Iya's Blind Alpha

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

THREE YEARS LATER

"Alpha," Rene entered the office, "King Kieran and Queen Diana have arrived."  

"I told them not to come!"  Pietro shouted in annoyance.

"My king, my dear friend, I know you do not wish to hear this, but, it has been three years since the great war between the werewolves, vampires and faes, versus the witches.  Life must go on...even without the luna."  Rene's voice cracked.

"Unless I see Iya's body, nobody can tell me she is gone!  After everything, have I failed my job as the alpha king, Rene?  Tell me?"  

"No, alpha."

"Then leave me be!"

 "You have not failed as our leader, yes.  In fact, it has all been what you occupied your waking hours.  All I am asking is talk to your friends.  Find comfort and encouragement in their efforts to reach out to you."  Rene continued.

"I am tired of people, even with their best intentions, of telling me Iya is gone and that I should live my life worthy of her memory.  Is it so wrong to cling to hope, hope that she is still somewhere out there?"  Pietro appealed.

"There is nothing wrong with hope.  Hope is positive.  It becomes wrong when it eats you up, when life passes you soaked up in despair.  That is not real hope.  That is denial."  Rene boldly added.

"This conversation is exhausting.  I will meet our guests at the lounge, as if I have a choice not to accept the vampire royals." Pietro returned to his nonchalant mood.

************

After a tiring trip, Kieran and Diana finally arrived at Pietro's palace.  They vowed to visit Pietro once a year, during the anniversary of the end of the great war.  They owe it to Iya to be there for Pietro despite his withdrawal and to fortify the fealty between vampires and werewolves.

Diana sighed and sat on the couch.  It is still with heavy heart to be back.  She is feeling the emptiness of the palace since the luna queen's demise, now she could not fathom how worst Pietro is feeling day in and day out.  

Diana could never forget those days and nights of the war.  Pietro and Iya showed everyone how formidable of a couple they make.  Together, their might and power was unmatched.  The first three weeks of the war was to their favor.  They all thought it will be over soon and victory is at hand.  But, fate had a different ending in mind.  The witches bribed the elves with gold and diamond to join forces with them.  The balance of the war was tipped to the enemy's favor.  The magic both creatures produced was potent and overwhelming extending the war to three more weeks.

On the last ill-fated day,  when the luna queen was separated from Pietro for a moment and was exhausted from vanquishing the elves and witches, Calixta, the witch king's daughter, stabbed Iya at the back and snatched her through a worm whole.  

Pietro tried to bargain King Malachi's life for Iya's but Calixta tricked them all.  The Iya she returned was an impostor.  Pietro's wolf was enraged and mangled both King Malachi and Calixta's body while Kieran ruthlessly annihilated the elven army.  Kieran made the elf king swear on his elven son's life never to oppose the vampires again or Kieran will wipe them off the planet.  

"If only we could go back in time and change the result of the war..." Diana said sadly.

"Pietro did vanquish the witch king and his daughter together with his army,"  Kieran consoled.

"At what cause?  What good is it to win the war only to lose your mate and her parents?" 

"We all under estimated how cunning the witch king's daughter is.  Before anyone suspected, Calixta already had her hands on Iya.  No one is to be blamed.  My beloved, we are here to uplift the alpha king's spirit.  Let us try our best."  Kieran urged.