章節 17: 17. The ruby.

With only a towel draped around his waist, Brian picked up his phone that was lying on the king-sized bed. His tanned skin still had droplets of water on it. He sat as he dialed a number. He sighed in annoyance when the one he was calling didn't answer even after 4 rings.

On the 6th ring, the person answered finally. ( "Why are you calling me so early? Am tired and need sleep!") A female voice said almost like she was shouting.

Brian deadpanned, only she had the guts to speak to him so rudely. "And good morning to you too Ashely, "he said. "Why do you sound exhausted? You were partying all night right?"

Brian could guess Ashley rolled her eyes. "Ash, when will you stop all these? I haven't seen you in months, do you know how worried I am?"

("Brian shhh! I told you that I am in Lilron and I am having the time of my life, ")Ashley said with her tone slightly lowered.

Brian could tell she was already getting angry so he tried to calm her. "Ash all I am saying is that you should be careful, I heard there's an STD spree in Liron, and remember COVID-19 cases are on the increase there."

( "Just stop Brian, I am the most badass witch of this time do you think those pathetic diseases you mentioned have any effect on me? No witch will let such lowly diseases affect them. You werewolves get to live close to a thousand years but we witch only live up to 200 and 350 if we are lucky so you have no right to tell me how to live my life. Stop playing dad and just tell me why you called, ")Ashley muttered with vexation.

Brian pinched between his brows. "Fine Ash, I won't meddle in your affairs. What about what you said you would get for me, Do you have it? Any solution? I am desperate, Ashley, my rut is fast approaching again!! Tell me you have a solution."

The line went silent for a while, making Brian check if it is still connected. "Hello? Ashley are you there?" He echoed.

("Brian why don't you just accept fate? No one living can break or end the mate bond. You asked me for the impossible, I have tried to find ways but all of them just make the bond stronger. Please stop hurting yourself and forget about the past, ") Ashley told in her most calm tone.

Undoubtedly she tried to help Brian stop the mate pull but in the process, other witches warned her about going down that route. Witches do not feel the mate pull although some have mates. Since they are still humans only with acquired or divine powers. Unbeknown to Brian she had already given up on cursing herself by searching for ways to end the force. It wasn't too long ago that she discovered that the gods curse those who try to stop what they don't have control over, only the Almighty can end the bond.

"If you can't do it stop wasting my time!" Brian barked. "You are not the only witch alive, if the task is too much for you because you are a light witch, I will get a dark witch to finish what you started!"

("I need more time.") Ashley lied through her teeth. She knew it is an impossible task and involving dark witches will only get things messy for Brian. ("One month.")

Brian cock a brow. "One month?" He repeated in disbelief. This was the first time Ashley gave a defined time to finishing the task and something in him thought it was fishy.

("Yes, one month, can you at least have that much patience, my humble royal alpha prince, sir, ") Brian heard Ashley say. The sarcasm in her voice was upsetting.

He rolled his eyes. "Fine, one month, see you soon," he said and hung up.

Brian wasn't always like this, a hater of the mate bond but the circumstances of his childhood made him want nothing to do with mating...

_ FLASHBACK _

"My queen, what is that you have in your hands?" A woman in a blue flowery puffy hand dress asked another woman who was on her knees with some sort of glowing gem in her hands.

Although ruining her satin gown the beautiful cognac-eyed queen didn't rise from the soil she was kneeling on. She gave an entrancing cheeky smile that revealed her dimples. "Look at what I found, Mira, isn't it beautiful?" Dorothy stretched out her hands to show her maid what was in her hands.

The maid gasped as she stared at the ruby, the other maids saw it before she did still couldn't keep their eyes off it even the guards that were standing at the mouth of the cave they were in, couldn't stop themselves from looking.

The suntanned queen got up without a hitch. Beaming, she showed all present her gem. She loved to wander into the wilderness of their pack with her trusty assistants but for some reason, today she just chose a hidden cave to explore and something told her to dig the soil, low and behold, the most beautiful gem she had ever had seen laid underneath.

"You all wait till I show Benny my findings! "She said excitedly and ran out of the cave.

Her maids follow behind the guards who were tailing their queen. She was the youngest queen crescent pack had ever had, none of their past alpha kings ever met their soulmates younger than 20 but this queen was 17 when she came to the pack and conceived an heir.

Hearing footsteps fast approaching the door of his office and the scent of his mate, Benjamin, the alpha king of the crescent pack, stopped talking to his brother and beta as he awaited her arrival.

Dorothy opened the door and headed straight to her husband's chair behind his desk without noticing the presence of the other in the room.

"Look at what I found Benny, isn't it beautiful?" she squealed as she showed her husband her gem.

Ben lifted her hands with his pad behind it and brushed the ruby with his thumbs. He looked up to her after staring at the gem shocked that such a thing was on their territory. "It is gorgeous my love but when did you find it?"Ben asked.

Dorothy got comfortable as she sat at the desk. "You know how I love to explore, " she said and Benjamin nodded expectantly. "Well I wandered into one cave and felt like digging the soil, I almost gave up because it was buried deep. I refused the help of my guards till I got it."

Samuel, the beta that had been seated and silent as he listened to the queen's little adventure, rested his chin on his fist and narrowed his eyes. "Can I have a look, Dora?"

Dorothy turned halfway to him with a smile. "By all means, you must, "she showed him.

"You found it in a cave?" He asked rather than comment, making the 21-year-old queen's smile disappear. She nodded." And you felt drawn to it... I have heard of such gems they..."

"So I will be going to visit my mother, "Dorothy interrupted. Her brother-in-law was such an extremist when it comes to supernatural welfare and finding a gem had nothing to do with spirituality.

Samuel opened his mouth but just closed it. The queen would not listen to him and neither would his brother. The least that can happen is that the shaman would bless it before they start digging for my gems.

"I will be taking Brian, his Nana said she misses him, "Dorothy berated and stroked her husband's jaw.

Benjamin sighed. "You better return before the end of the week, I don't want to miss you too much."

Dorothy chuckled and kissed her husband. She picked her ruby from the desk and bolted out of the office after giving her brother-in-law a look.

A few hours later...

"Your majesty! Your majesty! We are under attack!!" screamed a breathless scout wolf.

"What??!" Benjamin berated him in confusion and shock. He was just having a meeting with the elders when the naked boy bashed in.

"Yes your highness, we were at our duty post, the outskirts, when some of our brothers that were meeting with other neighboring pack scouts, informed us of a herd of Minotaur heading our way. "The boy said but didn't let the king speak before he continued. "I wouldn't have come if I did not see it for myself. We had some of our men confront them but they got poisoned by the musk of the Minotaurs. They are fast approaching and if we don't stop them now, they will attack the territory. Their number is terrifying your majesty, we need you!"

Benjamin immediately sprang up and so did his beta and gamma. He shifted to a black lycan with muscles pumping as if it was about to rip out the flesh holding it. He ran out of the hall on only two feet since Lycans could use all four hinds and two.

He lifted his head and gave an ear-cording scream. "All able pack dwellers assembly! We are under attack!!"