BETRAYAL

CHAPTER TWO

ELIJAH’S POV

The rowdy hall becomes silent once more as I walk into the hall with my poker face on.

The only thing I can smell is Cassie’s pheromone and it’s raiding my mind. I can’t even think straight.

I look at Ella who has on a confused look and smile at her.

She might not be my mate and I might not have the strong connection with her, but I have chosen her. I will marry her and I will learn to love her.

“Okay” I speak once more as I dislocate the mic from it’s stand.

My eyes meet for a brief second with Cassie’s, but I tear my gaze away from hers and focus on the crowd.

I need to focus!

“Okay! I’m back. Let’s continue from where we stopped. As I was saying, this meeting is being held virtue of my mother, I would have so loved to enslave all of you, but for her sake, I have decided to pardon you all and let you live freely under my rule. Long live the Luna” I say in amusement and I expect a round of applause but the entire hall is dead silence.

I let out a gentle chuckle as I shake my head.

The mortified looks of their faces are inevitable.

“However, you have a price to pay for that freedom, anyone wants to know?” I ask looking around and they all just keeping staring at me like I’ve lost my mind.

“If you want to know, you can indicate by a hand show.”

They all raise their hands up and I smile in satisfaction.

“Perfect! So, what you have to pay for your freedom, will be 50 werewolf soldiers. You know, the battle cost me a lot of very powerful and loyal soldiers and I know they can never be replaced, but I would still want some people to fill that gap, that’s why I’m demanding for 50 werewolf soldiers from the West Wing Pack” I explain and I see a hand show from the crowd. “Yes, speak up” I instruct and the man who seems to be in his late forties rises with a gloomy expression.

“With all due respect Alpha Elijah, we lost all of our soldiers in the battle. Right now we do not even have to twenty healthy soldiers. They are all in the hospital and don’t seem to be doing well at all” The man explains and I look at him long and hard, trying to figure what to do next.

I search the crowd with my eyes and they fall on Cassie who’s looking at me like she has a death wish for me.

Her pheromone doesn’t fail to fill my nose and my heart starts racing for absolutely no reason.

I have always wanted to feel the mate bond, but now that I can feel it, I despise it and I just want it to stop already!

“If that’s the case then, you can offer me something else.”

“Which is?”

“Your current Alpha, Cassie.”

“But, if you do that, it means we won’t have a leader to lead us”

“Oh… you will. Me, I will be your new leader. Not to worry, I’m not going to treat you badly. It is my mother’s wish that I have mercy on you all and I’m going to grant her wish. I will rule over you like a true Alpha would, if you hand over you Alpha to me, but if you fail to do so, I will invade your pack and have you all killed. Trust me, I’m not bluffing. I will have you all killed if you do not do as I say” I threaten and the entire hall goes silent.

I look behind at my mother who’s shaking her head at me with a disappointed look on and I’m actually nerved.

What exactly is her problem?

These are people who have oppressed us for so long and right now that it’s time for them to have a taste of their own soup, she seems disappointed in me.

But I don’t really care. She said I shouldn’t enslave them, I’m not going to do that, but they have a price to pay for that and that will be their Alpha. Nothing else!

“This meeting is over!” I announce and immediately exit the hall and head for my chambers with an eternal frown masked on my face.

I’m supposed to be happy that I have finally gotten revenge on my oppressors, by taking their leader away from them, but I’m not. Instead, I’m confused and frustrated and I think it’s because I have asked my very own mate to be my slave.

I hate her and I’m not supposed to feel this way, but it’s impossible. She is still my mate and the mate bond will always trying to pull us together, but I’m not going to obey.

I hate Cassie.

Period!

CASSIE’S POV

I deserve it.

I totally deserve it.

My father was a cruel leader and I did nothing to stop him.

He treated the Alphas of other packs like slaves and killed their subjects whenever he felt like it.

I didn’t like it, but I couldn’t stop him, but I knew I couldn’t just stay and do nothing, I had to act fast.

On the night he planned the ambush on the Far North Pack, I snuck out of the pack and used my spying skills to invade the West Wing Pack and leave the entire attack plan on a scroll at Alpha Elijah castle gate without anyone notices.

I prayed all night for someone to find and give to him and it seems they did because he prepared hard for the battle and defeated my father.

On the night of the battle, I pretended to have a high fever and my father let me stay at home. When the news of his defeat and death reached me, I pretended to be hurt and shed a few tears, but deep within me, I was happy.

Someone had to end his madness.

I knew Alpha Elijah was going to enslave us all, I just didn’t think his mother would suggest otherwise. I will never be able to thank her enough for saving us all.

If giving me as a slave is what is going to save my people, then I’m gonna go be a slave at the pack. It’s better than watching my father kill people unnecessarily.

I walk into the hall where most of my Pack leaders are seated in total silence. The moment they notice me, they all try to rise up but I signal them to sit down.

I don’t want them doing that to me.

“Hello everyone” I greet and they all mumble replies under their breathes and I’m kind of surprised.

The guilty looks on the faces surprises me all the more.

I wonder what they are up to.

“I’m guessing you all know why I called this meeting”

“If you are going to ask us to stand up to Alpha Elijah and tell him we can’t hand you  over, you are wrong!” My Omega, Kirk, blasts out and I give him a shocking glare.

Where is that even coming from?

“Yes, your father is the sole reason why we are all in this situation and you need to pay for his crimes, so don’t even think of escaping because we won’t let you. You are…”

“Enough!!” I roar with my Alpha voice and the entire hall goes dead silent, but I can see each and everyone of them rolling their eyes and giving me disgusted looks.

Such betrayal.

I let out a frustrated chuckle and look at all of them in total disbelieve. I blink my eyes hard to prevent the tears welling up in them from spilling down.

I’m not gonna cry in front of them.

I’m not gonna show them that their words have hit me hard.

“You know…” Sighs heavily. “I never expected this from any of you. First, I had no intensions of fleeing the pack and putting you all in danger because I am your leader. The last thing I will do is let harm come your way. Second, you all are free from my father thanks to me. If I didn’t do what I did, you would still be bowing to him with your face touching his feet while eating his shit. You are free because of me and I didn’t expect this sort of betrayal from you. Selfish people you all are. I would rather serve as a slave at the Far North Pack, than be a leader to people who will send me into a burning furnace without a second thought because they have to save themselves. You all disgust me to the core and just being in your presence, makes me sick!” I swiftly walk out of the hall before I break down.

These two days have been the worse days of my entire life.

First, I found my mate, but he rejected me and now my own subjects have decided to turn against me.

What exactly does this life hold for me in the nearest future?