His beloved witch

Chapter 12: Entanglement

-Andre-

“Blanche Lebrun, You Highness,” Tom answered me.

“Are you absolutely sure, Tom?” If what he says is true. Leonard has committed a crime.

The beast inside of me demanded blood while my rational thinking demands answers. I need to know why. Leon had no prejudice against witches when I met him.

“Yes, Your Highness.”

"Report in full," I ordered. I should not rush into anything. I have promised myself not to kill while enraged.

"I was the first one to notice Mr. Minister was acting strangely in Saint Isabella. Then I talked to the other Lycans assigned to the case, and they thought the same. Instead of helping us with the search, he made things more difficult for us, delaying our access to the security videos. At first, I thought he was unstable or busy because his Lieutenant, Luca Barone, quit the job and there is no replacement for him until now. However, when Mr. Leonard suggested your presence in Saint Isabella for tracking the scent of the blueberries from the stain, it became obvious… to me at least.”

One of the many nights while holding her clothes in my bed, I realized the stain smelled like blueberries in a mix with alcohol and other ingredients I could not identify, but the scent was distinctive enough to track it.

Leonard convinced me to go myself to Saint Isabella even though it was the mating ceremony of Stefan that day… and I agreed to go, sending him on my behalf.

I knew the trace was too old and already contaminated to find it, yet I took the bait like a fool.

“That is when we investigated Mr. Minister, Your Highness. In the Lycan neighborhood, we found out that he and the witch…” I growled at his words. Tom cleared his throat.

"Mr. Minister claimed Miss Lebrun was his intended mate before the community. But she never accepted... They were in a relationship for over two years, Your Highness. And Miss Lebrun only agreed to move in with Mr. Minister with her protegee temporarily. And that protegee is Clara Pretel, well… Clara Duncan, soon."

I had to swallow a growl.

“The secret werewolf princess…” Adela spoke but closed her lips tightly for Tom to keep on with the report.

"A neighbor told us that few days after they moved in together, Mr. Minister left after a fight with Miss Lebrun. They all heard her cries for days until her friends went to pick her up. Other werewolves and another witch moved all her belongings from the apartment of Mr. Minister. He returned a couple of weeks later. She never got back to him."

“We got a picture of Miss Lebrun from a neighbor.” Tom placed a full-color photo on my desk.

"Yesterday, we could watch the videos from the city town. We did not inform Mr. Minister about this. We feared another problem would arise preventing us from watching it."

I waved my hand at it for him to continue. Lycans follow the rules even if not compelled for it, but you must be careful when giving an order, or they will do as they consider more convenient. And I made a mistake with Leonard.

“They have a room with several monitors on a wall, and we saw different angles of different streets, not just the street where Blue Wings is. We knew who Miss Lebrun was…”

“In the videos, we saw Miss Lebrun walking into the same Coffee Shop where you found the trace of your mate, Your Highness. She was wearing the same clothes... So, we followed her steps thru the video, and we saw her going to the club. Then she placed a mask on her face before going in. She never came out... We are sure, it is her.” They also saw her... There is no mistake.

Tom placed two more photos on my desk, both in black and white. In one, they zoomed closely her face before the mask, while in the second one, the mask covered her face. The photo in full color compared with those two confirmed the treason.

I was barely hanging on my sanity. My nails were already claws, although my face remained stoic. I was shaking in anger behind my desk. I glanced at Adela, and she moved to pour me a drink.

"Mr. Leonard Walls should arrive any moment, Your Highness," Adela told me after handing me a glass with my favorite brand of whisky. I did not have to tell her I did not want ice. I needed something strong.

“Thank you, Tom. You did well. Stay in the palace with your team. There will be another assignment.”

After Tom left, I drank in one shot of the content of my glass and threw it to the wall in front of me when I finished. The sound of glass breaking felt great... I wanted to destroy something.

“Breathe, Andre. Breathe.” I know Adela is trying to calm me. My eyes are flickering red.

"I want to rip his head off!"

I tasted bile in my mouth. The beast was almost at the surface. I crackled my neck, trying to ease the burning emotion and desire of blood, but it was so hard.

Adela showed me the first picture; she practically shoved it in my face.

The face of the Lycan female was standing out in full color there while the witch was in the background, like a secondary character in a story that was not hers. However, she was smiling at a camera. She was smiling at me.

