Bewitching The Alpha King

He stared at the forest from the verandah of his room. His thoughts went back to the first time he met her, and he found himself letting out a longing sigh as he wondered when he will meet her again. He missed her terribly. A century has passed, but there still no sign of her. If only he wasn't the strong-willed person, then he would have thought that he was not destined to find her again and move on with his life. Shaking his head softly to himself, he smiled. Fate is playing with him, luring him to think that everything would be at a waste, but he wouldn't give up that easily. He never did and he never will. "I would wait for her just like I promised," He said, sipping into the coffee he had held the entire time as he was staring at the forest. He heard a soft caw and stiffened. That wasn't supposed to happen, he thought. He slowly turned around and put the cup on the table before running toward that cry in a flash. The bird was releasing a glowing red fog around it when Arthur reached it, "Deja, what's wrong?" He eyed the Phoenix worriedly as the mystical bird's eyes flashed in fiery red. He extended his arm, letting the bird climb. Deja's eyes turned cobalt, the color of its natural eyes. It was restless, Arthur could sense that. They have a special bond with each other that even without any word exchange,  Arthur could sense or presume what it wanted to say to him, almost every single time since Eliza had left the creature that she loved under his care, promising to return to it. But this time, it felt like a puzzle. He couldn't understand why Deja was restless. "Is it her?" Arthur asked the creature softly, expecting an answer this time but the Phoenix remained silent. After a few seconds, it stretched its powerful wings and flew away from there, leaving Arthur alone and disappointed. It seemed like the wait is never-ending. "You seem disappointed" Arthur heard his Beta said from behind him. He slowly spun around to face Murray, his Beta for since the time he became the King of the entire Werewolf race. "It's Deja," Arthur said, his face was vacant of any expression. He was always good at hiding what he was feeling or thinking because he knew in what world he lives. One couldn't let other's predict what he or she is going to do next in order to survive in this world. "What about it?" Murray asked, started to walk towards his king, his posture was humble as a gesture to respect the King. "She has been restless lately," Arthur said, "I wonder what it could be" He mused to himself before looking back at Murray, "You told me that you had something important to tell me" Arthur stated, narrowing his eyes on Murray. Murray nodded his head, coming to a stop, a few steps away from the King. Murray knows that Arthur doesn't like it when one comes to stand too close to him." Alpha Christian of the Red Pride Pack has sent us an update on the fox" He said, jumping straight to the point. Ah, the fox, Arthur sighed. "What about that creature?" Arthur asked, uninterested. Arthur doesn't remember the last time he had encountered a fox. Maybe a thousand years ago. To his knowledge, there was only one pack of foxes left in the entire world, and it wasn't huge. But that too wiped out by a vampire clan fifteen years ago. Arthur's thoughts went back to the time when he received an appeal from that Alpha fifteen years ago regarding the little fox he had found near the borders of his territory. Alpha Christian had asked if it was okay for him to keep her as she was very young and terrified. It didn't take him long to connect the dots. He deduced that little girl was from that one last pack of foxes in the world and unfortunately, for her, she was the last of her kind. Seeing that she couldn't survive in the world on her own, Arthur had granted Alpha Christian his permission to keep her with him under one condition that if that fox grows up and intentionally harms any werewolf then Alpha Christian would have to personally end its life once and for all. He was kind enough to let the fox stay with Red Pride but he wouldn't close an eye if the very thing he had saved harms his kind. "Did the fox harm a werewolf?" Arthur asked Murray, suddenly interested after he recalled what was the condition was. "No, it's quite the opposite" Murray shook his head, "Alpha Christian said the fox is gifted with powers-" "Well, that's not a rare case" Arthur interrupted Murray from finishing what he was saying, "A few of them usually possess a superpower to defend themselves in this supernatural world" Arthur informed Murray, "What's her superpower?" Arthur asked Murray in interest. Murray smiled at his King, "I was waiting for you to ask that. She is an elemental" He answered him quickly, not wanting to keep him waiting, "She manipulates the earth" He added and watched his King's facial expressions froze for a millisecond. Arthur couldn't believe it. After all those years of waiting, "What are you saying?" For the first time in a century, he let his guard down in front of his Beta, shocked to hear that, "Is it true?" He asked, eyeing Murray with a hint of desperation in his eyes. "Yes, King" Murray nodded his head at his King, glad to see Arthur's face lighting up in profound happiness in a hundred years, "We finally found Eliza" He added softly, making Arthur release a breath. How he had waited for this moment. "Eliza..." Arthur said her name out loud after a very long time. It almost sounded foreign rolling off from his tongue. From distance, he heard Deja release a caw and Arthur glanced towards that direction, "So