The room was silent as the four people who were not present for Aurora's explanation of my heritage digested the information I'd just given them.
"So you're saying," Tom said after a minute or two of silence. "That a creature that doesn't even exist in this dimension, is helping the wolf of a royal who was executed five years ago, to mutilate our pups in order to create an army?"
"Well when you want to break it down to it's simplest form, then yes. That's exactly what I'm saying." I responded confidently.
"I know you believed yourself to be a wolf for most of your life Eva. But even so, do you know how ridiculously insane that sounds?" Tom said gently, like he was trying to insult me and reassure me at the same time.
"It's not insane at all and it's very much the truth." Grace said from just behind me as Detsy voiced her agreement as well.
Tom, Cynthia and Alpha Leyton didn't looked convinced. At least Luna May appeared to be keeping an open mind.
"Ok then, for argument's sake let's say that everything you just said was true." Tom continued after a pause. "You do realize that it would mean a war is coming. Not a small one either, lots of people would die."
"Yes." Grace answered for us immediately. "Which is why we need to start preparing for it now. the sooner we start the less people will die. You were the one that taught me preparation in war that can't be avoided is the best way to keep our people alive dad."
"I'm sorry Grace. But I simply can't order the werewolves to prepare for a war I don't believe is going to happen." King Tom informed his daughter, much to her disgust. "There is simply no proof that this is what's been going on other than the word of you three."
"What if I could get you the proof you need?" I interjected before Grace snapped at her father, making things worse.
"How are you planning to prove something that no one has any evidence of Eva?" King Tom asked me slightly puzzled.
"By forcing the only person who has actually been around Alpha Tim for any length of time to talk." I replied with a grin that was slightly evil. "Is Beta Nathan, the wolf that survived the attempted abduction of Cody, still locked up in the cells beneath the pack house?"
"Yes he's still down there." Alpha Leyton told us. "But he's only alive because we force him to eat, he hasn't said a single word since he was captured. Doctor Rory did a scan on his brain and found that he'd ingested some sort of drug that destroyed his higher brain functions. How are you planning to get someone that is basically brain dead to talk?"
"Quite easily actually." I replied with a cocky grin. "If we head down to his cell then I'll show you."
"Oh I have to see this." Queen Cynthia said. "Please lead the way Alpha Leyton."
Alpha Leyton didn't have to be told twice as he jumped and and led us out the door, downstairs and into the small dungeon that was actually a collection of rather comfy rooms that had bars around them. The only obstacle to getting in was the single guard that was assigned to the luxury jail.
Seeing how motivated Alpha Leyton was in heading to the jail I realized that I'd just promised that I could get the answers he had wanted since we first captured Alpha Beta, I was so glad that I knew I could deliver on that promise right now.
Alpha Leyton stopped outside a room that was designed to house wolves instead of humans. The guard who had followed us inside opened the door at the request of his Alpha and the seven of us comfortably walked inside.
In the middle of the room with his back to us, was the shell of the wolf I used to know as Beta Nathan. His fur was completely ungroomed and it even appeared to be going a little grey. As well as he didn't even twitch when seven people entered his cell.
I walked around to see his empty eyes just staring at a wall. While everyone else crowded around the entrance to give us a little room.
"Beta Nathan, my names Eva." I started. "I grew up in the Shallow Waters pack and you've known me since I was a newborn. Do you remember me?" I must admit I felt a twinge of disappointment when Beta Nathan's eye's didn't even twitch from their spot on the wall.
I sighed before smoothing out the back of my throat and allowed myself access to the power there. The next words I spoke were in the musical tone that compelled the listener to obey no matter what. "Beta Nathan, while you are in this room you will answer every question that is asked of you with the truth."
I stopped and allowed the dragon's power to fade from my throat. Glancing across at Tom, Cynthia, Alpha Leyton and Luna May showed very different responses to this sudden revelation that I could use the royal command.
Both Alpha Leyton and Luna May looked proud, as if they'd known all along and were only waiting for confirmation. I'd taken King Tom and Queen Cynthia by surprise, even though they were literally testing me for this possibility a couple of days ago and still didn't have the results. Not that they needed them anymore,
"Do you understand what I just said?" I asked in my normal voice as my attention turned back to the almost lifeless form of Beta Nathan in front of me.
"Yes." Came the single word reply from the wolf. Which caused everyone to jump. However he had simply answered a question, he still looked as dead as before."
"What happened after Alpha Tim took over your pack and why were you trying to steal werewolf pups?" I asked
"After Alpha Tim won the Alpha position from Alpha Pierce. All the males of the pack were given something to eat that made us obey him completely." The empty way Beta Nathan was talking was already starting to break my heart. Although at least he was actually talking now.
"After everyone was completely under his control Alpha Tim had us round up all the females and they were fed something to force them into heat. It was our job to hold the females still so Alpha Tim could mate with all of them." Beta Nathan continued emotionlessly. "From there us males were taken to one of the base camps that had close to 500 wolves living in it. My job was to acquire werewolf pups. That's what I was doing until I failed and was put in here.
