- Caleb -
Dinner with Nathan went better than I believed it would. Alpha Nathan and Yannis weren't happy about our relationship at first, but we managed to convince them. The rest of the dinner went by quickly. Cole came back down and was all thrilled about me becoming part of the pack. I don't know what I did to get him to like me, but I'll take it. We continued talking about how to come out to the pack. We agreed we wouldn't tell anyone until Nathan and I tell my pack, which we plan to do on Wednesday. Nathan's dad seemed very accepting of us after the whole interrogation. Although, I don't think Alpha Yannis is completely on board with the situation. I couldn't smell anything coming from her, but she didn't seem so happy about Nathan and me being mates. They said it will be difficult for the River Valley pack to accept me as Alpha because I'm a guy. I learned that homosexuality is a delicate subject for domestics since they live alongside humans, and they adopted many of their beliefs. Gay couples are accepted and tolerated, to a certain degree, but not among high-ranked members, especially Alphas. Guess I'll have to earn my spot in this pack as well. Fortunately, I have my mate to help me this time.
It was starting to get late, and I decided to head home, I'm still a member of the Lazarus pack after all. The wind howls, chillingly brushing against my skin, as I walk in the dark. The forest is darker than usual, the only illumination coming from small gaps in the clouds showing the stars and moon, shining a dim light. The tall trees make it even harder to see, but I'm able to see because I'm a werewolf. The forest is quiet as well, I can only hear leaves crushing under my feet as I walk slowly in the wilderness. A smile paints my mouth thinking about Nathan. My heart beats passionately, we are so close to being together.
- Caleb! – a sound in the distance catches my attention. A familiar figure approaches me quickly.
- Nile? – I say a little confused. He seems agitated, making me worry. – Are you okay? – I say when he reaches me.
- Quick, the Whitlock pack arrived. They are asking for a meeting. – he says agitated. What?!
- What do you mean? – I wonder, starting to get flustered.
- They showed up on the western border. Alpha Alaric is meeting up with them at his house. You can still make it. – he says quickly.
- Shit. – I simply say and start running.
The Alpha's house isn't too far away, I can make it within five minutes. I accelerate, leaving the scout behind easily. Entering the town, many wolves are out. I can feel the tension in the air even at this speed. What is the Whitlock pack doing here? That confirms it, the scouts, currently captive, belong to them. Fuck. Just speaking to them can endanger our relationship with River Valley and hunters. This can't be good news, not if Alaric agreed to a meeting so quickly. Making my way through the masses, I reach the Alpha's house. It's surrounded by my wolves, all pending and ready to fight.
- Sorry, coming through. – I say, walking between a small group.
- Good, you're here. – Nymeria says.
- I heard what's going on, are they here yet? – I ask, walking up to her. Alaric is not around.
- No, my dad is waiting in the living room. Gregory and Convel will be here in no time. – she explains briefly.
- Any word on how many they are? –
- 12. – Lawrence's voice says from behind. – Now listen, your father has agreed to let you guys inside. You are to listen and remain quiet, okay? – he states firmly.
- Yes. – we agree.
- Good, now stand up straight, they are almost here. – he says standing beside Nymeria.
We stand just outside the main entrance and wait for them to arrive. Okay, they are twelve, we outnumber them greatly. They won't try anything, not surrounded by the entire pack. I take a deep breath to relax. Not long, Gregory and Convel made their appearance, accompanied by the Elites, and, of course, foreign rogues. The Whitlock pack may be small, but they are fierce warriors, we shouldn't underestimate them. That beast of Beta in Command is so tall he stands out from everyone. Compared to his Alpha who is 5'9, he looks way more intimidating. They walk confidently, his pack behind them. They don't appear nervous or threatened in the least. They stop just outside the house. Gregory and Convel escort the Alpha and his Beta and opens the door. They didn't even bother glancing at us, just carried on like nothing. We waited a second before following them inside and closing the door behind us. We made our way to the living room; Alaric is standing in the middle of the room serious, with a dead look in his eyes. Nymeria immediately stood next to her father, and I found my place next to Convel's.
- Alpha Alaric, a pleasure to see you. – the rogue alpha says friendly, with a smile on his face.
- Likewise, now what do you need? – he says harshly. He's not joking.
- Nice to see you haven't changed, as blunt as always. – the other responds with a friendly tone. – I thought you'd be more welcoming to an old pal. – he adds.
- Not when you show up unannounced and demand a meeting. Now, what do you want Klyn? – he cuts to the chase seriously.
- You have something that belongs to me. A couple of scouts. – he says rather seriously yet respectfully enough to not be considered a threat.
- What makes you think we have them? – the older Alpha says.
- Well, you see. Tybalt, here, is not just extremely strong and tall, he's an amazing tracker as well. – he points out. – He tracked our missing members here, to your pack. I believe they are in a cave up North. – he adds confidently, he knows exactly where they are.
- So? – Alaric answers nonchalantly.
- We want them back. – he simply states, a little sarcastically.
- They were spying on our territory, why do you think they are still alive? – he says lowly, very intimidating.
