The Broken Crown

Setting Sun

The trip had been exhausting on the alpha, most of the time spent conjuring up questions of what could have happened exactly in that pack, what events transpired, and just how the woman he was traveling so far to see was doing. River found it hard to keep his eyes open as he knocked on the front door, the warriors of Alpha Leala surrounding the house for extra protection, a security detail even following him - not to keep River safe, but to keep Leala safe.

As the front door opened, the familiar face of Beta Cedric greeted him, rushing him into the house to keep River from the public eye of Crimson Lock. "How is she?"

"Tired. She was up this morning before dawn asking about the pack, but she is back asleep now." 

As Cedric and River passed through the main hallway of the house, a familiar set of blue eyes landed upon River. A part of River wanted to lash out, to ask why she could not protect Leala, but River knew in sudden attacks, things cannot go as planned. Brie lay in the living room with stitches across her forehead and a sling capturing her right arm. Bruises covered most of her exposed flesh, her blue eyes surrounded by blackened bruises and a swollen jaw. 

The two men walked towards the office at the end of the hall, oil canvases housed in brass frames, displaying the faces of alphas passed. River wondered when Leala would have her own painting commissioned and hung beside that of her parents. Entering into the office, the scent of Leala Maxwell overwhelmed River, driving his senses haywire as he reminded his wolf to lay low. "I came as soon as I could."

"I know," Cedric replies, taking a seat behind the desk as he invited River to make himself comfortable for the conversation they were to have. Before Cedric had even spoken to River the first time, River knew Cedric was no fan of his. The Beta of Crimson Lock was showing River more hospitality now more than ever, yet was still hostile at the thought of greeting the Alpha of Eternal Shadows. "Alpha Leala has left matters in my hands for the moment while she recovers."

"I was informed I would be meeting with Leala-"

"Alpha Leala."

"Right. I assumed I would be speaking with Alpha Leala when I came here. She is the one who caught onto the patterns within my pack." 

Cedric was not fond of hearing River refer to his Alpha with such a casual tone. Cedric knew the short romance between the two alphas was something of the past, yet he did not expect it to still carry on to this day. The Beta had hopped the dull romance between the two would have died down when war was declared, yet he saw that to be untrue. 

"Alpha Leala is unwell - she endured a great battle and fought bravely."

"I was told she rescued pack members from the burning pack house," River commented, recalling his phone call with Brie when he had set out on his jet to arrive here. 

"But we are not here to talk about my alpha," Cedric pointed out, leaning forward in the leather chair as he clasped his hands together. "You flew here on a private jet to cover your footprints, but you know that the traitors of your pack are well aware of what you have done." River was not naïve, for he knew coming to Crimson Lock would result in an uproar within his pack, both on the werewolf and elven sides. Before departing, River had given his four most trusted werewolf advisors the responsibility of informing him of any peculiar commotion, rumors, actions within the palace of Eternal Shadows. The crows he had planted were seeded deep in the elven community, yet radio silence came from them on any new movements. 

"I am aware." 

"Then you have damned your-"

"I know what I have done, Beta Cedric. I know that coming here will cause members of my pack to become uneasy - especially those which may have attacked Crimson Lock. Brie informed me that your men managed to capture a few of the elves who attacked."