The First King
Epilogue 1 - Alder

Prew sat at the end of the council table, surrounded by stacks of papers. In one hand, she held a letter from a kingdom requesting aid; in the other, she held a report indicating the monies in the treasury. With a scowl, she set the papers down and pinched the bridge of her nose.

It had been two months since the battle with the Coven of Stardust, but Prew felt as if she was still fighting. The fires had damaged an extensive amount of land, displacing hundreds of people. Supplies were stretched, and the loss of farmlands and forests wasn’t helping. To top it off, several of the human kingdoms were being tight with their coin purses. At the moment, no official taxation had been set up, but it looked like they would need one.

Prew sighed as she moved on to the next letter. Her eyes lit up when she saw who the sender was: Sofia. It had been over a month since they last saw the witch, and Prew had greatly missed her company. But Sofia was a leader to her coven; she could not drop everything to come to visit. This was especially true with the influx of witches who were under constant supervision. The dark witches who had survived the destruction were being held in various prisons guarded by those from the Lode Star.

As Prew read the letter, she learned that there were just over 60 prisoners, many of whom were children. The Gathering of the Wicca was going to meet to discuss what would be done with the dark witches and the Coven of Stardust. Konrad and Prew were invited to join, and they were instructed to meet Sofia at Huthwaite in six weeks. Though they were not witches, their thoughts and suggestions would go a long way in resolving the issue of the dark witches.

Prew looked up from the paper when the door to the council room opened. She smiled, watching as Konrad strolled over to her. He had a slight limp in his right leg, where part of his foot sustained permanent damage. Even after weeks of potions and various healing witches visiting, nothing would help him regain the ability to walk normally. Thankfully, the damage to his human form did not affect his wolf.

“Hello, husband,” she greeted as he leaned down, kissing her lips tenderly.

“Hello, wife,” he smiled as he looked down at the papers and parchments littering the table. “It looks like you’ve been busy.”

“As more requests come in, I may need to teach you to read and write so you can help.”

“If you’re the teacher, I’ll learn anything,” he murmured. His lips kissed her jawline down to her neck. Prew squirmed under his touch, doing her best to resist temptation.

“I need to work,” she stated as she tried to shrug him off.

“You need a break,” he argued as he pushed the papers away from her hands.

“Fine, but I’m not going to our room,” Prew scoffed as she stood from her chair.

“That’s alright. This table will do, or any wall,” Konrad growled as he grabbed Prew by her hips, pulling her hard against his chest. She stifled a giggle as she struggled against him. But he was persistent as he held her close, groping her breast through her shirt. Prew could no longer hold back a moan as his fingers squeezed the nipple that hardened under his touch.

“Am I interrupting?” Alder questioned as he walked into the room.

“Gods, Alder,” Konrad shouted as he released Prew. “Who let you in here?!”

“Porter said that Prew was using this room as her study,” the Alpha shrugged as he leaned against the door frame. “But I can come back i-”

“No! Come in, come in,” Prew ushered as she stepped away from Konrad. “Is something wrong? I thought you were out visiting with Devora?”

“I was, but now I need some help,” Alder admitted as he rubbed the back of his neck.

“Do you not know how to put it in?” Konrad teased.

“Behave,” Prew hissed as she slapped Konrad’s arm. She turned back to Alder, pointing to a chair for him to sit in. “Why don’t you have a seat? Tell us what you need help with.”

“Devora refuses to be my mate until I can add more land to my hunting grounds,” Alder sighed as he sat down. “She says what I currently have is not large enough for both packs.”

“That’s understandable,” Prew nodded as she sat back in her seat. “Combining “wo packs means you will need more space. We can easily arrange for the land to the East of the Frostpaws to be added to your grounds.”

“But that is not the only thing that I need. Devora wants a permanent home to be established. She and her pack are tired of moving around and want something stable.”

“More and more packs are doing the same thing,” Konrad added.

“The problem is I don’t have the money or resources to build a home large enough for both of our packs,” Alder groaned as he slumped in the chair.

“And we aren’t in the position to help you either,” Prew replied softly.

Alder sighed as he looked to the floor. He was frustrated with Devora and her impossible requests, but she refused to be his mate until he could meet them. Prew watched him, her thoughts racing for an answer to his problems. After a moment, her face lit up.

“What about the Black Shadow Keep?”

“The abandoned vampire place?" Alder questioned with a frown.

“Yes! We can extend your pack lands all the way to it in the East. That shall give you a large expanse of land for hunting and for the two packs to spread out. Plus, the keep would make for a good permanent home… a pack house!”