My witch! My Blanche, mine! I wanted to scream, but if I did, it would release the beast. I could not afford that. I could not lose control.

I looked at her smile again and convinced the Lycan in me to breathe… in and out, and over again... until I could calm down.

The lack of oxygen speeds up the shift and if a Lycan shifts while enraged, he can be very dangerous for anyone around.

I took the photo in my hands and compare it with the other two once more.

Yes, it is her… My fated mate is Blanche Lebrun. The ex-girlfriend of Leonard Walls… And he knew, he f*****g knew!

Another wave of anger attacked me at the thought, but I should not rush things.

 I do not want to kill Leonard, not yet, at least. I need answers first.

"I am fine," I told Adela. And she wrote on her notepad about this incident.

I thought it would be advisable to keep track of everything I go thru for further evaluation. This is the first time a Lycan has a witch as a fated mate, but I am sure I will not be the last.

"Good." She said. Adela used the voice of a dear aunt instead of the voice of the Royal Assistant of the King. “What are you going to do now?” 

“I want some answers from him before I order his death.”

"Andre… Your Majesty. You can question him, even imprison him, but you cannot kill him."

“I am the King, and I will!” I have the power to do whatever the f**k I want.

"Not that simple, and you know it." It never is simple...

“Let him in as soon as he arrives. If he tries to convince me of not going to the mating ceremony of Clara and Josh...” If he does that...

"I will search for information about Miss Lebrun until then. And please, do not lose your temper. You promised it to your mother…”

I could not answer because I had little time to wait. Leonard arrived, and after his formal greetings, he said something that saved his life.

"I want to apologize, You Highness." A smart way to start this conversation.

“What do you mean, Leonard?” Leonard should know it. My Lycans would find out everything, eventually.

“I know the witch you are looking for.”

“Explain.”

“Her name is Blanche Lebrun, and she is my female.”

"No! She is mine!" My body was trembling in anger. How dare he?

Adela moved and stood in front of Leonard, lowering her head. The Lycan can not be looked at directly. I need submission from others to gain control back.

"You promised it. Please, remember, Your Highness." She screamed before I was far gone into the madness of my beast.

I was breathing hard. I did not realize I was already standing and about to launch myself against Leonard.

“Your Majesty gave me permission to order my situation with my witch.”

“She is not yours, Leonard! Miss Blanche is…”

“My fated mate!” I roared.

Leonard paled.

“Fated mate...? That is impossible. Lycans do not have witches as fated mates!”

"It does not matter what you think! I gave you an order! And you disobeyed! Guards!"

Derrick entered with a group of guards and surrounded Leonard.

“I did not know… I…" No Lycan would ever try to steal the fated mate of another Lycan. It is a sin against Moon Goddess. 

“Save it.”

"Either way, it is too late," Leonard said bitterly.

“What do you mean?”

“She is with a warlock now. Blanche moved to Royal territory; her life is there… with him.”

“Warlock? What warlock?” I growled, grabbing his collar. Almost screaming at his face.

“Elias Bourdieu, he works for Alpha King Stefan, as Counsellor.”

"Why do you say that?" Adela demanded while the guards handcuffed him in silver.

“I have tried to reach her... talk to her… I wanted to find out why your highness was looking for her, but she did not reply… She must be with him! Tomorrow, you will see it with your own eyes. I came to warn you.”

“Take him away.” I am not sure of what I can do if Leonard stays any longer. "He is no longer a Minister of this Kingdom."

“Your Highness, I can investigate better now,” Adela told me after the guards took Leonard. He did not even fight the guards.

I did not listen to Adela. I growled and trashed my furniture.

"Please, do not give up on your fated mate! Mr. Walls is with the fever of jealousy... His Lycan cannot manage the pain of rejection. Spare his life, Your Majesty."

“I am trying to manage my own jealously, Adela!” I shouted, scaring Adela.

Shit! She is like a relative. I will never harm her... I worked again on my breathing to control the beast.

Adela gave me the photo where I could see Blanche's face without the mask. It is in black and white, but I know it...

"I am not giving up my mate, Adela. I swear for Moon Goddess, tomorrow she will sleep in this palace." I do not care if she is with a warlock now... I will not renounce her without a fight.

“What are you going to do?" Adela almost whimpered. I can control my actions, but my aura is out of control now.

A smile appeared on my face as a plan formed in my head. There is a mating ceremony to attend tomorrow, and I have time to fix this… And I will fix this entanglement.