The Broken Crown

Immoral Men

The sunlight floods the room, my eyes peeling awake as I stir in bed, unwilling to pull the covers from off my body. The storm has passed for now, the grounds wet, and the forest calling to me. As I roll around to the edge of my bed, I check the time and groan as I push myself from the mattress. Following my typical morning routine, I complete my shower, dry my hair, and put on a fresh pair of jeans and blouse with a tweed jacket. Business casual is the goal today, my head pounding from the late night I had as I was flooded with questions of what I have been doing. I was left alone last night, within the walls of my bedroom, pondering what steps I take now. 

The silence of the house informs me I am the first awake, the door to my bedroom pushed open as I exit from the warmth of it and into the hallway. My ears pick up the soft sound of some staff cleaning the house and preparing a meal for the morning. Descending the staircase, I find myself soon within the large living room, leaning back into my couch as I look outside to the forest. 

Cedric and Brie are just outside my house, talking with one another as I notice how tense the two of them look. Something has transpired since I went to bed. 

As a staff member offers me a cup of my morning coffee, I thank her and look back outside to watch Brie and Cedric part ways. Holding my head high, I prepare myself for whoever will come to talk with me first. The seconds begin to tick by as I wonder who could be coming to deliver news - those seconds only transforming into minutes as soon enough, my coffee is halfway gone. What could be going on? Were they not coming to find me? 

Placing my coffee down, I pick myself up and move out of the living room. "Have you see Beta Cedric?" I ask one of the staff. 

"They were outside about five minutes ago, Alpha Maxwell." Nodding, I thank the woman for her insight and begin to walk for the front door. Just as I reach the front door and my hand wraps around the brass knob, I can hear the lowered voices outside. 

"She can no longer be trusted," Cedric whispers, his voice hushed as I slowly press my ear to the door, hoping they cannot pick up my scent. Who could he be speaking with? Who is he speaking about?

"She has been part of this war from the beginning, she offers insight." 

"She offers words of poison," Cedric refutes Alpha Yusuf. "You have seen how she peruses about this pack like it belongs to her, how she treats our Alpha as if she is merely a child. I trust you, Alpha Yusuf, I trust you more than the rest of them, but we cannot allow Alpha Penelope to hold any play in decisions Leala will make." 

"Penelope will pull her forces back from the war if she has no power."

"Then you agree Penelope is only part of this game for power," Cedric points out, "you then agree that Penelope is using Leala and this situation to find power of her own." 

Yusuf sighs, as if defeated. "She is a strong Alpha - fuck - she has the best tactical knowledge of any of us." Yusuf pauses for a brief moment. "I fear what she may do if she is taken out of Leala's inner circle of advisors." 

"We all fear what Penelope is capable of, regardless of if she is part of that inner circle or not." 

The two do not continue to speak, as if reaching common ground on Alpha Penelope. Yusuf is right, for Penelope is a force to be reckoned with, her men well-trained and lethal, but Penelope can also turn deadly. I remember the look in her eyes the day we took Evercrest Ridge, how her eyes were like that of a man person, scaring what could become of her. Yet we need her men and to gain her army, she needs to feel like she is still in control. Yet how? 

"You do not trust me though, do you?" Yusuf asks, bringing back around the conversation. 

"No, I do not," Cedric states firmly. "I do not trust a man who seems to pull strings attached to my alpha. I trust you more than anyone else though, Yusuf, and that counts for something." I can hear Yusuf agree to Cedric. "What are you going to speak with Leala about today?"