The Alpha King's Guardian
Chapter 8: Mini Family Reunion
Donovan and I went inside the manor.
He closed the door behind him and led me towards the formal dining hall.
As we were walking, he spoke.
Donovan ( 4th cousin )
Some of the cousins felt deeply concerned and drove here as soon as they received the ravens.
Legacie ( Female Lead )
Everyone in the family was informed?
Donovan ( 4th cousin )
Not everyone, just the ones within the region.
Legacie ( Female Lead )
Ravens were sent to Aspah and Morowe, according to Aunt Shirley.
I mumbled and he chuckled.
Donovan ( 4th cousin )
That was intercepted.
I looked at him, partly shocked.
He jerked his head at me.
Donovan ( 4th cousin )
You intercepted those ravens with your peregrine falcons, am I right?
My mouth agape slightly and closed it again.
°°°yeah I did that, secretly, the other night°°°
Donovan ( 4th cousin )
I told grandfather An, but he told me to just let it go.
I nodded and walked the rest of the way in silence.
We entered the Grand Dining Hall and found my older cousins laying out plates and forks and glasses.
On the table rested atleast a dozen boxes of pizza, atleast ten large paper bags that smelled of fish and chips and burgers.
There were cans of beer, soda and even boxes of milk and fruit flavoured juices were served.
Hattie looked up at me and beamed.
Hattie ( 8th cousin )
There you guys are! C'mon in!
Inca ( 9th cousin )
We bought plenty!
Blaster ( 2nd nephew )
Lethy!
Blaster, my four year old nephew sped towards me and threw his arms around my legs.
I crouched down and embraced him tightly.
Legacie ( Female Lead )
Hey rockstar.
I greeted him with glee and he giggled cutely.
Blaster ( 2nd nephew )
And hey you too, rockthtar.
°°°he's still learning his S-es°°°
I gave him a gentle peck on both cheeks and hugged him again.
Hattie ( 8th cousin )
Okay, alright, Blasty c'mon go to your seat.
Hattie brushed Blaster's hair and motioned for him to take his seat next to Oxford.
Hattie engulfed me in a welcoming and gentle embrace.
Hattie ( 8th cousin )
How you doin' sucker?
I smiled kindly at her words.
Legacie ( Female Lead )
I'm alright.
Hattie ( 8th cousin )
It's good to see you guys again. I've missed you.
Frederik ( 6th cousin )
Quite a shame we had to reunite under dangerous circumstances though.
The dining hall went silent, but it wasn't awkward.
We took to our seats and ignored the original sitting formation.
Unless every Volguardsen was here, we're allowed to sit anywhere we wanted.
We took the space mostly at the center.
I sat in between Kaede and Maxima, and further to Maxima's side were my siblings with Blaster.
I leaned in on Maxima while the older cousins are ripping the bags open.
Legacie ( Female Lead )
Hey, what happened?
Maxima ( 13th cousin )
Donny found Claude and I in the wine cellar at the third basement.
Kaede ( 11th cousin )
The house shook when he found you two, do you know that?
I felt Maxima's burning gaze on Kaede.
Legacie ( Female Lead )
I'm sorry. I didn't mean to disturb your studies.
I turned to Maxima again just when Kaede was about to say something.
Legacie ( Female Lead )
What happened though? I heard Raiver's howl.
Maxima shrugged and then Kaede sighed.
Maxima ( 13th cousin )
Not a few seconds later, after Donnie found us, we heard that howl.
Kaede ( 11th cousin )
I went downstairs when I heard it and peeked through the window.
I found Raiver's wolf standing beside the opened fence leading towards Volguardsen Woods.
°°°we were caught pretty fast°°°
Maxima ( 13th cousin )
And after that, Claude was escorted by two Were-watchers back to Arckwar.
I sighed lowly and tried to clear my eyes.
Kaede ( 11th cousin )
Where were you?
Kaede asked in a whisper.
Maxima ( 13th cousin )
Yeah? Did you meet with her? Did you two talk?
Kaede ( 11th cousin )
What are you talking about? Who are you talking about?
We exchanged whispers until Griffin cut us off.
Griffin ( 7th cousin )
Okay!
Amiria ( 7th cousin's wife )
Everything looks good.
Lois ( 6th cousin's wife )
It's a good thing we bought more and didn't settle for five bags of chips.
Inca ( 9th cousin )
Right?! And Freddy wanted to cut off some bags!
Griffin ( 7th cousin )
Okay, we're past that, let's eat!
Everyone dug in and took turns from clawing their portions.
I wasn't starving and my appetite felt halted in some way after the encounter with the Blue Woman.
Right now all I wanted to do was talk to Kaede and Maxima and how I'm going to ask for their help.
Griffin ( 7th cousin )
So, Don. How serious is it?
Donovan ( 4th cousin )
Well, we haven't any clue of what's motivating this warlock.
Inca ( 9th cousin )
Aunt Shirley mentioned it was The Blue Woman?
There was a slight pause and everyone went back to eating.
Donovan ( 4th cousin )
Yes.
Frederik ( 6th cousin )
Where have you gotten, so far, brother?
Donovan ( 4th cousin )
Nowhere near anything.