“The place has no windows, Prew,” Alder stated, not seeing the excitement or potential in the idea.

“There were some,” she argued with a shrug. “But surely it would not be too difficult to add more.”

“And how do you suppose I do that? None of my wolves are carpenters.”

“Go to Pedarus and speak with King Thomas,” Prew instructed as she grabbed a blank piece of paper. She dipped her quill into the ink well before writing out a letter. After her words dried to the page, she carefully rolled it up, tying it off with string. “Take this to the king. Kindly request two or three skilled men, and in return, you offer three of your warriors to help train his soldiers.”

“And if he refuses?” Alder inquired as he took the parchment from her.

“Give him that letter,” she replied with a smirk. “But only if you cannot persuade him yourself.”

“What’s in it?” Konrad questioned curiously.

“An announcement that Alder was named Hero to the Queen of Queens,” Prew answered. “Thomas will know that the Alpha has my favor, and so if he wants it too, he will do as Alder requests.”

“When was I named that?”

“Just now. It is my thanks to you for saving my life and being there during my darkest hours. I wish there was more that I could do for you, but I hope this shall suffice.”

Alder smiled as he stood to his feet. He stepped to Prew but stopped to look at Konrad. The two men stared at one another for a moment before Konrad nodded his head. Alder took Prew’s hand, pulling her to her feet so he could embrace her tightly. It was the first time he could hold her in such a way, but he did not get the same feelings or temptations as he would have had months ago. At this moment, all Alder wanted was Devora. It did not matter that she constantly rejected his advances; he was willing to change everything about his life to have her. And now, with Prew’s help, there was hope.

Alder sat on the ground, his back resting against a stone wall. He had been there so long that his legs had started to go numb. With a groan, he rubbed his hands along his thighs, soothing the ache in his muscles. He debated getting up and heading back inside, but he was too impatient. Prew and Konrad were spotted crossing the border hours ago, and he was outside waiting for them.

In that instant, as if he conjured them, Meeka came up to the front of the castle, carrying both Konrad and Prew. Alder quickly stood to his feet, dusting off his pants before he approached.

“Alder?” Prew questioned as she looked down at him. “What are you doing here?”

“The renovations at the keep are finished, but I wanted your approval before I fetch Devora,” he replied, clasping his hands behind his back.

“You don’t need my approval,” she smiled. “I’m sure Devora would love it.”

“But what if she doesn’t? What if she hates everything and wants to reject me?”

“If she hasn’t rejected you by now, she isn’t going to,” Prew retorted with a chuckle. But then she stopped when she saw how serious Alder was. With a sigh, she looked behind her to Konrad, whispering something to him. After a quick kiss, Konrad slid from the horse and entered Sella Castle. “Alright, Alder, let’s go.”

“If you want to rest, you can. We don’t have to leave right this second; it can be tomorrow,” he insisted.

“No, because the moment I go inside the castle, I will refuse to leave for a month. So, we might as well go now before I get too comfortable.”

“If you insist,” he nodded as he turned around and walked toward the path that led to the West. But rather than continuing to ride Meeka, Prew jumped down to her feet, choosing instead to walk for a bit. The horse followed behind them, munching on grass as he went. “Porter told me that you and Konrad went to that witch meeting. How did it go?”

“Well, it was decided that the Coven of Stardust would be dissolved and be no more,” she answered. “And Thresnora would remain empty. Not like anyone could realistically inhabit it, not with the present state of the surrounding landscape.”

“How bad is it?”

“Johanna said that the heat is nearly unbearable at the temple; though the chasm is several miles away, it is as if you are standing next to it.”

“What of the dark witches?”

“Four were put to death for their part in the battle and sacrifices,” Prew stated without any sign of emotion.

“I’m surprised the witches agreed to do that. They are not known for being so harsh with their punishments,” Alder remarked as he ran a hand through his hair.

“Well, it was Sofia’s suggestion. With Konrad and I backing her up, it did not take long for the others to agree, too.”

“So, four were put to death, but what of the others?” He questioned.

“The other witches are allowed to live if they agree to terms we set at the Gathering. Essentially, we are making human sacrifices illegal, and Nyx can no longer have a temple. If they are to pray to their Goddess, it is to be done within the temple of another God. Should they not agree to the terms, then they too shall die.”

“How long do you think they will abide by those terms?” Alder inquired as he looked at Prew curiously. “What shall stop them from taking up their destruction as soon as they are freed?”

