A Werewolf's Unexpected Mate-Chapter 88: Drunken Revelations

Ace’s POV

I left Ovelia and Ann at their table, surrounded by the lively hum of the inn. The air was thick with the scent of different beverages and meals, mingling with the occasional burst of laughter from the drunk patrons. Most of the men here were already deep into their cups.

Philip was at another table, engrossed in conversation with a group of merchants. He held a glass of spiced rum in his hand, his cheeks flushed and his eyes bright with enthusiasm. It seemed he’d taken a liking to the local drink. Meanwhile, our troop members and Kai’s were engaged in some kind of drinking contest, each trying to outlast the other. Laughter erupted as some of them were already deep in their cups, swaying back and forth.

Ray, Colt, Kai, and I sat together at our own table; the atmosphere between us relaxed but charged with the kind of camaraderie that only comes after a long night of shared struggles.

"Ace?" Kai’s voice broke through the noise, his tone slightly unsteady.

I turned to look at him. His face was flushed, his eyes glassy, and his movements sluggish. He was clearly drunk.

Suddenly, he slammed his hand down on the table with a loud *crack*, causing the wood to splinter slightly. "Kai, relax," Colt said, his voice calm as he sipped his drink.

"Why didn’t you wait for me when you left Meadowlark Village?" Kai demanded, his words slightly slurred. "I shouted ’WAIT!’ but you didn’t stop!"

I raised an eyebrow, continuing to eat my pasta. "We didn’t hear anything, right, Ray?"

Ray nodded, stirring his beer with a spoon as if it were coffee. "Yeah, we didn’t hear you. If we had, I would’ve stopped the wagon."

I couldn’t help but smirk. "Ray, what are you doing? That’s beer, not coffee or juice. You don’t need to stir it." 𝐟𝕣𝕖𝐞𝐰𝕖𝚋𝐧𝗼𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝗰𝐨𝐦

Colt burst out laughing, and even Kai managed to chuckle despite his frustration.

"Hahaha! Oh, right, I totally forgot!" Ray chuckled, realizing his mistake. He shrugged and took a long swig of his beer. He was clearly drunk, too.

Kai sat down, a cheerful smile creeping onto his face. "If you didn’t mean to leave me behind, that’s fine," he said, his voice light, almost teasing, but his eyes betrayed a flicker of hurt. He picked up a bowl of stew, the steam curling up, "Actually, it worked out better that way. I got a letter from Crimsonheart saying you were heading to Thunoa to capture the bandits. The king wanted me to lead a backup team to support you, so I waited for them in Meadowlark. That’s why we were late."

So, the staff of Shadow Ridge Prison meets the Crimsonheart troops. That’s why we got a letter from them saying that Crimsonheart would send us backup. It made sense now.

"Kai," I said, leaning forward slightly, "you mentioned before that you had a mission you couldn’t talk about. Can you tell us now?"

Kai’s demeanor shifted slightly; he took a deep breath, his face a canvas of regret. "Oh, that. My mission is to deliver supplies to Shin," he explained, his voice growing somber. "King Feriz got a letter from him, sent via his monkey. Shin was attacked by the bandits; they stole his belongings, even his horse. He requested new supplies."

"Kai, you can’t just casually share that kind of information," a voice interjected. Shin appeared out of nowhere, sliding into the seat beside Kai. He pulled back his hood, revealing sharp features and piercing eyes, then reached for a glass of beer.

"Oh, Shin, you’re here!" Kai exclaimed, his voice tinged with guilt. "I’m sorry I couldn’t bring the supplies. Those damn bandits stole them while I was sleeping. I’m a useless lieutenant. Sorry, Shin." His voice cracked, and he looked like he was on the verge of tears.

Shin sighed, placing a hand on Kai’s shoulder. "You’re drunk, Kai. Stop drinking the spiced rum. Go get some coffee to sober up."

"Okay..." Kai mumbled, standing up unsteadily.

"I’ll go with him," Colt said, rising from his seat. We watched as the two of them made their way to the beverage area, Kai leaning heavily on Colt for support.

I turned my attention to Shin, studying him closely. There was something familiar about him—his sharp jawline, the way he carried himself. Then, a monkey leaped onto his shoulder, clutching a banana in its tiny hands. It all clicked into place.

"Shin, you’re Shaun’s son, aren’t you?" I asked, my voice low but firm.

Shin nodded, his expression somber. "Yes. He died a year ago. Now, I’m a peacekeeper, just like him. I travel to different places to ensure peace. So far, I haven’t heard of anyone trying to start a war."

There were five kingdoms—Silverhowl, Crimsonheart, Wildfire, Shadow, and Amethyst—each with two peacekeepers who traveled alone. Their monkeys served as messengers, delivering information directly to the kingdoms. Monkeys were chosen for their intelligence and ability to write messages, eliminating the risk of sensitive information falling into the wrong hands.

"But have you heard about the mass production of a new magic chain? The black one?" Ray asked, his tone serious despite his earlier drunken antics.

Shin nodded again. "Yes, Kai mentioned it earlier. While he was in Meadowlark, he found a black market selling the new magic chains. They’re incredibly expensive. Kai also mentioned that what the witch told you earlier is true. Like I said, I haven’t heard any talk of rebellion brewing for war, but I’ll dig deeper into the mass production of these prototypes and find out who’s behind it."

"Thank you for the information," I replied, trying to mask my growing unease with a small smile. Shin returned the gesture, his smile warm but his eyes reflecting the seriousness of our discussion.

Kai and Colt returned to the table, Kai looking slightly more coherent but still unsteady.

"What are you all talking about? Is it about mates? I still haven’t found mine, so let’s brainstorm how to find one," Kai said, his voice loud and overly enthusiastic.

He was definitely still drunk.

My gaze drifted back to Ovelia and Ann, who were deep in conversation at their table. They looked happy, their laughter blending with the noise of the inn. I caught a faint whiff of the fairy’s scent, subtle but unmistakable. Scanning the room, I noticed a few werewolves glancing at Ovelia, but my wolf sensed no malice—only curiosity.

"Sir Ace, don’t stare at your mate like that. She might melt," Colt teased, snapping me out of my thoughts.

I smirked, leaning back in my chair.

"Ace, you’re unfair!" Kai interjected his tone, a mix of frustration and laughter. "Everyone at this table is mate-less!"

He was so noisy when drunk. For a moment, I seriously considered duct-taping his mouth shut.