Griffin ( 7th cousin )
There's got to be something she desires? Didn't you say there was an Alpha Royalty in that same restaurant?
Hattie ( 8th cousin )
Right! The Thormortigan guy.
Frederik ( 6th cousin )
Do you think it was them all along, The Blue Woman was after?
Donovan swung a quick glance at me then back to his pizza.
Donovan ( 4th cousin )
No, it was clear that the Blue Woman was targeting Aunt Shirley's table.
They were nearer the window when it exploded.
Lois ( 6th cousin's wife )
I'm glad you guys are alright.
Amiria ( 7th cousin's wife )
Yeah, if you're feeling ill still or need of anything, Lois and I will be of help.
Kaede ( 11th cousin )
Thanks, Ami, Loi.
Hattie ( 8th cousin )
They're right, we've got two of the best warlock medic and specialist in town!
The room seemed brighter than the previous minute.
Inca ( 9th cousin )
Oh right! You both graduated from your domestic practices! You'll be dispatched anywhere you want now.
Lois ( 6th cousin's wife )
Yeah! It's so great.
Amiria ( 7th cousin's wife )
We were actually bound for Majesta Institute tomorrow but we rescheduled.
Maxima ( 13th cousin )
Wait, because of us??
Niccolo ( fl's brother )
Oh man, you guys didn't have to!
Maxima ( 13th cousin )
They're right!
Kaede ( 11th cousin )
Majesta Institute, I wish I could come along.
Amiria and Lois shrugged.
Amiria ( 7th cousin's wife )
Well we wanted to make sure everything's alright here.
Griffin ( 7th cousin )
Yeah we do.
Legacie ( Female Lead )
But how long are you guys staying for?
Hattie ( 8th cousin )
Well, Blaster and I are on rest from the cruise for two weeks...so we'll be nesting here then.
Inca ( 9th cousin )
I'm summoned at Arckwar, they needed a poison's specialist to treat a werewolf in a coma.
Hattie ( 8th cousin )
What poison do you think caused that?
Inca shrugged her shoulders.
Inca ( 9th cousin )
I have expected the worst.
Frederik ( 6th cousin )
Must have been a potent poison, for it to put its host into a coma.
Lois ( 6th cousin's wife )
Is there anything we can do to help?
Inca ( 9th cousin )
Yes. Well, I was relieved to have found out you guys were coming home along with Griff and Freddy.
Inca ( 9th cousin )
I could use your professions.
Amiria and Lois both nodded.
Amiria ( 7th cousin's wife )
You can count on us then.
Griffin ( 7th cousin )
Do you have to go to the school immediately after this?
Inca ( 9th cousin )
Afraid so. Aunt Shirley's expecting us by dinner.
Frederik ( 6th cousin )
Should we drop you off?
Lois ( 6th cousin's wife )
I think we'll be fine, love.
Griffin ( 7th cousin )
No, but we insist.
Hattie ( 8th cousin )
Yeah yeah, Griff and Freddy...let them take you, it's quite a journey from this place to Arckwar.
Amiria and Lois turned to their husbands.
Lois ( 6th cousin's wife )
But they might need you more here.
Hatti snorted and shrugged.
Hattie ( 8th cousin )
We'll be fine here...Donovan and Poppy An are with us.
Inca ( 9th cousin )
Thanks. Although we might have to spend the night over there.
Frederik ( 6th cousin )
It's fine with me, I'll even get to see Jairen.
Lois ( 6th cousin's wife )
Fine with me too.
Amiria ( 7th cousin's wife )
Inca, walk us through your research later...
She suggested and Inca nodded.
Inca ( 9th cousin )
Yeah, sure.
They finally came to an agreement and settled the matter.
Donovan ( 4th cousin )
I'll hand you the keys to the cars. It's better if you use one of our vehicles rather than your private ones.
Griffin ( 7th cousin )
Did grandad upgrade them?
Donovan ( 4th cousin )
Yeah he did.
I'll tour you in the garage later.
Griffin ( 7th cousin )
Sweet!
We continued eating and exchanging stories.
⏱️ A FEW MOMENTS LATER ⏱️
We had finished up with merienda and each cleaned our corners of the table.
Suddenly the doorbell at the front door rang.
We halted, like mannequins posed by the windows and turned to eye each other.
Donovan ( 4th cousin )
That's the front door.
Frederik ( 6th cousin )
Yes, brother.
Griffin ( 7th cousin )
Who's guarding the front?
Donovan ( 4th cousin )
Four were-watchers, sentinel levels.
Hattie ( 8th cousin )
Should we take a look through the windows?
The windows were half exposed by the blinds.
Frederik ( 6th cousin )
No, I think it's best if we clear out of the windows.
Oxford ( 14th cousin )
Maybe it's mom?
Pandora ( fl's sister )
Silly, why would she ring the doorbell if she has her house keys?
°°°why are they overreacting? it's just poppy An°°°
Donovan straightened up and left the dining hall to answer the front door.
It creaked open and a voice boomed through the halls.
Ansel ( Head of House Volguardsen )
Why'd it took you so long to answer the front door?
Echoes of relief and sighs filled the air around us.
Shoulders slumped.
Legacie ( Female Lead )
It's only Poppy An.
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