A Wolf's Tear

thirty eight: control

~•°•~

His long legs strode to his office, carrying his weight begrudgingly. He motivated himself, to think deeper and analyze the situation. Things weren’t over, Nathaniel was sure of it. No matter how he put it, there was an impending sense of doom just hovering over his head. His wolf could feel it too.

It could just be his imagination but he could swear to see a silent exchange between Frank Remmington and the wolves who took him to their holding cell underneath the packhouse. Before he acted with his blade, confirmation was his priority.

As pack leader, there was always a sense of fleeting happiness knowing that every one of his wolves was in a capacity to be trusted. In his mind, that was why he was proud of being Alpha Morris.

The assurance of having no snakes in the grass was an uplifting thought, one he sought for.

But right now, he knew what must be done. The well has been tainted and the water poisoned by wolves with cruel intentions. And to restore its purity, a culling of wolves was in order.

In his office, Nathaniel booted his computer on. His fingers typed the names of the wolves that took Frank, all ten of them. It was his duty to screen the wolves that came in his border, or it used to be. A couple of years ago when Lilian had convinced him to give up his duty to screen the wolves applying to be a wolf of pack Morris, he thought nothing of it.

He hoped it was only a coincidence.

‘I am a wolf of pack Morris, Nathaniel. My father won the title of Beta and as his oldest, it seems right that I need to contest the title too.’ She proudly spoke, conviction dripping from her voice.

‘Lively Grimes is also competing, you know.’ He answers.

‘Ugh, that wolf. The only thorn on my side. But just because she’s more agile with her blades, doesn’t mean I can rule out the possibility of me winning.’

By the end of selection day, Lilian won by a landslide as Lively decided to go on a date with Winston that day.

She had often grimaced at Lively, noting how she could choose a man over the title of Beta. It led to a bitter but friendly misunderstanding between them.

Lilian of all wolves was a friend, a close one. She was there when the title of Alpha Morris was given to him and there at every single achievement Nathaniel had attained after. She was his right hand and having all these thoughts made him nauseous.

Her betrayal would be grave.

The names, the photos, the addresses, and just about every significant personal record he needed were on his screen. He sifted through them, hawk-eyed and meticulous. There were no inconsistencies. As expected of his Beta, the records were spotless. There were videos including Lilian talking to the wolves and interviewing them. It also showed them signing documents. It was indeed a confirmation. Their membership was legitimate and went it all went through Lilian.

This should have been enough to rock his doubts away.

But that feeling was still there. Wreaking havoc in his depths. It was a big monster that threatened to devour every single thing in its wake.

There was no room for mistakes. To overlook them now would just be plain old stupid.

He locks his jaw, still in doubt.

Records stored in a computer were easily manipulated and doctored. Which meant keeping copies on paper was a rule.

Nathaniel opened his cabinet and drawers. He brought the wolves’ profiles out and spread them on his desk. As he gazed upon the papers on his hand, his heart becomes constricted with the truth or parts of it.