The Luna they betrayed became Untouchable

Chapter 48: Chapter 48

The first sign that something was seriously wrong came before sunrise. Lucien had barely stepped into his office when Marcus placed a stack of reports on his desk.

"Another update from the Celestial border."

Lucien glanced at the papers without picking them up. "And?"

Marcus hesitated. "It’s not good news, Alpha. It has gotten worse, I must say. Out of all the shipments, only two gained access into the realm. We have more than fifty shipments stuck at the border."

Lucien’s face hardened. "Fifty?"

"Fifty-three as of this morning. A whole full day has passed, and Alphas alongside merchants have begun to worry. The longer the goods stay, the more money they lose."

Lucien said nothing. Yesterday, twelve carts had been delayed, and now there were fifty-three. He picked up the first report and scanned it quickly. Dates. Shipment numbers. Merchant names. Estimated losses.

Some shipments contained medicine. Others carried raw materials, weapons, food supplies, and luxury goods meant for merchants across several territories. A few were carrying items that were already attached to contracts with strict delivery dates.

If those contracts were broken, the merchants would demand compensation, and the merchants wouldn’t care that the problem was at the Celestial border.

This wasn’t a good look for him as the Supreme Alpha, and it certainly wasn’t a good look for the First Houses.

The entire purpose of the First Houses was to create stability. If merchants and Alphas began questioning whether the system could guarantee any of those things, the entire structure would begin to weaken.

And once confidence disappeared, money would follow it.

"Ashira?" he asked.

"She hasn’t returned yet. Perhaps she has more information than I do," Marcus replied.

Lucien nodded. "There has to be a solution to this. We can’t possibly—" He hadn’t finished speaking when the door opened and Ashira stepped in. "Alpha." She bowed.

"What have you found so far?"

Ashira took a deep breath, shaking her head. "This doesn’t only affect us, Alpha. I’m afraid the Celestial Realm is in a tight position, and they have to carry out tight scrutiny against foreign shipments entering their realm."

Lucien’s brows furrowed. "What kind of scrutiny?"

Ashira stepped farther into the room. "They aren’t giving a clear explanation. All they have said is that there have been irregularities with foreign trades entering the realm, so they’ve increased inspections."

Marcus frowned. "Irregularities?"

Ashira nodded. "That is all they’re saying."

Lucien walked back toward his desk, his expression growing darker. "Have you spoken to Alpha Cassian?"

Ashira shook her head. "I tried, but he’s not receiving."

Lucien stopped. This was beginning to bother him. Alpha Cassian had never been the sort of Alpha to ignore a direct message from him. Even when they disagreed, the man answered.

"How long have they been doing this?" Lucien asked.

"Since yesterday," Marcus replied.

"And they intend to keep it this way for the foreseeable future?" he asked, and the Beta nodded.

Lucien’s jaw tightened. He picked up another report and skimmed through it.

"Then we need another route."

Marcus shook his head. "There isn’t one."

"There has to be one. The North Ridge Realm—we almost used but didn’t. How about them? Signing a contract with their Alpha—what’s his name? We should be able to take the shipments through that route."

"I’m afraid that’s impossible to do. The North Ridge pack has entered an alliance with the Redfallow pack, and they’ve blocked their route from their end leading to ours."

Lucien licked his lips. "Okay, what about the Elitewolves Realm? I remember theirs was narrower and far longer, but it should work."

Marcus and Ashira shared a look, and she stepped forward. "The Elitewolves Realm has now been interwoven with the Zealcrest Realm. I’m afraid they won’t take us."

Lucien blinked. He looked at the map before him. These were the realms next to theirs—his neighboring realms—and now they were stuck. The Celestial Realm was their only option.

"Alpha, what do we do? What are your orders?"

"Get me a meeting with Alpha Cassian. Let’s see if we can come to a deal and make this work. In the meantime, keep assuring the merchants and First Houses members."

He wasn’t done speaking when a knock came. He paused, and a messenger stepped in, head bowed. "I bring the realm’s reports of this morning, Alpha."

He handed the reports to Ashira and stepped out of the office. Lucien continued his talk. "Send a message to all the members of the First Houses. I want a meeting with them all this noon—"

"Alpha." Ashira’s voice had him stopping. He looked at her disturbed expression, and his brows furrowed.

"What is it now?"

Ashira slowly shook her head and passed the reports to him. He took it from her, eyes scanning the contents quickly.

"What the hell is this?" He growled, flinging the report away like it was the devil’s excrement. "Who gave the go-ahead to write such malicious and disgusting stories about me? ’A crack in the Supreme Alpha’s ruling?’ ’Does he still accord the same power and respect he once did?’ ’Is this the beginning of the end of the First Houses?’"

Marcus bent down and picked up the report, his eyes moving quickly over the words. His expression changed almost immediately.

"Alpha..."

"Burn it." Lucien’s voice was low.

Marcus looked up. "There are several versions."

Lucien’s eyes snapped toward him. "Several?"

"Different merchants are circulating them. Some are calling the delays a temporary trade disruption. Others are saying the First Houses are no longer capable of guaranteeing their contracts."

Lucien’s jaw tightened so much. "A meeting now! All of the First Houses Alphas must be present!" Marcus nodded, ready to go carry out his command.

"Ashira, draft the contracts. Seven out of fifteen Alphas of the First Houses’ contracts will be expiring in a month. We can’t afford for them to use this ridiculous lapse to make wrong decisions. Draft the contracts and bind them before this escalates."

Ashira nodded and walked out, leaving Lucien to himself. He was having a streak of bad luck at this point. Ever since his involvement with Evelyn Valemont, his life hadn’t been the same.

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