41

ZANE
“Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!” I yelled out, enraged, grabbing the closest thing my fingers could find and only realizing hazily that it’d been a glass table when it hit a wall and shattered into pieces. Disregarding it, my head whips around to find Mark, who did not seem fazed by my outburst, “What do you mean my men were attacked and killed? Who would dare do that? Did you see who it was?” I questioned, chest heaving as my fingers remained tightly balled.
“They were outnumbered on the Emlow route. It was a surprise attack so a good number of us were taken out before they could even think of counter-attacking. We brought back the bodies we could but, unfortunately, wild beasts got to some of them before we could, so we have more swords and weapons than bodies as it stands.” Mark recounts and I growl lowly.
“Somebody betrayed me. We have a double-crosser in our midst and I want you to find them and fast. I want answers, Mark and I want them soon. You find whoever it was that brought about the death of half my army and I will give you anything you could ever want, Mark.” A small smile appears on Mark’s features at the end of my words but it disappears quickly.
“You don’t have to compensate me for sniffing out the rat, Zane. I am a part of this pack too and those men were also my men. This was a loss for us all, and believe me, I am already on it. But while we’re on that, you have pretty strong intuitions. Do you maybe have someone in mind right now? Someone that could’ve done that?” A frustrated growl threatens to leave my throat as I shake my head, still stewing in both anger and shock at the audacious move.
“I have lots of enemies, Mark, you know that. But I do not think a single one of them would be smart or bold enough to do something like that unless they’re in cohorts with… fuck!” I mumbled in realization, Mark’s eyes widening in curiosity.
“What? What is it? Did you think of something? Did you perhaps find a lead” he inquired, and I nodded slowly, piecing my thoughts together.
“Yes, shit, why did I not think of this earlier? I’m almost certain now that I know who the culprit is and what his motives are, but what I still do not get is how he was able to get information about my troops, who does he have in his corner.” I thought out loud and Mark took a step closer.
“Well? Who is it? All I need is a name, Zane, and I will have them killed.” Mark said, eyes darkening menacingly as he drew out his sword from his sheath and I felt pride bubble in my chest. My beta really was as competent as they came and that was one of the many reasons why I was fond of Mark. He was never one to back down in front of a challenge and he always had my back. He makes it very easy to lead in front whilst he watches my back and I pray to never see a day where I won’t be able to give Mark whatever he needs of me.
“Easton,” I finally chewed out, “Alpha of the Crescent pack,” I finished, and Mark was evidently surprised.
“What?! That’s insane, are you sure about this? Alpha Easton is extremely calculative, he wouldn’t launch an attack unprovoked and so out of the blue either. Why would he come for our troops and have them killed when he has no sensible reason to?” Mark voices all his confused thoughts at once and I chuckle, unamused.
“The answer is simple, my dear Mark. I may have done something to give him that push he has always been waiting for. You know it has been a push and pull for a while now, but I wouldn’t have expected he would finally break over such a trivial matter. What a fragile man, indeed.” I finished with a dark laugh, finally bursting into an uncontrolled bout of laughter which worked to confuse Mark even more if his twisted features were anything to go by. If I had known sooner that Easton would cave so easily at the mention of being in the alpha king’s favour, I would’ve tried that a long time ago and by now I would have him under my feet. How interesting.
“You have me confused, Zane. What do you mean? What did you do to have him throw his rationality aside so easily?”
“Easton, that bastard. Who would have thought he cared about his position this much after pretending not to all this while, parading himself as some self-righteous savior who doesn’t need the Alpha king’s favor only to lose his senses at the thought of losing it? He’s throwing a tantrum because of my new title as the Alpha king’s right-hand man, that’s what. If I had known, I would have gotten the title a long time ago,” I finally replied, and Mark looked thoughtful for a few seconds.
