"Leland." Sophie swallowed hard and licked her lips for a moment. She wasn't scared about herself and her children. She was married to the Alpha but she was still worried. "I am talking about the humans, my people. They're my people too."
Leland looked at his wife and sighed a little. They were mates and on the Alpha's side, he could tell what Sophie wanted from him, and yet he also knew her tactics.
"I know that you will use your parents as an example."
"They're proof that lycans and humans can live in harmony together!" Sophie said.
"They're a rare example." the Alpha said.
"Even your mother's parents are mixed." Sophie reminded Leland that his mother was half human too.
"Yes, but her parents' marriage failed and it was a disaster," Leland responded. "My mother really is not a good example."
"But it goes to show that it is possible," Sophie said. "While it is true that my nation has been indoctrinated into hating the lycans that even the people who get turned into lycans see it as nothing more than a curse, we could change that."
"I understand that, Sophie." Leland smiled softly at her. "You know I understand that, but you must believe when I say that it is a long and tedious process that might even take multiple generations to change."
"Are you telling me that the lycans will simply kill the humans in Riga? No, right?" Sophie asked and was actually a little shaken. Now that she actually knew the entire truth about the situation, she understood that her emotions were flourishing.
"Of course, not." Leland shook his head. "The lycan packs are… too cunning to simply end the bloodshed by simply killing off humanity and considering the war as over. Instead, you do not need to worry about their lives at all."
Sophie pursed her lips and looked at her husband. "They will all live but…?"
Leland opened his mouth to speak and then sighed. "Before any of that, you must understand that the position as the Lycan King is not as absolute as a human ruler of any kind."
Sophie bit her lip and nodded and spoke in a hushed tone. She realized what her husband was saying and realized the seriousness of the situation. "Yes, there are chances for a king to be overthrown by his people."
Leland smiled grimly and nodded. "It's more dangerous here in the packs. I understand that humans, and since you have grown among them… consider that killing someone is wrong, but not so much for lycans."
Sophie closed her eyes and sighed. "It is a struggle for power and what you're telling me is that even when you become king, there are still multiple people who may vie for the throne to replace you."
"That is correct," Leland said.
Sophie looked at her husband and now understood how pressuring it was. His life was in danger and she looked at him worriedly. "You mean to say that there will be individuals among your pack and others that would kill you?"
Leland laughed and looked at his wife. "You do not have to worry about brutal and physical strength from others, Sophia. In terms of that, I am second to none and have held my position even against elders and more experienced lycans."
"Then what are you worried about, Leland?" Sophie asked him. "Why can't you reassure me that nothing terrible will happen to innocent people? Not all humans are bad, you know?"
"There are people who keep me in check and so-called allies who are also joining forces with us for their own benefit. The elders, my mother, several other packs, and our allies will try to steer me or even take reign over the situation with humans."
"You've spoken about your allies for so long now…" Sophie pursed her lips and looked at Leland curiously. She knew that this wasn't the main topic, but the idea of lycans working with non-lycans was a strange occurrence to her.
What kind of people would work with lycans to defeat humans?
"Are you interested in knowing who they are?" Leland asked.
Sophia was his mate and had every right to know about the ongoing decision of the Blood River Pack and others to attack and eliminate the royal family.
Sophie waved her hand and smiled at him. "You don't have to tell me. I'm more interested in knowing what we could do to prevent the others from hurting humans and enslaving them."
Leland blinked and looked at his mate with a rueful expression. "You… you didn't have to use that word. I believe that the plan is to create a hierarchy in the continent where lycans are at the top…"
"And humans are at the bottom of the rung. Practically slaves if we don't want to hesitate with the words." Sophie looked at her husband seriously. "I am sure that you will be kind to them but what about others?"
"Sophia, you must understand that during the war, many lycans lost their lives."
"And so did humans."
"I know there are deaths on both parties, but these lycans who have lost their loved ones are resentful of humans. Can you blame them for wanting to hurt the humans once the chance comes to them? They are also in pain."
Sophie bit on her lip and looked down on the ground. "Pain… I've also lost my parents due to this war, Leland."
"That is why I've chosen to agree with this pursuit of the lycan packs, Sophia," Leland explained. "I want to avenge your parents and make the royal family pay for what they have done to them."
"Is it really the royal family that has hurt my family though?" Sophie looked up at Leland unsurely. "What the Village Head said about the deaths of my parents…"
"I am sure that the old man was lying to you or sparing the details." Leland looked at his mate. "My sources tell me that the ones at fault for your parents' death are none other than the Royal Lycan Hunters."
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