- We sent them to spy on the domestics, not you. They were captured by hunters and probably brought to you to identify them. There's no reason to kill them, that would be a declaration of war. – Klyn points out.
- Is that a threat? – the other asks menacingly.
- I would never threaten the great Lazarus pack, the strongest rogue pack... – he assures truthfully. - Well, at least you were. Now, what, you settled to become domestics? – he spits that last word.
- Are you questioning my leadership? – Alaric says threatening, he's not having any of the younger Alpha's attitude.
- What? Of course, not. But I refuse to believe that you suddenly decided to settle down just like that. You're at the top, unstoppable. Everyone knows you're planning on attacking the River Valley pack. It's only a matter of time before you do. – he exclaims excitedly.
What does he mean by everyone? Does other rogue pack believe that all this is part of a plan to take over River Valley? Whitlock pack is from the South, which means that rumors have spread all the way there, perhaps across the country. I doubt he's the only one who heard these rumors and is interested in meddling. This means, there might be more rogue packs heading our way. That is bad news for us. Alaric maintains his posture and temper, simply staring at him and analyzing his next move.
- I didn't just come here for my scouts. I want to make a proposition. – he adds swiftly.
- And what is it? – Alaric says uninterested.
- Let's join packs. Let me marry your daughter, and I can guarantee we'll wipe the River Valley pack from existence. – he offers sadistically. - We almost did it and it was just six of us. - he says mockingly.
I turn to look at Nymeria with a disgusted expression on her face. She doesn't like the idea, not one bit. My blood starts to boil with his words, this mother fucker wants to kill hundreds. Not just hundreds, he wants to kill Nathan. How dare he purpose such a barbaric thing? He saw all the buildings; he can't be stupid enough to think this is all part of a bigger plan to take down River Valley. No, he wants power, he wants to become the Alpha of the Lazarus pack.
- No. You are married... -
- Not anymore. – Klyn says softly, a little sad.
- I'm sorry for your loss, but Nymeria is already promised to another. – Alaric rejects immediately.
- Our packs united will be unstoppable. – he tried reasoning.
- But we already are. The trip here must've made you tired. What makes you think we need help from a Southern pack? – he exclaims with a strong tone, sounding intimidating and fierce.
- Then allow me to help you. We could easily take them down, their security... - he insists but is quickly interrupted.
- The fact that you think we want war, proves you don't know what this pack needs. We won't attack River Valley, we made a peace treaty with them, and the fact that your pack's here endangers our agreement. I want to make this clear... The Lazarus pack has settled down; I will let your scouts go as a sign of friendship and respect, but if you ever send spies again or try and attack us, we won't hesitate and kill every single last member of your pack. – he says seriously yet calmly.
The rogue Alpha just stands there, trying to give his best poker face. He's upset and disappointed by hearing this. Tybalt stands by his side, not saying a word or portraying any emotion. Having him so close I can see he's taller than I remember. Did he just get taller, is that even possible? The man is built like a mountain, muscular and broad. The Alpha next to him looks insignificant, but he shows so much respect and submissiveness whenever Klyn looks at him. They know they are outnumbered and outmatched, it would be stupid for them to attack.
- I understand. – Klyn says seriously, looking at all of us. His eyes stop at me, and he stares at me for a while before speaking. – Have we met before? – he asks more calmly. I turn to look at Alaric for permission.
- He's Caleb. Nymeria and he will be the future of this pack. – Alaric states firmly. Something in the way he phrased it sounded odd, but I don't pay much attention and redirect my focus on the rogues.
- I see. A pleasure to meet you. – he says unsure, still trying to figure out where he saw me. I simply nod. – Well, we don't want to intrude anymore. Good seeing you Alaric. – he says and turns around
Convel and Gregory escort them back to the West border. That was extremely tense. Alaric was so adamant about his position as a settled pack and Klyn didn't like it one bit. If he weren't surrounded 5 to 1, he would've probably attacked us. Yeah, that's exactly how strong the Lazarus pack is. Rogue packs normally are up to 10-17 members. It's hard to keep everyone alive in the wilderness and being hunted by hunters and other rogues. Yet, Alaric managed to increase our numbers even more. The Lazarus pack has more than 60 members. As Klyn said, we were the strongest rogue pack in the country, maybe even the continent.
Alaric wants us to have a pack meeting. He's speaking lowly with Lawrence about future actions while Nymeria and I remain quiet and listen, waiting patiently for everyone to arrive. It's not long before Convel and Gregory come back. The twins, Marissa, Dyrus, and my father entered the room as well. That's weird, why are they here? This is a pack meeting. My dad smiles and waves at me friendly. Maya and Luke seem confused about their presence in the room.
- Elites are patrolling the West just like you commanded. – Gregory informs respectfully.
- Good. – he says. – The Whitlock pack is going to be a problem if they decided to stick around. We have to figure out a plan. – he states.
- I don't think they'll bother us anymore. – Gregory chimes in.
- Not us but River Valley. – he says. – We have a treaty; we need to figure out a course of action, whether we warn them and fight alongside them or simply ignore the problem. – he says more clearly.
