Alpha Jireh received a strange surprise on his way back from morning training the next day, after the guards had informed him of his visitors.
“Two alphas? Here to see me? Who are they?”
“The night shadow and the silver alpha sire.”
The night shadow pack’s alpha. Now that sounds like a very familiar name but the mention of the silver pack is the one that troubles him the most. He’s heard of the ruthless and feared alpha, the same one that was now awaiting him in his court, but what for?
“Let them know that I’ll meet with them shortly.”
“Yes sire.”
**********
A few moments later, the red moon alpha stepped into court. All those with pending cases had to wait outside as the hall was cleared for the distinguished guests who would be having a private meeting with the alpha. Jireh sat in front of his two guests, turning first to the one who had the more welcoming face.
“Alpha Walden, this is the first time I’ll be meeting with you. Had it been I wasn’t aware of the alpha’s passing; I would have mistaken you for your father. You look so much like him.”
“Thank you for the observation, alpha Jireh, but we are not here to exchange greetings.”
Jireh turned to Damian then, “I guess that are both here for the same purpose?”
Damian answered, “yes, and you should already be aware of what it is.”
“I’m sorry alpha Damian, it seems as if age has taken its toll on my memory. I really do not know what you both came here for.”
“We are here for something that barely happened a week ago. So yes, no matter how old you claim to be, you cannot forget that you tried to kill alpha Walden here.”
Jireh was taken aback by his words, “alpha Damian! I know that you have much more in terms of power and status but I will not have you insult and impose such false accusations of me in my court! Whatever gave you the idea that I would try to kill an ally of my pack?”
“Maybe because of the disputed territories you both share?”
“His father and I both agreed years ago that those lands will become free and unowned by anyone, until any of the pack leader dies without a successor.”
“It makes perfect sense that Walden does not have a successor at this point, which gives you the perfect opportunity to claim possession of the land once he dies.”
“I would never do such a thing! I am a man of honor and I keep to my words! I would never try to cheat our treaty by killing Walden, believe it or not!” He creased his brow at Damian, “and besides, what has that got to do with you? If you believe that Walden here was the one who’s life was threatened, why are you here? Helping him?”
“I am here because Walden’s life wasn’t the only one that got threatened in the process. My mate, who also happens to be the Lotus princess, was kidnapped along with another woman who was believed to be Walden’s partner. Both of them were to be used as bait to lure Walden into a death trap.”
“And what gave you the idea that I was the one who planned all this??? You can’t just go around pointing accusing fingers when you have no idea…”
“Alpha Jireh! You do know that matters like this could lead to war between territories, and given the situation of the rogues upon us, I’m sure that none of us would like for that to happen.”
“Of course. I know what it means, and that’s why I would never dip my hands in such dirt! I would never kidnap your bride, alpha Damian! I swear that I would never!”
“We interrogated your men, as well as the hostages you took in, they all say the same thing; the red moon alpha did it.”
“Men…? What men?
“The men whom you sent to kidnap two innocent women, they all claimed to have carried out YOUR orders. They would have raped and killed my mate if I hadn’t stopped them on time.”
“So where are these men then?”
“Right where they should be. Six feet under, and that’s how you’ll end up if you don’t start talking.”
“Calm down, alpha Damian. I’m sure that this is nothing but a matter of impersonation. I would never work with any men outside of my soldiers, and now that you’ve just mentioned killing these men, I have to speak of a matter that correlates with yours.”
“Which is?”
“My soldiers. Many of them went missing all of a sudden. I lost a whole troop, some days ago, we’ve searched the whole terrain, but they just seemed to have vanished.”
“Are you saying that those men I killed might have been your soldiers?”
“That should be a possibility, but I was not the one that sent them, I can guarantee you that.”
“If you weren’t the one who sent them? Then who did?”
Jireh’s mind thought of something then, of course, who else? “Only one person I can think of, the only one who could have had the power to control my men in my absence, the only one who can impersonate me.”
Damian clenched his fist, “who is it?”
“My beta, Gustan.”
“And where is this Gustan?”
“Guards!!!”
“Yes sire.”
“Tell beta Gustan, I summon him to this court immediately.”
“Yes sire.”
The guard returned a few minutes later with the man in question, Beta Gustan. Upon seeing the guests, he wore a mask of confusion, wondering what this meeting was meant for.
“Beta Gustan!”
“Yes sire?”
“Do you know who these men are?”
Gustan shook is head, “not a clue sire. Is there a problem?”
“Yes, there is. One of the men seated before me in this court is alpha Walden, the man whom you tried to kill a few days ago.”
“Kill? Why would I ever want to do that?”
“Do not play games with me, Gustan! I warned you. I warned you not to get involved in this matter, but you refused to listen, and now look at the problems you have only created. You will not go unpunished for your crimes. I promise you that!”