Chapter Eight #2
“Is that so?” I raised an eyebrow. “Conrad, you have shown a great deal of courage and loyalty by informing me of this. I appreciate that. You and your pack members are under my protection for the duration of this gathering.” I regarded the arkhons on my left, then the ones on my right.
“No one will interfere with the Alpha or members of Canyon Pack. If I hear of any actions or words against them, I will address it personally.”
“Yes, Anax,” a few voices, Zane’s and Paul’s most prominent among them, said. Not all of the arkhons responded. I had to wonder if the ones who didn’t were the ones Conrad was referring to.
“Conrad, is there anything else?” I asked.
“Nothing I wish to say in front of these others, Anax.”
“We will speak privately later if you need.” I motioned toward the one empty chair between two of the other alphas. “Take a seat, please. There’s a great deal to discuss.”
He didn’t answer, just moved to the chair and sat down, shoulders slumped. Speaking against Davis had cost him. Right now, I couldn’t do much about that.
“I believe Conrad Valente’s statement,” I said.
“I believe that among the arkhons seated here, there are those who wish no part of a country under my rule. And yet you chose not to follow Davis and his people out of this gathering. That rouses my curiosity. Do you intend to challenge me? To assassinate me? You wouldn’t be the first to try. ”
I looked at all of them again. Most came as close to meeting my gaze as rules of hierarchy and dominance allowed. A lower-ranked wolf didn’t look into the eyes of a higher-ranked one.
Two, however, weren’t even looking in my direction: Robert Greenlea, which didn’t surprise me in the slightest, and Edward Cutler, Arkhon of the Southeast Region, who usually aligned himself with Robert since their regions adjoined each other.
Ninety-seven percent sure I’d found the arkhons Conrad had referenced, I chose not to give any indication.
“We have some alphas and others remaining who now are without leadership.” I leaned on the podium again, this time because I was starting to feel light-headed with overwhelm.
Not that I would give any sign of it. “Paul Drake, Arkhon of the Northwest Region. Hollis Rourke, Arkhon of the Four Corners Region.”
“Present, Anax,” Paul said. Hollis echoed him, looking uncertain.
“As the arkhons of the two regions abutting Pacific, you are asked to take supervision of the Pacific Region alphas and their guests whose territories are closest to your region.” I paused.
That was a lot of words, and I wanted to make sure I’d said the right thing.
“Until the gathering ends or Davis Gray comes to his senses, whichever comes first, those wolves will be under your rule and considered part of your region, as, by extension, will their pack members who did not accompany them to this gathering. Are you willing to take this responsibility? You have the choice. I can declare them under my rule for the duration if necessary.”
I didn’t know if anything I’d said was right.
Asking Paul and Hollis to take responsibility for the “orphaned” Pacific Region wolves.
Giving them an out if they weren’t willing to do so.
Even my statement that I could declare them under my direct rule was an ass-pull on my part.
I didn’t know how to handle a situation like this.
There was no precedent, as far as I knew, or protocols for werewolves attempting to secede from the rest of the country as Davis and his followers were doing.
“I am willing, Anax.” Paul stood and studied the alphas who had joined us.
“Seven of these alphas have territories either abutting or near the boundary between Pacific Region and mine, and they and their pack members are welcome to consider themselves Northwest Region wolves until this situation is resolved.”
“The other six are welcome to be, at least temporarily, Four Corners Region wolves.” Hollis stood as well. He looked more confident now, probably because all he had to do was follow Paul’s lead. “We’ll make this work.”
“Beautiful.” I had been reasonably certain Paul would accept the request. Hollis, I wasn’t as sure of, mainly because I didn’t know him as well.
I was relieved that they were both going along with me.
“I ask that the two of you remain here with the alphas to discuss how this will work so the alphas can present the information to their pack members. I am, of course, available to assist you, but I trust you to form a plan that will benefit and support those who need it. Zane Wolfskin and Bob McKinley, I would like to speak with you in my office upstairs in about fifteen minutes. The rest of you, please find your guests and check in with your alphas.”
I scanned the group of arkhons again, pausing just a touch longer when I looked at Robert and Edward, whose faces were red and grim. They were probably wishing they’d gotten up and walked out with Davis, but it was too late now.
“If you are aware of any additional conspiracy against me or anyone under my direct rule, including my mate, you will inform me.” My tone hardened, and for just a moment, I sounded like the Anax.
The entity I’d become at times of anger or fear before I fully integrated the power.
I didn’t like that, so I took a breath. “If you are unwilling to inform me, that is, of course, your choice, but if it concerns the safety or life of my mate or anyone else, at least pass the information along to one of my guards. Davis’s quarrel, and that of anyone else making plans against me, is with me.
Let’s not bring innocent blood into it.”
That got a reaction from Edward, who jerked his head up so fast I was surprised he didn’t get whiplash. From his stunned expression, I got the sense that it hadn’t occurred to him that anyone besides me might lose their life.
“Others have challenged me and lost.” I nodded to Desmond Constantine, who nodded back in acknowledgement of the fact that his predecessor was one of those challengers.
“I do not take lives lightly, but I will take a life to defend myself or those under my protection if need be. I sincerely hope it doesn’t come to that. ”
Words began tumbling out, and I just let them, because everything had gone so spectacularly sideways that I wasn’t sure procedures mattered anymore.
“Too many lives have been lost in our world. Too many deaths due to challenge fights or conflicts or simple hatred. Each of you is where you are because you worked your way to the rank, and if I believed you were incapable or were causing harm to those under your rule, I would already have removed you. As I did Irving Macomber. He died in a challenge fight, but I chose to accept and to end his life because of abuses he was inflicting on the werewolves of the Great Lakes Region.”
I looked at Desmond again. His mouth was set in a stern line, but he gave me another nod.
He knew full well what Irving had done to the werewolves of that region.
Desmond’s pack of origin was geographically closest to the territory Irving had held, and so had experienced some of the worst of Irving’s behavior.
Including Irving preying on the women of the pack and issuing “consequence” fights to men whose only so-called crime was trying to protect those women.
“I do not control you.” Those words hung heavy in the air.
I could control them, of course. That was what compulsion was for.
And most werewolves assumed that their leaders were supposed to rule them entirely.
But that was part of the power I feared abusing.
“I command you. I direct you. But ultimately you have free will. If your will is to challenge me, so be it. If it’s to order my assassination, to ambush me as has been attempted multiple times, so be it.
I have made grave errors as Anax. I have tried to subjugate those under my rule.
I will no longer do so. I would like to work with all of you to improve our world for all who dwell in it, but I am not opposed to fighting. ”
For what felt like an hour, none of them responded. They all simply sat there, some looking down, some facing my general direction. Despite my churning emotions and thoughts, I forced myself to be still and wait.
Finally, thank gods, Zane Wolfskin rose to his feet. “I am your ally, Anax, and I will work with you to resolve the current situation and any others that arise.”
Another few seconds passed, then Bob McKinley, Arkhon of the Western Central Region, stood with Desmond. Nearly in unison, they repeated Zane’s words. “I am your ally, Anax, and I will work with you.”
Oliver Peterson, Arkhon of the Midwest Region, was the next to rise to his feet, joined by Matt Hayakawa of the Hawaii Region and Paul and Hollis.
All of them, too, repeated the words Zane had spoken, and then Earl Swenson of the Central States Region and Todd Jarrett of the Alaska Region also stood and pledged their alliance to me.
That left only Robert and Edward. Expecting nothing from them, I took a breath to speak. To my astonishment, they both stood.