“When did you come back?” Gael asked.
“Today,” Ashton answered simply.
“Today? Why didn’t you come to see me?” Gael questioned.
“How could I come to see you, grandfather? Aren’t you very much disappointed in me?” Ashton asked.
And if I had come to you the moment I arrived, would you have stopped your idea of appointing Kelly as the next alpha and allowed me to resume my position?” He questioned as he looked his grandfather in the eyes.
“Of course. I would have gotten rid of the idea. You know that this pack belongs to you. If I had a choice I wouldn’t have done what I just did.” Gael said.
“Grandfather, everyone always has a choice. There is no situation in this world that leaves one with no choice. Whether we make the right or the wrong decision, it is always a choice.” Ashton said.
“Besides, you more than anyone, know what this pack means to me. It holds all my beliefs and everything that I have ever lived for. But now you are telling me that you had no choice but to give it away just like that? Grandfather, isn’t your excuse a little laughable?”
“I didn’t know that you will come back. I thought that you had abandoned the pack. Kelly had shown great potential after you left that is why I decided to make him the alpha. I just wanted what was good for the pack.”
“Grandfather, this is my home. How could I just abandon it? I am an alpha, how can I just abandon my own people? Just because I left to take care of some personal business, you already labeled me as an irresponsible leader?” Ashton inquired. “Don’t I have the right to have a life even if I am an alpha? Don’t I also deserve to have a mate just like any other wolf? Was it really irresponsible of me trying to find the person the moon goddess chose for me?”
“Grandfather, did you expect our family lineage to stop with me? Then after I have become old like you, who will then take over the pack, huh?”
“And even before I Ieft, did I not tell you everything? Did I leave the pack in shambles that you needed someone else to clean it up? I had only been away for four months but you could not wait to get rid of me just like you did to my father and mother?” Ashton fired question after question which left Gael speechless.
Had he really been rushed and made the wrong decision? But he just wanted to teach this brat a lesson by showing him that there was no good in going against him.
“I….” Gael stammered. He had no idea how to justify his decision of appointing Kelly as the alpha.
“I can make things right now. Everyone is still in the sacred hall. I can just go and say that you are back and everything that I said earlier is not right. You are the true alpha, I think it won’t be hard to convince those people.” Gael said.
“Does it work like that? Have you gotten too old just in a few months that you have forgotten how to think?” Ashton asked. He couldn’t help but feel disgusted by his grandfather. Did he like toying with people just as he wished?
“No, but I am sure that they will listen to me,” Gael said with assurance.
“Too bad. I am afraid that it is already too late.” A voice answered Gael.
Kelly came out of the darkness, a taunting smile on his thin lips.
“How could I ever let that happen? This title and this pack belong to me now and I can’t just let anyone put a claim on it. Not anymore!” Kelly said arrogantly.
“See that grandfather, even if you wanted to, someone else wasn’t ready to let go of it,” Ashton said as he looked at Kelly. His lips were hooked up into an arc and no one could tell whether he was smiling or not. But his eyes were so cold that everyone felt a shiver travel down their spine.
“What are you talking about?” Gael asked as he looked between the two brothers.
“Nothing,” Ashton said. Although he did not like his grandfather too much, he did not want to worry him about irrelevant things.
“Nothing? Brother, I never thought that you cared about this old and smelly old man.” Kelly spat.
Gael was shocked at Kelly’s words. “What did you just say about me?” Gael asked. He could not believe his ears.
“I said you are an old and smelly old man who should have already been dead a long time ago,” Kelly said.
“You! Who are you?” Gael was flabbergasted. He thought that someone had possessed Kelly’s body because the Kelly who was standing right in front of him sounded foreign to him. He felt like he was meeting him for the very first time.
“Ha ha ha, old man, you really have a poor memory! You have just made me an alpha a few minutes ago but you have already forgotten about it? I think that I am a hero for relieving you of such a tedious act of being the pack’s leader and the ancestors must be applauding me right now.” Kelly said. He was feeling proud of himself that he did not even care that his grandfather might die from anger.
“Sorry, brother I couldn’t welcome you in person after your return. As you can see I have been very busy taking care of the pack on your behalf.” He turned to Ashton and said with a smile. Although he was apologizing, his attitude was as if he was flaunting his success to Ashton.
Ashton did not even spare him a glance as he looked into the distance.
“Is this my sister-in-law? Oh my God, don’t tell that she is the same poor little duckling that you saved from the lake?!” Kelly commented as he looked at Maya with obvious lust.
“That is not any of your business of who she is,” Ashton said coldly, sending Kelly a chilling gaze.
“But brother, I must applaud your courage and boldness. I never knew that you would actually bring yourself right to my doorstep. It will at least save the time of having to look for you all over.” Kelly spoke in a rude voice.
Now that he was an alpha, he was not afraid of anyone. BBesidesAshton was still weak from the poison, so if he stroked now while the iron was still hot, then he will be the final victor.
He will take down his brother in one swift move and everything will be his after that.