“Hm? Are you sure about that? Because I’m not sure how you believe that it’s because of the title he got angry and killed our men, I find it hard to believe, since he’s never really associated himself with the Alpha King unless absolutely necessary, nor has he enjoyed any of the benefits that came with being his right-hand man. Heck, if he could, he would’ve renounced the title the second he got it.” Mark thinks and I scoff, condescending.
“Oh please. What if it was all a facade and he had just been pretending not to care when deep down he did? He thinks he’s so cunning, but I can see through him and I’m sure he enjoyed having his ego stroked whenever the Alpha king doted on him. You can tell by how he prances around with his shoulders held high, knowing the Alpha king is on his side. He is fucking proud about it and that’s why I’d bought the title to piss him off and it looks like it did more than that, seeing as he’s running around trying to get back at me. Fucking bastard.” I explained my thoughts exactly how they’d come to me but Mark only tilted his head, looking even more perturbed and unsure than before.
At some point, I began to have second thoughts too, but wasn’t it too unlikely for it to have been someone else? Who else would have the balls to go against me like that if not Easton? Maybe my first guess was right and it was my enemies pulling their men and striking at once. But why now, when I hadn’t exactly done anything too out of pocket? I was still lost in my thoughts when the door burst open, disturbing my thoughts, and my brows pulled together in anger, prepared to shoot a disdainful glare at the sentinel who must’ve just barged into my office without so much as a knock which I may have missed, as I was lost in my thoughts, but still. The sentinel stood next to Mark who was looking at me with a smile on his face and I nodded my head in question.
“I saw you were lost in thought, so I had him come in since the message was urgent and is from Alpha Easton,” Mark told me, and my eyes grew wide in shock.
“Easton!?” I asked, unable to believe what I had just heard.
“Yes, looks like he sent a messenger to deliver this to you,” Mark replied, taking what looked to be a white envelope from the sentinel, he then dismissed him.
“Well, what are you waiting for? Open the damn letter and read it. I wondered what he had written in ti,” I urged. I would be at the edge of my seat if I were sitting, that was how curious I’d been.
“Yeah, okay,” he answered before tearing at the envelope and bringing out the neatly folded paper which he wasted no time on beginning to read.
-To, Zane,
‘I do not see a need for pleasantries, so I will go straight to the point. I did some thinking about your long-standing offer, and after much consideration, I have decided to accept the idea of an alliance. I hope it will bring good business between the both of us, and henceforth, I will be on the lookout for what might be a breach of my stated conditions, in which case I would not hesitate to call it off. If you are in agreement, I will be waiting for a reply from your side.’
I blinked as Mark fell silent, seemingly done with reading the letter, at which point I asked him to read it once more, still in disbelief. This was definitely the last thing I’d expected, especially with the accusations I’d just laid out against him. It was strange and too good to be true, but more importantly, why now? I’d been offering my hand to Easton with hopes of an alliance for years now. Why would he suddenly be saying yes to it now, especially after the stunt I’d just pulled and there’s the standing question about Eleanor too? What was he thinking and was this really going to be in my favor if he was doing it at his own convenience?
“Do you still think he killed our troops?” Mark finally spoke up, pulling me out of my thoughts and I shook my head.
“I’m not even sure at this point, but something seems off. Why now? What if this is a trap? To think he would suddenly be saying yes after all these years, I don’t believe this is a coincidence. He’s plotting something, it has to be that. ” I answered, brows furrowing as I tried to think of what exactly Easton must be thinking.
“But he also hasn’t done anything to make you doubt him like this so far. Why would he suddenly be acting so out of place? Maybe you should stop doubting him so much. Let’s give him the benefit of doubt, don’t you think? Besides, this is good for us, two of the strongest packs around joining forces is a great feat. Now, nothing and no one can challenge us or question our authority. This is a course for celebration!” he finishes, his smile growing wider.
“Still, we shouldn’t let our guard down….. send some slaves over to the Crescent pack, with money and other goods to commemorate our alliance. I trust you to lead them there and back in one piece. Sign the agreement and be back immediately. We can arrange a party and have fun afterwards.”