Goblin Terror (1)
Alkrevas stared intensely at Luna, who was sound asleep. His lips formed a thin line as his thoughts drifted back to the events of the past few days, making him realize Luna’s influence on his life. However, from all of that, he could see the dominant side of Luna that he had never noticed before. Even without seeing it, Alkrevas was sure of how beautiful, sexy, and tempting his soulmate was with the dominant attitude she showed. It strengthened his belief that the woman beside him was worthy of being Luna and his Empress, accompanying him in ruling the Empire and the werewolf clan.
The Moon Goddess had not made a mistake in pairing Luna with him because the woman could complement his shortcomings. His ruggedness, strong-willed nature, courage, and constant challenge were exactly what Alkrevas needed as an Emperor. Everyone feared and dared not stand up to him, so Luna’s presence was fresh air for him.
Alkrevas extended his hand and gently stroked Luna’s cheek, brushing aside the strands of hair that clung to her forehead. Slowly, he lowered his head and kissed Luna’s forehead affectionately. There was no place he desired more than being by his soulmate’s side; the peace and tranquillity he felt at that moment were precious, and he never wanted to forget them. His tranquillity was then disturbed by the sound of knocking on the door from outside, and without needing to ask, he immediately knew who dared to interrupt his time with Luna.
Alkrevas sighed softly and adjusted his shirt, draped over Luna’s body, before granting permission for those waiting outside to enter. Alkrevas folded his arms across his chest and glared sharply as Zyne and the servants swiftly set breakfast on the table. In unison, they saluted him before Zyne said, “If you need anything, I will prepare it for you immediately, Your Majesty.”
A servant approached him and handed him a cup of warm tea. Alkrevas accepted it without saying a word and took a sip to refresh himself. After finishing, he returned the cup to the servant and asked, “What about Duke Veniam?”
“The Duke is still standing at the palace gates, pleading for your mercy.” Alkrevas sighed heavily and ran his hand through his hair in frustration.
After he had expelled Markus and forbidden him from setting foot in the palace, the man stood at the gate, even when Alkrevas ordered Thymos to send him away. Markus remained unmoved, insisting on meeting Luna. Alkrevas rubbed his head, which suddenly ached. He didn’t care about the imperial relations with the Veniam duchy; what mattered to him now was the possibility that Luna could leave him at any moment, returning to her world. There would be nothing he could do since Markus would help her escape.
Alkrevas glanced at Luna, still sound asleep beside him, unable to believe Luna was a part of Veniam. “Should I take other measures to drive him away, Your Majesty?”
“No. His behavior has already caused a stir among the nobility. If we do anything more, the nobles will know that the Empire’s relationship with Veniam is strained.”
Alkrevas played with Luna’s hair and said, “Tell him to return to the Veniam mansion, persuade him, do whatever it takes. If he agrees, I’ll meet him there after I finish repairing the protective shield.”
“Understood, Your Majesty.”
Zyne then excused himself and left, followed by the servants who had accompanied him, leaving Alkrevas alone with Luna once more. However, this lasted only a short time as the door was knocked again, this time by Sigmund. Alkrevas furrowed his brow, glaring sharply at his aide.
“Your Majesty, the representative of the Magic Tower, Mage Alyssa, along with several selected mages, have arrived and are waiting for your presence in the meeting room.”
“Tell them to wait.”
Sigmund bowed. “Forgive me, Your Majesty. I cannot carry out your orders because if we delay any longer, the Goblins may expand further. The terror has begun to approach the major cities, and the Goblins have no hesitation in destroying other species’ settlements.”
Sigmund pulled a file from his suit pocket and added, “The tracking team you sent to track the two black mages has also sent a report; the latest report states that the two mages were last seen in the city of Algiama.”
Alkrevas’ brow furrowed. “The port?” Sigmund nodded.
“The traces of black magic, as well as illegal teleportation, were detected in a small house on the west side of the city, near the port. The tracking team predicts that the two mages intend to flee to the other side of the continent or to the Tenebris region to hide.”
Alkrevas assumed the two mages were waiting for the right time to relaunch their actions. Alkrevas smiled; if his guess about the Goblins’ movements being caused by these two mages was correct after the investigation was completed, the first thing he would do to the two mages was to inflict painful torture. Upon reflection, the Goblins’ movements and the incidents involving Luna were closely connected, as if they were interlinked. “Have you contacted all the regional leaders of Rhodes?”
“Yes, Nightale and Oceania have confirmed their arrival.”
Alkrevas leaned back against the headboard and stared into the distance blankly. His mind was flooded with countless thoughts. About Luna, the Court Council, Goblin terror, the protective shield, and the two black mages disturbing Vasilos’ peace. Not to mention the internal issues of the Empire that required his attention; don’t forget about the benefactor that the black mages mentioned to Luna, which means a traitor roams freely inside his palace. If only he could mutate, Alkrevas might have done so to reduce the problems. “For now, we focus on the more urgent matters. Immediately sterilize the city square for the shield’s renewal. I’ll prepare to meet the Mages.”
