Alex’s pov:
Midnight Moon Pack had come prepared. But we thankfully had gotten many hours of rigid training in as well, so we weren’t caught completely off guard.
They had a greater number of fighters, but they were less skilled than ours. And naturally, the numbers tired us, but we thankfully weren’t beat… Not yet. Not if I could help it.
It was utter and complete chaos for a solid couple of days, when there barely was a reprieve of a few hours when they retreated to regroup. I chose not to follow after them immediately, because my pack needed the rest as well.
During said reprieve, some of Alpha Kade’s warriors came to lend a hand. Luc was the one patrolling at the time, and had thankfully recognized them before mayhem broke out again.
At the break of dawn, as we chose to advance and attack them where they had regrouped to the north border, we caught them unaware.
Before long, Luc had killed one of the bigger wolves they had, and I went for the prize the biggest wolf of the lot which I could only assume was the alpha.
Just as I was about to snap his furry neck in my jaws, and let him have a taste of terror before his ultimate demise, there was a deep authorative voice that rang in our ears, “Everyone, stand down.”
The voice was eerily commanding, and we found ourselves disentangling from our enemies, as we did our best to look for the voice.
I was familiar with the man who had just spoken up, and I mentally breathed out a sigh of relief, realizing he had come.
The Alpha King rarely ever meddled into our pack matters, unless it was an inter-pack issue like right now.
“Alpha Alexander and Alpha Nelson, get changed, and let’s have a cup of tea,” he soon came to a halt next to where we had just been fighting, as he looked at our disheveled furs.
The alpha king’s right-hand man threw some clothes to the ground, making their intentions clear.
“If I see a wolf fighting again, there will be consequences,” he let out in a menacing tone of voice, no doubt acting on the Alpha King’s orders.
No sane wolf would want to upset the Alpha King. I therefore commanded via mind-link, “Everyone retreat.”
I shifted back into human form, and giving a curt nod to the alpha king and his right-hand man, I quickly put on the shorts and t-shirt I was given.
Alpha Nelson soon followed, not speaking a word, and glaring at me for some unfathomable reason when I should be the one showing the most animosity here.
I gave Luc a pointed look, and he nodded at me he had but one job, to protect the pack while I was gone and I was sure he understood the assignment.
We already lost a patroller and a warrior, but not just any warrior, we lost Tyler Jade’s dear friend and I would rather we didn’t lose anymore of our own.
I was glad she wasn’t here to witness it all, and feel powerless against the war. The resonance which she had yet to learn to control was an issue… Admittedly, her safety was of utmost importance to me too. Hence the need to relocate her to Alpha Kade’s pack for the time being.
“Hello, Alpha of all alphas,” Nelson began before me, and tried to suck up to the alpha king, like a child who had been caught with their hand in the cookie jar. “It is our pleasure to have you…”
“Spare me the nonsense, Alpha Nelson,” the Alpha King looked pissed off to say the least. Giving me a look, he went on, “Where shall we have tea?”
“My pack would be happy to welcome you for tea, but I believe you would rather it be a neutral territory, isn’t that right, your highness?” I declared matter-of-factly.
“Yes,” he nodded at me, his eyes glinting with something akin to delight.
“I will be happy to follow you,” I said with great deference and a curt nod.
“Me too,” Alpha Nelson didn’t hesitate to follow suit.
** ** ** ** ** **
1 hour later, we were in a cafe which had been booked solely for us.
“Alpha Nelson, why, pray tell, did you attack Alpha Alexander’s pack?” The Alpha King didn’t hesitate and didn’t bother with pleasantries.
And that was all for the best, for I was not quite sure I would be able to tolerate too much nonsense, especially with my enemy sitting on the other end of the table.
“I… I…” he was seemingly at a loss for words for a moment there, “You see, your highness, it was for the benefit of all packs.” I could only raise an eyebrow at his lies. “Isn’t it unfair that only he gets to benefit from the powers of the born healer?”
The man didn’t try to lie his way out of the mess, no doubt because his fear for the alpha king overpowered his ability to lie…
“The born healer is, I believe, his mate and luna,” the Alpha King let out without missing a beat.
Seeing as I had yet to be spoken to, I didn’t bother even breathing a word, and let the rascal Nelson speak.
“Exactly, your highness. Born healers are so rare, it would be a pity for…”
Nelson wasn’t making much sense, his greed showing how much of a good-for-nothing alpha he was.
“Enough nonsense,” the alpha king’s right-hand man thundered out, seemingly more irked by the flaws showing in this leader who had dared to attack my pack than me.
“Alpha Alexander,” the alpha king began and I looked at him at once, “You were going for the kill when we arrived… Had we been a few moments late, what would have become of the Midnight Moon Pack?”
“I was hoping to put an end to this nonsensical war by ending their leader,” I said at once, not bothering with pretenses.
“Divide and conquer, huh?” The Alpha King’s grave expression morphed into a smirk.
“I don’t care for his pack or his land, your highness,” I shook my head negatively. “I only wanted to protect my pack and make it all end as quickly as possible.”
“Understandable,” he nodded at me.
Just as he sipped his tea, 5 men, who were dressed modestly although they were probably royal guards, approached the table.
“Kindly take Alpha Nelson in custody as he awaits his trial,” the alpha king’s right-hand man spoke up.
“Don’t fight, and not a word,” the alpha king let out, his words infused with so much power, Nelson could only submit, even as his eyes glowered at me.