CHAPTER 9

ANOTHER HATER

Princess Lupe received Danciana's letter. She sat in the presence of her parents to read the letter out to them, lovingly and dreamily.

'My loving mate, I apologise for the embarrassment and pain the mistake I made must have cost you. Hurting you and your family was never my intention, and I take responsibility for it.

Please come back to my palace and live with me, for in my heart, you are not only my mate, but also my Luna and I need you by my side to rule the kingdom.

I have sent magicians and medicine men to communicate with the deities of my fathers, sooner than later, a permanent solution to my mistake will be found.

But in the meantime, please come back to your palace and rule with me.

Love,

Alpha Prince Gonzalo.'

Lupe looked at her parents in excitement as she finished reading the letter.

"Did you hear that? I told you he loves me. We are destined for each other, he wants me as bad as I want him." Lupe said, her eyes glittering with love.

"This doesn't sit well with me.." Her mother responded.

"You will not go to that palace unless he comes to beg me with fifty cows and solves the problem." Her father firmly said.

"Nonsense! That is nonsense father! I will go pack my bag at once! My alpha needs me." Lupe snapped dismissively, walking out on her parents.

***

Zayn was training in the forest with the rest of the rogues. He introduced different tactics and new defense attack.

"I'm tired, can I take a break?" A rogue tried to take permission from Zayn, panting profusely.

"No! Gonzalo's army do not take a break, they practice morning til night, and that is why they are so good and seem undefeated. Well that will change soon! The next time Gonzalo faces me, he will bow and tremble at the mention of my name!"

"Yess!" The rogues chorus, cheering each other.

"We will take over Poldark! He won't know what hit him!" Zayn growled, sounding like an elephant clomping away. He exercised his speed, usually he ran a mile in less than two minutes, now he was practising to run a mile in thirty seconds.

***

Gonzalo looked around to see the voice that spoke. He had never heard the voice in his life. The voice belonged to a man of about his age.

"I am Zeeb, and your ruthless prince is holding my father and cousin hostage!" Zeeb said, authoritatively. "I have come to arrest your prince today!" He grinned.

"Seize him!" Gonzalo yelled, practically jumping to hit him across the face.

The chief police officer put Gonzalo to a halt. "You can't do that, Prince Gonzalo."

"Boris! Get me the documents!" Gonzalo growled, it was a good thing his sword was away from him at the moment, because all thoughts in his mind were to chop off someone's head.

They had all insulted him. Bringing the police to his palace!

"My prince.." Boris handed a document to Gonzalo, proud of his ability to serve the prince at all times.

Gonzalo angrily snatched the document from Boris and threw it at the chief police officer. "His father owe me money, in exchange for that money, he offered himself and entire family to serve me in my palace until the money is recovered." Gonzalo looked over at Zeeb. "It's a good thing you came yourself, I was planning on how to get you, your sister and mother."

The chief police officer took his time to read the document and passed the document to Zeeb. "This is a legal document and the contract is stated very clearly."

"This is forged! My father can never sign or agree to this, my father does not owe you any money!" Zeeb shouted.

"The same way your cousin sister could not believe her father was a murderer?" Gonzalo scoffed. "It runs in the blood."

The chief police looked at Zeeb. "This document is original and legal.."

"Fine!" Zeeb said. "I'll pay you whatever he owes you.." He snatches the document from the chief police officer, glancing at the amount. "What? Five hundred billion?! That is insane!"

"How will you like to pay?" Gonzalo frowned. "All you've been doing is shout in my palace."

"My sincere apologies, this will never happen again.." The chief police officer apologized to Gonzalo, then turned to face his junior officers, instructing all of them to enter their vans and leave.

Gonzalo looked at Zeeb, his guards by now already seized him. Zeeb's rugged features and come - hither grin were now firmly registered in his mind. No one had ever dreaded him the way Zeeb did, today.

***

Boris pushed Zeeb into the same cage his father was in and locked the cage firmly.

"Enjoy!" Boris mocked, matching out of the prison yard.

