* Long Chapter Alert
[GREYSON]
"There is no werewolf king in this realm, Rukiya..."
"Everyone knows that. It's common knowledge. So why tell me this now..."
Hudhayfah let out a sad chuckle as he looked into the distance, like he was trying to figure out a way out of this, one that wouldn't with Rukiya hurt and broken-hearted. He really wanted to see the girl happy and he was hoping for the best for her.
"Exactly... But your father, Draffin Greyson, was murdered for colluding with the rogues, to bring down the werewolf king," Hudhayfah spelled out carefully, like he was scared of what his word would do.
It had been seventeen years since Alpha Draffin's murder and it was safe to say Rukiya had tried so hard to forget the horrors she had been told of her father. She never mentioned her father anywhere, because everyone knew that her father was a traitor to the werewolves.
It was something that haunted her to this day, but she had learned to cope with it. If anything, it was the only reason she had struggled to work so hard so people wouldn't think of her as her father's daughter.
Rukiya had tirelessly worked day and night to clear the Greyson name and bring it back to glory, not to mention the fact that she fought hard to create a name for herself and finally she did.
She had managed to let everyone in the realm know of her as Rukiya Greyson, and not alpha Draffin Greyson's daughter.
It had taken a lot of effort, and now she was hearing things that didn't make any sense to her, and was the worst of the gut punches she had ever received in her life. Hell, it was worse than what she had heard of her mother.
But then the worst part of it was that she knew Hudhayfah would never lie to her, and that broke her heart even more. What the fuck was she supposed to do with this? How the hell was she to deal with this situation when she wasn't sure what it meant for her?
"No... That... No, Hudhayfah, no," Rukiya whispered disbelievingly as she got up and began pacing. There was never a king. Her father's death had been the worst of them all, the most brutal of the murders.
It was the murder that shook the realm, the murder that got people believing that whatever Alpha Draffin Greyson had done, had to be very sinister, and yet here she was learning of a possible conspiracy?
"I'm so sorry, child," Hudhayfah said as he sat on his seat and he waited for Rukiya to take in what she had just learned. Her father was murdered and clearly, it was for the wrong reasons or maybe Hudhayfah was saying this to distract her from the fact that her mother was a traitor.
"Maybe... Maybe you got it wrong, Hudhayfah. It's impossible that everyone turned their backs on that reality. I was young and even I knew that there was never a king, so how come everyone in the entire realm didn't question my father's death?" Rukiya asked, as she tried to breathe.
Rukiya was desperate to believe everything except that her mother was the devil herself. That her mother was just doing that because she wanted Hawi out of Rukiya's life.
Then again, if she wanted Hawi out of Rukiya's life she just had to tell Hawi and the woman would make the choice and leave, obviously. So, she didn't understand what the need was for all these extremes and they were upsetting her big time.
"Alpha. We're ready. What is the mission?" Aldo suddenly interrupted the duo, barging into the alpha's office only to find Rukiya looking like she had a lot of things going through her mind, which was true, but she didn't want Adolf distracted. That would be way too costly.
"Hold on... what is happening, Hudhayfah? What is wrong with the alpha?" Adolf asked when he saw the tired alpha. She was different from how he had last seen her barely twenty minutes ago and that in itself was a chase for alarm for him.
"I don't have to leave Alpha. What happened to you? Who do I have to kill? Is Hawi okay? Did she do anything? Is she in danger?" Adolf asked, knowing that only Hawi could force Rukiya into such a corner.
Adolf had never seen Rukiya break down for Luna Razia so it wasn't surprising that her own mother wouldn't have been the reason for her sudden fatigue. However, that didn't change the facts.
This was a crucial time and if Rukiya needed him then there was no point for him to leave, right?
"I won't lie and tell you all is well, Adolf. But if you go on this mission and do what is expected, my worries will have reduced significantly. Can you please do that for me?" Rukiya asked even though she already knew what Adolf's answer would be.
"Over the cliff, alpha. Wherever you need me, I will be there. So, what is the mission?" Adolf asked and Rukiya walked back into her office, and then checked some of the papers including a map there before handing them to Adolf.
"Go to this spot on the map, you will meet a set of familiar faces. Whatever command they give you and your crew, think of it as an order by me. Travel safe, Adolf," Rukiya said before dismissing a worried Adolf.
He could tell that nothing was alright with his alpha, but if this was what she wanted, then he would do it without question. She could order him into a fire and he would gladly walk in there without asking why he needed to be burned.
The Greyson beta could only hope that she would be fine without them. Rukiya Greyson was important to them in so many ways and they loved her wholly.
"Hudhayfah, please take care of Alpha," Adolf said on his way out and Hudhayfah gave him a thumbs up.
"Of course, son. I will," Hudhayfah said and Adolf bowed once again and left.
"Do I look that terrible, Hudhayfah?" Rukiya asked once Adolf was gone. She had seen the worry on her beta's face and frankly that only made her more worried because there was just no way that she looked so terrible, right?
"Come, child. Let us get this over with so you know what decisions you need to make and why," Hudhayfah said and Rukiya walked back to where she had been sitting. She had a feeling that today would be long for her.