"Why does Alpha Tim need werewolf pups?" I asked
"To steal their souls and create a completely loyal army that's capable of destroying werewolves, which us natural wolves aren't. I overheard something about transplanting the werewolf souls. But all I know for sure is that captured werewolf pups were sent to an area that was forbidden for everyone else and they never came back." Beta Nathan finished as he was still staring at the wall.
King Tom had gone white as he listened to my old Beta tell his tale.
"Do you need any more proof?" I asked him pointedly.
He didn't answer me, instead he pulled out his phone and walked outside the door. We could all hear him start to organize an emergency meeting of the army commanders as he walked away.
Alpha Leyton got a call a few seconds later and excused himself to take it outside the cell. Luna May approached Beta Nathan and I before gently stroking his matted fur.
"I'm so sorry you had to go through all of that." She told him with pain in her eyes. "This Alpha Tim is bringing pain with him wherever he goes."
"Hey Aurora?" I asked the wolf inside my head?
"Yes Eva." She responded. "What is it you need help with?"
"I was just wondering, just how powerful is a royal command?" I asked. "Or to put my question more accurately, if it could force Lydia to continue living when she was almost dead. Would it have the power to force Beta Nathan to repair the damaged parts of his brain?"
Aurora was silent for a few seconds as she thought. "You know Eva. I don't actually know if that would work or not. However it's definitely worth a try. Even if it kills the poor wolf it will be a mercy for him to be released from this state."
I looked back at Beta Nathan. "Do you understand what has happened to your brain in order for you to become like this?" I asked.
"Yes I do." Came the deadpan response.
"If you had a chance to recover your old self, but there was a possibility that it would kill you instead, would you take it?" I asked Beta Nathan.
"In a heartbeat." Came the reply that was still deadpan, even though the subject was so serious. "I would rather be dead than living like this any longer."
I once again allowed myself to access the power in the back of my throat. Except this time instead of just using a little of it, I allowed as much power into my command as I could manage. The result was a sentence that sounded so beautiful that angels could have sung it.
"I hereby order Beta Nathan to repair all damage done to him by Alpha Tim, or the damage received as a byproduct of one of Alpha Tim's actions."
Beta Nathan actually looked at me for the first time since I'd entered the room. His expression was still blank but it was progress.
However it was short lived as a few seconds later, his body started to seize. He continued on like that for almost a full minute before finally falling unconscious.
After a quick inspection Luna May informed my mates and I that he was merely unconscious and she had already asked Doctor Rory to come and examine the poor wolf.
To his credit Doctor Rory arrived less than a minute later. Which was extremely good news because Alpha Leyton followed him inside with a look of extreme fear and panic on his face.
"Are you really of royal blood with all the abilities the previous kings and queens had?" Alpha Leyton asked me suddenly with a look of almost desperation on his face.
"Yes I am." I confirmed for him as he seemed to relax just a tiny little bit.
"Please." He suddenly started to beg. "Please help Saffron." Alpha Leyton was almost crying now, but he suddenly had the attention of everyone in the room.
"What happened to Saffron?" I asked forcefully as I quickly left Beta Nathan's side and covered the distance between Alpha Leyton and myself in a few steps.
Alpha Leyton actually looked nervous as well as frightened for his daughter in law as he spoke. "Saffron has stage four cancer. The doctors found an aggressive tumor in her brain. Modern medicine can't do anything for her except make her comfortable."
"How long has she been given?" Detsy asked in a calm voice that was hiding her fear.
"She's been given a couple of weeks at best." Alpha Leyton said between sobs. "I know it's a long shot, but if you can do anything at all for Saffron, please save her."
Alpha Leyton didn't get a chance to continue his break down as Grace and I grabbed one of his arms and pulled him out of the cell and back up to where the garage was, leaving Luna May and Doctor Rory to care for Beta Nathan.
"Are you ok to drive?" I asked Grace as I thought about how much emotional distress I was currently in. If I could actually drive a car in the first place, then I certainly wouldn't be able to right now. Grace simply nodded at me before grabbing the keys of a land cruiser.
Detsy and I forced Alpha Leyton into the back seat before I climbed in after him. Detsy took the front seat next to Grace.
There was complete silence for the duration of the car ride to the hospital that Saffron was at. Although I did use the time to consult with Aurora about what we could do to help Saffron.
"There is really only one thing we can do to save her life Eva." Aurora said after we'd discussed a few possibilities. "The only way to save a human who is this sick is to turn her into a werewolf, which will also mean that she will have an extremely strong sire bond to us. This is something we will have to discuss with Derrick and her family."
We all pulled up to the hospital and Alpha Leyton somehow convinced the nurse who was at the office to let all four of us, plus Derrick and Saffron's parents who were already with Saffron, go and see Saffron at once.
After finding out which room she was in, we went to the third floor and walked through what appeared to be a maze of white hallways. Thank the Goddess that there were signs everywhere pointing to where we needed to go.
