Chapter 2

Everywhere was quiet except for the rustling of trees and the steady beat of hearts that King Killian could hear from his throne.

He looked at the faces of his council members as he waited for their judgment. For years, he had been trying to get them to agree on his approach, but he couldn't stop himself from pushing the agenda again.

The witches kept warning him about an impending doom about to fall on his kingdom, and he couldn't sit back and watch it all burn to the ground, not if he could do something about it.

"Your majesty, there is no proof that such a scroll exists." One of them argued. The King rubbed his temple. Anytime he called for a meeting, they seemed to argue and miss the point of the forum.

"The witch assured us that there is a scroll like that."

"Sure, I didn't realize we have started trusting witches, the same ones who were banned from using magic because it threatened the kingdom. How are we sure they are not sending you on a wild goose chase?"

They argued amongst themselves, ignoring the King, much to his annoyance.

"Pardon me, my King. But I don't think such a scroll exists, and even if it did, what would you do with it?" One of them asked,

"Silence!" he yelled.

They all kept quiet, waiting for him to speak.

"Yes, the scroll exists, and when I find it, I can unlock unlimited power that can help me conquer other packs and rule over them.

"But my King, you are the Alpha king. You don't need to conquer them. They are already beneath you. "

"No, I want to control them. They keep growing more potent than my kingdom, and I need to control them."

The Alphas looked amongst themselves. They were questioning their King's mental health. He was more worried about other packs than shaping up his own.

"You are joking, right?"

"You are my advisers, you tell me." The King scowled at them.

They shifted uneasily in their seats, they didn't know what crawled up their King's butt and died, but whatever it was, they could feel it would destroy their kingdom eventually if he weren't stopped.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" he asked when they kept looking at him.

"We have been discussing and … ."

Killian tuned them out. He knew this day would come. He has spent his whole life preparing for this day. The witches told him that his council would turn on him, but he couldn't believe it.

They were there when he was sworn in as a young King. They have been Alphas from different packs. They advised, groomed, and taught him everything they knew about ruling a kingdom till he was ready to handle the affairs on his own.

Not one to turn his back on people, he kept them by his side as elders and advisors. But now, he couldn't decipher where their loyalties lay to him or the kingdom.

He turned his hearing back on just in time to hear them say,

"We want you to retire, let someone younger take over. That is what you have been training your successors for." One said fiercely.

Killian nodded his head. He wasn't surprised. The witches told him about this, and as much as he wanted to put his trust in them, he couldn't help it. He banished them; he had no right to believe their words, but now, they just proved themselves to be trustworthy.

"Your majesty, are you listening?"

"Of course I am. You have been talking and think it a good idea that I step down for the sake of the kingdom."

"Yes, we think the new generation will have a much better chance than the ones you have made already."

In other words, they wanted things to go back to the way before he banned the witches from performing magic and female wolves to stop shifting. Killian knew they were unhappy about it, but they kept mute because they had no choice but to follow it.

They made it known that they hated being treated like slaves. The idea of the witches being their enemy terrified them, but the idea of the witches gaining more power disturbed Killian.

He could never admit it, but he hated anyone getting any power, anything that could defeat him. That's why he was going out of his way to find the damn scroll before it could ruin him.

He needed the powers in that scroll to control everyone.

The elders chatted amongst themselves as they waited for him to decide to step down. They thought the son was ready to take over, but the problem was Killian stepping down.

"Son, we have been your advisers for so long. We know what is best for you."

Killian scoffed; best for him indeed. He would be rolling on the floor with laughter if he weren't good at hiding his emotions.

The only thing that was best for him was to get what he wanted before he lost it.

"No, I won't be stepping down." He announced,

The elders gaped at him, "Why? You haven't ruled enough?"

"No, I haven't." he shrugged.

They wouldn't understand what he did to get his hands on the throne, and now he has to give up because they asked nicely.

"How long have you been plotting against me?" he asked casually,

His wolf was out for blood; he wanted to rip them to shreds for such betrayal, but he is a king.

He mind-linked his guards to run to the throne room and waited for them.

"For a long time now, we think that the stress of being on the throne is taking its toll on you."

"I see," he glared,

The guards entered the room, "your majesty, you summoned us?"

"Yes, take these traitors down to the dungeon," Killian says as he flicks his wrist.

"No! What is the meaning of this?" they asked.

"It means I will treat you like traitors and kill you as one." He said with a smile.

And to the guards, he simply gave the order

"Kill them."