Chapter Seven #3
Not that I would want to hear stuff like that, but I refused to be the hardass wannabe dictator Hezekiah had been.
He had won the rank through fighting and held it by gaining respect, but he hadn’t exactly been the world’s greatest diplomat.
A fair amount of the “respect” he’d received from those under his rule was actually fear, because he’d made it clear what would happen if they went against him.
Once I had my coffee, I started walking around the common areas of the house while more and more guests appeared.
I was polite to all of them, trying to present myself as someone they could speak with.
Despite the months of having the Anax power try to convince me that I was superior to everyone else—even Kyle—I didn’t want to think of myself that way.
I was in charge, but I wanted to be in charge in a collaborative way.
Even if that didn’t make a hell of a lot of sense.
Kyle joined me a few minutes later, and right behind him came an Alpha I hadn’t spoken to in several months and wasn’t sure I was glad to see.
Piotr Mazur had risen to the rank of Alpha of Prairie Pack after the massacre.
As Peacekeeper of the pack, Piotr hadn’t gone on the hunting trip during which the attack had occurred.
Since he was the highest-ranked left alive, he’d become Alpha.
He struck me as a very rules-based man, arguably better suited for Alpha than Peacekeeper, and as someone who had his pack’s best interests in mind.
Unfortunately, those best interests had included demanding Quinn leave the pack when the truth of how Quinn had ended up in Prairie territory came out, a story the deceased pack Beta had ordered Quinn to keep between the two of them.
Tired of arguing, and with far too much understanding of what Quinn had been through, I’d ordered Piotr to formally eject Quinn so I could declare Quinn one of my wolves.
I still held a grudge against Piotr, but somehow, I managed to force a smile and shake the man’s hand. “Alpha. How is it in North Dakota?”
“We’re doing all right, Anax.” He lowered his gaze. “Lois sends her regards. The wolves you sent us at the first of the year are settling in quite well, and Thomas has taken on the role of handyman for Lois since she’s been struggling with upkeep on the house since we lost Gunnar.”
All three of us bowed our heads at that name. Gunnar was the Prairie Pack Alpha killed in the massacre. His mate Lois had become Beta when Piotr became Alpha, and I’d talked her through her fear of embracing the rank. A memory which had helped me understand why I was struggling with the Anax power.
“How’s Jilly?” Kyle asked. “Michael says he hasn’t heard from her in a while.”
“She’s in the hospital.” Piotr’s voice dropped.
Jilly, age nine if my math was correct, had leukemia.
Her biological mother and adoptive father were Prairie wolves.
Although Jilly hadn’t been formally named a pack member, everyone in Prairie Pack considered her one of them. “They’re doing everything they can.”
“Oh, shit,” Kyle breathed. “I’m going to have to tell Michael. Or tell Trey.”
“Tell Trey,” I said. “Breaking the news to Michael should be his father’s job.” How the hell did you tell an eight-year-old that one of his closest friends was going to die? Michael knew Jilly was sick, but I wasn’t sure if he knew death was a possibility.
Then again, Michael was psychic, with abilities stronger than most of us realized. He probably did know.
“Thank you for letting us know, Alpha,” I said.
“I’ll reach out to Riley and Catriona directly to find out if there’s anything I can do.
” I’d offered previously to help them with expenses, but they’d turned me down.
The pack helped as they could with Jilly’s medical bills, and Riley and Catriona didn’t want charity from the Anax.
But under the circumstances, maybe they would let me give them some kind of assistance. “Are your pack members awake yet?”
“Maelin is in the front room. I haven’t seen Rayleigh yet.” He sighed. “I was reluctant to bring my two trackers, but I had no other viable choice. Obviously it wouldn’t have been wise to bring Cyrus or Thomas.”
“No.” Those were two of the six City members who had demanded to leave the pack just after Christmas.
They were the ones who had caused the least upheaval, so I’d sent them to Piotr to help rebuild Prairie’s numbers.
Having them here, where they would encounter their old Alpha and packmates in the house where they’d hunted for years, wouldn’t have benefited anyone.
