha is said to have shifting problems.

There are four packs within the continent.

The Eastern pack territory: Feral Moon Pack, ruled by Alpha Conan Desmond.

The Western Pack territory: Clawhound Pack of Alpha Cedrick Mentour

The Southern Pack territory: Shadow Heart Pack, Alpha Greg Craig

And the Northern Pack territory: Nameless Pack...his.

“Alpha Greg’s wolf is said to have not been cooperating with him for the past few years. And it has gone worse now. He can’t shift.” Marthus said.

“We have already sent the help we can. Maybe he rejected his mate or something, that’s why his wolf is acting like that.”

“But Alpha, the same problem is also happening to the Feral Moon and Clawhound. The wolves of their Alphas are also refusing to let them shift. I’m just worried that this situation might also happen to you. Besides, they all have their own mates now, so why would their wolves be like that. I’m thinking that a disease is affecting the other Alphas.” Marthus explained.

“Don’t worry. That would never happen to me.” He said with certainty. “Send another warlock to Shadow Heart. But tell them that this is going to be the last help we’re going to give them. Their problem is not included in my responsibilities as the Alpha King. The other alphas should be the one solving their own personal problems.”

“Sure thing, Alpha.” Marthus said.

A knock on the door made them shift their attention.

The butler opened the giant double door of Kallean’s office. He walked towards his table with dignified butler movements maintained in all of his actions. Despite his old age of sixty, his butler’s actions always seemed young.

His eyes glowed in excitement because of his arrival and took a glimpse on the clock on the wall. It’s lunch time.

“Your lunch, sir.” His butler, Siege, said in his thick accent.

He placed the tray of foods on the empty corner of his office table.

“Thank you.” He said to his butler and immediately postponed signing the documents and moved the papers on the farthest side of his table. He had been looking forward to this lunch.

“Your lunch looks different from what you usually have Alpha.” Marthus asked while observing him. “You look really excited.”

“It’s the lunch that I’ve been waiting for. The food from this diner is just out of this world.”

“Wow. That was a high praise coming from you.” Marthus said.

Lunch had become his favorite meal of the day ever since he discovered the delicious aroma coming from the mansion’s kitchen just the other day. Yes, he is certain that fate brought him to the discovery of the wonderful meal.

The aroma coming from the food of the servants was incredibly better than his own meal, which were cooked by the best werewolf chefs in the pack. He took a bite from the servants’ food because he couldn’t resist. He fell in love with it as soon as he tasted it.

At last he found the meal which he could eat without losing his appetite. He asked the servants where the meal came from and they gladly told him the place. It was from a small diner near the entrance of the pack territory.

He wanted to hire the person who cooked that meal.

Kallean took the table napkin from Siege in a flash and laid it down on his lap.

 The scent of the food filled his sense of smell. But a frown appeared on his face as soon as he smelt the aroma of the food.

His face sank.

“Is there something wrong Alpha?” Marthus asked.

“Something’s not right.”