'What should we do? How does he expect me to answer?'
Kulimo frowned in anxiety. The look the Werewolf King gave him sent shivers running his spine. He didn't know what he did to earn such an ominous glare from him.
Compared to the black wolf's confusion, the members of the Ruling Wolf Pack had complicated expressions on their faces when they heard their King's words.
Just as they expected, the Werewolf King of the Underworld Palace cared more about frolicking with his mate than the affairs of the Underworld Palace...
At this rate, if they continued to drag their feet and failed to pick a side, it would be too late for them to regret when the Underworld Palace becomes the serpentine's playground.
Immediately, their anxious sights swiveled to the alpha, carrying rekindled hope and resolution. If the wolf successfully confronted the Wolf King, they had full intention to support him to the throne.
Seeing the dark glimmer in her mate's eyes, Versailles was instantly alarmed. She knew Ramose wasn't up to any good and squeezed his hand.
"Ramose, don't say anything that'll be deemed as outrageous by the wolves. I know you want to vent your frustrations on them. But I don't want you to lose your cool. Once this meeting concludes, I'll personally cook for you, okay?"
"Cook? For me?" The Wolf abruptly turned his head, forgetting about his towering rage and the frustrations he was about to vent on alpha Kulimo.
"Light, do you know how to cook? How about I accompany you? What if you burn yourself?" Seeing an opportunity to spend a beautiful time with his mate, Ramose shamelessly secured himself a promise to accompany her in exchange for not creating a farce.
Sigh. His mate was too kind. If he'd beaten the arrogance out of the wolf, then their lives would've been much more comfortable...
But since he'll get to spend time with her and taste her food, he decided to let the alpha slide this once.
"Werewolf King, are you claiming time spent with your mate is more significant than handling the affairs of the Underworld? As the Wolf King, how can you think that way? Aren't you afraid of turning the wolves' hearts cold?" Placed on the spot, the black wolf decided to attack aggressively and display his might.
This way, at least it showed he had a backbone.
Ramose smirked.
The black wolf's choice of words made his stance clear. Since he'd already laid the groundwork to rightfully compete in the Wolf King's Trial, he saw himself no lesser in status to the Wolf King and believed himself to be his equal.
"Alpha Kulimo, I don't think my mate is more significant than the affairs of the Werewolf clan. She is more significant. If the wolves of the Underworld Palace's hearts turned cold because of this, then there's nothing I can do about that. The truth can't be changed." He shrugged.
"However, as a newcomer, you don't have the right to comment on my conduct. In the past few years, I've done my best for the Werewolf Clan. I've neither shrieked from my responsibilities nor duties as an alpha and worked tirelessly day and night to keep the Clan within the ranks of Six Supreme Clan. But if they aren't satisfied with my years of labor and selfless effort, then that's their own problem. Why should I care about beasts that have never appreciated me nor cared about my happiness?"
The ruthless words stunned the Ruling Wolf Pack speechless. Before today, they viewed King Ramose's efforts to keep the Werewolf Clan among the ranks of the Six Supreme Clan as a matter of course.
After all, the wolf was the alpha of the pack, and as a leader, they felt it was his responsibility to lead and protect the clan from any threat or danger. This was a matter they took for granted so why would they be appreciative?
Right from the beginning, they'd never placed never considered his happiness, because as an alpha, they felt it was only right that he devoted himself to the Werewolf Clan and treated it with greater importance than anything or anyone else.
It'd never occurred to them that they should be grateful, so why would they care about his happiness when he suddenly seemed to give more importance to this newfound outsider mate of his than the Underworld Palace.
"Da**! King Ramose cares about the serpentine because she gives him happiness? Is this the reason why he doesn't care about the Werewolf Clan? Because we never appreciated his efforts and desired to snatch his happiness away from him?"
