Chapter Five #2
“The first bit of advice, old friend, is to remember that while this is your home and you are the host, you aren’t alone in managing things,” Zane said.
“You know that most of the arkhons are on your side. The questionable ones…Well, you know who they are. But trust the rest of us to help you keep things in line.”
“Thank you, old friend.” I did know who the “questionable” arkhons, the ones who might not be exactly pleased about my Anax-ship, were.
I’d gained at least one new ally over the past few months, however, after the Arkhon of the Great Lakes Region challenged me for rank and died in the process.
The new Arkhon of that region, Desmond Constantine, was a good, fair man, unlike his predecessor, and I was reasonably certain I could count on Desmond to have my back.
“You may face a challenge.” Frowning, Paul gulped as Zane and I both looked at him.
“I know nothing for certain, Anax, which is why I didn’t bring it to your attention sooner.
However, Davis Gray has made his displeasure with your rule widely known, and I’m concerned that he or one of his allies might attempt to fight you for rank. ”
“If they do, they do,” I said in a tone far more blasé than I felt.
Challenge fights sucked. Especially at my current level; fights for the highest ranks were expected to end in the death of one of the combatants.
I was reasonably certain that a fight with Davis Gray, an older werewolf who had become complacent in his rank of Arkhon of the Pacific Region, wouldn’t end in my death, but I hated killing as much as I hated the thought of dying.
“If I’m challenged, I have the choice of monitor.
I’ll choose one of the wolves from the challenger’s region so there can’t be any question of favoritism when I win. ”
“With respect, mind that your confidence doesn’t cross the line into arrogance.” Zane clasped his hands in his lap. “You are the strongest wolf most of us have known, but arrogance can cause a lapse in judgment.”
“With respect,” I muttered as the Anax power reared its head.
I wrestled it back down. This was a discussion among friends.
“That’s one thing I wanted to bring up. You both know what I dealt with until a few months ago.
” I didn’t go into detail. Both of them, having interacted with me more regularly than the majority of the werewolves in the country, knew how hard I’d fought against integrating the power I’d gained along with the rank after I defeated Hezekiah.
“You’ve done an incredible job of undoing any harm you did,” Paul said. “I heard from the Alpha of Cascade Pack that you’d apologized to him, though he didn’t say what for.”
“Misplaced blame.” The werewolf who had assaulted and changed me was originally from that pack.
This spring, Jamie Pasquale, a werewolf who originated from Cascade, had joined Boston North—and reported that he was changed decades earlier during a sexual assault by my closest friend in NH-Mass Pack.
Someone fifteen-year-old me had trusted fully and had even developed a massive crush on, though other than a few mild kisses neither Harok nor I had ever acted on our attraction.
On hearing Jamie’s story, I’d struggled massively with learning that Harok had caused far more harm than I’d realized, and with guilt for not stopping him before he reached that point.
Ultimately, though, I had stopped Harok.
When I caught him preying on an underage boy in New Hampshire, I killed Harok myself, after Jed Howe refused to issue such a severe consequence.
As much as I’d cared about Harok—hell, loved him—I couldn’t let him become the same thing as the man who had changed me.
I hadn’t understood then that Harok himself was the victim of the female pack member he lived with, who controlled his every move.
I hadn’t learned until after meeting Jamie that the NH-Mass pack Beta, who became Alpha after Jed’s death, was also a predator who had convinced Harok that he owed sex in exchange for having a safe home.
I’d excoriated Chester Hartnell, the Cascade Alpha, in the wake of learning about Harok’s crime while visiting Oregon.
Chester wasn’t even the Alpha who had ruled the pack when Harok visited or when Larry Denning, the werewolf who changed me, had been a Cascade wolf.
In those days, Vincent Jacobs had ruled the pack, and Chester had served as first his Peacekeeper, then his Beta.
Several months earlier, based on reports from members of Cascade Pack, Paul had encouraged Chester to challenge Vincent for the rank.
Chester had won, and the only way now for me to make Vincent take responsibility for Larry’s or Harok’s actions would have been to hold a séance.
