The weight of leadership

Alex’s POV

I strode into the throne hall, my boots echoing against the marble floor. The room was tense, brimming with elders from the packs that owed allegiance to the Silver Moon Kingdom. Their faces were grim, their murmurs low. It didn’t take a genius to know this was no ordinary gathering.

As I approached the central dais, my Beta, Marcus, stepped forward, his expression troubled. “My lord, the news is dire. The enemy has launched an attack on our kingdom’s walls.”

“Where exactly?” I asked, trying to keep my tone calm, though my gut twisted at the thought.

“The eastern gate,” Marcus replied. “Their forces number twenty thousand strong.”

A heavy silence fell over the room. My jaw clenched as I turned to face the elders, whose worried expressions mirrored the gravity of the situation.

“How many men do we have stationed there?” I demanded, my voice echoing through the hall.

Elder Rowan, the oldest and most experienced among them, stepped forward. “Twelve thousand, my lord. Including our reserves.”

Twelve thousand against twenty thousand. We were outnumbered nearly two to one. My mind raced, trying to piece together a strategy.

“We can’t meet them on the open battlefield,” I said finally, the plan forming in my mind. “We’ll fight from within the walls. Use the fortifications to our advantage.”

Rowan’s face darkened, and a murmur of dissent rippled through the elders. “The walls won’t hold forever,” he said, his tone cautious but firm. “We need reinforcements. Allies.”

I turned to Marcus. “What about the rest of our forces? Where are they?”

Marcus hesitated, and I already knew the answer before he spoke. “They were sent east to assist with the drought crisis. They won’t return in time.”

My fists tightened at my sides. We had stretched our resources thin, trying to maintain peace across the region, and now we were paying the price.

“Then which ally can we call upon?” I demanded, scanning the room. But my question was met with silence. The elders avoided my gaze, their hesitation infuriating.

“No one?” I pressed. “Not a single pack will come to our aid?”

The silence lingered, heavy and suffocating. Just as I was about to speak again, the doors to the hall swung open. The sound drew all eyes to the entrance as Stella entered, her presence commanding attention.

Stella was one of the royal pack’s emissaries, known for her sharp mind and unwavering confidence. Her fiery red hair fell over her shoulders, and her piercing blue eyes scanned the room with calm determination.

“I’ll send a message to my mother’s pack,” Stella announced, her voice steady. “Their kingdom is nearby, and they have thirty thousand men. They can send reinforcements.”

A wave of relief swept through the room, but I wasn’t convinced just yet. “And how long will it take for them to respond?” I asked, stepping closer to her.

She met my gaze without flinching. “If I leave immediately and they agree to our request, their forces can arrive within nine hours.”

“Nine hours,” Elder Rowan muttered. “The walls won’t last that long.”

“We don’t have a choice,” I said, cutting through the murmurs. “We hold the wall until help arrives.”

Turning to Stella, I added, “You’ll go personally to ensure the message is delivered?”

“Yes, my lord,” she replied. “I’ll leave now.”

Without another word, Stella left the room, her steps purposeful. The door closed behind her, leaving the rest of us to face the grim reality of what lay ahead.

The room fell into a tense silence as I turned back to the elders. “Assemble the men,” I ordered. “We’ll hold the walls with everything we have.”

The elders exchanged uneasy glances, but they knew better than to argue. Marcus stepped forward, nodding in agreement. “I’ll see to it, my lord.”

As I made to leave the throne room, Elder Rowan’s voice stopped me in my tracks. “Wait, Alex.”

I turned, fixing him with a hard stare. “What is it, Rowan? Time is not on our side.”

The elder stepped forward, his expression troubled but resolute. “You cannot lead this battle.”

His words struck me like a blow. “What did you just say?”

“It is too dangerous for an Alpha King to lead his men into war,” Rowan continued, his voice steady but firm. “An Alpha without an heir cannot risk his life. If you fall, the kingdom will descend into chaos. The packs will fracture.”

A wave of murmurs swept through the hall, some elders nodding in agreement.

“This is not the time for cowardice,” I snapped, my temper flaring. “Our kingdom is under attack. I will not sit idly by while my men fight and die.”

“It’s not cowardice,” Rowan countered. “It’s practicality. You must think of the bigger picture. If you die, who will lead the kingdom? Who will unify the packs?”

I took a step closer, my voice dropping to a dangerous tone. “Are you suggesting I let my men fight without their leader? That I hide behind these walls while they lay down their lives?”

“You must ensure the survival of the kingdom,” another elder interjected. “We’re not saying you should do nothing, but leading the charge yourself is reckless.”

My hands curled into fists, frustration boiling in my veins. I knew they had a point, but the thought of standing back, of letting others take the risks I shouldered, was unbearable.

“We’re running out of time,” I said, my voice sharp. “We’ll discuss this later.”

But as I turned to leave, Rowan’s voice stopped me again.

“We’re not done, Alex,” he said firmly. “You cannot lead this war. Not as an Alpha King without an heir.”

The words hung heavy in the air, their implication clear. My jaw tightened, and I felt the weight of their judgment pressing down on me.

I turned back to face them, my chest heaving with barely contained anger. The room was silent, every eye fixed on me, waiting to see what I would do.

Then who will lead, if not me?

I demanded, my voice echoing through the hall, leaving the room in tense, uncertain silence.