Pierre's eyes were fixed oddly at Niiya. He wanted to speak but found that his tongue had frozen. He couldn't move a muscle. His mind became muddled.

Ziu had possessed Niiya's body. He shifted his gaze to Isidorus, "What about the treaty Isidorus?" he asked softly.

​​

Isidorus couldn't understand why Pierre behaved like that, so thought of entering his cell. But his ability to enter anyone's cell came with a limitation – he had to become distant from the surroundings. That was a chance he was not ready to take especially because he didn't want to miss even a minute of what they talked.

"You cannot wage war on the wizards. If you break the treaty, it will not be taken kindly."

Ziu crossed his arms across his chest and he gave a half-smile. "I know that." Then he looked at Dmitri who was watching him as if he got the chance, he would rip him apart in a thousand pieces. "And why are you here?" he asked with a scorn.

Dmitri rasped, "Your treaty with the wolves binds you not to harm our race in any manner. According to the treaty we have lived peacefully for thousands of years and now if you dare to breach it, you should know the consequences."

"What are the consequences, Dmitri?" asked Ziu as his smile disappeared and his cheeks flushed with anger.

"Don't you know what happens to humans who are bitten by werewolves?" A muscle in his jaw feathered as he answered the question.

"I know it. You don't have to remind," said Ziu calmly lowering his voice. "There is no need to worry about these things. There is no breach of treaty and so you people should relax." He lied through his teeth. He couldn't let them know of his plans. "If we are over with this, I would like to go."

Inside Pierre, Niiya was feeling utterly helpless. He couldn't in his life believe that he had agreed to help a serpent like Ziu—a true serpent. A snake up his sleeve. Niiya was trapped. There was no way out. He wanted to explode. He wanted to tell everything to Dmitri and Isidorus, but all he sensed was captivity. He searched for something to get out, anything, a crevice, a window from the body he was in, but the walls around him were solid and gray with no clue as to how he got in there in the first place. "Leave me," he whispered inside.

Pierre's disoriented mind could only see blurred things. He heard the whisper inside him. "Who are you?" he whispered back.

Dmitri pounded his fist on the table. "Do you think that we are fools who have just come here with our apprehensions? Do you know what happened in my pack? Back in our kingdoms we have numerous problems and you are trying to make us look like fools? How dare you?"

Ziu had to get out of there as soon as possible. "I am not concerned with what happens in your pack Dmitri," he answered with a clenched jaw. "You people have come to me and I have already answered your question. Now if you will excuse me, I have a meeting to attend."

"No! You better sit down," Isidorus spoke in a very serious voice. He created a magical sphere around all of them, a wall so solid that none could leave.

Ziu could have broken the spell with his magic but then he didn't want to raise suspicions. "You cannot stop me against my will," he protested.

"Then you better listen to us," said Isidorus, beginning to doubt Niiya's behavior. When he had last met him in the party that he had hosted for Adrianna after she had ascended the throne, he seemed like an ally.

Without waiting for Niiya to answer, Dmitri said, "Three serpents shape shifters were in my pack from the last few days. They attacked Liam, Nate and me."

Ziu squirmed in his seat. He didn't want Niiya to listen to Dmitri's encounter with the serpents because Nate was attacked badly. "You are wasting my time!" he shouted. "Like I said, I have no interest in what is happening in your kingdom." Then he paused and cocked his head. "Or unless the mighty Supreme Alpha is asking for help against serpents from humans?" He sneered, sarcasm dripping in his voice.

Dmitri could believe the man in front of him. He rose from his chair to punch Niiya, but Isidorus stopped him. "Nate was on the brink of death. The infiltrator serpent had wrapped him tightly when Dmitri saved him. As for Liam, he is still fighting for his life."

Inside Pierre, Niiya was fuming with anger. How was Ookashi? The last he heard was that she was pregnant with Nate's child. Angry as he was, he was unable to even move a finger.

"Haven't you killed those serpents?" asked Ziu.

Isidorus frowned and said, "Yes, they were killed mercilessly. One of them was the daughter of the King of Serpents. We sliced her body into several pieces and threw them to feed the sea creatures." He paused to look at the contorted face of Niiya. "But that is not what we have come to discuss."

Inside Niiya, Ziu cringed. He had sent his sister to spy the Werewolf Realm. She was a sweet child and more than twenty years younger than him. "So what is it?"

"We have come here to warn you. If we suspect that the humans are trying to harm us, we will not sit quietly." Isidorus gave him a final warning.

And this is what Ziu wanted—a war. "Point taken." He replied patiently. "I would like to leave now."

Isidorus lowered his magic shield and allowed Niiya to leave.

Pierre kept staring at Niiya and then suddenly fainted.

When Ziu had come out of the herbal shop, he left Niiya's body.

Niiya was shocked to find himself outside the shop. A moment back he was inside. He turned to open the door and rushed to the garden taking Pryce and Kantha by surprise.

The garden was empty. There was no sign of the three men who had come to meet him. Exasperated, he leaned on the table and sat on the garden chair. He was so helpless after what he had heard about Nate that his breathing became accelerated. He wanted to cry.

"Niiya," he felt the warm hand of Pryce on his shoulder. "Is everything okay?" she asked.

Niiya held her hand as though it would save his life. He brought it closer to his heart and cried. At first he cried softly and then it turned into sobs. Pryce couldn't understand what was going on. She was flustered but kept standing beside Niiya, the man she had loved so deeply that she had refused to marry anyone else. She patted his back to reassure him.

"Poor Ookashi," he murmured. He had to tell this to his father… or maybe not…

Isidorus had created a portal for Dmitri to carry Pierre back to the Werewolf Realm. Dmitri carried his father to his bedroom and ordered the servants to fetch the healer.

Cora was frightened to death. "What happened to Pierre?" she asked hoarsely.

"I don't know mother. He seemed so disoriented in the meeting." Then he looked at his father. "But his breathing is normal. I think he is exhausted."

Cora shook her head, "It can't be. He was as fit as a fiddle in the morning."