“I… I don’t know,” Prew answered honestly as she shrugged her shoulders. “What stops anyone from doing horrific acts? Is it fear or a sense of morality? All I know is that we cannot keep them in prison, chained up for the rest of their lives. That is how you breed hate and resentment. Plus, not all of them can be inherently bad, especially the children. I know it might sound naive, but I hope in time, we can build trust with the dark witches.”

“It is naive to think such things,” Alder nodded as he stopped to look up at the sky. But it is also hopeful. After experiencing the darkness and its horrors, we could all use a bit of hope.”

“That is oddly optimistic of you. You’ve changed, Alder,” Prew teased as she walked past him.

“I’ve always been optimistic,” he huffed as he ran after her.

Prew rolled her eyes, listening as Alder boasted about himself. He bragged about his storytelling skills, his prowess as a hunter, and his bravery as a warrior. And, of course, he talked about his cheery nature. Prew knew that most of this was exaggerated, but she let him keep going only because it was better than silence. Eventually, Alder stopped talking about himself and instead spoke of Devora, much to Prew’s delight. She knew very little about the Luna, and hearing the Alpha gush over her was heartwarming.

After nearly two days of traveling, Prew and Alder finally arrived at what was formerly the Black Shadow Keep. The exterior had vastly changed since Prew last visited. Windows were going across all of the walls, and new structures were also being built around it.

“Outside, we have several homes that are either completed or nearly there,” Alder said as he gave her a tour. “About a half-mile away, we also have some cabins that are being constructed.”

“How many total wolves will live here once your packs have combined?”

“Just over one hundred.”

“That’ll be a large pack. Have you looked into farming or livestock to sustain those numbers?”

“Umm…”

“I’ll help you plan out some fields once the snow melts,” she interjected, knowing Alder had not thought that far ahead. “Alright, show me the inside of the keep.”

Alder’s eyes light up as he took Prew’s hand, pulling her inside. She could not help but smile at how excited he was to show off all that he had done. All traces of the vampires had been removed, and the once-cold castle was now warm and bright. The walls had a fresh coat of paint, and many of the rooms had been transformed.

The tour of the inside was cut short by howls from outside. Alder’s eyes glazed over as he mind linked to his wolves. After a moment, they returned to normal, and he turned to Prew. She smiled as if she already knew what was happening.

“What did you do?” He questioned, his words barely audible.

“I spoke with Devora,” she stated with a shrug. “I got her to agree to be your mate, but she requested to wait until the keep was renovated. So, when you came to get me, I sent Konrad to fetch Devora.”

“How did you get her to agree when I could not?”

“The same way I got you to join my army, Alder,” Prew smirked. “Now come on, let’s go see our mates.”

Alder nodded his head meekly, staring at the woman before him in disbelief.

“Are you sure that you’re human?”

Prew merely shrugged as she walked back to the front entrance. Alder hurried after her, freezing in his tracks when he saw Devora. She was standing outside, hands on her hips, surveying her surroundings. He walked up to her, her scent filling his chest with a warm sensation.

“Welcome home,” he greeted softly.

“This’ll do,” she stated as she finally looked at Alder. Though he looked nervous, his eyes looked hungry. She had kept herself distant from him, fighting against the mate bond until she could secure a stable future for her pack. And this castle, this small city that was being constructed was the first step towards stability.

“Shall I show you around?” He questioned, holding out a hand for her to take.

“Why don’t you show me where our bed is?” She inquired as she took his hand in hers.

Alder growled as he pulled her close, kissing her roughly. Their hands were instantly on one another, ripping off clothing as they made their way inside. Prew attempted to follow, but Konrad grabbed her arm, stopping her from going inside.

“Let me go; I want to finish the tour,” she grumbled as she struggled against him.

“Prew, think for a moment before you do that,” Konrad murmured as he pointed to a discarded coat on the ground. There is a trail of clothing leading to their room. I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to be in there when those two are mating.”

“Oh!” Prew gasped as her face turned red. “I had not even realized it!”

“Come on,” Konrad chuckled as he leaned in closely, nibbling at her ear. “Let’s go home; I’m itching to get you in our bed, where I shall keep you for a week straight.”

“Tell Alder congratulations for me!” She shouted to some of the nearby wolves as Konrad dragged her toward Meeka. She did not struggle as he lifted her onto the horse and giggled when he climbed up behind her. There was a noticeable poke against her backside, one that would not wait until they got home. Prew leaned against Konrad, melting under his warmth. Though she was tired, she did not regret coming here with Alder. He had saved her, kept her from harm’s way. Bringing him and his mate together was the least that she could do.