“They are all young ones left, Alpha,” Mark said to Keith as the Alpha studied the boy.
“Can I trust you, boy?” Keith’s eyes burned into the boy’s who didn’t shiver under his piercing gaze.
“I am loyal to the twelve order, Alpha. And to you.”
Keith watched him for a while like he was considering, weighing his options. “That will do.” He said and relaxed back on the seat.
“The rouges, they hide out in the quarry and converge almost every week, usually once, cautious like they know we are unto them.”
Keith stroked his chin. “He is being careful, and watchful.”
“We should attack and drive them out, Alpha. They carry out their operations in your territory.” Shelby suggested. “The longer they are allowed to remain here, the more wolves they are likely to get on their side.”
“And what is his driving force?” Keith asked. “What does he use to convince them?”
The boys went silent instantly and turned to look at each other, none of them wanting to be the one to tell him, Keith noticed and he sat up, he kept his attention right on Mark and nudged him by the shoulder. “Speak up, Mark.”
Mark swallowed and let out a quiet breath from his mouth. “He uses the incident from ten years ago, and says you are quiet about it because you fear the vampires. He tells them that you have grown weak and soft and they cannot be safe for long under your rule.”
“Bloody hell, he has the guts.” Keith was surprisingly calm, his expression showed anger but the tone of his voice carried no such emotions. “Hunter.”
The breakaway was not one thing he had anticipated but it was not something he had been surprised about either, he knew the kid had a lot of hot blood in him, he was younger and lacked the amount of experience Keith had. They had been close, close enough as brothers but the betrayal hadn’t hurt as much, Keith had already been used to disappointments
“How is she doing?” Mark asked.
He sighed but maintained his cold gaze before responding. “What can I say? She’s doing better? Still the same?”
“Alpha, we need to act out…” Mark began but Keith cut him off, knowing what he wanted to say.
“The rouges are growing and in my territory, I understand your concerns. Let me know when they are likely to converge again, I want to lead the attack this time.”
“I’m not referring to the rouges this time but against the vampires, the ones who put her in the condition she now is in.” Mark leaned in closer to Keith.
“We have been over this same topic for years now and my answer, my reply would still be the same as it has been for the past ten years. The answer is no, I cannot do that.”
“But Keith, your silence could make them think we are weak, or afraid.” Mark pressed on.
Keith leaned forward, anger in his expression and in his voice. He yelled. “Which we are not!”
“It is what Hunter is preaching to members of the pack to make them go rouge with him,” Mark replied back without flinching. “And he is fast winning them over. You let him do what he is doing on your territory, you give him the freedom and he is brave enough to put doubts in the hearts of your pack members who do not know you as we do, you need to show them Alpha.”
He sighed and looked out the window, he understood their point and the angle from which they were coming but, “I made a promise to her, that I would allow her to get her own revenge.”
“But she cannot! Not right now, not in the state she is in.”
“A promise is s promise Mark and you know I am bound to my words as an Alpha.” He gritted his teeth and fisted his palms. “More than you lot, I want to pay back, double in a pound of flesh and bones and blood.” as he spoke his anger grew. “But I simply cannot.”
“You may be bound to the promise you had made to her, but we certainly are not bound to any such promises.”
“Yes, that’s right.” Shelby supported Mark and Keith knew the rest of the boys shared the same ideal as him.
“We only ask that you allow us to do this, let us seek revenge for her, this not only affects her but the whole pack as well.”
Keith sighed, he could not let them, the revenge was hers to carry out. “No, sit this one out.”
“For how long Keith?”
“For as long as it would take!” he yelled at them in anger, his fingernails grew into claws and fangs dropped from his teeth. He huffed and puffed before he was finally able to calm down and he settled back into his human form. “For as long as it would take,” he repeated.
The boys mumbled and groaned, they knew that without the go-ahead from Keith, anything they would do would attract a fine punishment and their Alpha was one known for dishing out punishments like free candy.
“How about we keep her alive but just show her a reminder that we have not forgotten what she had done ten years ago,” Sebastian suggested
That idea did seem to please Keith and he focused his attention on him, his fingers stroked his jaw and he deeply considered it. “I want her to remain alive and in good health.”
“We promise not to do anything that would damage that.” another chipped in, loving the idea and pleased that Keith was getting into it.
He sighed and looked out the window again. He could not harm her as he was bound to a promise but he knew his pack could, and they would. He turned to face Mark who now seemed to be the leader of this small proposal, he trusted Mark so he gave his approval and nodded his head.
“I will allow that.”