"Alpha… Luna Kendra requested that… I… I take your permission and run an errand for her in the stables… Kindly permit me to attend to her request." Wesley spoke in such a slow manner that he could swear that Alpha Gavin would catch on to the lie he was telling. However, Alpha Gavin said no word to expose the stuttering beta. 
He only looks at Ortiz and queries with his gaze, "what about you?" The man was so flustered that Gavin would have felt his fluctuations if he had been in perfect health. However, everything was currently written all over his face, he was nervous as hell. 
Ortiz didn't have any prior discussion with Wesley, but the latter had just saved himself and left the former on the leash. Ortiz felt that Wesley should have told the alpha about Luna summoning both of them, which would have been a better escape for both of them at the same time. They would have killed two birds with one stone.
Ortiz smiles nervously and begins a ridiculous speech as well, "Erm… Alpha Gavin… I have a date with a beautiful she-wolf whom I promised a tour of the training grounds…. I intend to bring her to see the oracle afterward…. And… I already booked an appointment with the seer." 
He then scratches his head unnaturally and gives a smile that has the semblance of tearing up, as he adds, "this happens to be my last chance at an audience with the seer… I wouldn't get another cha…" 
Alpha Gavin shook his head as he looked at his two sidekicks giving one ridiculous excuse after the other. He couldn't believe if his friends actually thought the physical wounds he sustained had affected his head, or even his thinking ability also. Why then would they make up such ridiculous excuses just to avoid going to the dungeon with him? 
Alpha Gavin took a deep breath and was about to call for Drucilla when the girl walked in with his lunch on a serving tray. This has been her routine since Gavin became bedridden. 
Alpha Gavin felt that right now, the tense Drucilla would be better company than his two silly friends. He could tell that the two were hiding something from him, however, he didn't have the energy to probe any further. He also felt that maybe they just thought it was best he did what the doctor said, which is, to have complete bed rest for the next few weeks. No physical exertion whatsoever was allowed. 
Besides, Luna Kendra would never send Gavin's sidekicks on an errand, ever. Therefore, Gavin could tell that Wesley and Ortiz were up to something when they mentioned running errands for Luna Kendra and going on a date respectively. Wesley was clearly lying, but Gavin wasn't in the mood to ask why. He might as well just play along. It wouldn't do him any bad to play along with the two idiots for today, Gavin thought.
Since Gavin grew up with Ortiz and Wesley, he knew for a fact that the two would never take the initiative to ask a lady out, especially Ortiz who has had eyes for his sister for some time now. Ortiz thought he had hidden it well enough, but nothing escapes the sharp eyes of Gavin, much more when it involves two people who are extremely close to him. 
He also knows that Ortiz has always been holding back because he fears that Gavin may reject his offer to be his sister's mate. However, Gavin has always been happy to see Ortiz keeping his keen eyes on Kurah all these years. He was waiting for his sister to turn eighteen before he assisted his friend to propose, supposed he was still quiet till then. 
Then again, his help may not be needed after all, as Ortiz might have managed to win the heart of the equally clueless Kurah by then. Gavin is very sure that the oracle wouldn't say no to their mate bond. 
The wolf packs of this realm do not wait for the moon goddess to bless them with a mate bond by speaking through their wolves before they start mating. This is because such a time would never come, and it has never occurred as far back as they could remember. The wolves of the Dark-Dawn Pack, in the Wolf City, only hear such confirmation from the seer, and he had never failed in his predictions before. 
Once two wolves feel an attraction between each other, they could go and consult the pack oracle by hearing from the seer. If their bond is strong enough, they are allowed to establish a mate bond by marrying. However, a weak bond means they have not been paired by the moon goddess. Consequently, they wouldn't need to continue to establish a mate bond. 
The seer is so old that no one knows his real age, not even Gavin's father, nor his father's father, or his father before him, could tell the real age of the seer. He looks the same, without the slightest visible change. It confirms to them that the seer may not be from this realm, that's if he's even human, a wolf, or whatever else he may be. He was there from the beginning of the Dark-Dawn Pack till now and has always been the mouthpiece of the moon goddess.
Gavin does not intend to call out his friends for coming up with such ridiculous excuses, just to test his patience. However, he intends to get back at both of them for blatantly calling him stupid, just that, he will wait for the right time. 
"Leave us… Get out! Gavin says coldly, scaring an already flustered Drucilla. She hastily dropped the tray and took to her heels when she suddenly got more confused by the alpha's next statement.  She couldn't help wondering why she chose the wrong timing to present the alpha's meal to him. She wouldn't dare linger for a second more. 
Both of you…  get out… now!" Gavin bellows at his two friends who finally realized that the earlier order wasn't for Drucilla, but rather for both of them. Drucilla suddenly halted her steps and turned to face the alpha confusedly, tons of questions running through her head. To properly describe the situation, one could say that her heart was in her mouth, as she could tell that the alpha wasn't in a good mood.
Watching the two hurrying out of the room, Gavin couldn't help wondering how come he ended up with two crazy sidekicks. He could see the heaviness in every step they took, but he would wait it out by allowing them the time they needed for themselves. Gavin couldn't possibly keep his friends away from their errands, would he? 
"Come closer!" Gavin says, earning a gasp from Drucilla. She was assigned to nurse the alpha back to perfect health, however, drawing closer to the alpha when they are alone in his bed chamber wasn't part of her duties. To top it all off, he was in a bad mood.  
Looking at the angry alpha, there seems to be absolutely no need to get too close to him. The most rational thing to do is to rather stay far away from the dangerous man before her. 
She couldn't help thinking, "what does he want anyway?" Drusilla felt so cold all of a sudden, but she wouldn't dare to disobey the alpha. As a result, she moves slowly towards the alpha. Surprisingly, when she was close enough to him, Gavin stood to his feet, grabbed her hand, and pulled her to his side. 
***