Based on the latest information the Guardians had, Alpha Talia was now in charge of the Midnight Guardians pack, and Axel was acting as her proxy. They also heard that Axel found his mate, a female of unknown background.
They reexamined Meg's background after she appeared at the Council of the Alphas as Talia's Beta. They knew that Meghan from the Lightclaw pack became a Beta once she was mated with Beta Kai, but she was new to the Midnight Guardians pack, and new to the role of Beta, yet she got to accompany her Alpha to such an important meeting. It all hinted at the possibility that Meg's ability was something amazing, but the Guardians couldn't find out what it was.
Alpha Talia's background was a mystery, and there was no news about Talia's mate. The Guardians knew that she didn't have a mate by her side at her Alpha ceremony, which made Gregory hopeful that Talia was unmated.
For them, getting information on the Midnight Guardians pack was tricky but not impossible.
"Let's send Vincent for another scouting mission."
Vincent was the Guardian who specialized in infiltration and disguises.
"Are you hoping to find out more about Alpha Talia?", Declyn asked even though he knew the answer.
"Aren't you curious?" Gregory asked. "I find it hard to believe that Alpha Sophia and Alpha Isaac stepped down willingly for a girl who came out of nowhere. I was hoping to talk with Alpha Talia in person, but since she is not responding to our meeting summons, we need to get information in another way. Tell Vincent to approach two ex-Alphas and inquire about Alpha Talia. I want to know about her family situation and see if there is something we can use."
"If she has a mate, she won't join us willingly.", Declyn said.
Gregory didn't think that was a big deal. "Even if she has her mate, that won't stop us. It will be just an inconvenience."
Gregory's main focus was on preserving their legacy and bloodline by getting powerful creatures to join their clan.
Even without forcing Talia into accepting one of them as her mate, it would happen eventually. Given enough time, she will be lonely, and maybe they were lucky that one of them was her mate. But this won't happen if she was mated already because once the bond was formed, the only way to break it is to either reject it willingly (which is not going to happen) or by one of the mates perishing.
Declyn disagreed with Gregory's approach of getting the powerful creatures on their side at any cost. Declyn was convinced that the decline of their clan was the punishment from the Moon Goddess for all atrocities they did.
There was a time when their kind was blessed with immense powers that allowed them to command the elements and rule over other creatures, and they did it to the point of thinking of themselves as Gods.
There were stories of their previous splendor, when there were thousands of them, males and females, each graced with impressive physical abilities and magical powers, and they said that reckless arrogance led to their decline.
Over time, females stopped bearing children, and their numbers thinned, and now there were barely a hundred of them… all males.
No one remembered at what point they started calling themselves 'the Guardians'.
The outsiders believe that 'the Guardians' is how they call themselves because they are guarding the harmony among creatures, but the Guardians themselves know that their goal is to prevent their legacy from disappearing completely.
Out of the one hundred Guardians in existence, most of them gave up on their identity as the Guardians and are living among humans, like humans, vowed to never use their powers, all with the hope that they would make amends and find peace.
That is why only about one dozen of Guardians were still present in this ancient castle that was full of silent history that spoke of their former glory.
Declyn didn't say anything, but Gregory knew that look. Declyn disagreed.
Gregory was frustrated. Sometimes, it felt like he was the only one who still cared about them as species. If it's up to others, the Guardians would disappear completely into the unwritten history, and no one would even know they existed.
If they had any better ideas, Gregory would listen, but since that was not the case, Gregory had to remind Declyn, "I am the leader. As my second in command, you are my right hand. You can advise me, but if you act against my orders, I will be forced to cut off the hand that is acting on its own. Keep that in mind, and you will keep your position."
Declyn didn't approve the direction where Gregory led them, but he couldn't abandon this place either. Where would he go? To be lost like the other members of his clan? A long time ago, he decided to stay here and try to salvage what was left behind. It was a futile struggle, but at least it gave him something to do.
"Yes, my liege.", Declyn said with his head lowered while placing his open palm on his chest. His submissive posture didn't match the sarcasm in his voice. "What are your orders?"
"Find out about upcoming high-profile events and secure me a way to get there."
Declyn raised his questioning gaze. Gregory never showed interest in socializing, so Declyn knew that his leader had an ulterior motive. It took him a moment to understand. "Should I also investigate if Alpha Talia will attend them?"
Gregory smirked. "That's why you are my right hand. You know me well."
Gregory watched Declyn leaving the room, and he cursed under his breath.
Gregory knew he was hasty, but after hearing about what happened at the Council of the Alphas, he was eager to see Talia in person. She was a new Alpha, an unknown player, a powerful female. A desirable female.
He regretted not going for that Council of Alphas.
Why didn't he go there?
Gregory never liked leaving the castle because they followed rules of acting as equals in order to conceal who the leader was, and Gregory's ego couldn't stomach it when the ones below him treated him as their equal. Other than that, Gregory was wrapped in investigating opening inactive portals. Since he read a document that confirmed how some of the Guardians left to other realms, Gregory's obsession became to reactivate portals. If they could reconnect with more people of their kind, he would prove that they were not cursed, and the ones who were hiding among humans would come out.
Gregory looked at the room that was used for meetings. He was sitting on the main chair with twenty others in the room, ten on each side, and there was one more chair by his side; that's where his partner in ruling should be sitting, but there was no one to fill that spot.
Gregory was a child when his father was a ruler many centuries ago. Gregory remembered when this room was bustling with noise, every chair was occupied, and many people were standing around them… this is where important discussions were held and major decisions were made, but now it was quiet and empty. Even if he summoned every active Guardian to come, that wouldn't be enough to fill up every chair.
He didn't allow himself to fall into depression. They found a powerful female, and that was a good thing. Talia was a ray of light in their darkness, and Gregory was determined to bring her to this room. With any luck, she will sit on the chair next to his and lead the Guardians to another renaissance.