We finally arrived to discover that Saffron had her own private room. There must be perks to being the future daughter in law of an Alpha werewolf right?
We entered and I gasped. Saffron had somehow become even more pale then she was last night. Even her lips were losing color and the poor girl seemed to be extremely weak.
Derrick was sitting beside her holding her hand and two people that I assumed to be Saffron's parents were hovering at the foot of the bed.
"Alpha Leyton." The woman with the same honey blond hair as Saffron greeted my Alpha coldly.
"How are you doing Saffron?" Alpha Leyton asked my best friend after briefly greeting Saffron's parents.
"About as well as being told I'm about to die." Saffron joked, which only caused her to be hit lightly by Derrick.
"Don't talk like that." Derrick said seriously. "We're going to find a way to save you."
"I love you Derrick, but how are you planning to create a miracle out of nothing? No one has survived brain cancer as advanced as mine before." Saffron said seriously. Which only seemed to make Derrick more determined.
"What if there actually were a way to save her?" Grace said, completely skipping the formality of introducing herself to the two strangers.
"Then I would take it. But how in the world would you save me? You can't even extract my brain and put it in a robot like they do in the movies because the cancer is in my brain." Saffron joked.
"You saw Eva use a werewolf royal command last night when Alpha Adam found his mate right?" Grace asked Saffron and Derrick, who both replied by nodding.
"Well that means that our Eva is from the Royal line and can use all the royal abilities." Grace continued. Although Saffron, Derrick and her parents looked confused. "It means that it's possible to turn you into a werewolf so you can heal. However it will be painful as it is for all new werewolves and you will have a strong sire bond to Eva."
Saffron and Derrick's eyes went wide at the realization. Saffron replied immediately. "Do it."
"Wait just a minute." Detsy cut in. "This is a massive decision. You should talk it over with your family and your mate Saffron. You need to remember that the sire bond you will have is even stronger than the mate bond you have with Derrick. It will put a lot of pressure on both of you no matter how well Eva manages the bond between the both of you."
"She's right." Derrick said. "Werewolves who are turned are always stupidly loyal to the royal that turned them. However I personally trust Eva, Grace and Detsy with my life. Therefore I trust that they won't get in the way of our mate bond no matter what happens. It may be a hard road to travel, but I would rather be facing the challenge with you than not having you in my life at all Saffron."
I will admit I teared up at the absolute look of love that Derrick gave his mate while making his speech. Saffron's parents on the other hand, looked rather confused.
"What do they mean by all of this?" The man with Saffron's light blue eyes asked Alpha Leyton.
Alpha Leyton quietly explained in detail the process of becoming a werewolf instead of being born one. He also spoke in detail about the after effects, including the amount of pain that is felt during the first shift and sire bond.
"I'm not sure I like the idea of you being forced to be completely loyal to someone." Saffron's mother told her daughter. "While I'm sure you're a nice girl Miss-"
She left the sentence open, asking me for my name. "Princess Eva of the royal line of werewolves." I finish for her, making sure to throw my titles in.
Saffron's mother seemed to be temporarily taken back in shock before continuing. "It's another thing to be bound to this person forever Saffron."
"Would you rather I lie on this bed for the rest of my short life. Getting weaker and weaker until I die a week or two from now mother?" Saffron shot back. "Because that's the alternative. I either entrust my life to Eva, who I already trust my life with, or accept that I'll be dead in two weeks."
"There must be another way honey." It was Saffron's father that spoke this time. "I'm already having the best doctors and surgeons flown in from locally and overseas. We'll be able to cure you. We've been patient while you've gone through this 'werewolf mate' stage, but now it's starting to affect your health. After we get you better you should come back home and find yourself a man who isn't going to put you in the hospital."
There were three growls simultaneously in the room, Derrick, Alpha Leyton and myself. Derrick and Alpha Leyton were growling because Saffron's parents were actively trying to kill their daughter and insinuating that Derrick was the cause of why she was here.
I was also growling at them for both of those reasons, but I was highly protective of Saffron as well. So I didn't bother to hold back the aura that the dragon inside of me created as I advanced on the now terrified couple.
Everyone else in the room stopped what they were doing and smirked at me hunting down the idiot pair that called themselves Saffron's parents.
As I back them into a corner, both adults slid down the wall. Trying to make themselves smaller targets, hoping to appease my rage. However I simply got up in their faces and noticed that my canine teeth had extended to full size just to add to the terror.
"If you ever try to suggest leaving your daughter to die a slow and painful death just because you obviously don't like the idea of having a werewolf for a daughter, I will track the both of you down and slowly break every one of your fingers and toes off while I make you watch." I said still letting the full force of my angry aura wash over the couple.
"DO I MAKE MYSELF CLEAR!" I roared at them and was satisfied to smell that both of them had wet themselves, literally. I only got nods in response from the still trembling pair.
"I never thought I'd meet someone who was able to make my parents speechless." Saffron half joked and was half serious.
"So now that we're all agreed, what do we have to do to turn me into a werewolf so I can heal?" Saffron said.