- I don't think it would be wise to rush into their conflict. – Convel says respectfully. – We don't want to call other rogues pack's attention. –
- I disagree. – Nymeria says, participating with a newly found confidence – The word is already out; Whitlock pack thinks us weak for settling down. They'll regroup and try to find a weak spot to attack. –
- They lost the element of surprise, and they know we outnumbered them greatly. We are not like domestic packs; our soldiers are strong and well trained; we would kill them. It would be foolish for them to do such a thing. – Gregory speaks.
- I agree with Nymeria. – I join in. Everyone turns to me and looks at me expectantly. – They are looking for blood. Alpha Klyn is single and made it clear he's more than willing to ally by marrying someone to become stronger. Nothing is stopping him from uniting with another pack to attack us. And even if they don't, other rogues will come to lurk as well. – I explain further.
- So, what do you guys suggest? – Alaric asks us, giving us his full attention, just like the rest of the members present.
- I say we join forces with River Valley. They have numbers and know the area. Besides, we will strengthen our relationship with them. – Nymeria says smartly.
- That would only anger more rogues and encourage them to attack. – Convel argues firmly.
- So, what? We are two of the strongest packs in the country, we can protect each other better together than alone. – she points out.
- That won't stop rogues from attacking us. Nothing assures us that River Valley will have our back in any case... - Convel starts speaking but is interrupted by Lawrence.
- I beg to differ. – the elder speaks calmly. – Caleb saved the Alpha's son. They are more than thankful for that. If anything, I believe, they will accept that deal without a doubt. –
- You are right Lawrence. – Gregory is the one to say. – But so does Convel, we are not in a position for war. Our territory isn't properly fortified yet. We would have a lot of losses if rogues were to attack. – he says respectfully.
- Then we kill them. – I say simply, they all turn their heads at me quickly, looking at me like I just said something terrible.
- We can't fight against many packs. You've never been in a war kid, you don't know... - Convel tried nagging me, but I interrupt him.
- It won't take many fights, just one. We'll prove our strength with River Valley and stand our ground as a settled pack, sending a message to all rogues. If they decide to raid us, no rogue pack can compete against our packs together. – I finish saying strongly. Gregory nods in place, thinking about what just said. This is the first decision Nymeria and I have actively participated in.
- Your plan relies heavily on the participation of River Valley... – Convel states upset.
- And I think it will work. – Alaric says firmly. – It will only benefit our packs, they'll see that. I'm impressed guys. – he says with a smile on his face.
- Alaric, it's very risky... – Convel tries reasoning.
- Yeah, but we did even riskier things when we were young, remember? –
- They were different times... - the beta says.
- They feel strongly about this decision... and I trust them. Lawrence agrees as well. – the alpha says finally.
- Very well. I will send a letter to River Valley requesting a meeting as soon as possible. – Convel agrees.
Wow, I can't believe that it worked. Nymeria and I look at each other and smile happily. We just made our first decision for the pack. It feels so... fulfilling. The feeling doesn't last long as I remember that I'll have to leave eventually. It's nice I got to experience that before leaving Lazarus pack.
- Okay, but before you do that, I have an important announcement to make. – Alaric says with his usual deep voice. Everyone in the room pays attention. – You may be wondering why I asked you to be present today. – he tells the Hemmings and they nod respectfully. – There will be some changes within the future council members. – he says seriously.
Changes? What changes is he talking about? Did Dyrus do something to lose his title? I turn to him; he looks just as confused as me. Gregory and Convel are as well. What's going on?
- I've decided the next Gamma will be Luke. – he says firmly.
- What?! – Dyrus and Maya say at the same time, upset.
- Maya. – Luke tries comforting his sister.
- No! I love you, but we all know I'm stronger. I've trained all my life; I even place third in the tournament. Why does he get to be Gamma? – she asks a little hurt.
- Maya, you're a healer. We cannot risk your health by sending you to the battlefield. – Lawrence explains calmly.
- But... -
- Sweety, they are right. Be happy for your brother and accept it. – Marissa, her mother, interrupts her. She sighs angrily but doesn't complain anymore.
- Thank you for the opportunity, Alpha. I won't disappoint you. – Luke says respectfully. He has a smile on his lips, but it soon fades when he turns to see Maya, still upset and looking at the ground.
- That's good to hear. – Alaric says gladly. – As for you, Dyrus, you'll become the future Beta in Command. –
- What?! – I exclaim, the words coming off my mouth without thinking.
I can see Dyrus's smug smile grow as he hears my words. Even Convel is smiling as well. That's what he always wanted, to take my title and give it to his son. To be honest, it makes me upset seeing them so happy with me out of the picture. I don't understand what I did wrong. There's no possible way that he knows about Nathan, right? I control my heart to prevent myself from getting nervous and sweating.
- May I ask why? – I say, trying to sound calm when I'm tripping.
-Relax Caleb. - he says with a reassuringsmile on his face. – You will marry Nymeria and become the next Alpha. –