that's why you were restless, Deja. You can sense her" He mused to himself, "I want to meet her immediately" Arthur's eyes shot to Murray again. Murray nodded his head right away, "I have already made arrangements for it, King" He informed the King. He knew what it meant for his king to find someone with that power again, "We would leave to the Red Pride tomorrow, first thing in the morning" He added. Arthur nodded his head at his Beta, pleased to know that he had already sorted things out for him, "Thank you" He said, "Please ensure that no one besides you shall know about this matter. You may leave now" He said, clasping his hands behind his back. No one shall know about his weakness. No one should figure out the existence of the earth manipulator. Murray nodded his head and left at once, leaving the King alone as he had wished. Arthur turned around to look out from the castle's balcony to see Deja soaring up in the night sky, spreading its strong wings in the air. Perhaps it was celebrating the return of its master. Arthur's lips were pulled upwards into a soft smile one particular memory popped up in his mind after many years. "I am not your mate, King" Eliza shook her head as she smoothed down her dress after her kissing session with Arthur, "You shouldn't waste your time with me. And I shouldn't waste my time on you, someone who I definitely do not have the chance with" She said, a sad frown on her lips. "But I feel her the most when I am with you" Arthur had said before pulling Eliza to his arms again to kiss the sensual lip of hers that he couldn't seem to get enough of. A giggle left from Eliza's lips before she responded to his kiss. "Would you leave me when you find her, then?" She asked him, breaking away from the kiss, her heart clenching in pain at the mere thought of him leaving her for someone else. She knows that this was forbidden. Their relationship shouldn't exist but they couldn't help it. She couldn't help it. She fell for him even though she knows that he has a mate out there. Arthur smiled at her and brushed her free hair away from her face, "Eliza, I have been roaming on this earth for a thousand years and I haven't felt something even remotely close like the bond that I share with you" He said, using his powers to move the boat that they were currently in towards the riverbank. "But she is still out there," Eliza said. Things would have been much easier if she was his mate. At least she would have peace of mind that she never committed anything illicit. "I don't think so" Arthur shook his head at her. "What about my mate then?" She asked him, waiting expectantly for him to answer the toughest question she could ever think of. The smile on Arthur's face faltered and he released a sigh, "If you choose him over me then I would completely understand and respect your choice" He finally said after a few seconds of painful silence, "Although, I hate would hate that man. I hate him now, even without meeting him" He admitted, scrunching his face. Eliza watched his adorable face for a few seconds before laughing out loud, "You're cute when you're jealous, my king" She said, hoping off from the boat, "I guess I will see you later then" She glanced over her shoulders before phasing into a wolf and running towards her village. Arthur sighed as he took a trip down memory lane, it seemed like it had only happened yesterday but in reality, a hundred years have passed since then. He wondered how she would react when she sees him. Would she be able to recognize him? Even if she doesn't recognize him, he would protect her this time with everything he has. He wouldn't let her out of his sight when he sees her again. Arthur knew that it meant only one thing, if Eliza was reincarnated then surely, Arlin would have been reincarnated as well and he wondered what disaster Arlin would bring to their kingdom this time. It is only a matter of time for them to face the same old thing again but this time, only Arlin would be the one who will die in this war. He would make sure of that. He would prepare for that day starting today. He would make sure the entire kingdom would be protected from the fated tragedy. Arthur made his way towards his chamber again, going straight towards the chest he hadn't opened in a few decades now. The surface of the chest he had kept oh so dearly was clean, not even a speck of dirt on it as he had made it clear to the maids that the chest should be in the cleanest condition no matter what happened. He held his breath as he pulled the lid open to reveal Eliza's belongings that he had managed to preserve. The lilac dress laid there in the chest, folded neatly with a few of her simple pieces of jewelry. A small sketch of her laid on top of her belongings and Arthur gently picked it up to see it, his heart racing against his heart by just looking at that sketch. Beautiful. That's what he thought. He wondered if she would look the same. Did she wait for him to be reborn in the realm of souls just like he had waited for her here? He wondered why she was reborn as a fox and not a werewolf-like she was before in her past life. Why a fox and a last one at that? What had the moon goddess had planned out for him is something only he can find in the future. He had so many questions that can be only answered after she meets her again. Soon, very soon. He put the picture into the chest again and locked it securely before putting it back in the place he had taken it from. I can't wait to see you again, Eliza, he thought. He would make sure he keeps all the promises he had made to her in this life.