Chapter eleven
DENDERICK'S POV.
The physician's shoulders sagged, and she clasped her hands together. "I... I apologize, Alpha," she pleaded, her voice thick with regret. "I know nothing more about the issue."This belongs to NôvelDrama.Org.
With a malicious smile spreading across my lips, I rose from the couch, towering over the kneeling physician.
"Even now," I taunted, "you cannot bring yourself to tell me the truth."
Her eyes brimmed with tears. "I only did what I thought was right," she pleaded, her voice cracking with emotion. "I examined Aria as part of my duty, nothing more."
I scoffed. "Part of your duty? Part of your duty was also to report to me!"
The physician's words faltered as she struggled to explain further, her voice trembling with uncertainty. "I... I don't know what.... what happened after that," she admitted.
My gaze hardened as I turned to face her, a cold fury coursing through my veins. "You are a woman of treason and betrayal," I declared. "Because of your carelessness, I have lost my breeder and my unborn child."
The physician's eyes widened in horror as she sank to her knees. "Please, Alpha Denderick," she begged, her voice choked with tears. "Forgive me. I never meant for any harm to come to--"
"Enough!" I snapped, cutting her off with a sharp gesture. Disgust churned in the pit of my stomach as I looked at her pitiful display.
"Get out!"
The physician scrambled to her feet, her hand reaching for the door handle. On second thought, I called out to her, halting her retreat. The room fell silent, every eye fixed on the both of us. "Alpha?" she asked, her voice trembling with apprehension as she turned back to face me. Her gaze was filled with fear as she waited for me to speak.
With a cold smile playing on my lips, I snarled, "I want to punish you in another way."
I relished the alarm that immediately flickered in her eyes. The physician's face paled, her hands shaking as she fell to her knees once more, tears welling in her eyes.
"Please, Alpha Denderick," she pleaded, her voice choked with desperation. "Have mercy on me. You do not need to punish me. This was all a misunderstanding!"
But I shook my head. "Oh, no. I cannot let you go scot-free, physician. This is the price you pay for betraying your Alpha."
Taking a step towards her, I leaned closer, until there was nothing more than a few inches between us.
"I do not let traitors run wild!" I snarled.
Turning to Liam, my beta, I ordered. "Liam, drag this traitor out and throw her into the dungeon! Do not let her go scot-free."
The physician's pleas grew louder, more desperate, as Liam moved to carry out my command. But I turned away from him, paying no heed to her cries.
"I didn't do anything but my job!" She screamed. "I only did what I thought was right! Please, spare my life!"
Her cries and pleas stirred an anger inside of me. Folding my arms, I faced the wailing woman. "Aria is nowhere to be found. She went missing, because of your carelessness! She left the confines of my pack with my heir! What say you to that?"
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"It was not my fault!" The physician retorted; in her eyes, I could see the defiance growing. She struggled against Beta Liam's grip, who relentlessly held on to her. "Perhaps you even were the one who engineered her escape!" I roared.
"I wasn't! Please, Alpha! Believe me!" She retorted. "Perhaps you should ask the maids who actually saw her run away and did nothing about it!"
A sliver of shock moved through me. I turned to the maids, folding my arms. "Interesting."
"Yes, yes!" The physician replied eagerly, her eyes wide and shining. "They are the real orchestrators!"
Ignoring the physician, I pointed to the maids and guards in turn. "You all were supposed to protect my slave. You were supposed to keep a close eye on her, and make sure she doesn't leave the four axes of this pack, and you all failed!" The entire room was deathly silent; so silent that I could hear the heartbeat of every single person in the room. I pointed to the guilty guards and maids, and the physician in turn. "You all will pay for this, mark my words. You all will pay with your lives!"
The moment I said this, the guilty maids and guards all fell to their knees. Grabbing my ankles, they began to plead and beg for my forgiveness.
Deep within me, I wanted to look the other way and forgive them for whatever they might have done. However, I also thought of Aria, and how these people let her slip through my fingers.
I remembered the ache and pain and worry that I had gone through these past few days for Aria's sake. Had these people done their jobs, she would still be in my possession.
I turned to Beta Liam, who was holding the physician a few feet away from me. Amidst the pleas, I commanded.
Planning your weekend reading? . The next chapter is just a click away, exclusively available on our site. Happy reading! "Take all of them, and lock them up in the dungeons!" I roared. "Make sure they stay there for a week without food or water!"
"Yes, Alpha." My Beta replied.
"And send out delegates to all the packs in the area!" I continued. "If Aria truly escapes, that means she must be hiding in one of those packs. I must find her and find my heir!"
With the help of some guards, I watched him round up the maids and the physician, then herded them out. As they walked out, I sank into the couch again, feeling weakness seeping into my bones.
Discovering Aria's absence had made me furious, but it had also filled me with despair. I could only imagine what the Council of Alphas would say at our next meeting, if they discovered that I'd lost my breeder and my possible chance at retaining the Alpha seat. Too much was at stake!
I turned to the piece of parchment lying on a stool, the seal still left unbroken. I didn't need to open it to know that it was a letter from the Council of Alphas.
And by the Moon, did I dread what was inside!
Gathering my courage, I reached out and picked up the letter, tearing off the wax seal with a small grunt. I unfolded the parchment, my eyes roaming over the inked letters.
"Alpha Denderick, our next meeting shall be in a moon's time," it read. "And if you are yet to produce an heir, your pack shall pass from your hand to another."
I squeezed the parchment and flung it into the nearby fireplace, taking a huge, shaky breath. Goddess help me, if I couldn't find Aria!