Chapter 2: How Will This Day Go?

**Alpha King Caspian's POV: **

I wasn't exactly sure how this day was going to go, but I knew we were going to be traveling to the Blue Moon Pack to check on things and see how things were progressing there.  Every so often, I travel to the different packs that are under my command and make sure that they have everything that they need.  These visits seemed to be a bit mundane and dull, but they were necessary for the well-being and security of everything around me and our nation.  I pulled my phone out of my pocket and looked at it to check the time when I heard a knock at my door as it opened up slightly.

"Yes, what is it?" I asked without looking up to see who was coming through the door.

'Are you not even going to look up and see who is coming in?'  (Cash asked me.)

"Are you ready to go?" Maxwell, my Beta, said as he came into the room after knocking and speaking up without waiting for me to look up at him.  "Everyone is out front and awaiting your orders, Your Highness."

'Does that answer your question?'  (I responded to Cash.)

"Alright then," I said as I placed my phone back in my pocket and rose from sitting at my desk with my hands resting on the front edge of the desk.  Before I walked around the desk, I popped my hands on the edge as a statement to Cash and one he did not care for and then I smirked at his response.

'Hmph'  (Cash responded.)

I walked around my desk and out the door of my office first as Maxwell started to follow me, closing my door behind him.  When we were out front, five vehicles were running, ready to go.  All of my Warriors were standing beside the vehicles they were going to be traveling in.  When I walked out of the main entrance of the castle, they all turned to face me and Maxwell.  When I reached the top step, I stopped walking as I watched them all turn and stand at attention, as Maxwell walked up to me to stand on my right side and looked out over the stairs just as I did.  Without saying anything, I proceeded down the stairs and headed for the front vehicle.  Maxwell walked past me swiftly so that he could open up my door.  I climbed in and he closed the door after me.  He then went around to the other side and got in the same vehicle as I did, then we were headed on our way.

Before too long, we arrived just outside of the border of the pack we were visiting first.  The vehicles were parked out of sight and we started traveling toward the border.  When we got close enough to where we should be stopped, I noticed that there was no one to be seen.  This was a bit odd, I thought to myself.  Where were the Warriors who were supposed to watch the border?  We all continued walking past the border and still did not run into anyone until we reached the main castle entrance.  That was when I saw a landscaper trimming the hedge around the entrance of the castle.  It was obvious that he was not even paying attention to a group walking up behind him.  Maxwell was about to reach over to him when I noticed that he had buds in his ears.

'Are you going to scare this one?'  (Cash asked.)

'Leave this one be,' (I said via Mind Link to Maxwell, then I said to the rest of them via a direct Mind Link.)  'He can not hear us anyway, he is listening to music or something else.'

'Damn, I was looking forward to a decent reaction this time.  It's not that often I get a good laugh.'  (Cash answered disappointedly.)

'We have to figure out why no one is doing their job first.  This is serious, Cash.  We can do that later.'

We all continued walking past him and up to the door.  Maxwell reached the handle and it opened with no trouble, as if it was not even locked in the first place.  Where was the door guard?  What is going on here?  I was truly confused as to where everyone was.  Did no one know that I was coming to see their pack today?  I knew that I had come a whole lot earlier in the day than I told them I was going to, but that is beside the point.  They should still be ready to have a visitor at any time of day or night.  That was one of the main sets of rules.  So the fact that no one is at their post means that someone is seriously slacking around here and I am definitely going to be getting to the bottom of it.  Once we all walked inside, there was nothing to be heard.  Something surely didn't seem to be right.

'Does it seem a bit too quiet to you?'  (Cash asked.)

'Be on guard. Something is not right as no one is where they are supposed to be,'  (I said via Mind Link.)

'Yes, Your Highness,'  (I heard the group respond almost at the same time.)

'Do you smell that?  It smells like cinnamon and brown sugar.  Are they making dessert?' (Cash asked.)

'It's time for breakfast, Cash.  It's way too early for dessert.'

'Then what is that faint yet ever so appetizing scent that is floating in the air?'

I was not sure what it was, but I was going to find out, as this scent was definitely coming from down the hall, in the same direction as the dining hall.  I walked out of the foyer and down the corridor, heading toward the dining hall.  When I reached the dining hall, I walked in, but there was no one there either.  Other scents were coming from the next room, where the kitchen was located.  I smelled eggs and bacon, biscuits, and freshly squeezed orange juice.  So, at least I knew that someone was at least cooking, so one job was being done, but that did not explain why no one else was doing theirs.   Just then, I heard someone coming down the hall, and then I turned around to look to see a woman entering the room from a separate hall for the staff.

"When will the meal be served?" I asked, as she did not expect to see me standing there, and it was apparent that she did not know that I had already arrived.  When she finally saw me, she stopped walking and froze in her tracks.  I then continued asking as her shock was showing all over her face. "After we eat. Then we can discuss business."

"Promptly, Your... Your Highness," she said as she stuttered a bit as she bowed after my last statement.

"What is it that we are having for dessert?" I made sure to ask to amuse my Wolf, who asked about dessert.

"My apologies, Your Highness," she said, then she paused a moment before continuing.  "We have not started preparing dessert just yet.  However, we are preparing cinnamon rolls, Your Highness.  When we do prepare dessert, I will let you know what the selection is, unless you have a suggestion."

'That scent is not cinnamon rolls.  If they're not making dessert, where is the scent coming from?  Follow it!'  (Cash insisted.)

I turned toward her without saying anything else and walked right past her, right outside the door she had just come in a few moments before.  I started walking down the hall, following the scent that certainly led away from the kitchen.  Where was this scent coming from, and what could it mean?  She swiftly walked out of the dining hall and into the hallway, trying to catch up with me.  She walked up behind me and tried to gain my attention, but I was not going to stop and discuss anything with her.

'Maxwell, you need to get here now!'  (I said via Mind Link.)

'Promptly, Your Highness.'  (He responded.)

"Your Highness, is there something that I can help you find?" She finally asked me after following me for a moment.

'Ignore her. She is trying to hide something from you.'

'I know Cash.  That's not all that hard to figure out. I know a trick when I see one.'

I continued walking down the corridor till I got to the end where there were two sets of stairs.  She was right there with me, and to be honest, I did not care how close she was walking to me.  This was not the first time someone followed me and was a bit too close to my comfort.  When I reached the end of the corridor, I stopped walking as I noticed one set of stairs going up and then another set of stairs leading downward and around a corner.  The scent was definitely coming from downstairs.  She walked around me and stood on the next step leading to the upstairs area and then said something she would not easily forget it. However, the question is, what's she going to do after I walk away.