509: THE BET

THE BET

The best they could do right now was to defend their territory, because the situation in the capital city was still unclear and the war for the throne was still happening, Cane used this momentum to strengthened the seven pack's territory under him. 

He was the only alpha in the south kingdom and right now, including all the seven territories, he had the largest area and hundred of thousand people under him. 

Before, Golden Light pack held the record, that was why, all the royal guards and warriors and most of the warriors in the capital city came from this pack. 

On the surface, it was good for having such a large territory and resources, but then, the complexity of the problem from each area would be another internal trouble that they needed to tackle, especially when summer came and some area would suffer a drought. That was only one example of so many trouble that would resurface later on. 

Iris understood the complexity of the problem that they would face, and sooner or later, once the problem in the capital city had settled down, no matter who sat on the throne, they would finally realize, how much of a threat Cane was to hold such power. 

But, they could think about that later, since they needed to take everything one step at a time. 

"Some of the pack is not worth to fight for," Ethan said, he liked the idea to have more territory, but some packs simply too poor and would only hold them back. They would give them more headache than benefit. 

"Blue Moon pack, Riverside pack and Chrystal Moon pack are the pack with highest benefit. Bloody Wolf pack… is not much, especially when some of the former warriors of the pack are very adamant not to be ruled under you. But Silver River pack and Diandem pack will only be a burden," Jace said calculatively. "I think we need to let go of the other two packs."

"And let the pack member to suffer?" Iris frowned. She had read about those two packs and she had to admit there were not many things that they could offer, just like what Jace said. 

"We can't save all the people, luna. We need to think what the best option we have," Jace said, he didn't seem to be happy with his own decision, but he needed to think rationally, since he couldn't allow the extra territory became an extra burden for them. It did not worth it. 

"And what happened to the two packs that will not be claimed?" Iris asked again. 

Meanwhile, the alpha didn't say anything, he listened to their banter and found this situation was pretty amusing, since all this time, Jace and Ethan would do whatever he told them. Yes, there would be a few questions or protest from them, but it wouldn't turn into an argument or discussion. 

Because in the end of the day, it was his order that they had to follow, whether they liked it or not. 

"I think the other pack will claim them," Ethan explained and then added. "We have claimed three and I think that's enough. More so, an extra territory will be a temptation, so did extra pack member."

"And they would turn the pack member into a slave," Iris stated it bluntly, which made the beta and the gamma couldn't say a word, since they knew, it was most likely the fate for Silver River pack and Diandem pack's member. 

"Do you have any suggestion?" Cane asked, he caressed her cheek lightly with his finger. Her cheeks looked a little bit chubbier after the tonic that Grace concocted for her, which made of water magic stone, her appetite also improved, which was a good thing. 

"Alpha, you are so mean, you have never asked our suggestion before this," Ethan complained, he felt like a neglected child in the family. 

Cane tilted his head and looked at his gamma. "What is your suggestion?"

"Well, we need to let go of the two packs."

"No. I want them." 

"Alpha…" Jace tried to complain. "Extra territory and extra people are good, but they come with liability too."

They had been talking about a few problems and then stumbled in this one, as they couldn't find a middle ground for it. 

"Why don't we go to see the packs first? Only then, after that, we can decide it," Iris suggested. She didn't want to butthead with Jace and Ethan and also she was not sure with her opinion, since all of her information came from a book and it could be unreliable too. "We will be able to judge whether they are as helpless as the informant said or not."

"The informants are reliable, luna," Jace said. 

"Yes, I will never say they are not." Iris nodded. "But, there are so many aspects that need to be considered, a pack is a complicated community, if the situation that bad, how they still survive, until today?"

"Make sense," Cane said, as he brushed his finger against her earlobe, which made Iris flinched and swatted his hand away from her ear. 

Meanwhile, Ethan and Jace could only sigh helplessly. They were talking about something serious, but the alpha actually couldn't help not to tease his mate. 

After that, they were talking about a few things more and the meeting ended three hours before dinner. 

"Cane, why I have never seen Eron, Dyne and the other five warriors, I thought, you assigned them to be my personal warriors?" Iris asked, she had been wanting to ask about this matter, but she always forgot, since she didn't too much when they didn't show up. More so, this past two days, Cane had been always with him, except for a few moment, where he had to leave alone, but even so, Ethan would always be with her or Redmond. 

"You will get another personal warrior," Cane replied casually. 

They were walking in the corridor, where they would head to the tent to check on the injured warrior, some of them had nursed back to their healthy state, but some of them were still in bad shape, including Joel. The young warrior had been so down and didn't talk much and this made Iris's heart ached for him.  1

"Why?" Iris frowned. She stopped walking because she felt this nagging feeling that something was not right. 

On the other hand, Jace and Ethan stopped walking too, as they watched how their alpha would answer that question. They had told Cane that Iris wouldn't be happy with his decision, but the alpha was filled with rage and didn't want to talk about the matter anymore, thus they shut their mouth, knowing how Cane was not in a good mood. 

More so, there was no way they could persuade him. 

"Where are they?" Iris narrowed her eyes, waiting for his answer. 

"I put them in the dungeon."

Iris was shocked. "For what crime?!"

"For neglecting their duty."

"What duty?" Iris seemed to have an inkling about this, but she still found herself gasp when Cane really said it. 

"They supposed to be there with you, for you to pass out for an hour without them knowing that, that is dereliction of duty."

"Cane! How would they know?! It's not like they were inside the room and watched me passed out without doing anything!" Iris wanted to cry by Cane's absurdity. She had sensed it, but his possessiveness became a little bit out of control. "Since when they were there?"

"Since you passed out."

It meant, it was almost four days. 

"Cane!"

Meanwhile, the gamma grinned to watch the scene before their eyes. "Let's bet, do you think the alpha will relent to her? Whoever lost, will pay for tonight drink."

Jace gave him a look, but said nothing, as he focused on their alpha and luna again. 

Cane looked nonchalant upon facing his little mate's anger, while Iris looked very upset, until her face turned red, demanding him to release them. 

============================== 

"Cane said, they are in dungeon…" Iris mumbled when she saw Eron from a far, his back was facing her, but she could recognize him almost right away. 

Ethan grinned. He tapped her shoulder to get her attention "He is not wrong. They are indeed in the dungeon." 

Iris pursed her lips. When Cane said they were sent to the dungeon, she thought, they would be locked inside the cell, but as it turned out, they were assigned to stand guard in the dungeon instead. 

As a battle hardened warrior, to be a warden was a great demotion, still, it was way better than to be behind the cell. 

And because Iris demanded to get her personal warriors back, Cane gave the order to let them go. Therefore, here the luna was with the gamma to let them know their punishment had ended. 

Of course, Ethan got free drink for tonight. 

"Eron!" Ethan called the warrior, who immediately turned around. He didn't look surprise to see Iris and clicked his tongue when he saw the gamma. 

"Luna Iris, you are here!" Eron greeted Iris enthusiastically. 

"I hope you don't have a hard time in these past few days. Where are the others? Tell them, all of you can leave now."

"Yes, luna, thank you so much." Eron smiled brightly. 

But then, Ethan stepped forward ahead of Iris and spoke, thinking Iris wouldn't be able to read his lips in this position. 

"I told you the alpha will relent!" Ethan said cheerfully. "I won! You and the other need to pay for my meal for the next two weeks!"

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