The Alpha's Awkward Rut

Agreement

Alpha Garret Kingsley stared at the scroll in his hand in utmost disbelief. Was this a fucking joke?!
The handwritten message had come from Alpha Harry Golloghy and Luna Rhianna Wessex of the neighbouring Silver Moon Pack, one of the few mutual ally packs he had from across the Realm of Rulid. It stunned him that Silver Moon, the largest, strongest and most merciless pack known to their kind, were contacting him, offering their assistance in searching for some Order of Verdicts bastards between their borders.
Apparently, some of the Order were trying to take down as many werewolf packs they could, using them for their own benefits. It was a vain attempt to gain numbers and overthrow Rulid's numerous human Royal's, leaving them defenceless and easy to bring to their knees, so they could take over the Realm and reign as one continent.
Garret wasn't surprised by the Orders actions. He was confident that the likelihood of his pack falling into the Orders hands wasn't going to happen, not if he had anything to do with it! What did surprise him, however, was that Alpha Harry was offering his help like an old friend, like a brother. The audacity of this unknown Alpha, who seemed to think that his pack were more superior than Garrets, insulted him!
He had never met the Alpha of Silver Moon, but he had sure heard of him. He had only been in power for less than two years, but he had met the Alpha's Luna, Rhianna, long before she met her mate. She had been the packs Alpha for over fifteen years, having taken the role after challenging Alpha Rhys and absolutely shredding the bastard apart within minutes. When she had approached Garret to discuss a mutual treaty all those years ago, he remembered feeling sorry for whoever got her as a mate. She was terrifying! She not only ran her pack, but she also helped lead a part of an army of humans that protected the Realms from the Order of Verdicts. It certainly changed his mind that women were inferior to men, she definitely knew how to run her pack to the best of her abilities, sometimes better than his own.
However, it gave Garret the impression that, now Rhianna had announced her mate as the packs new Alpha, the pack had been weakened considerably, and made them vulnerable. This, in turn, rendered their ridiculous proposal of help useless and not worth taking.
Alpha Harry was, after all, a transitioned wolf. A human turned werewolf after he had mated with Rhianna. Garret felt like the Luna had made a grave mistake making the human their Alpha. It was an humiliating act on their part, and it infuriated him that this human-come-wolf was suggesting they should come to his aid and help him trace them!
"Vern!" Garret called out for his Beta, scrunching up the scroll in his fist. "In here now!"
"Yes, Alpha?" Vern entered his office, bowing his head to show his neck in submission as he sensed his Alpha was angry.
"Summon Gamma Nick here for a meeting, please? We have received a letter from Alpha Harry of Silver Moon, suggesting we should 'team up' to scout out some Order scum!"
Vern scoffed at the news before he could stop himself, making Garret narrow his eyes at his Beta, threateningly. The second in charge hurried to explain himself.
"With all due respect, Alpha, that idiot isn't worth the title. He doesn't know the first thing about running a pack! Did you hear he has made all their non shifters official pack members? They're even allowing them to have mates!"
Garret ground his teeth at that. "Makes sense for a pack who's Luna gave up her Alpha title to give it to her human mate!" He growled in disgust. "Weak! The lot of them!"
"Why is he offering to team up with us, though? Do you think he's bluffing his way into requesting help from us?"
"Quite possibly." Garret snapped. "It's not just some his pack that he's offering, it's also some of FREEs forces. I will explain more once you have retrieved Nick from his training."
Vern nodded, respectfully, but Garret still caught sight of his Betas eyebrows rising with intrigue as he backed out of the room.
Garret slowly rose out of his chair after Vern had closed the door behind him, groaning as he stretched out his muscular back and meaty arms. He turned away from his desk to gaze out of his office window.
Alpha Garret had a fearsome reputation, more so than Luna Rhianna did before she stepped down. Not only was he known for running his pack, Blood Moon, with an iron fist, he was also known for being the youngest, most powerful Alpha.
He was handsome, with brooding blue eyes, a strong, chiselled jawline, naturally glossy black hair that hung over his forehead like curtains, and a body that oozed sex appeal. He was a wolf who many, if not all, she wolves craved to be mated to.
He, however, had no interest in having a mate who could be used against him to usurp his Alpha position. He saw mates as a weakness and a distraction. His own father had been foolish enough to fall for the Goddess's evil temptations and took his mother as his Luna and mate, only for her to be killed by a rival pack in an attempt to weaken the pack. The old Alpha had descended into madness, finally succumbing to his broken heart and leaving his sixteen year old son as his sole heir. Garret had come into power just over fifteen years ago, with such determination to show how strong his pack were, he completely decimated the rival packs ranked wolves, taking the few remaining weaker members into his own pack to grow his numbers.
His pack respected his decision but it didn't stop the females from trying to sway his interests to bedding them. He humoured them at first, playing into their hands and taking their innocence, spoiling the goods for their future mates. He then turned them out as soon as he was done, to humiliate and degrade the female, hoping to teach others a valuable lesson, but it never worked out as well as he hoped. The she wolves were so confounded by their lust for rank and respect, it still led them to try their luck.
