Sophie only realized she was now staying in the castle where Baron Ferdinand used to reside after she asked Dinah to help show her around the castle.
She recognized the terrace where she and Nicholas had tea together once and suddenly everything started to fall into place.
Sophie felt her heart ache when the realization hit her. Memories of Nicholas and her spending time on that terrace became painful and she immediately asked Dinah to go back to her room.
"You look unwell, Sophie. Do you need me to get you anything?" Dinah asked Sophie with concern.
The beautiful woman shook her head. "I will just go to my room. If that's okay with you."
"Of course."
After Sophie calmed down her heart. She decided to talk to Dinah and asked her for information about Duke Ariam Romanov and everything she needed to know about this castle.
"Is Lord Ariam normally busy with his work?" Sophie asked. "I know that I will be working here under him, but there were some rumors that I heard in town when I arrived here in Hastings."
Dinah frowned at the mention of the humans and then rolled her eyes. "Do you really believe in gossip from people who hang around in taverns and are worthless drunkards? I am sure they are only upset because Duke Romanov stands above them all."
"Um, no… but it's not every day that a noble from another kingdom will settle here," Sophie explained with a smile. She could see that the servants of Duke Ariam Romanov seemed to really idealize him.
Dinah wanted to bite her tongue.
Not only were the people in Hastings already scared of their Alpha and had associated gossip and information about the actual dead Duke Romanov's business and shady dealings, but Sophie was also perceptive enough to question why they were here.
The lycan could not tell her the truth or else she would suffer the wrath of their Alpha.
"Well… I am only a servant here inside of Lord Ariam's castle," Dinah shrugged. "So I can't say that I know whatever he's actually doing. I am just doing my best to get paid and support my family."
It seemed obvious that Dinah was actually hiding something so Sophie pressed her a little with the questions.
"I have made the decision to work here and thus I will be loyal and do my best to support Lord Ariam, but I am really interested in why he is here. You are also not from this kingdom, right? What brought you guys here?"
"We wish to go to the capital," Dinah slipped out by accident.
"Huh? Capital?" Sophie's brows raised and she looked at the lycan with pursed lips. "Does Lord Ariam have interest in dealing in the capital?"
"Yes, I think that's why." Dinah quickly nodded and just agreed with Sophie to satisfy her.
Sooner or later, Sophie would eventually learn who Duke Romanov really was.
***
While Sophie was busy discussing and chatting with Dinah about who was supposedly Duke Romanov, the Alpha was busy with his own tasks.
"How long have we known each other and how much faith do you have in my capacity to lead?" Leland looked down at Duncan and Max. Both of them seemed like the best candidate to act as guards for Sophie when he was not around. They knew who she was because they were the ones who found Sophie for him when they went to Hauntingen.
"We trust in your ability, Alpha!" the two repeated.
Leland glared at them and wondered if these two were actually the best. "The two of you did not answer my question."
"We have known each other since we were still pups, Alpha!" Duncan answered. "You are the strongest and smartest Alpha ever since the moon goddess blessed the Lycans."
Leland frowned and glanced at Max who only bowed his head and spoke humbly. "We have known each other so long, Alpha, and I trust in your capacity to lead us to a new era, Alpha."
"A new era… what do you imagine the new era as?" Leland asked. "Is it when we have crushed the entirety of humanity underneath our feet?"
Leland was preoccupied for the entire day in interviewing members of his tribe who would do everything to protect Sophie regardless if anything were to happen in their pack. That meant a really small circle who would fight another lycan if things soured up.
It was something that was unnatural because most members of the pack stayed together and operated as a single unit. All of them needed to be on the same side or the harmony of the pack would be gone.
A splintered pack was the worst kind of thing that could happen.
"Alpha, I believe the reason why you ask us this question is because of the half-lycan?" Max asked. "You say she is under your protection even though she is half-human and not loyal to the pack."
"Yes. Can you wholeheartedly support my decision and back me if the council of elders decrees it as unacceptable within our clan?"
"...Well, it's not her fault that she's only half lycan," Duncan spoke and then realized that both Max and Leland were looking at him intensely. He wondered if he said something wrong.
However, Leland only looked at Duncan approvingly. "Yes. There are circumstances that we cannot control, but it does not mean that Sophie should pay for the sins perceived by the council. That is why I will protect her and hope the two of you can do the same."
Leland only chose to become an Alpha because it suited him. His mother and father wanted him to inherit the seat of power and he also wanted it because of the privileges it gave him.
It was only by being at the top could Leland actually do everything that he ever wanted to give Sophie everything that she deserved.
Alpha Leon chose to protect Anne Hansley in the past using his influence, by proxy, even though most of the council elders of their pack wanted the lycan killed for her betrayal. That was the only thing that Leland had every intention of following in his father's footsteps.
Updat𝓮d fr𝙤m fre𝒆webnov(e)l.com