At the ash band pack….
Most of Ashton’s trusted subordinates have already been captured by Kelly and his uncle Kevin. Those who refused to bend were immediately killed.
Theo barely managed to escape with his life but he was severely wounded.
“Uncle, how is the going?” Kelly asked his uncle.
They had created a temporary but hidden house in the pack where they could meet freely without worrying about anyone seeing them or discovering what they were planning.
Although Kelly has also earned himself some people who fully trusted him now, he was not ready to engage any of them and most of his plans were carried out by his uncle.
“Those people are hard to crack but we have managed to turn a few to your side,” Kevin said.
“What do you mean a few?” Kelly asked.
“You can’t expect me to lead the pack when half of the pack members are disloyal to me. How will I even show my power?” Kelly asked angrily.
“They either have to accept me as their new alpha or they can get lost. Do they really think that Ashton still cares about them?”
“Kelly you need to take things slow. We have already killed a good number of pack members and if this continues I am afraid that it will alert the pack elders which won’t look good on you once the truth is discovered. ” Kevin said.
“You know very well how those who betray their pack are treated! Especially if they betray their alpha.” Kevin warned.
“Are you trying to say that after everything I had done and have been through, I should just admit defeat as I wait for my brother to come back and take over the pack?” Kelly asked.
“You know once he founds out that I betrayed him, he won’t let me off. Let alone brother my grandfather will the be the first one to punish me.” Kelly said. He could not chicken out now no matter what.
“Of course not. There is quite a good number of people who are dissatisfied with Ashton. If you talk to them nicely and make them believe that you can really be their pack leader, then everything else will be easy.” Kevin said.
“Once you have enough support even if Ashton came back now there will be nothing he could do to stop you from taking over his position.”
“Okay, you can make the arrangements. But in the meantime make sure you find Ashton’s beta. I can’t believe that one person will be so hard to find.” Kelly said.
“Yes.”
The two left and went their separate ways.
Kevin was his strategist and after they talked he would carry out most of the orders.
Kelly had been spending most of the time with his grandfather. He wanted to know what his attitude was regarding Ashton now that he hadn’t even come back yet the two months were almost up.
He wanted to try and see if his grandfather would hand over the pack leadership to him willingly or if he still had hopes that Ashton will come back and continue to lead the pack.
“Child, you have come?” Gael called out.
His health had deteriorated over the past three months and he was not as energetic as he had been when Ashton had left.
“Yes, grandfather. How have you been?” Kelly asked.
“My body is getting weak and weaker with each passing day. I don’t know how much longer I can hold on.” Gael said.
“Grandfather, please don’t say that. You still have a lot of years ahead of you.”
“I know my body well more than you do. I just hope that I can see your brother come back home when I still have some breath left in me.” Gael said.
“Grandfather about that, the pack is starting to get more and more restless. Although I’m trying my best to calm them down I can’t hold on for long. If my brother doesn’t come back in a few days then I’m afraid our pack will be left with no one.”
“I’m sure your brother will be back very soon,” Gael said.
“You have been saying that ever since brother left but look how much time has passed. I have always had high hopes for my brother and have seen him as my role model. I never expected him to ditch his whole pack because of a woman.” Kelly said.
He made it sound like Ashton was an ungrateful ingrate who only cared about his personal matters and not the pack.
“Don’t say that about your brother. He is still your alpha.” Gael immediately said to Kelly when he heard him talk badly about Ashton.
“Sorry, grandfather it is my fault for speaking nonsense about my Alpha. I will accept any punishment you give me.” Kelly immediately lowered his head.
With his head lowered, Gael could not see the vicious light that passed through his eyes.
“Why would I punish you? You just have to mind your speech when you are outside so that people don’t think bad about your brother.” Gael told Kelly.
‘Hah grandfather all you care about is Ashton. Can you even listen to yourself? He betrayed you and the pack because of a woman and now you still want to keep his reputation clean, I won’t allow that. Ashton must go down this time round whether you like it or not.’ Kelly thought.
“Err grandfather what you said about you appointing a new alpha in case brother doesn’t come back in two months, was it true?” Kelly asked carefully.
He hoped that this old fool had not tricked him into taking care of the pack while he didn’t mean any of the words that he had said.
If he had been using him all along then he won’t be playing nice anymore.
After staying some more with his grandfather, Kelly left to get some rest but his father called him over.
Kelly wanted to refuse because he honestly didn’t want to deal with the old man’s nagging right now but his father threatened him that if he doesn’t go then he will report him to his grandfather and other pack elders.
Kelly had no choice but to go and see his father.
“What have you been up to lately?” Leonard asked his son the moment he saw him.
“What is father is talking about? I have just been taking care of the pack like I had promised grandfather.” Kelly said trying to play dumb.
“You can drop your act in front of me now I don’t need it. I know that your uncle has been misleading you into thinking that you can take over the pack because Ashton isn’t back yet?”
“No one has been misleading me father. I’m doing this on my own accord.”
“Ashton had his chance and already wasted it when he decided to ditch his pack. I’m only doing him a favor by making sure that his pack members stay alive.” Kelly did not try to hide his ambitions in front of his father anymore because his father seems to have known everything.
“Can you listen to yourself? Son, wake up and stop whatever you are doing before it’s too late.” His father tried to advise him.
“I’m perfectly fine dad. I’m not sleeping nor is my mind a mess. I’m in good health and I know what I’m doing. My head has never been clear.” Kelly said.
“Then if you know what you are doing and if you have not gone crazy, why would you betray your alpha?” Leonard asked.
“Me, betray my Alpha?” Kelly asked as he pointed at himself.
“Ha ha ha ha dad, I’m not betraying my Alpha. He betrayed us first when he left with that woman without telling anyone where he was going. He only knows how to enjoy himself but he completely forgot about his pack and the well-being of his pack.” Kelly said.
“I told you many times that Ashton will never betray his pack. You know he made a lot of preparations even if he went away for years the pack will still be able to run smoothly but unfortunately, you have disrupted that peace.”
“You have mercilessly killed your brothers and sisters because they refused to bend to your will. Are you going to kill everyone who doesn’t obey your orders? Then after killing the whole pack, who are you going to lead?” Although Leonard was angry, he tried to sound as gentle as he could.
“You don’t have to worry about that my dear father. Just make sure you don’t stand in my way because I won’t be so nice.” Kelly said as he stood up disregarding his father’s angry roars.