Peri sucked in a breath. “Stefan and Daciana have perished?” The emotion that was evident in her voice made it clear that she cared for the Alpha pair.

“A few months ago,” Georgeta answered.

“We will return to that information once you have stated your purpose. Go on.” She motioned for her to continue.

“Vasile is much older than Alina. He is the most dominant male we have seen in a very long time, and Petre felt that they should wait to bond. Vasile agreed to wait two years. He returned to the castle and the pain of their separation was intense. Alina told me that the pain coming from his side of the bond was driving her wolf mad. She was fighting to not leave and go to him against her father’s wishes. So she asked him for space, to help them both better cope with their own pain without having to endure the other’s as well.”

A smirk stretched across the Fae’s face. “Let me guess; the new Alpha did not handle such a request with much grace?”

“That is putting it mildly,” Georgeta growled. “He has shut the bond completely. Alina knows she made a mistake in asking for the space but she is young and she was scared. She has pined for him for three months, reached through their bond attempting to get him to hear her, and begged him, and still he ignores her. She is sick. She has lost a disgusting amount of weight. I fear…,” she stopped, attempting to hold back the tears and the sob that fought to break through her words. “I fear for her life. Their bond was intense and strong from the moment they met. I do not know how much more she can endure.”

Peri’s eyes narrowed as she crossed her arms in front of her. “Though I am not a mother, I feel for you. But how does this situation concern me?”

“I wish you to break their bond completely, as if they had yet to meet. They both need to heal and mature. Vasile has a lot to deal with as the new Alpha. The pack was not as healthy as he was led to believe. His father was not well for a while before his death and the pack suffered because of it. Vasile has to make it right.”

“Do you not think that he needs his mate in order to be able to be what the pack needs? Are not the males more stable with their true mate, not to mention stronger?” Peri countered.

“When they are not being insufferable asses, yes that is true.”

Peri chuckled. “How I have missed you wolves,” she paused. “But if you repeat that I will still your tongue.”

Georgeta waved her off not concerned with the Fae’s words. “Can you help her?”

“I could do what you ask, but I will not.” Peri’s words were not unkind but they were firm.

“Will you tell me why?” Georgeta asked as any hope she had put in Peri’s help slipped away.

“Do not look so forlorn she-wolf. Vasile may be hardheaded but he is no fool. He will not let true harm come to his mate. Yes, there will be consequences for his stubbornness but not atthe price of your daughter’s life.

“The reason I will not interfere is because sometimes pain is necessary in order for great change to take place. There is great change needed in the Eastern Romania pack, and it will take Vasile being the wolf and the man the Great Luna has created him to be to cause that great change. He cannot do what is necessary, nor can your daughter if every obstacle is removed from her path.”

“I understand,” Georgeta said as she nodded and tears began to stream down her cheeks, her bloodshot eyes boring a hole into the Fae. “I do not like it, but I understand.”

“Have faith in your creator, Georgeta. She created Alina just as she did Vasile and she created them for each other. Perhaps, she has a plan?” Peri smiled gently at her.

“Thank you for your time, Perizada. Try not to stay away too long, alright?”

Peri nodded. “I assure you, I will keep watch. This news has captured my attention, and I imagine that I will need to pay Vasile a visit before too long.”

“How many in Vasile’s pack have expressed to you their concern regarding the Alpha pair’s death?” Emilian asked the group that sat before him. He had sent out his most trusted pack mates that were in agreement that the Eastern Romania pack needed new blood, as well as new leadership. They were tired of being the lower ranking wolves in their own pack and willing to do what was necessary to ensure they moved up in their world.

“So far we’ve got about seven-to-ten wolves per village that are willing to voice their opinion out loud,” Ivan answered. “I have a feeling that there are more who believe that the deaths were suspicious but do not want to say anything against their Alpha.”

Emilian nodded. “The more submissive wolves will not speak up. We must seek out the more dominant ones.”

“How goes the search for the bodies?” Marian asked.

The Western Romania pack Beta growled. “Too slow for my own liking. I have no idea where that mongrel buried his parents.”

“Must we have the bodies?” Izabela, Ivan’s mate, asked.

“We cannot just go around accusing the Alpha of the Eastern Romania pack of something as grotesque as this without proof,” Emilian said as he pinched the bridge of his nose.

“Do you think his pack will listen to us after we have desecrated the graves of their beloved Alpha and his mate?” Izabela’s brow rose. “There will be many who care not what you find because they will be so blinded by their anger over the atrocity that you were willing to commit.”

“Once they get past the shock of it, they will realize the greater atrocity is that they were lied to by their Alpha for centuries, and their son has continued that deception. The greater evil will win out. Betrayal from me is expected; betrayal from their own will be enough to wipe out what I did.”