Chapter Five
The shouts echoed around the room, heated words and snarls punctuated with growls as the tension erupted in rippling waves. It was hard to keep up with the clashing voices as Alphas vied for control.
"We can't afford another war."
"We need to stand our ground."
"I'm not putting my pack through more fighting."
Each insult to my people had my teeth grinding beneath my frozen visage, the ice in my veins desperate to be released and make them eat their words.
But violence and showmanship wouldn't solve anything, not here.
Here, it would be a liability, a way to prove all of their assumptions.
Letting emotions run wild would be a waste of words and resources, an irrational and thoughtless loss of reason.
With things hanging so delicately in the balance, this was survival.
"Order!" Alpha Hendrix shouted, his voice carrying across the room as a stuttering silence fell over the group once more. "Alpha Beckett, you have the floor."
Alpha Beckett stood, her emerald gown glimmering in the dim light of the Council room. "I have not taken time away from my pack for talks to break down to immediately."
"No, you did it to brag about your party planning," a snide voice spoke up, a weaselly Alpha from the back rows, relegated to the outskirts based on the power of his pack.
"How dare you insult me like that," she hissed, hackles raised as she whirled in his direction.
"My pack comes first and leaving it without protection when we have all felt the increased pressure of rogues was not a decision that I took lightly.
Or perhaps you haven't felt the pressure because they're not even aware your pack exists. "
The venom of her words was viscous and thick, the flashing glow of her eyes seeping the rage she felt as the snivelly Alpha from the back stood up and once again, the room erupted into chaos.
Half the room was standing, fingers pointing as words were flung like knives in all directions. It was clear their issues ran much deeper than the question of a Northern Circle treaty.
Being further removed, the Northern Circle was mostly immune to the packs of rogues that had started roaming the continent, only really catching the strays.
My life had moved to the border packs in the last few months as the activity there had also peaked so I could understand the worry.
It was one of the reasons why the Elders had felt it time to form a wider alliance.
The growl that tore through the room threatened to send a shiver down my spine. The power was palpable, like I could taste the dominance as it enveloped me, drew me in and promised protection. It called to me, made my wolf rear to the surface, yearning for closeness.
Evidently, the sentiment wasn't shared by the rest of the room.
Those in the back row were nearly cowering, their heads hung low in submission. Most had simply quieted, their eyes dropped to the ground in respect.
I was the only one who stayed watching, meeting Dax's eyes as he bore his teeth and asserted his position. The amber glow burned into me, searing my soul with a thawing heat as he stared me down.
My submission would never belong to him.
It only took another moment before he relented and looked away to address the room.
"We all understand the threat," he spoke, his voice deeper, thick with the promise of power. "This is something the Council's dealing with together. I don't think it's wise for us to add more-" his eyes flickered to me for just a moment. "-complexities to the situation."
Complexities.
He had some nerve deeming me a 'complexity' when it was his words that landed us in this situation. Matings were meant to be beautiful, natural, not complex.
The icy air threatened to spread and I had to take a slow breath to reign it back in.
"With all due respect, Alpha Varyn, Northern Circle could be exactly what we need in order to deal with these issues," Alpha Benuit reasoned from where she was sat.
Alpha Benuit led the most northern pack in the states with parts of her territory bordering the Northern Circle.
As relationships with southern packs went, there was a mutual understanding between us.
Dax opened his mouth to argue with her but I couldn't let her loyalty go unrequited so I stood.
All eyes turned to me, expectant, suspicious, hopeful, afraid, disgusted. The emotions were written all over their faces.
"Council, I am here to represent the wolves of the Northern Circle, not myself," I began, my words measured and paced. "If you feel it best that another representative attend in my place, I will speak with the Elders. However, I am here to forge relationships, not quarrels."
My eyes swept over the crowd, appreciating the faint turns of surprise at the authority my voice held.
"We in the north are not blind to the issues you're facing and we know that it is in both of our best interests to work as a united front against this threat.
