XXVIII

One moment of peace can turn into chaos in an instant. All it takes is just a few words, information, or rather the will to share them. Selene knew the young elder's intent was to help them prepare for what was to come, but all Maximus saw was rage. He lounged for the elder, but Ben was fast in grabbing him by the shoulders, keeping him from tearing into the man. He cowered back as Selene stepped slowly in front of her lover.

„Maximus, please come back to me." You could see in his eyes that his wolf took control of his mind, bloodthirsty for the criminal. „Love, calm down. I'm here." She cupped his face and stared into his black eyes, seeing his anger and sorrow in them, but also recognisiton. Slowly, he regained himself and straightened his back. He embraced Selene and took a deep breath of her hair, trying to keep calm. She let him do his thing, no questions asked.

„Get him out of my sight." Troy moved the elder towards one of the lower rooms of the pack house, equipped with only the essentials. After they were gone, Genevive and Ben stepped around the pair, shooting pitiful look towards them, not saying anything.

Left alone, Selene saw a tear run down his face. His eyes were hard, focused in front of him. Her heart felt like breaking, understanding what the loss of a loved one can do to you. But finding out his mother was murdered? After all these years? It must be devastating. She knew no words could help him right now, but only her presence, as it soothed him. Selene heard footsteps coming from around the corner and lifted her eyes up, looking directly at Amelia, with a crying Mathias in her arms.

„Oh Maximus, I'm so sorry" She went to put one arm on his shoulder, in a motherly way. He didn't acknowledge it, but stood still. Amelia gave Selene a look of worry and pain, and left.

„I will kill that bastard, even if it takes everything in me. I will watch him suffer, like she suffered at his hand." Even though his voice sounded like it could rip apart everything in sight, Selene wasn't scared of him. She embraced him even tither.

„I know Maximus. I am so sorry this happened to you. That monster will not live for long." She took his hand, dragging him towards their room, sitting him on the bed. She took his head in her lap and brushed her fingers through his hair. Eventually, he fell asleep. Selene watched him for some time. Although she felt like she couldn't leave him in those moments, she knew she had to talk with the elder, alone.

Reaching his room, she found him sitting by the window, looking at the pack grounds. He didn't turn when she entered.

„You know...I've always admired King Maximus. When the Queen died...his father changed completely. The power of mates." He chuckled. „When the son challenged his father, and won, no one really believed it, until the elders confirmed. We were shocked ourselves. Acheron didn't see it coming. He was convinced Ethan would go mad and become unfit to rule, which happened. But my brother thought that when the time came, and this could be brought forward to the Kingdom, he would take his place, until the boy was older. Of course, he wouldn't just hand it to Maximus. He would have probably convinced everyone the son would be just as mad as the father. He has his way with words, you know.." Selene listened carefully to all his words, as it was the first time she heard the story from someone other than Maximus. „the rogues were the best ones to blame. Everyone would believe it, no questions asked. And it was like that. Except, Acheron didn't consider Maximus would have such power, determination. And he did it for this pack, you know?" The elder turned to look at Selene. „He challenged his father, with the possibility of dying, because he loved Ironblood. He is indeed a true King." She watched him say those words of appraisal with so much admiration. The young elder did have a good soul, but it was tainted by that monster.

„Why did you go along with it?" he laughed.

„What else was I supposed to do? When Acheron wants something, he gets it. Do you think any of us wanted this? We didn't have a choice! He doesn't care about anyone or anything, besides power. But I couldn't stand it anymore." He lowered his gaze. „I am truly sorry it came to this point. I really want to help you, but Acheron is very secretive. He only tells us few things."

„Do you know anything about the missing wolves?"

„Acheron chooses them based on rank, for their power." Selene nodded her head. She already knew that. „He...tortures them. He destroys the human, so only the wolf side would remain in control. And because their human side is gone...the wolf..it goes mad. I saw it happen once. It makes you fell like you are in hell, and Acheron is the devil, punishing you for your crimes. Except...these are innocent wolves, Queen Selene. They don't deserve it. And no one deserves what he has planned."

„What is it?" he shook his head.

„I don't know. I only know that he plans to use the rogues he created, as an army."

„How many?"

„There's not a lot. But they are the most veil creatures now. They're not afraid of injury or death. They just..kill." Both remained quiet. Selene was thinking about all he said. „He wants to be King and nothing can stop him. He wants Maximus dead. He was planning to mate with you, after he died." Her head jerked upwards.

„I would rather die." The elder gave her a smile.

„I know. Acheron knows too. After he saw you at the Challenge..he knew there was no chance to have you. So he changed his plans." He watched her with a penetraiting gaze. „He wants to kill you first, so Maximus will be weaker. That's why you were attacked. He also planned the whole thing with that female gamma. He made her challenge you."

„But we heard about her wanting to challenge me long before it actually happened. You said he wanted to mate with me. Why would he want to kill me then?"

„I think he wanted to be prepared in the case you would deny him. He didn't know how much of the bond you could feel, given that you are human. I think his idea was that if you accepted Maximus, with no bond, you would accept him too. You know the bond can not form if one soul deneis it." Selene nodded her head.

„He saw I loved Maximus and decided that killing me would benefit him more."

„Yeah.." She felt like he had more to say.

„What aren't you telling me?"

„My brothers...they think he knew about your power long before the Challenge, even before you came to Ironblood."

„That's not possible. I've lived in the Bloodwoods all my life. The only person that was with me was Soren, my father, and he would never ally himself with that monster."

„Acheron has a witch."

„What?"

„Iolanda...she is a very old witch, powerful. She opened the Cursed Lands for him from time to time."

„Open the..I don't understand."

„The rogues he has now..they aren't the first. He started with torturing actual rogues at first. He thought that they were already more vicious than a pack wolf..so he captured them and tortured them. Iolanda would send them into the Cursed Lands, to see if they would come back, if they were loyal to him, like dogs. But they never returned. As many as he made, none returned. He began to suspect something was wrong. I think he figured something or rather someone was killing them."

„So those rogues...they were sent from him?"

„Yes."

„Oh my god. I thought they were punished. Maximus told me about the Banishment."

„Some, yes. But few packs still choose the Banishment. It became an inhumane form of punishment. They let it go." Selene felt like her whole life was a lie. „Luna" he put his hands on her shoulders and looked straight into her eyes. „he knew about you long ago. He didn't know specifically about you, but he suspected something. When you turned out to come from the Bloodwoods...everything fell in place. He knew you were strong, that's why he wanted to mate with you. After he decided to let that go and kill you instead, he was even more enraged by you destroying all his rogues."

„What is going to happen now?"

„He wants war. He will attack with all the rogues he created and destroy the pack. He will take the position of King and Erebus will fall into chaos." He paused. „We think....we think you are the only one who can stop it."

„How?"

„We think you can bring the rogues back...to their human form."