Apart from the fact that my mate was mistreated, I love the Night Howlers pack. From the little, I've seen so far of it. Alpha Nate is a man of good standard and quality taste. I love the way his pack is structured and resources utilized. The Night Howlers pack's standard of living is top-notch considering the fact that it's not even among the first five largest packs in North America.
My dad already appointed Alpha Nate as my trusted representative aka seconds, who will act in my stead in all matters concerning the duel. It's the job of the seconds to make all of the arrangements in advance, including where the duel will be held, how long the duel would last, and what conditions will end the duel, like if the duel will be a fight to the death or the fight would go on until the first blood is drawn.
According to the duel law, as soon as the duel date is set, Justin and I can no longer communicate with each other until after the duel, no matter what the situation may be. Whatever message he might want to communicate with me must be sent through his own seconds to mine who would, in turn, relate the message to me
I realize someone must have notified Alpha Nate of our arrival when I see his Beta already waiting inside the pack house gate, dressed sharply in a suit and looking like he would normally not bother to look in the direction of Shifters like us who are dressed so casually to a meeting with his Alpha
"Welcome and my condolences on your father's death," He said stiffly to me like he was forced to
One would think Alpha Nate would have confided in his Beta that my dad's death was just a piece of fake news we deliberately allowed to spread so we can catch those who were involved in his attempted assassination. Maybe they aren't that close with each other as much as I'm close with Eric. I would have told Eric if I was in Alpha Nate's shoes, I trust him with my life.
"Thank you" I also reply curtly to him with a nod and he turns immediately as if he's been remote-controlled, not saying anything further, just walking ahead of us while we follow behind him.
We were not introduced the first time we met at the hospital and he didn't bother to introduce himself when he came to welcome us to this meeting with his Alpha but who cares? He doesn't look like he likes me too much and I also don't give a shit! Hell! He doesn't look like he's ever liked anyone in his stuck-up life.
'What's wrong with this clown?' Even Ivar who is meeting him for the first time sensed he's a stuck-up nitwit when he interrupts my thoughts to ask through our mind link.
'Search me!' I reply. 'He walks and acts like he was born with a rod shoved deep into his ass; If I ever look like that guys, shoot me, please!' I say
Eric suddenly burst out laughing
"What the fuck man!" He says out loud while laughing at the same time, making me wonder if he had forgotten we were talking through the mind link.
Mr 'stick-up my ass' on his part just continues matching forward, paying no attention to us.
As we approach a room with the word 'Alpha' engraved on its door. My body suddenly goes tense and my wolf instinctively rises to the surface, alert and in an attack stance, ready to rip into some jugulars
'What's going on in there? Did my dad trust the wrong Alpha? Is Alpha Nate in cohort with Evelyn and Justin all these years? Are we being ambushed?' I wonder
'I sense trouble. They're waiting for us behind that door!' I growl through our mind link
'Yeah, I also sense it' Eric says and immediately moves from walking on my left to in front of me while Ivar moves from my right to walk behind me in single file formation. Eric to provide me security and handle any threat that might appear at the front while Ivar from the rear.
Not that I need to be protected like some weakling since non can rival my fighting skill among my men, but because as the next Alpha of the biggest park in North America, they now must make sure I'm protected from any form of assassination attempt on my life
The door opens and Alpha Nate's Beta precedes us through the door.
"They're here!" He announced to Alpha Nate and whoever is in the room with him.
We enter and even though my instincts already warned me about other wolves apart from Alpha Nate waiting for me at what is supposed to be a private meeting with my seconds, I'm still surprised and find it hard to believe that Alpha Nate, aka my seconds, didn't consider it necessary to give me a heads up
I'm not too surprised to see Evelyn and Justin huddling together on a sofa though. Even though we're not supposed to make contact before the duel no matter what the situation may be, I know they will want to do everything within their power to get out of the duel since they thought they successfully murdered my father. I just wonder what their game plan is and how it's supposed to play out
Another wolf that I sense must be a council cop sit away from the mother and son. Council cops are always freakishly big with strength that usually can't be compared to other shifters so they would be able to overpower any beast they want to arrest no matter how powerful. I wonder why they brought a council cop along with them. Who was he there to arrest? Me?
"What a surprise, Alpha Nate!" I say and smile coldly at him.
"As I was surprised just now myself!" He quickly replies, pleading with his eyes for me to understand. I give him a 'we shall see' kind of nod. I would really hate for the distinguished Alpha Nate to make an enemy of me if he truly betrayed my dad's trust to our enemies
"Please sit!" Alpha Nate says as I hear Eric command Ivar through our mind link to go guide the door. We're about to start a show and none of the shifters in that office would find it funny.
"Evelyn... Brother dear" I say toward them with a nod as Eric and I settle on the other sofa.
"How dare you say my name through your filthy mouth, you barbarian bastard!" Evelyn suddenly burst out. "You are not worthy to say my name, murderer! Monster!' she screams as she lunges herself toward where we're sitting
"Come on mother stop! Allow the council official to do his job!" Justin says, holding his mother back from attacking me
I laugh
"Wow!..." I say in disbelief. Now she's calling me a murderer! Who did I murder? I wonder. Is it my father that is currently recuperating? And the council officer? Is he really here to arrest me? I thought but chuckles again.
Mother and son are real drama queens, I must give it to them! I was amazed to see Justin who would normally instigate a fight against me holding his mother back from attacking me. But the real drama queen's crown goes to Evelyn.
I see from how badly her eyes are red and swollen that she's been crying. How she can be this hysterical and cry so hard when we both know she didn't really give a shit about my father is beyond me. She's a good actress. Even I respect how she was able to convince the Council enough to send one of their officials along with them after a duel has been scheduled to take place.
I would love for her to attack me again though, this time I want to see her wolf come for me since I can't do anything to her human form because she is a woman. But if it was her wolf form that attacked me, the law won't blame me if I sever her head from her neck and hand it over to her son as a souvenir.
The council police also stand to help bring Evelyn who is struggling with her son back to her seat while Alpha Nate remains where he's sitting, looking bored with a mocking expression on his face. Well, maybe I'm wrong about him. Maybe he was surprised by their visit the same way I was surprised
"Can anybody please tell me what this drama is all about?" I ask no one in particular. "I don't have all day! I have a meeting to attend with my seconds!" I growl.
Evelyn stop crying then and point at me
Council police, that is the son of a bitch that murdered my mate, the Alpha of the Silver Moon pack, and his Beta. Please arrest him! And without wasting time the council police turn his cold hard glare at me.