“Yes, Your Majesty,” Sigmund replied obediently, but he didn’t leave immediately. Alkrevas knew that his trusted aide still needed to finish his business. “What else?”
Before refocusing on the Emperor, Sigmund glanced at Luna, sleeping beside Alkrevas. “Regarding Miss Luna…”
Luna, sleeping soundly, suddenly felt disturbed by the nearby conversation, pulling her out of her dreams. Slowly, her eyes opened and squinted as the blinding light pierced her vision. She took a slow breath, blinking to adjust her sight, before realizing the source of the conversation that had disturbed her sleep.
“Alkrevas?” Luna murmured. The man immediately turned to her and raised his hand as if to cup her face, but Luna quickly diverted her gaze toward Sigmund, who stood near the door with his head bowed. She did this not without reason; besides feeling embarrassed because the memory of last night replayed in her mind, she also had not fully forgiven Alkrevas. Still, she needed to process the information the man had told her. Luna thought I must find the right time to interrogate Alkrevas about his confession.
A growl sounded beside her, and Luna gasped as Alkrevas grabbed her jaw firmly, forcing her to look back at him. Luna’s heart stopped as she saw the intense darkness clouded Alkrevas’s face. “Are you avoiding me? Are you trying to avoid me, little mate?” Luna wanted to respond snappily but kept her mouth shut because whatever discussion between Alkrevas and Sigmund had soured the man’s mood, meaning Luna had to retreat and avoid provoking a fight.
“Little mate, you are truly testing my patience.”
“I didn’t mean to…”
There was a knock on the door. Alkrevas initially ignored the knock and focused his sharp gaze on Luna. Still, after he nodded at Sigmund without ever taking his eyes off Luna, Sigmund understood and went to open the door. “Alpha.” Alkrevas shifted his gaze from Luna and looked at his Beta with an irritated expression for arriving at an inconvenient time. Fortunately, he had dressed Luna in his shirt while his soulmate was asleep. Otherwise, he might have gone mad for exposing Luna’s body to another man, especially after all his efforts to deceive and manipulate many people’s minds.
“What is it, Beta?”
Beta Savon glanced briefly at Luna, who was glaring daggers at Alkrevas, before returning his focus to Alkrevas. “General Almbra and General Thea are trying to contact you via magical communication broadcast.” He bowed his head when he received a growl from Alkrevas.
Meanwhile, Luna, observing Alkrevas, struggled to suppress a smile as she noticed the man’s furrowed, irritated brow. He was annoyed with everyone, as they indirectly kept pulling him away from her for work. Should Luna add a little more spice? She bit her lower lip and murmured, “Our conversation isn’t over, Your Majesty. Regarding your explanation and words from last night, you need to explain them to me.”
Alkrevas sighed heavily. It seemed the man was at the end of his patience. “Little mate, I-”
“If you won’t give me what I want, you might as well leave. Besides, you seem so busy.” Then Luna pushed the blanket aside and got out of bed.
For a moment, she hesitated to do all that because of the fear of her body not being covered. Still, when she looked down and saw Alkrevas’s shirt clinging to her body, the doubts in her heart vanished. She stood up, thankful that Alkrevas was a large and tall man, making his shirt more like a knee-length dress on her. Luna briefly nodded to Sigmund and Beta Savon before sitting in the chair where the breakfast was neatly served. For a moment, she winced because of the soreness and ache in her back and lower body, especially her intimate area, but Luna tried to act normally. She could hurl curses and insults at Alkrevas after the man had left.
There was a brief silence before Luna heard the rustling of fabric from the direction of the bed, followed by footsteps approaching. She felt Alkrevas’s hand stroke her head, and spontaneously, Luna slapped the hand away rather harshly. Her eyes widened briefly before she looked at Alkrevas. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to-”
Alkrevas, with a face darkened by anger, stood still. His fists clenched at his sides before he turned away and walked towards the door. “Fine, I’ll go. After all, I deserve it.” After that, Alkrevas stepped past Sigmund and Beta Savon before altogether leaving. Luna just sat there nervously, staring at the two men who still stood in disbelief. Moments later, they came to their senses. Beta Savon was the first to bow to her before leaving Luna alone with Sigmund.
There was a moment of silence before Sigmund spoke, “I want to say something to you, Miss Luna.” Luna blinked in surprise before giving a stiff nod. “Please don’t hate His Majesty too much; behind his actions and decisions, he is only thinking of you. Whatever His Majesty decides, it’s all for you.” Instantly, Luna was reminded of Alkrevas’s ambiguous confession. “He just doesn’t want you to hate Vasilos.”
“Is this related to the Public Mating?”
Sigmund pressed his lips thin and replied, “I cannot answer, but I beg your mercy in forgiving him. His Majesty may be difficult and temperamental, but he is a good person.”
“You seem very loyal to him. How long have you been working as His Majesty’s chief aide, sir?”
“Since he was still the Crown Prince.”
Luna gasped. “That means…”
“Yes, I have been His Majesty’s childhood friend.”
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