“Riley and Catriona need to stay close to Jilly,” Piotr said. “And I wasn’t about to bring my healer. I appreciate all the help you’ve given us since last June, Anax. I wanted to talk to you about finding a few additional members.”
“We can discuss it.” The previous fall, when half of the Anax’s guards had requested to leave because they didn’t want to work for me, I’d sent a couple of them to Piotr as well.
But that still left Prairie as one of the smallest packs in the country, with twelve members plus Jilly.
To my knowledge, only Boston North, with ten werewolves plus Michael, who had been formally declared a member of the pack despite being human, was smaller.
“If you’re willing to speak at the meeting, you can let the other alphas know you have room in your pack for some additional members.
They might have some who need a change of scenery.
I’ll be happy to help you vet any potential transfers. ”
“Thank you, Anax.” He looked surprised. “I appreciate that. Yes, I will speak at the meeting.”
“I’ll make sure to give you the opportunity after I’ve gone through all of the introductions.
You’ll be the first on the agenda.” After I’d gone through all of the introductions.
All twelve arkhons and all three hundred-plus alphas.
That would take most of the morning. “Alpha, if you’ll excuse us, I need to check in with a few others before the meeting starts. ”
“Of course. Thank you for your time, Anax.” He nodded to Kyle, who nodded back, and walked away.
Kyle touched my arm. “Okay? You’re tense as hell.”
“I’m probably going to be until this is over.” I sighed and looked toward the kitchen. “You don’t have coffee yet. Go on and get some. Food, too. I’ll be around here somewhere.”
“Sure.” He scanned the room. “Okay. Guards are in place. I’ll be right back.”
“What…”
Before I could finish the question, he was hurrying toward the buffet tables.
Gazing around the room, I spotted Seth in the doorway between the front room and the dining room, and Xavier in the front entryway.
Davion wasn’t in sight, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t doing his job.
Only that he was in a part of the house I couldn’t see from where I was standing.
Mandeep was around somewhere too, acting in his dual capacity as guard and my assistant.
The guards were on duty. Something I’d never had to deal with before becoming Arkhon. Something I wished I didn’t have to deal with now, but the reality was, my life was in danger simply because I was Anax. And Kyle’s was in danger because he was my mate.
Shortly before nine, I raised my voice, knowing that enough of the guests would hear me to send word around to those out of earshot.
“Everyone, please proceed to the basement and take your seats. Arkhons and alphas, your spots are labeled. All other guests, sit where you wish, following the directions of your leaders. Go now.”
A flood of people headed toward the basement stairs, and I made a mental note to talk to the architect and find out whether it would be possible to add a second set of stairs from the first floor to the basement before next year.
I hadn’t taken into account how ridiculous it would be to try to get several hundred people to the basement down a single, relatively narrow staircase.
I stayed in the dining room with Kyle, watching to ensure that everyone went where they were supposed to go.
Not directing them; that was Mandeep’s role, and he’d gotten Ren to assist him.
Even though Ren wasn’t officially part of the gathering, I was glad Mandeep had given him something to do.
I made a mental note to tell Mandeep to watch that Ren didn’t encounter any of the Connecticut Pack wolves.
Without knowing who had assaulted him, I couldn’t be sure that none of his attackers had accompanied Enzo, and Ren damn sure didn’t need to be around the people who had hurt him.
Kyle didn’t speak as we stood there. Silence wasn’t always his friend, but he could keep his mouth shut when necessary, and right now, as much as I hated it, it was necessary.
Some of those who passed us shot us looks that all too clearly showed their contempt for their male Anax’s male mate, and I didn’t want to attract any more vitriol than we would already face.
Especially for Kyle’s sake. Even though he said he’d chosen this life, he hadn’t actually had much choice.
He’d just come along for the ride because the alternative was to not be with me anymore.
And he’d faced far too much hatred and threats as it was solely because he was my mate.
It took nearly half an hour for everyone to make their way from the first and second floors down to the basement. Finally, Seth came over to me. “It’s clear, Anax.”
“Thank you, Seth.” I closed my eyes for a second, then took Kyle’s hand. “All right. Let’s do this.”