Chapter 68: Corrupted wolves

The meeting hall in Basileia was filled with powerful Alphas from different packs, all of whom had gathered to discuss the growing danger caused by the Demon King. The large room was quiet as Caius sat in the middle of the long table, with Alex and Ethan seated on either side of him. Several guards stood near the doors while the Alphas listened carefully, knowing that the decisions made during this meeting could affect the safety of their entire race.

"The demons have been corrupting more werewolves lately, and the situation is becoming difficult to control," one of the Alphas reported. "Some of the affected wolves have already attacked their own pack members, while others have disappeared without leaving any trace. We cannot continue pretending that this problem will solve itself."

Caius listened without interrupting, his silver eyes resting on the man who was speaking. Although he appeared calm, he was already thinking about the best way to prevent the situation from getting worse, especially since the Demon King had become more active than before.

"At least the Light Witches have helped us improve our security," another Alpha said, looking around the table. "Since they began placing their protective spells around our territories, the number of attacks has reduced, and our warriors can now recognize some of the demonic energy before it spreads."

"That may be true for your pack, but my situation is different," an Alpha sitting across from him complained. "There isn’t a single Light Witch in my territory, so my warriors are still depending on ordinary methods to protect our borders. I have already sent requests to the Witch Headquarters, but nobody has given me a proper answer."

Another Alpha shook his head in agreement. "You should be grateful that you have at least been allowed to make a request. My pack has only two Light Witches, and they cannot possibly protect every village and border post by themselves. If the demons attack several places at once, we will be forced to choose which territory to defend first."

The complaints continued for a while, with several Alphas explaining the problems they had faced since the Light Witches began helping the werewolf race. Caius allowed them to speak because he understood their concerns, but he also knew that the Light Witches could not be forced to abandon their own responsibilities simply because the werewolves needed more protection.

"We will arrange for the Light Witches to assess the most dangerous territories first, and the packs with fewer witches will receive additional protection where it is needed," Caius finally said, bringing the discussion under control. "In the meantime, strengthen your border patrols and make sure your warriors report any unusual behaviour immediately. Do not wait until a wolf has already been corrupted before asking for help, because by then, the damage may be difficult to reverse."

The Alphas nodded, and several of them began writing down his instructions. Caius continued giving them practical advice, explaining how they could work together to prevent the demons from entering their territories, and although his expression remained cold, his words gave the worried leaders some hope that the situation could still be controlled.

However, just as the discussion seemed to be settling down, one of the Alphas raised another issue.

"Your Majesty, there is something else we need to discuss. We still haven’t nominated another Alpha to replace the one you killed, and his former territory has been struggling to maintain order. How long are we expected to leave that position empty?"

Caius leaned back in his chair, briefly considering the question before giving his answer. "The position will not remain empty forever, but I will not appoint someone simply because the territory needs a leader. The next Alpha must be capable of protecting his people and resisting the influence of the demons. Until we find someone suitable, the neighbouring packs will help maintain order, and no one is permitted to take advantage of the situation to expand their territory."

His answer satisfied most of the Alphas, who understood that choosing the wrong leader could create an even bigger problem than leaving the position empty for a short time. Yet before anyone could raise another concern, a different Alpha cleared his throat and looked directly at Caius.

"Your Majesty, if I may ask, why haven’t you punished the witches who nearly killed your mate?"

The entire hall became quiet, and even Alex stopped playing with the pen in his hand. Everyone knew that Susan and Scarlett had attempted a forbidden ritual involving Hazel, and although Caius had rescued her, he had not publicly announced any punishment against the witches.

Caius let out a tired sigh before answering. "Rita is handling the matter because she is now the Queen of the witches. It is her responsibility to deal with those who have broken their laws, and I will not interfere with her decisions unless the situation threatens the safety of the immortal world."

"But why can’t she return to the Witch Kingdom now that she has become their queen?" another Alpha asked. "Surely, she should be able to take control of her people and prevent this kind of incident from happening again."

Caius frowned and looked at him as if the question had personally offended him. "Did I hold her here?"

For a moment, the hall fell silent, but several Alphas quickly lowered their heads to hide their smiles. Alex pressed his lips together, trying very hard not to laugh, while Ethan calmly looked down at the documents in front of him as though he had suddenly discovered something interesting on the page.

The Alpha who had asked the question cleared his throat awkwardly. "That is not what I meant, Your Majesty. I only thought that since she has become their queen, she should return and take responsibility for her kingdom."

"The Light Witches may not want to live alongside the Dark Witches," another Alpha pointed out. "If Rita intends to return and take control of the Witch Kingdom, she may have to deal with the powerful witches who continue to practise forbidden magic. Some of them are dangerous enough to threaten entire territories, and she might be the only one capable of stopping them."