Moonbound: The Rogue's Second Chance-Chapter 99 - NINETY-NINE - MEET AND GREET (IV)

"Let him know? So his head might swell more," Herbie said with raised brow. "Never, again do not let my old man ravings get in the way of the talks, I would hate it if that happened."

"It will not," Serena said.

"This garment... this is the touch of one of my old students, is it?"

"Ah, yes. It is Livia’s."

Herbie hummed and looked her up and down with a critical eye. "If it was not me I would have assumed this came from the genius of the East. You had some hand in it as well?"

Serena twisted the ring on her finger, a motion so subtle it could have passed for absentmindedness. "Yes, of course. I had it tailored exactly to how I imagined."

The blonde woman winced inwardly, her words sounded so harsh to her ears. Yes, she was involved in the design, partially of course, but she had to sell the idea that she was a firm and somewhat hard woman due to the persona she was playing.

"I can see that. Still, Livia did well," Herbie said.

"Her work is exemplary," Serena commented.

"That is," the old man nodded. "I suppose my work is done, Ironshade is in good hands. Big things are coming."

"I see, I would assume everyone would expect nothing less from your Alpha," Serena said.

Herbie eyed her before he shrugged. "Yes, exactly that. From an old soul to another old soul..." He tapped his chest, then gestured loosely toward her. "...listen to your heart and the spirit Lunara gave you."

Serena looked at him unblinkingly and then nodded. "Yes of course. Thank you, Herbie."

Herbie laughed and then turned around and left the hall. Serena stood unmoving as he walked out, he did not look back at her.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the room Darius had his attention divided, one part of him was with Elder Iris and the other watched Serena and Herbie from a distance. Darius prided himself in having wonderful hearing, better than most werewolves, but the noise in the Grand Hall had prevented him from eavesdropping.

Surprise had been an understatement when he had seen Herbert walk up to Serena, that man rarely left his room, talk more of making it all the way to the castle. He had laughed in his usually odd way every now and then when talking with Serena as Darius had noted.

The red-haired man wondered what this spelt out for him, Herbert was grossly uninterested with what went on in the pack. Even if half of it was set ablaze the man would be watching unblinking and would laugh. It was Herbert, after all.

"Alpha Darius!" Elder Iris called out sharply.

"You have not given a suitable answer to my question for you to call me like that," Darius said. freewёbn૦νeɭ.com

The lanky woman huffed, clearly irritated. "I am not some hybrid of a fae. I’m flattered if you think so. It’ll take me a few days to check the costs of everything."

"We can handle it, can we not?" Darius asked.

Her perpetual frown deepened. "Of course we can! This is what I have been preparing for the last one year."

Her eyes landed on Serena and then she looked back at Darius. "That is a complex factor to calculate. I am not sure-"

"Not sure?" Elder Cedar cut in with a laugh, his boots clicking softly as he approached. "Never in my life did I think I’d hear the shrewd Iris utter the words, ’I’m not sure.’"

Iris rolled her eyes and glared at him, brushing an invisible speck from her sleeve with the air of someone barely tolerating a persistent itch. "I would not say that, if you had just waited for me to finish speaking. I was trying to say I do not think we should leave the rogue on her own like that. She’s talked to so many people already."

"You want to put Serena on a leash?" Cedar asked, brow raised and a faint grin tugging at his lips.

"That is not what I said, but... something like that, yes," Iris replied.

Cedar shook his head. "No need at all, that would scare her and we do not need that now."

"If she feels threatened then we are hurting ourselves as well," Darius said.

"I will agree with Darius here," Cedar said. "Serena is good in so many ways but there is something holding her back. I am not sure what, but if she feels unsafe then we are setting ourselves back."

Elder Iris folded her arms and remained silent for a few seconds. "I understand both of you, but make sure to check what she says to the people."

Cedar nodded, and Iris turned, her long cloak rustling softly as she left the two men standing by themselves.

"What’s on your mind, rose boy?" Cedar asked, his voice laced with quiet amusement. "Is it Serena? I wouldn’t imagine she’d plague your mind so. Relax...this will pass, and everything will go back to normal after this winter."

"Yes I know it would," Darius said, his voice deflating.

He knew what Cedar meant, eventually the delegate from Dawnbreak would leave and so will Serena. He did not want her to leave, would he even bear it?

"So do not dwell on it. If you are worried about how much she is keeping from us then I will do my best to uncover it. I know you can tell there’s more than meets the eye when it comes to her."

Cedar patted Darius on his shoulder and gave him a knowing nod. "There is no need for that, we know all we need to know."

"Good, I have seen no threat just yet."

Darius looked at where Serena stood, she was talking to another old person, he wondered what she was telling them. No doubt lies, her eyes looked calm like this was yet another day for her. It made him wonder how lying came easy for her, he knew she was terrible at it but was that a cover-up to make him believe that she was harmless.

His lips were set in a thin line, this would not be easy at all.