Recap:
When Derek saw that Caden was just breathing in and out in anger, he notably sighed before continuing his next statement.
“Caden, there are more important issues this pack has than crowning a Luna. My father is on a deathbed, and our pack has been attacked. Your inability to separate work from family would not be of help to us on this matter. I suggest you go back home and take a rest. Your son is here after all, and he is my beta. Shaw(Shane’s father) will fill me in on what i need to know about the attack.” He said, slipping his left hand ino the left front pocket of his trousers.
“Derek, you might be the Alpha but you can’t…” Caden was saying, taking a step toward Derek, when Derek cut him short.
“That was an order Caden. Go home.” Derek commanded, using his Alpha tone, all traces of amusement gone.
Story Now:
Caden, unable to refute the command of an Alpha, despite the age differences between them, turned around in a fit of rage and walked aggressively down the hall, not turning back one bit.
When he was out of sight, Agrip sighed deeply. Derek couldn’t decipher if it was out of relief or deep thinking. Either way, he turned aside to Shaw, wanting to know what unfortunate attack had befallen them.
“Shaw, what is the matter? Any ideas on why the attack had happened? Are there any casualties?” He asked his father’s gamma, who took a deep breath, before proposing the motion that they should hold the meeting in the conference room.
“.. I don’t think the Luna would find it interesting or happy, finding about the attack. She already has her hands full with the situation of our Alpha.” He concluded, before shifting side, indicating with his right hand that Derek should lead the way to the conference room.
Derek gave a curt nod, obliging him in respect-for he had always respected Shane’s father who had at one time during his growing up years had taken him and Shane to a boating trip. It had been the first of its kind.
It had also been Shane’s father who had found out that his uncle, Arnold, had been trying to kill him even before the real event had happened. Then, it had almost caused bad blood between his father and Shaw, until the break out seven years ago. Since then, his respect for the older man had increased indefinitely.
Seeing him take bow and make a way for him to pass through, Derek felt humbled.
With the group right behind him, he strolled quickly across the hall till he got to the conference room. His eyes met a not so good sight which made him a bit nervous.
The council of elders were standing right outside the door to the conference room, whispering and murmuring, an unattractive action which stopped immediately they saw Derek standing some feet away from them in the company of the most honorable people in the pack. Their eyes widened when they saw Agrip. They hadn’t known that he was back.
“Agrip.. when did you come back?” One of the elders questioned, stepping forward, his right hand already outstretched for a hand shake.
Agrip, having noted the surprises on the faces of the elders, and the question of the one elder who was one of his closest friends, he stepped around Derek and met the former midway, clasping his hands firmly in a warm handshake.
“Just today, Mike. Just today.” Agrip replied, his tone a bit light as he repeated his answer, as if his mind was caught up in a faraway land. It was obvious to the people standing in the hallway that the old sage was thinking about something important, perhaps crafting war strategies which he was also good at.
“That’s great.” Mike mentioned, before letting go of Agrip’s hand. He shifted his eyes to Derek who was a few feet behind Agrip.
Noting the serious look on Derek’s face and the fact that he and his companions were heading toward the conference room, Mike was sure that Caden had supplied the information of the attack to the young Alpha. That was good. But where was Caden? He thought, letting his eyes wander across the company.
After a minute of searching and not finding Caden, Mike furrowed his eyebrows and landed his watchful eyes on Shaw who just shrugged his shoulders, understanding the silent question that was working on in Mike’s mind, before shifting his gaze elsewhere.
Derek interrupted Mike’s troubled expression with ploy for them to go inside the conference room and talk.
Shaw unlocked the conference room, having taken the keys from Caden earlier before the latter had stormed out of the hallway. The keys of the conference room were always in possession of the Beta of the pack. The Alpha couldn’t handle everything. There was division of labor.
When everyone had taken a seat around the large oak table, with Shane and Clem sitting next to Derek, occupying the seats of the Gamma and Beta respectively, Derek opened the meeting by greeting the members of the council, everyone in the room.
Thereafter, he welcomed them into the meeting and thanked them for havng the interests of the pack at heart-just as he had always seen his father do; for his father, sometimes, allowed him to stay around for some meetings im order to see how an Alpha presides over a meeting.
He was grateful for those short lessons now. Who would have known that his father would have been bedridden by now? The thought brought a sheen of tears in his eyes, but he bit his lips, seeing that he had paused for a minute there, before continuing the presidence. He needed to be strong for his father, for his family, and for the pack.