Our people have been friends and they have been enemies.
I am here to build that friendship once more.
I understand the impulse to act in the face of the unknown but I implore your patience as you see the strength our alliance can be. "
Shock, admiration, disdain, their poker faces were terrible. So many wore their hearts on their sleeve as they considered my words, some nodding, some shaking their heads, others would never let their mind be swayed.
I sat down, legs crossed as I watched their minds process.
It was fascinating to see. My people rarely let their guard down in front of their most trusted relationships, let alone in front of a room of allies and adversaries.
It was almost childlike. They mulled the arguments over, balancing the logic with their emotions that they let control them so much.
They wouldn't survive a winter.
"All those in favour of continuing the treaty conversations?" Alpha Hendrix asked, his eyes scanning the room as hands rose with a chorus of 'aye's. My eyes drifted, trying to assess the numbers as quickly as I could.
"And those opposed?" he asked again, the call of 'nay' filling the room with more vigour.
My tally rose as I followed the hands and then I froze.
His eyes branded me, his lips pressed into a line and his hand raised. The moment of hesitation was all I allowed myself, my eyes looking through him, not giving him the satisfaction of a reaction to something he knew would pierce deep.
Three abstained.
"The ayes have it," Alpha Hendrix announced. "Chief Designate Brione will stay as we continue talks of a treaty. Thank you all for coming."
I wanted to look at him again, to rub it in his face that he couldn't get rid of me so easily.
He was going to face the consequences of his actions.
I would be the last thing he saw at night and the first thing he thought of in the morning.
My scent would haunt him and when I finally left, he would spend the rest of his life questioning his decision.
The Alphas stood to filter from the room but I didn't stick around for niceties. With all the calm and dignity I could, I walked away.
She didn't look at me.
She didn't even glance - just walked away.
There should've been hurt or betrayal. Where was the heartache and the sadness when I voted to make her leave?
Those icy blue eyes stared right through me, like I didn't even exist.
My jaw clenched. My wolf scratched at the surface, howling for the snowy wolf he'd played with in the woods. My eyes flared, I could feel it.
How was she so calm when I couldn't even sit still? Did she feel nothing for me?
Of course she didn't. Why should she?
I was the one who rejected her in front of a room full of people. I was the one who let Lyra pout as she held onto me, looking at her like she was some wounded pup let down by her schoolgirl crush.
My fists clenched, fingers flexing against the arms of my chair as I scraped it back.
Others tried to talk to me but I brushed them off. I wasn't in the mood for their petty politics - another Alpha kissing my ass or whining about patrol numbers. I needed a run or to punch something until my brain shut up.
Alec was waiting outside, his eyebrow raised as I strode past him but he fell in step beside me anyway.
"I'm guessing it didn't go well?" he asked and earned a grunt in response.
I grit my teeth as we moved down the hall. She had been here. The scent of crisp, morning air and fresh fir, of the first snowfall and Christmas mornings.
"You know, as your Beta, I'm supposed to help with these things," he continued, leaning forward to try catch my eye.
"As my Beta, you're supposed to be keeping an eye on the pack, not hanging around the Council building," I snapped back, eyes narrowed.
"The Council building is a hundred feet from the Pack House. It's not that hard to multitask," he quipped back but I didn't appreciate the humor.
"Fine, fine," he conceded, holding his hands up in surrender before his usual humor dropped from his face. "But at some point, we're going to need to talk about what happened earlier."
Shit.
How had he found out already? How could he not have?
I bet the whole pack knew already. Maybe if they knew who she was. Maybe if they knew she was Northern Circle then there wouldn't be backlash.
They knew Lyra. They liked her. Our mating would secure a relationship between the two strongest packs in the country.
Leadership meant making the tough calls. I couldn't put myself first, not when they look to me.
It was for the best. My wolf would realise that.
Surprise Dax POV!
What did we think? Do we like him? Do we trust why he rejected Kiera?