"I've never actually thought about his happiness. After all, as the King of the Underworld Palace, what could be more exhilarating than ruling the Werewolf Clan? I thought he should've more than been happy being the law of the Underworld Palace. It never occurred to me to be grateful for his efforts because I never viewed them as efforts but as a privilege."
The wolves standing outside the Crystalline Hall felt their hearts drop. Their King's words slammed against their conscious. But more stunned than them were the Ruling Wolf Pack members who invited the black alpha.
Just because the Wolf King treated his mate better than the previous kings, they got the notion that every King's priority should be the Werewolf Clan.
The King's Pack exchanged looks and smiled helplessly. They would've preferred it if the Werewolf King was more lenient and tactful in his words. But as the ones closest to him, they perceived the loneliness and empty void in his heart.
More than any beast of the Underworld Palace, they knew how wooden and bleak his life was before the serpentine's appearance.
As such, they couldn't bring themselves to feel anger or rage upon hearing his words.
Looking at the cold face of the Wolf King, Kulimo felt his heart thump in his chest.
The Werewolf King wasn't reacting as he anticipated at all!
How could he attack the Wolf King using the Werewolf Clan when he himself said from his own mouth that he didn't care about the wolves?
His eyes flickered with various emotions as he opened his mouth multiple times. But in the end, he failed to produce a sound.
Seeing the constipated expression on the black wolf's face, Versailles's lips twitched. She didn't know whether to laugh or cry.
Her mate explicitly said she was more significant to him than the werewolves. Instead of happiness, this filled her with worry, because his action was tantamount to pushing the wolves to the alpha.
If they formed a team and the entire Underworld Palace turned on him, wouldn't Ramose have to attack his own clan members?
"Light, don't worry. To me, my one and only family is you. The wolves are nothing more than a cumbersome responsibility placed upon my shoulders without my consent. I'll fulfill my duty towards them as my blood commands. However, they shouldn't have any delusions that I'd set you aside for them." Lightly squeezing her hand, he kept his sight trained on the alpha.
"Alpha Kulimo, the time spent with my mate is very precious to me. As you've wasted over half of that time, I don't want to see your face until the day of the Wolf King's Trial. As an alpha, I'll give you permission to live on the west of the Crimson Palace. But if you ever make the mistake of leaving that portion of the palace before the King's Trial, then don't blame me for being ruthless."
Ramose's eyes swept over the Ruling Wolf Pack.
"And you elders, since you seem to have too much free time on your hands, I want you to oversee the welcome of our guest. Until the Wolf King's Trial, alpha Kulimo is under surveillance. If anything goes wrong during the Wolf King Trial, I'll hold you accountable."
His sharp glare made the wolves self-conscious. Their hearts thumped and sweat trickled down their forehead as they wondered if King Ramose saw through their plan.
"Werewolf King, we'll do our best to guard alpha Kulimo." Elder Saros unflinchingly said.
He'd already made his decision. Now there was no longer a road back for him. Gritting his teeth, he clenched his fists and internally vowed to make sure alpha Kulimo succeeded.
Ramose's dark eyes knowingly swept over the Ruling Wolf Pack. He hoped not all the elders were involved in what he perceived to be a rebellion, otherwise, the Ruling Wolf Pack would cease to exist.
Heh...I'd like to see what it is that they're planning. The day of the Wolf King's Trial has suddenly become interesting.
Looking at the sickening, flattering faces of the elders, Ramose wanted to take his mate back to their room and immerse himself in exploring her beauty.
Hmm! It's best I look at my mate's face before beginning the trial. Otherwise, if I leave after looking at these old foggies faces, my entire trial would be dull and bleak.
"The Wolf King's Trial will be held later in the day. Before then, alpha Kulimo, go and get some rest to recover your strength. This meeting is over." Flapping his sleeve, Ramose pulled his mate with him as he got to his feet.
Then under the confused, stunned, and uncertain gazes of the werewolves, he departed the Crystalline Hall with his mate by his side.