Chapter Twenty
Vince: Taking Over
After spending several days with one another for our mating ritual, Lissa and I traveled together to the territory of the wolf pack that I was set to take over. The journey had been a mix of anticipation and resolve, knowing that this was not just a power shift but a new beginning for us as mates.
The weight of what we had just experienced and what we were about to undertake hung in the air. Lissa sat beside me, her hand warm in mine, her presence a steadying force. We were about to make a move that would change everything for us and the pack.
As we approached the pack’s territory, it carried an edge of tension. We were here to take over, to establish a new order, and I knew that not everyone would welcome the change with open arms, especially with a dragon shifter by my side. But as we crossed into the heart of the territory, it wasn’t the expected wariness that greeted us.
It was John.
He stood at the edge of the clearing, his posture relaxed but his eyes wide with surprise.
“Vince,” he called out, his voice a mix of disbelief and relief.
As he approached, his gaze shifted to Lissa, and his expression changed, softening with recognition.
“Lissa,” John said, almost in a whisper. “I’m glad to see you here.”
Lissa offered him a small smile, but before she could respond, someone else emerged from the shadows behind John—a woman with striking features, her presence commanding yet unfamiliar. But as she stepped closer, realization dawned on me.
Kara was John’s mate, whom I had recently helped rescue. Shortly after that, when I told Lissa about helping John find Kara who had been kidnapped along with another woman, Lissa informed me that Kara was her half-sister. Due to certain circumstances at the time, they couldn’t meet until now.
I glanced at Lissa, seeing the shock mirrored in her eyes. The resemblance between the two women was there, subtle but unmistakable. Kara’s eyes, the curve of her jaw—it was like looking at a version of Lissa, one with a different life and path.
John must have sensed her surprise, for he stepped forward, his hand gently taking Kara’s. “I believe you know Kara,” he said, his voice steady. “My mate.”
Lissa’s breath caught, and I could feel the mix of emotions swirling within her. I squeezed her hand, grounding her as we processed the unexpected reunion. Lissa’s gaze met Kara’s, and the world seemed still momentarily.
“Kara,” Lissa finally murmured, her voice laced with disbelief and something more profound.
“Lissa,” Kara replied, her tone soft, almost reverent. It was as if she, too, was trying to piece together the fragments of a past they had never fully shared.
But there wasn’t time for emotional reunions. Not yet. The pack was waiting, and we had a mission to fulfill. After that, I would gladly give my mate as much time with Kara as she needed.
I turned back to John, the pack dynamics at the forefront of my mind. “We need to call a pack meeting,” my tone shifted to a more serious note. “It’s time we addressed what’s coming next.”
John nodded in agreement. “Of course, cousin. The pack is waiting to hear from you. We’ll gather everyone immediately,” his gaze shifting from me to the pack house in the distance. He turned to Kara, his expression softening for a moment. “We’ll talk more later,” he whispered to her, his words laced with unspoken promises.
There was no room for delay. The pack needed to know what was happening and solidify our position before any dissent could take root. We cannot let what happened with Kara and Lissa occur again or any other female.
“We’ll talk later, sister,” Kara said, her eyes flickering to Lissa before she stepped back, allowing us to move forward.
As John headed off to notify the pack, Lissa and I took a moment to exchange a glance. There was an understanding between us. This was our first real test as mates and leaders. The pack needed to see us united, strong, and ready to lead. Most importantly, they needed to know that even though Lissa was a dragon shifter, she was my mate. Negativity towards her would not be tolerated.
As we made our way towards the pack house, I felt the eyes of pack members on us, their curiosity and uncertainty palpable. The pack had been through enough turmoil and enough uncertainty. It was time for stability and leadership to guide them through the challenges ahead.
We reached the pack house, and I paused at the entrance, turning to face the gathered wolves. The atmosphere was tense, filled with curiosity and hesitation as the pack members took their seats, their gazes fixed on me as I stood at the front of the room.
I scanned the room, taking in the faces of those now looking to me for leadership. It was a diverse group, ranging from seasoned warriors with scars to young wolves who had yet to experience their first transformation. I could feel the weight of their expectations pressing down on me, but I remained calm and steady.
Lissa stood by my side, her presence a silent source of strength for me. She felt a knot of anxiety tightening in her stomach as she glanced around at the pack members, many of whom were regarding her with curiosity and wariness. At the same time, some were expressing their unpleasant energy towards her.
I’m sure they were wondering: who was this new woman beside their new Alpha? Was she worthy of standing there? Why was our new Alpha showing up with a dragon by his side?
My hand found hers, and I gave it a reassuring squeeze. The simple gesture grounded her, reminding her she wasn’t alone and that I wouldn’t let anything happen to her. She straightened her posture, taking a deep breath to summon her courage
“Thank you all for coming,” I began. “My name is Vince, and I know there have been many changes recently. I understand that many of you may have concerns. I’ve called you all here today because more changes are coming to our pack.
As your new Pack Master, I want to ensure we move forward together stronger than ever.” I paused, letting those words sink in. “We have all faced challenges, but we’ve emerged stronger for it. Now, we’ll be bringing that strength here. This pack will not just survive. It will also thrive. But we need to work together, and that starts today. “
A few murmurs rippled through the crowd, and I could sense the undercurrent of resistance among some of the older members. They were loyal to the traditions that had guided the pack for generations, and the idea of change, especially under the leadership of a rogue wolf, I’m sure, was unsettling to them.
