Chasing Moon

15

Crystella had invited Chase to tag along, thinking it would be a good idea to have a Kelsey with her. She needed as many connections as she could if she wanted to win this war.

"I still think you should be resting," the rogue repeated during their ride.

"Just let me drive in peace," Crystella hissed, irritated by the rogue's constant chattering. There wasn't a minute where the creature had kept silent—he was yapping throughout the drive, overly concerned about her health.

She felt fine, the anger combined with her Alpha-blood speeding up her recovery process. There was no time to waste, especially not on moping about Monty's place even when she was all healed up. Besides, she had asked for Monty to take care of the pack while she was away.

"The medic said you passed out from malnutrition. The funny thing is, you haven't eaten a single thing since you've woke up! How can you say that—"

"For the love of the Goddess, can you just shut up until we reach our destination? I need some silence to think, okay?"

The rogue finally kept his mouth shut and thankfully kept it that way until the drive was over.

As they got off the car, Crystella glanced down at herself, neatening her blue body-con dress. She needed to look professional and authoritative, needed to look more like her father.

"Why are we at Hart's territory again?"

"To increase the chance of Hart's Alpha lending us a hand."

"So you're just taking advantage of my Kelsey roots?"

"Yes."

Not giving a chance for the rogue to ask any other questions, Crystella walked to the gates of the Hart's Mansion, the rogue following beside her. The guards gave them a nod as they escorted them in, leading them into the place where the Alpha resides.

Crystella studied the interior of the mansion. It wasn't bigger than what Craw had, but it seemed livelier, more familiar than the corridors of her own mansion. She remembered being here a lot as a child, companying her father to their ally visits.

What she did then, while her father had pack conversations with Hart's Alpha, was buried in her mind. Those hazy memories did not seem like they would recover anytime soon either.

The guards finally halted and gestured to the room in front of them.

"The Alpha is waiting," one of them said, while the other knocked the doors.

"Enter," a voice boomed from inside and the guards nodded their heads.

Taking a deep breath, Crystella pushed the doors open.

"Ah, Crystella! It's been so long, hasn't it? The last you were here, you were barely nine! And I see you brought a company!"

Hart's alpha was a tanned skin man with greying black hair. His eyes were radiating emerald as he walked up to the couple, his grin growing wider as he got closer.

"Afternoon, sir. Pleased to meet you, I'm—"

"Oh my, oh my! Don't say, let me guess... Chase, right?" the Alpha said as his smiled.

The couple's eyes widened.

"It's okay, Chase. Of course you wouldn't remember me! I only had the chance to see you once with your pops—ah! Do you not remember meeting Crystella too?"

"What?" the rogue asked, confused and shocked at the same time.

"Oh, what fate! The two of you! Oh, my! Do you really not remember? You two were inseparable even after just a few hours of being together! Craw and Kelsey had to literally pull the two of you apart to return home!" the Alpha chuckled as he placed his hands on both the duo's shoulders.

"Call me Joseph, children," the Alpha said as he gestured for them to sit down.

They both did so while glancing at each other. Was the Alpha telling the truth?

"Now tell me, when will the ceremony be held?"

Crystella frowned.

"Pardon?"

"The wedding ceremony! Aren't both of you here to extend an invitation to your wedding?"

The rogue coughed beside Crystella.

"Well, Joseph, no, I suppose not," Crystella clipped as she sat up straighter, not liking the way the conversation was turning to. She needed the Alpha to know that she was serious about this meeting.

The Alpha sensed Crystella's intentions and his grin disappeared.

"Well then, child, why have you come?"

"We are not here as children, Joseph," Crystella replied as she forced a smile, her hands clenched into fists. She had enough of the Alpha's baby talk.

The Alpha lifted an eyebrow and shifted his posture. Bending forward as he placed his elbows on his knees, he gestured for Crystella to continue.

"I need your help."

The Alpha broke into a smile, breaking his serious façade.

"Oh, Crystella! Don't worry about it at all! If you need more trackers to search for your father, I'll have no objection to send some of my wolves out! And if—"

"Nineteen years ago, Henry Hart ran the pack before his brother took his place after he mysteriously disappeared," Crystella started confidently, silencing the Alpha.

Her words had the Alpha's attention.

"The entire pack revolted against Henry Hart in one quick moment, a moment so fast that none of the other packs had seen it coming," she continued, "Henry Hart's brother then took on his place as the new Alpha, with none of the pack members in objection."

"Are you here to ask for my alliance in starting an uprising behind your father's back?" the Alpha asked, frowning.

"No, I'm here to seek your aid in preventing it."

A smile crept across the Alpha's lips.

"Interesting. Tell me about it, Crystella, and don't leave out a single detail."

// back with another chapter to make up for the previous short one :DD

p.s. hit dat star if you're enjoying so far ;))

avocados,
Jia Yue