The Alpha King's Witch Bride
Chapter 128: _Ghost Town

Chapter 128: _Ghost Town

"A surprise will be waiting for you that day."

I narrowed my eyes at her, feeling her hot breath close enough to touch my skin as she leaned in across the desk.

A surprise, eh?

I raised an eyebrow, staring at her face and seeing the smirk that curled up her lips.

That smirk of hers... I didn’t like it. It meant manipulation in Celine’s books. It meant she thought she had the upper hand in whatever game she was trying to play here.

"Celine," I said her name slowly, lifting my glass of whiskey but not drinking from it. "Do I look like a man who enjoys surprises?"

Her smirk faltered just a little before she spoke with a light scoff. "Well, you used to. Remember? Before you brought in that–"

"No words about Odessa from you, Celine." I blurted coldly, clutching my hand around the glass and almost breaking it if it weren’t for my self-control.

Celine seemed surprised and took a step back but I ignored her fear and continued.

"I liked surprises before you started playing politics in my house."

I stood up, pushing the glass aside and placing both my hands on the desk. Celine flinched slightly, but she didn’t back down, and for a brief second, I saw a glint of something sinister in her eyes.

’Maybe she’s on drugs.’ Damon suggested in my head and even though I knew he was being sarcastic, I took it as a metaphor to mean something else.

Celine has definitely changed since before the South American Alpha King’s welcoming ball.

"You don’t get to parade charity as a disguise for vanity fair or whatever it is you’re hiding," I said with contempt, eyeing her. "You want to help? Start by getting your hands dirty with relief missions in neighboring packs. Or are your entitled silk gloves too expensive for that?"

Her lips pursed, but her pride didn’t let her back down.

"I’m trying to bring hope, Kaelos. Public morale is crumbling. Spirits are low. Even the pack soldiers have begun whispering doubts when they think no one hears them. But I hear them loud and clear."

I tensed up when I heard that, my eyes twitching slightly.

If my soldiers were already doubting my abilities...

"A celebration could shift the tides and help bring unity among the elites," Celine said, stretching her hand forward and brushing it against my hand. "We can cement their support for us. For your rule."

I sighed lightly, looking away from her briefly before I stepped around the desk and stopped right in front of her, towering over her shorter figure.

She looked up at me, gazing into my eyes while I searched hers with growing suspicion.

"Hope is forged in action, not chandeliers and champagne," I said bluntly, placing my arms behind my back.

Her eyes burned for a moment with defiance, then softened as a sly smirk curled up her lips. "You didn’t say no, so I’m guessing you’re giving the go-ahead."

I rubbed a hand down my face, already regretting this day.

"Fine. Good luck with whatever ball or party you have planned." I said with a defeated smile, not wanting to drag this conversation longer than necessary.

I mean, she was going to be using her mother’s funds for the whole thing anyway.

As I attempted to walk back to my seat, Celine clapped with excitement as she remarked. "Yes, this is going to be so much fun! I’ve already told your wife about it before meeting you."

I paused in my tracks just then, glancing back at her with furrowed eyebrows. She’d met with Odessa without throwing a tantrum?

Before I could ask her anything, she turned around and walked away, closing the door behind her.

’She’s persistent, I’ll give her that. Like an annoying mosquito after blood.’ Damon said in my head just then, sounding as exhausted as me.

We both had to deal with Celine for years after all.

"She’s a ticking time bomb," I muttered physically, brushing my hand through my hair as I sat down. "And if Odessa hears about this surprise—"

’She will hear about this. Especially if that ’surprise’ has anything to do with you.’ Damon remarked with certainty, causing me to sigh.

"How wonderful." I blurted sarcastically as I went back to looking through my company’s reports.

However, before I could get busy with that, Layla rushed into the office, seeming frantic.

"Sir, check the news! Something happened to one of the human towns close to the woods." She said urgently, rushing to my desk and grabbing the remote.

I raised an eyebrow, confused at first, until she clicked on some buttons and went to a channel run by the joint efforts of werewolf packs close to the Blood Oak Woods.

I dimmed my eyes when I saw the headline.

"Ghost town burnt to the ground after its human residents attended a funeral."

Ghost town? Humans?

My eyes widened as I remembered the human town that my Council members and I had visited earlier today during our investigations.

When pictures of the fire from the town were shown on the TV screen, a cold shiver ran down my spine, causing me to clench my fists.

"Is this the work of rogues?" I turned to Layla and asked but she shook her head with uncertainty.

"I have no clue, sir. The news so far is that there seem to be traces of claw marks on some bodies but that the odd nature of the fire might suggest that magic is involved."

Magic?

Could the person behind this be the same one behind the two mysterious killings reported in the pack since Odessa’s arrival?

’It doesn’t make sense that a witch would start attacking human towns. Except... Maybe it’s a lawless witch?’ Damon suggested in my head but I was just as clueless as he was as I stood up from my seat.

"Call a meeting with my council and also contact the Alphas of the packs surrounding the Blood Oak woods. We need to gather as much Intel as possible before the witches and humans get word of this and start pointing fingers."

Layla nodded and quickly scurried out of my office as I grabbed my bottle of whiskey and sighed.

"This treaty is becoming more fragile by the day."