“But let me be clear,” I continued in a firm tone. “I’m not here to tear down what you’ve built but rather to build on it and also to protect it. To ensure our pack remains strong despite the challenges ahead.”
An older wolf spoke up. “And what do you know of those challenges, Vince? You haven’t been with us long. How can we trust you to lead?”
I met his gaze with unwavering confidence. “I may be new to this pack, but I’ve faced more than my share of trials. I’ve fought for my life and for the lives of those I care about. I know what it means to protect what’s important and that we can’t afford to stay stagnant if we want to survive.
Your former Alpha challenged my Alpha and lost. The direction he led you, his pack, must change per The Council. Anyone wishing to challenge that may contact The Council themselves. Anyone wishing to challenge me will not win.”
There was a pause as the pack members absorbed these words. Lissa could see the doubt in some of their eyes, but she also noticed a few nodding in agreement. The younger wolves, in particular, seemed more receptive, eager for a leader who could bring new strength and vision to the pack.
“We need to look forward to the future and how we can benefit our pack. We have a lot of work to do. We need to be working together and be willing to adapt. I’m here to lead us forward together.
We all know that change isn’t easy, but it’s necessary. We’re going to build something better, something more substantial. And I’m counting on each of you to play your part.”
The most important issue is how you choose your mate. We cannot allow the human world to interfere with our kind. We had not made it this far for us to stir us to begin tearing down that boundary. How you look at females, in general, needs to change.”
The pack murmured in agreement, the respect in their eyes growing as they saw the conviction in my stance. The murmurs of dissent began to die, replaced by a more thoughtful silence. I could feel the shift in the room, a tentative acceptance taking root.
Lissa’s heart swelled with pride as she watched me in action. Stepping into this role, I commanded respect, which will help me guide the pack with strength and empathy.
Another older wolf stepped forward and asked, “I’m sure we all need to address the elephant in the room. Or should I say the dragon?”
I knew I needed to introduce her. “Lissa is my mate, and negativity or discontent with her will not be tolerated. I hope you all will come to love her as I have.”
John stepped forward, his voice carrying an air of support. “I fully support Vince and his new mate, as does The Council. This is a new era for our pack, and I trust Vince to lead us into it.”
With John’s endorsement, the pack’s approval became even more evident. However, I had yet to call The Council to inform them that I had arrived and who I was mated with. Deep down, I hoped that they would accept her as my true mate. I wasn’t sure what I would do if they didn’t.
I knew the real work was just beginning, for Lissa and me, as well as my new pack, but this was a good start. Together, we would lead this pack into a future where strength, loyalty, and unity would be the foundations of our rule.
As they made their way out of the hall, John approached me, his face serious. “You handled that well, but there’s still a lot of work to do.”
“I won’t sugarcoat it. The pack is well behind. The world outside is changing fast, and they’ve been slow to keep up.”
“The systems, defenses, and even communication methods were all outdated. If the pack doesn’t modernize, they’ll be left vulnerable.”
“Modernization isn’t just about technology. It’s about mindset. They’re stuck in the traditional ways of doing things, especially the elders. We must get the pack on board with the idea that change is necessary, or we’ll be fighting an uphill battle. The Council won’t tolerate it, and I won’t see any more of my kind being terminated because they aren’t willing to do what is necessary for progress.”
My mind was racing with ideas on moving forward. I had yet to sit down and figure out how to manage a pack, let alone one that needed to be broken from archaic ways of thinking. But we’ll take it one step at a time. We’ll show them that this is about survival, about protecting our future. Our kind needed it to be able to continue living in a world that was rapidly changing.
I’m sure it wouldn’t be long before the human race learned about us, but I wanted to keep it from happening as much as possible. Stepping outside of the supernatural community to find a mate, or worse, to force women to breed in an effort to expand our race, is wrong on so many levels.
John gave me a reassuring pat on the back. “You’ve got my support, Vince. Aiden sent me here to help, and that’s exactly what I will do.”
“Thank you, John. I’m genuinely grateful. We’re going to need all the help we can get.”
“I’ll stay on for a little while, but after that, you’ll have the reins, and I can get back to Oregon.”
“I’m sure you’re missing out on all that rain,” I laughed.
“Not as much. I’m missing out on being an Omega. I’m not cut out for being an alpha or a pack master.”
“That’s what I thought about myself, but I decided to give it a shot after some time.”
“I wish you the best of luck.”
“Thank you, cousin.”
Now that we had gotten that taken care of, there was one more thing I had to do. Well, three more things. I made my way to the office and sent Aiden a text to let him know that I had arrived and had relieved John as Pack Master. I know he was eager to have his omega back home and John was more than ready to return to Oregon.
I also texted Jared to let him know I had made it here. He seemed to have his hands full when he left to return to Memphis. It was a good thing he rented the van when he did. He must have thought about the individuals we would be rescuing as he had to take five young female shifters back to Memphis with him. Once Lissa and I get settled in, I would give him a call to check up on things.
Lastly, I called The Council to inform them that I had taken over. I also had to let them know that I had taken a mate. I was more than surprised when they accepted Lissa though, I wasn’t too surprised when they informed me to choose a second in command outside of the pack.
I also had to choose a pure werewolf as my heir since any of my offspring would be blended with Lissa’s dragon genetics. I hated to hear that, but I completely understood where they were coming from. Even though The Council was trying to modernize, some original laws and rules were still kept. The only person I could think about being my second in command was Lissa.