Chapter 104: Grim
"Teacher Shim... why did you let them bring her back?"
Councilman Raymon Vye leaned closer, his voice low, as he stared at the older teacher. They were seated in a shadowed corner of the Teacher’s House, but still it was prudent to be quiet lest someone overhear them.
Over the years, the older man had accompanied the two princes and kept Prince Zen in check from time to time. But how had the older man made such a mistake as to let the Princes become bonded to someone and even bring her back. Raymon did not understand this!
Teacher Shim sighed and shook his head. "It was not me, Councilman. It was Prince Zen. From the moment he captured the omega, it was as if he lost his senses."
"He shielded her from her own pack, forced them to let her serve him during the week we remained there. And even after, when we prepared to leave, he fooled us and did not travel on with us. He lingered at their borders instead."
Shim’s voice grew heavier as he continued. "By the time word reached us that she had been taken as a slave, it was already too late. We had gone too far, and the princes had already taken her with them."
Raymon’s hands tightened into fists on his knees. His jaw ached from the way he clenched his teeth. Prince Zen. Of the three royal brothers, he had once been the most pliant, the easiest to sway. The boy had even held a good, promising bond with Ramona and had been head over heels for her. He’d thought he would prove instrumental in sealing their mating quickly.. Yet now, now he was proving to be the sharpest thorn in this mating.
On the surface, Prince Zen kept up his easygoing smile and charming laughter. He would pretend to be mild, agreeable, even careless. But Raymon had learned the truth the hard way. Getting Prince Zen to move against his own will was like trying to bend iron with bare hands.
He might yield on small things, might let others think they had swayed him, but the moment his mind was set, nothing, no council, no command, no threat, could pull him away from his decision.
Which had been alright to him because it did not interfere with his plans. But now... now his decision was this omega.
Raymon’s fingers drummed against the arm of his chair, his mind racing. If Zen had truly chosen her and was obsessed over her, then Ramona’s position and even his own influence over the princes... everything could unravel.
"I know you are worried about your daughter, Councilman. Ramona is our future Luna- no omega can take that place, slave bond or not."
"Even before the girl was brought here, I had already sent word to the Alpha, suggesting an arranged bond for her. She is tied to them as a slave, which means she will never be able to find her fated mate. But if the Alpha commands her to accept a formal mate bond with another, she will have no choice. Give her to a worthy husband from another pack and send her away. That way, she will not remain here long enough to threaten their bond."
"Alpha Lance is most certainly considering it."
Raymon nodded slowly. It was good that the Alpha was considering it. But how long would he keep merely considering? The longer the omega remained within the pack, the greater the threat she posed to everything Raymon had worked for. A dangerous thought stirred in his mind, what if she is the true...
He forced himself to stop, cutting the thought short before it could take root. Instead, he reached forward and clasped Teacher Shim’s hands.
"Thank you, Teacher Shim. For guiding my daughter with patience. Ramona has made her share of mistakes, but she has been waiting for their return, waiting for a chance to make amends. And now... now this has left her shaken. Frightened."
His voice grew heavier. "Perhaps in those early days, when the bond was first revealed, she might have been able to endure rejection. But nearly four years have passed. Her heart... it is far too entangled now. If the mate bond is rejected at this time, she would die of a broken heart."
Teacher Shim nodded. "Don’t worry, Councilman. I will urge the Alpha to do something about this as soon as possible."
"What if... what if the slave went and asked the Alpha for a bond? Do you think Alpha Lance might consider it?" Councilman Vye asked quietly, coming to the main reason for his visit here.
Teacher Shim blinked at the councilman’s words. From what he knew of the Omega, she was a sly one and would not so easily leave the Pack. "What do you mean by that, Councilman?" he asked slowly, studying the man with a wary expression.
He was the Prince’s teacher and no fool. He had already judged that Councilman Raymon’s true purpose in coming here was about to be revealed.
Raymon leaned closer and explained slowly, "I hear you are unwillingly hosting a guest from the Moonville Pack. That Prince Zen forced her upon you."
For a moment, silence stretched between them and Teacher Shim’s face tightened. He did not answer at once, but the faint narrowing of his eyes betrayed his discomfort. Yes. He did not like hosting Lyra Soier. That woman seemed to think she was some kind of a princess.
"You want her..." Shim finally spoke, his voice edged with suspicion, "to make things difficult for the omega. You hope she will be driven to ask the Alpha herself for release."
Raymon inclined his head, unbothered by the accusation. In fact, he almost smiled. "Exactly. I heard there is already animosity between them-grudges from their old pack that still fester. And if it is the Moonville woman who makes her miserable, then no one here will be blamed. It will look like old wounds reopened, nothing more."
He tapped his finger against the table, "Think about it, Teacher Shim. If the omega is unhappy, if she feels hounded and cornered, only then will she go to the Alpha and beg for freedom. She cannot be forced openly, not with the Princes watching. But she can be made to see that her place is elsewhere."
Teacher Shim’s frown deepened. "You are suggesting I use my own guest as a weapon. Do you even understand what you are asking of me? The Moonville Pack has been tolerated here only under strict terms. If their member stirs trouble-"
Raymon cut him off with a sharp gesture. "If she stirs trouble, it will be between her and the omega alone. It will not reach the princes, nor taint your reputation. In fact, it will give you a chance to be rid of her altogether. If she cannot control her temper, you will have reason to send her back to her people, and none can accuse you of bias. Two problems solved at once."
Raymon pressed his advantage as he made sure that Teacher "You claim to care for Ramona. Then prove it. This is not cruelty, Teacher Shim-it is necessity. If the omega leaves of her own will, she cannot challenge my daughter’s place. She will be gone, and the princes will have no reason to blame anyone. Our future Luna’s position will be safe."
Shim’s jaw tightened. He said nothing, but Raymon could see the hesitation weakening. He leaned in once more trying to convince him.
"Let your guest do what she already desires. The grudges of the past will play out on their own. You need only... not intervene."