"Alpha!" Both me and Axel greet him as he puts his phone down."If it isn't the heroic couple." I believe he tried to sound genuine, but god damn did that come out sarcastic. And exactly because he attempted to be nice, I am so much more convinced it won't be a good discussion. "Take a seat. Rose, Axel told me you were the one that figured that the rogues would attack yesterday.""I just thought of looking for a pattern when Axel mentioned the attacks can't be predicted." That and the moon Goddess appears in my dreams and gives me advice lately like a fairy godmother, but I'm not going to say that out loud. Not that they would believe me anyway."Yes. In the reports that you too stole from my office the other day."All the blood drains from my face as I sneak a look towards Axel, but my mate seems quite pleased with himself."I see that old age didn't make you senile, father." he says, and I almost choke with my own breath. I expect the Alpha to be outraged, but instead, he bursts out
"Did you just lie to your Alpha?" Axel asks as we come out of the Alpha's office the next morning."Alpha is for werewolves. If he is acting like a peacock, I can treat him like one, right?""What have you become?" Axel asks, amused, and I return a smirk.Truth be told, I was shitting myself, but the old bastard was questioning what else I found in the reports so he could take credit himself for the ideas when he would meet with the Alphas in the north. The Whiteclaws are a very influential pack, one of the oldest in the country, so once they took the situation seriously, many others followed their lead. Now a meeting is in order, something that hasn't happened in hundreds of years."I told you, I don't mind you taking credit, but him... I'd rather go back to the dungeon." I explain as we get into the car to drive back to the little house. I caught a glimpse of Caroline when we drive by the training grounds, but she turns around fast when she sees Axel. I throw him a questioning look,
#Axel's perspective#"I will try to hint at this, Rose, but... It took them so long to admit that the attacks are a problem, even though endless packs fell in the last years. To accept there is any pack in the world that would work with the rogues... It would shake the foundation of their beliefs." I shake my head as I paced around the room."Their beliefs is the root of those troubles. The distance between packs, the distance between members of the same pack, between us and the rogues. Instead of a community that was created for the survival of everyone, it became the rule of the strongest.""Because that's what is needed to survive...""No, that is the easy way to exist, not what is needed to live, to thrive."We are running in circles at this point, with both being right and wrong at the same time. And I get what she's saying is right in a way, but just because it's right, it doesn't mean everyone will jump to accept it. Yeah, the weak will, seeing an opportunity, but the strong? T
" Another attack was prevented before it even happened. Goddess bless our future Alpha." Mrs. Tensel tells her friend.I smile as I pass by. It's been three months since we lost any warriors to the rogues and the moral of the pack increased tremendously because of it. That, and their trust in Axel as a leader."My day just got better." Axel smiles when he sees me in his room. I didn't catch him when he returned from his border duties, but that's no problem, as I caught him right as he got out of the shower, which is a treat for the eyes."Mine too. I heard some old ladies talking about how great you are. And not just them, the whole pack can't stop praising you. My mate is such a catch." I laugh and wink at him, but even though he smiles too, he seems a bit uncomfortable.I don't want to ruin the mood so I say nothing. In the last month, he has been uncomfortable every time the mate thing comes up and I am tired of asking why, only to start a fight with him arguing that it's only in m
#Axel's perspective#After half an hour talking about what kind of scented sheets each Alpha will have, I lost all my enthusiasm for this ceremony. For the love of the Goddess, we all spent some nights in wolf shape, sleeping in the forest. Is it really necessary to act like a spoiled princess now just because they can?"I know what's on your mind, but keep your opinions about it to yourself. This is not just about you becoming the Alpha, it's an opportunity for life-saving alliances that you will never have again." Father comments once the Beta gets out. He lights a cigarette, which is rare, and leans back on his chair. "Sometimes appearances matter more than facts.""I thought we were done with this conversation." I roll my eyes, but he puffs the smoke in my direction. He started doing that lately. Small things to show me that he is still the Alpha, clinging to the feeling of power for a bit longer. Harmless thing really, but I can't help but feel a bit sorry for him. It's pathetic.
"Armani, really?" I whisper to my mom, but she hushes me up. Goddess forbid one of them hears us making fun of their tastes and start a war over it.The Alpha holds his head so high I almost laugh. Goddess knows how he doesn't trip as he walks. Axel is standing next to his father to greet the esteemed guests one by one as they get out of their fancy cars in their fancy suits. The Alpha ceremony is tomorrow, so today, we celebrate the former Alpha's life before he steps down from power. An impressive event and an excuse to showcase money and power in front of others.I look around. The whole pack has to be here, grouped in different classes, careful not to touch each other. Omegas, exhausted after having to do most of the preparations, have to sit at the back, with their heads down, ashamed of their lack of power. The families of warriors in front of them. Then the warriors themselves, the gammas, the Beta's family and then, finally, the Alpha. The difference between rogues and packs i
#Axel's perspective#"I can't do it anymore! I have to ask. From what century are those stories from?" I hear Caroline through the link and almost spit my drink. Alpha Michelson was delighting the table with stories from his youth, but the man is one sneeze away from becoming dust, so a few people started to throw looks at each other. Of course, as host, I can't really afford to do that, but damn... He is… a problematic character. When an Alpha’s son reaches maturity, he takes his father’s powers and place so many Alphas avoid having sons until they are older so they can cling to power more. But Alpha Michaelson took it to an entire new level, having his son with a twenty year old gamma that he married a month after his wife’s death. The creep was fifty by then.Almost like he wanted to answer Caroline's question, the old Alpha starts retelling stories from his father about the fall of the first pack in front of the rogues. BlackBlood."My father went with some others to push the rogu
"You are so beautiful, sweetheart." My mother gushes around me, puffing my dress and making sure my hair is in place. She is dangerously close to putting a little tiara on top of this."Beautiful or not, it won't matter much."I have a bad feeling about this and the closer to the naming ceremony we get, the faster my heart is beating in my chest. It's like my body refuses to move. With all the Alphas, the pack hating on me while the prophecy of the Moon Goddess predicts the possible end of the world, I am a bit... stressed."They won't start throwing stones at you, Rose. Whether they like it or not, their Alpha made you Luna and they will respect that as they respect and follow all his orders. Isn't this the law of their kind?" My mother tries to soothe me, but I can sense that she is hesitant to go to the ceremony too.My grandma has to knock on the door, warning that we would be late to make us move.So just like that, full of dread, but also high hopes, I take my seat, at the very e