Even during his ruts, he chose to go through them alone rather than risk having a female with him. He practised caution from the very start. He hunkered down in his underground dungeon away from his pack members completely, because during the actual event, he lost all control. He knew that if he came across a female during his rut, he would give in to his instincts, burying himself to the hilt deep inside, and sinking his teeth into the she wolf, effectively marking her as his own. The complications that could follow would then completely destroy his reputation. For one, he could end up with an unsuitable mate. She could be ugly, an insufferable know-it-all, aggravating and a power hungry bitch. He would then be stuck with her, unable to kill her as he would in turn kill himself, forced to continue his reign utterly miserable and full of regret. So, he sorted himself out, continuously beating the baton raw for the entirety of the three days, whilst imagining his perfect mate was there with him.
The only time he would ever give in to his instincts was when he was nearing retirement and needed an heir. Only then would he choose a mate for himself and breed her, giving him a son to carry on the lineage. Until then, he had many years ahead of him to remain focused on becoming Rulids strongest and wealthiest pack in the Realm.
A soft knock on the door announced Vern's return with Nick.
"Enter!" Garret called in his Alpha voice.
Vern and Nick entered the office, keeping their heads respectfully bowed and stood side by side in front of Garrets huge desk, waiting for the Alpha to begin.
"Nick, has Vern told you anything about why I have summoned you here?"
Nick lifted his head to look him in the eye. "Vaguely, Alpha. He mentioned that we have received a letter from the Silver Moon pack because they are now too weak to carry out border patrols off their own back?"
Garret threw his head back and laughed, finding amusement at his Beta and Gamma's degrading the weak Alpha.
"You are partially correct." He chuckled, gesturing for the two wolves to be seated. He lowered himself back into his seat at the same time as his friends. "You see, Alpha Harry and Luna Rhianna don't just run their pack. They also lead their own part of an army of humans, named the FREE. Have you heard of them?"
Vern and Nick nodded, slowly, wondering why, and how, the couple had managed to accomplish such things when werewolves were feared and shunted by humans in their Realm.
"Rumour has it that the FREE are the only army that has managed to vanquish the Order of Verdicts in their path to rule over other Realms..." Nick said in a curious voice.
Vern nodded. "And that they have dragons, as well as wolves, witches and vampires, on their side. They're practically invincible!"
Garret nodded. "That's correct. I seriously doubt the rumour about dragons is true, but they have enlisted the Silver Moon as their allies, hence why Alpha Harry has been in contact. According to him, there have been quite a few Order vermin spotted around both our borders by FREEs outposts. He has 'offered' to send us assistance in tracking down the bastards and keeping our peace treaty intact."
Vern and Nick both cocked unimpressed eyebrows.
"Are you seriously thinking of accepting his offer?" Nick asked Garret, bravely.
Garret puffed up his chest in fury. No one questioned the young Alpha, particularly his second and third in command!
"I-I'm sorry, Alpha!" Nick immediately backed down, dropping out of his chair to his knees. "P-please? I meant no offence by it..."
Garret rose out of his seat in a deliberate show of authority, glaring down at his cowering gamma.
"Do you really think that I would be that stupid?! I will not accept any assistance from a weaker pack! However, I am intrigued to find out what this Alpha Harry is like in person..." he pondered aloud, beginning to pace back and forth behind his desk. "What say you to humouring this 'Alpha' and arranging a meeting? Find out what he knows and how exactly he could 'benefit' us?"
Vern nibbled on his lip as he thought it through. "It would be interesting. Would we be going to his territory?"
"No." Garret huffed, facing his friends. "He would have to come to us. Their pack have temporarily relocated to another Realm, hence why Luna Rhianna came to me for the peace treaty all those years ago. She wanted to ensure their territory remained untouched by any rivals should that happen."
"Huh?" Nick blanched. "But we have seen patrols on their borders..."
"They must have left some to scout the area." Garret shrugged. "I suspect their involvement with FREE has given them additional manpower to use at their disposal."
"Sir..." Vern mumbled, warily. "Now you mention that... I'm beginning to think this might be an attempt to overpower us..."
The Alpha stopped his pacing, looking his second in the eye, silently urging him to continue.
"W-what I'm saying, is that they're trying to blame the Order for a savage attempt to start a war with us. Our patrols haven't reported any sightings of Order of Verdicts, how come they have been seeing them? Also, if Luna Rhianna had approached you for the peace treaty to protect her land while she was in a different Realm, only for the new human Alpha to contact you pretending to be concerned for both our packs borders... doesn't that seem strange to you?"
Garret's eyes widened. "You're right! That is very suspicious..." he marched to his seat and sat down again, leaning his elbows on the desk with his brow furrowed in thought. "We won't know unless we ask him face to face. We will have Elder Gretel watching him closely for any signs of deceit on his side." His mind made up, Garret looked at his Gamma. "Increase the training of our warriors and guards for the next three days. Vern, contact Alpha Harry and his Luna. Suggest they come to us for a meeting in three days time, regarding this... tricky position we're both in. Make it sound like we're as friendly towards them as they are towards us." He added with a smirk. "I want you to come across as if we are becoming close pals, instead of just mere neighbours. When this impertinent Alpha arrives for our 'feast', we will come across as friendly and welcoming, giving him our best... women and entertainment to bring his guard down, then we should be able to torture him enough to find out what his true intentions are!"
Vern mirrored the sneer back at his Alpha and got up to make his leave with Nick.
"We will see if this Alpha Harry is as genuine as he makes out..." Garret muttered, snidely, as his friends left his office.