Omega's Rebirth-Chapter 386: Dark Memories 2 ()

"My fa..." Neveah began again but trailed off, breathing a heavy sigh.

"Lothaire was many things, but above all, he was a smart man and he understood how the minds of men in power worked and how to manipulate them. "

"He would begin with a bait for the lure, a bright and shiny package that he knew no greedy, power hungry man could turn away from," Neveah shook her head slightly.

"It was no surprise to me when he declared that the entertainment of the night was to be a friendly combat amongst the Alphas present."

"The price awarded to the winner was tricky, whoever won could ask for anything from Lothaire and on his honor as Alpha King, he was obliged to comply with the request." The words were still difficult for Neveah to say but she found the more she spoke, the easier it became.

The memories were still terrible to recount, but Neveah felt the slightest sense of detachment, as though her mind was slowly registering the fact that the Neveah then no longer existed.

"It was a great price, a blank slate. Surely all these powerful men did have something they desperately wanted from the Eclipse Alpha King."

"It took me one look around the hall to realize that each of those Alphas present had something in common, the very reason they were the ones chosen to stay behind." Neveah recounted.

"Well something other than being greedy, self absorbed and lustful wolves. Each of them had previously been involved in a dispute about expanding their territory to encompass the coveted hectares of fertile lands far in the Eastern borders."

"This dispute had been resolved a few months before when my fa... Lothaire, laid official claim to those lands as the laws allow for territories in dispute, making it so that none of these Alphas had gotten their hands on it in the end."

"I reckon it was a fact that had angered them for years." Neveah sniffled and Menarx rubbed a hand down her back to soothe her.

"And this is where Lothaire spun his scheme, because those very lands in question had just been granted to me as a birthday gift, by him in front of the hundreds of guests who had graced the ball."

"And all of these men had been there to hear it, to know that the territory they desired was by law, in my name now."

"Of course, they battled. Fiercely, taking out one another to an inch of life left while my father watched the show with morbid delight...until there was only Alpha Wren standing."

"And when Alpha Wren made his request, guess what he asked for?" Neveah asked in a low tone.

"You guessed right, he asked for those lands. And an Alpha King never breaks his given word, you see? Lothaire played the helpless card, though there were many witnesses to his promise."

"No one could counter with Lothaire’s reasoning, it was unbecoming to take back a gift he had just given the very same day. But that only meant it was all in my hands."

"Alpha Wren was no dim witted man, he knew the lands were no longer in Lothaire’s hands and he could not reclaim what had already been given to me."

"Hence Alpha Wren made a counter offer, of something else he wanted in place of those lands even if we all knew clearly that there was nothing that could be exchanged for them." Neveah chuckled in derision.

"He asked to be granted a royal pardon, to be used whenever he deemed it fit. A royal pardon meant he would not be convicted of a crime if he ever committed one ...no matter how severe."

"And I realized the crime Alpha Wren had in mind when he broke into my room that same night... " Neveah paused again.

"Oh, Veah..." Menarx murmured, his heart aching.

It was a difficult part to get out for Neveah and so she needed a breath.

"With a royal pardon in the bag, one could get away with even a crime as severe as forcefully mating the Alpha King’s daughter...it seemed." Neveah’s tone was sarcastic, but it was a very unsuccessful attempt to conceal the pain hidden in every word.

"Yet at the same time, by our laws, a princess who has had secret affairs would be forced to marry the man in question to preserve royal honor." Neveah continue.

"My guess is, Alpha Wren planned to commit the crime, get caught, invoke the royal pardon and then take responsibility for his actions by marrying me and getting the lands either ways." Neveah continued.

"It didn’t work out so well for him since he ended up dying that night...with my dagger through his throat."

"It was only when my fa... Lothaire arrived to the scene with a knowing smirk on his lips that I realized to this had been the original plan all along."

"Of course, Lothaire played the game well. He knew exactly what all of those Alphas wanted from him,"

"He also knew whoever won the combat would have their eyes on the only thing they could lay hands on that would grant them the lawful rights to those lands... me." Neveah paused again, clearing her throat slightly.

"He tossed me right in the middle of decades long of territory battle and smiled all through it. He smiled because he knew just as I knew that all this was bait for what he truly wanted...it was too bad everyone else was too blind in their greed to see it too."

"It was further confirmed when I realized Alpha Wren had already been poisoned and all that was required was a justified death that would raise no questions."

"And the most assured confirmation was when Lothaire laid claim to all the gold mine fields which had belonged to Alpha Wren seeing as he died without having an heir..."

"And there it was, my father getting exactly what he wanted without losing anything and you might wonder where all my training came into play?" Neveah asked in a voice barely above a whisper.

"How would you reckon a fourteen year old could kill a full grown wolf, thrice my size without first lowering his defenses?" Neveah answered the question herself.