Realizing that, and as the Anax power settled in me and I was able to face the repercussions of what I’d done, I had called him to extend apologies and offer amends.
“I’ve been on an apology tour, I guess you could say,” I said.
Zane and Paul both looked confused. “Like on that sci fi show that was on a while back. The exploratory spaceship? Some of the crew went to a planet where they were supposed to keep a low profile, and one of them danced with a statue and was accused of public obscenity or something, so he had to go on an apology tour so he wouldn’t be put to death? ”
The blank looks told me they had zero clue what I was talking about.
Clearly not Seth MacFarlane fans. “Never mind,” I said.
“Point is, yes, I am trying to undo harm. In trying not to become Hezekiah, I came all too close to becoming him, and I hope to make up for that. That’s one of the items on the agenda for this gathering.
I want all of the arkhons and alphas to know that I fucked up but am steadier in the rank now. ”
“Are you sure that’s wise, old friend?” Zane frowned. “I believe I understand your intention, but admitting that you battled the power could be heard as weakness.”
“If it is, it is. Most of them already know that Irving Macomber died in a challenge fight against me because he didn’t believe I was competent to hold the rank.
” I folded my arms. “And Garrett Lawson is packless somewhere in the central states because he challenged me and I let him live.” And because of what he’d done to Harok, but I hadn’t made that public.
“Which some will also see as weakness. My goal, old friend, isn’t to give them more indication that I’m weak, but rather to demonstrate that I am stronger than before. ”
“We’ll back you, Tobias,” Zane said. “You know we will. But be prepared for backlash.”
“I am, and that’s what I wanted to bring up with you.
” I sighed. I hated thinking about challenge fights.
About being accused of causing harm. About a lot of things to do with being Anax of the United States, a rank I’d only fought for because of the damage Hezekiah was wreaking on the werewolves of our country and Canada.
Now wasn’t the time to dwell on how much I hated any of those things, though. From elsewhere in the house, the wonderful smell of venison and roast potatoes wafted. Supper was almost ready, and I wanted to be at the table when it was served.
“Both of you had contact with me between last June and March.” I spoke slowly, trying to put together the right words.
I probably should have rehearsed this conversation.
“You saw how sometimes the power took control, causing me to behave out of character. If either of you notices me acting in such a way, I need you to tell me. Aloud or through our bond, whichever is easier, but I need to know so I can rein it in. I haven’t had issues since Kyle helped me integrate the power, but I don’t know how it will be when I’m surrounded by other dominant wolves at an event I’m in charge of. ”
“We’ll speak up,” Paul said.
“What else?” Zane studied me. He knew me much better than Paul. “That isn’t the only thing you’re worried about.”
“No.” I bowed my head. This was the part I really wanted to avoid, but I had to be prepared for anything.
Including my own death. “If someone challenges me and wins, I need you to ensure that Kyle is taken care of. We have wills and paperwork. The house in Winthrop belongs to him if I die. My Mustang and one of the SUVs are his. The money and investments. Justin worked on the legalities with us, so he’ll step in, but legal support isn’t all Kyle will need. ”
With a grave expression, Zane nodded. “As much as I hate to think about anyone defeating you in a challenge fight, Tobias, if it occurs, Kyle will have support. We won’t leave him on his own.”
I touched my tongue to my upper lip. “And if someone else becomes Anax, please monitor them. Make sure they’re acting in the best interests of all, or at least the majority, of the country’s werewolves rather than their own.”
“Done,” Zane and Paul replied in unison.
“Thank you.” I let out a long breath. I could trust these men with my life. With Kyle’s life. And yet knowing that didn’t ease the sense of foreboding that was growing by the second. “All right. Enough of unpleasant chit chat. Let’s go eat.”
Despite the somber mood in my office, at the supper table, Zane and Paul appeared lighthearted.
I did my best to act the same way, though I felt anything but.
Zane sat beside Lara and was attentive enough to her that she kept blushing and looking down at her plate, while Paul engaged Ren in conversation about TV shows and Oregon, a place Ren apparently wanted to visit but doubted he would have a chance.
I was very pleased when Paul invited Ren to visit him in the future.