Chapter 184: Unexpected Meeting

Moon was about to look away when a commotion broke out beside the entrance.

"Move aside! Do you know whose people you’re holding up?"

The arrogant voice came from the side queue.

Since too many people had gathered at West Grand Plaza, the usual entrance was not enough. To ease the congestion, the West Black Wood Pack had opened both gates, dividing the crowds into two lines.

When Moon looked out to see what was causing the commotion, he saw a group of young men standing behind a large, decorated carriage.

Moon raised his brows and murmured, "What a small world! It’s the Vaelis convoy."

Ugo and Nox also looked out through the window.

At that moment, Axe was returning from the last row. Since the caravan had stopped, he wanted to rejoin the group.

As he passed through the crowd and was about to look for their carriage ahead, a young man suddenly blocked his path.

"Wait! Aren’t you Axe?" The man looked Axe up and down, a smirk creeping onto his lips.

"Well, well. Look what the wind carried in." His voice echoed clearly across the checkpoint. "My precious brother! You’re still alive, huh? How surprising."

A few of his companions laughed under their breath.

"Fuck off, Liam," Axe snapped.

Liam’s eyes flashed coldly as he looked at Axe. "Mind your words, Axe. You’re no longer a Vaelis, and I won’t tolerate a traitor like you."

Axe pushed Liam’s chest and tried to walk around him, but the others blocked his path as well.

Seeing them crowd around Axe, Moon couldn’t help coming out of the carriage.

"Move. Why are you blocking people’s paths?" he asked, shoving one of the young men aside.

Axe’s knitted brows relaxed when he saw him.

Ugo and Nox also came out behind Moon.

"Oh! I see you’re still shamelessly clinging to this witch. Brothers, you’ve really disappointed me," Liam said, giving Moon a nasty look.

His followers laughed at the remark.

"Don’t say that, Liam. Who could ignore such a beauty?" one of them chimed in.

"Beauty? Where? The only things he’s got are a chest flatter than a wall and a backside harder than a rock!"

The others burst into laughter.

"You..." another young man started, but before he could utter another word, Axe punched him in the face.

Caught off guard, the man was so shocked that he fell to the ground after just one punch.

Liam furrowed his brows, but the others burst out laughing.

Even though the fallen man was their companion, they couldn’t help mocking his bruised face and sudden tumble.

Enraged, the man sprang to his feet and grabbed Axe by the collar.

"Are you asking for death, you bastard? I’ll take your head and present it to the Alpha. He’ll be happy for sure!"

Axe grabbed the man’s hand and shoved him away again.

The man stumbled but managed to stay on his feet this time.

"When did a little dog like you learn to threaten me?" Axe asked, tilting his head.

"Let’s go. There’s no need to bother with them," Moon urged, noticing that more people were gathering around them.

Liam’s expression grew increasingly grim.

"Where do you think you’re going? You’re coming with me!" he snarled.

"Oh? Why would I go with you?" Moon asked patiently.

"Why? You traitorous witch! You infiltrated Vaelis and stole from our vault. Do you think you can just walk away like this?"

"Ah! So it’s true? The defective brothers really eloped with a witch after stealing something?"

"How presumptuous!"

"Tch! Vaelis is certainly having a hard time raising them."

The crowd began to chatter among themselves.

"Don’t accuse me without evidence," Moon said, raising his voice slightly.

"Besides, is Vaelis really so weak that it couldn’t detect or catch a mere witch like me when its treasure vault was infiltrated? Where were your Alpha and Grand Maestra? Are they just there for show?"

"You! Don’t talk nonsense about our Alpha and Grand Maestra!" the man Axe had punched retorted.

"You used some nasty witchcraft, and those traitors helped you," another added.

"So, you’re admitting that I have more power than your Grand Maestra?" Moon asked, raising his brows in amusement. "And Alpha Vaelis is so weak that he couldn’t detect five defectives infiltrating the treasure vault. Tch! How has he managed to remain Alpha all this time?"

Ugo and Nox had initially remained silent because they knew Axe could deal with these young men even without his wolf spirit.

They hadn’t expected Moon to talk back so much all at once.

Rather than focusing on the argument, they watched Moon’s face in disbelief and amusement.

Liam, however, noticed their lack of attention.

His heart burned with anger.

His brothers had never taken him seriously before, and now, even as a lowly rogue,

they still refused to show him any respect.

He stepped in front of Moon.

"I want to see whether that precious mouth of yours will still be moving after I take you to cell."

"Move, move! Don’t gather here!"

A guard came over to disperse the crowd and stopped in front of Liam.

"Sir, please move to the side."

He then turned to Moon and bowed politely.

"Sir, please go ahead. Your checkpoint clearance is complete. Master Levi is waiting."

Under the shocked and watchful eyes of Liam and the Vaelis convoy, Axe snorted and took Moon’s hand to lead him away.

Liam whipped around to face the guard.

"Wait! What do you mean they can go? You haven’t even cleared our checkpoint!"

The guard was growing annoyed as well.

"Your checkpoint is still being processed. Don’t cause trouble at the entrance. They’re traveling with the Elysian Crown merchant caravan, and their caravan has already been cleared."

Although the guard was busy and irritated, he took the time to explain. This gathering was important, and they didn’t want anything to go wrong.

"Elysian Crown? Has Elysian started sheltering thieves and black witches from other packs nowadays?" Liam raised his voice.

"Take that up with Master Levi, not me. We’re just following orders," the guard replied before walking away.

At that moment, Silas arrived on horseback, looking clearly annoyed.

"Liam, move! Why are you standing—"