"Zeeb.." Sadie looked at his son, trying to control his emotions. "Where is your mother and sister?"

"They were home when I left them.." Zeeb answered, looking away. He jumped to his feet, hitting the wall with his fists until he started bleeding.

"Damn it!" Zeeb screamed.

"There is nothing we can do.." Sadie said.

"I will think of something, I will do something.." Zeeb promised himself.

***

"My prince!" Lupe jumped on Gonzalo hugging him tightly. Gonzalo rubbed his eyes in confusion, trying to understand what was happening.

"I feel so happy having you in my arms.." Lupe said.

Gonzalo felt different, all he felt was pain, uneasiness and anger, which was very strange. He gently pushed her aside.

"Lupe.." Gonzalo searched for the best words to use.

"I have already moved my belongings into your bedroom, the maids are setting everything right. Mother has given me the permission to take that swain that wants to steal my right as my personal maid." Lupe brushed her cheeks against Gonzalo's.

"Your letter is so romantic.." Lupe added. "I can't wait to settle in our bedroom.." Lupe said then ran off, walking towards Gonzalo's bedroom.

Gonzalo looked at his mother and Morgan with questioning expressions.

Danciana and Morgan eyed each other knowingly, a conspirational glimmer in each of their eyes. "I don't know!" They said the same time.

Gonzalo knew better. He had seen that glimmer whenever they conspired to do something they knew he wouldn't approve of their decision. Considering Morgan had helped Ashina, he knew his mother was behind the whole thing.

"Can I at least see the letter?" Gonzalo demanded.

"You don't look happy to see Lupe.." Danciana complained.

"Why did you ask her to come?" Gonzalo questioned.

"To help me make the slave girl's life miserable." Danciana replied.

"Stop helping to make that swain feel important. I can handle her, I don't need Lupe's help." Gonzalo snapped. "And you could have written that letter in your name, and why make her sleep in my bedroom?"

"I didn't..she.." Danciana stopped, running out of excuses. "I'm sorry.."

"Move her out of my bedroom, I will not share my bedroom with anyone." Gonzalo said, walking out."

***

"You!" Lupe double slapped Ashina across the cheeks. "Witch! You think you can steal my rights? Look at your skirt, above your knees, are you trying to seduce my husband?"

Ashina was told to bring warm water to Gonzalo's bathroom. No one told her a bitter Princess was going to hit her. She glared at Lupe, to think she even pitied Lupe at one time.

"You are nothing but a slave..you will forever remain a slave, to this palace, to me!" Lupe said.

"I am not your slave." Ashina replied boldly. "Don't you ever refer to me as your slave again."

"What are you then? A princess? A Queen?" Lupe scoffed. "What exactly, tell me."

"I am nothing like you." Ashina responded.

Lupe laughed. "You can never be anything like me, I am a princess!"

"Of a local wolf pack!" Ashina laughed back at Lupe. "In the city I come from, packs like yours are second class citizens, and I tell you, you cannot step into the rooms I have stepped into or sit at the tables I have sat."

"Rooms of wretched swains and tables of slaves, wasn't your father a slave to the late Alpha King?" Lupe crossed her legs.

"Don't bring my father into this." Ashina said, sounding almost a warning.

"Wasn't your father the slave that killed his master, oh, I'm scared, I pray you do not kill me someday.."

"Lupe!!!" Ashina yelled, raging.

"How dare you call me by my name?"

"Remove the bitterness, the eagerness to rain abuses on me at the slightest chance and that mentality of negativity from your heart. Stop transferring aggression to me, go and meet your prince, and hold him responsible for whatever mistake he made."

"You dirty poor Swain!" Lupe rolled her eyes.

"If your prince could mistake a dirty poor Swain for you, then what does that tell you?" Ashina snapped. "Swain! You are also a Swain!"

Lupe raised her hand to slap Ashina again but Gonzalo holds back her hand from behind, roughly bringing down the hand.

"My prince?" Lupe looked at Gonzalo in surprise. Not aware of when he entered the bedroom.