Chapter 9

"Thank everyone for being here, but we must end the soiree," Kyle announces to everyone, then he looks at a few. while "Kieran, stay in your room with Bianca, have Derrick and Frans escort them. Atea, by my side, we must see each other as a united herd."

"Yes, my alpha," they all answer, except me.

"Kyle ... uh, sorry, alpha Kyle," I correct myself when I see the warning look, he gives me, "if you don't mind, I'd like to stay in the meeting. I think I will be of great help if you let me be there."

"This world is too new for you, darling," he tells me with more kindness than I expected, "you won't know how to act in front of two alphas and I wouldn't want a confrontation with Einar today. I'd like to buy more time for you."

"With all the respect you deserve, alpha, I think that if he listens to my opinion, it will be easier for you to convince him," I say, "don't worry, you have my word that I will behave and know how to measure up."

"I'll be by her side at all times," Kieran intervenes and I look at him and nod, "to ensure nothing bad happens."

"Okay," Kyle agrees, "but don't lose your temper this time, Bianca, is that clear?"

"Yes, alpha, I promise," I assure him.

"I don't know how my father believed you, you're a fucking liar, remember?" Kieran whispers in my ear, even though I know he doesn't mean it.

"He trusts that you're going to control me," I say softly, "what he doesn't know is that neither you nor anyone else can tell me what to do," I add, nudging him with a half-smile on my face. The truth is that I am grateful to him for having supported me.

"And a fucking stubborn," he adds, laughing as well.

We all go to an office, which has a huge desk with a shelf full of books in the back and, at the other end of the room, a living room with several seats and a central table. The walls are lined with mahogany from floor to ceiling. The smell of wood fills the air.

Atea asks a girl to bring jugs with water and asks everyone if they want coffee, but no one says anything. I guess we're all too nervous to think about coffee, so Atea decides to order a jug with tea.

A few minutes later, a huge man in his forties enters the office, accompanied by four other men, two are in the middle of the court and the other two are escorting everyone behind.

He has a commanding presence, just like Kyle or Kieran, so I guess it has to be alpha stuff. He's handsome, for an old man, with his hair as dark as mine, but where my eyes are blue gray, his are honey colored.

"Welcome, Einar!" Kyle says, with a smile too wide to be honest, "how long have we seen each other."

"Hello, Kyle," says the one who is supposed to be my father, "Maikan, Kieran, a pleasure to see you, "greets them with a handshake, "Ketin, you're still the same," he says and gives him a hug, "Luna Atea, elegant as always," he takes her hand to kiss it, "and you must be my daughter, " he tells me with a slight smile and sparkle in his eyes, "you are just like your mother."

Kieran growls next to me and I put my hand on him to calm him down, an action that doesn't escape Einar and Kyle's sight.

"Hamil, Ender!" Kyle greets the men behind Einar, trying to divert attention.

Einar gestures to one of the men at the end of the entourage and he leaves.

"I think you already know what the reason for my visit is, so I will not go with amenities, Kyle."

"I know, I know," he says with a pretended innocent face, "I understand you perfectly. If it were the opposite, I would act the same as you. We are concerned parents."

"Don't beat around the bush, Kyle," Einar says a little impatiently, "now, if you're so kind, I'd like to take my daughter with me and end this visit."

"I would like to give my opinion, if it is not an inconvenience, alpha Einar," I say with such a submissive voice that even surprise me.

"Of course, Alanna, you have every right to speak," says Einar, although he shows he has not liked at all that I have spoken.

"I'd like to stay here a while longer, alpha," I say softly in my voice, "it's that I'm adjusting to this new world. As you must know, I was living in the human world, I even had plans after finishing school. I had even won a scholarship to an excellent college that I was going to attend next fall. But all my plans have changed and now I must learn a lot of new things. The alphas, the betas, everything is new. I recently saw someone close transforms and that scared me very much. They tell me that I will do the same too. I have a friend who is helping me with this. He was a kind of brother to me, and I have a lot of affection for him. But he has his mate in this pack and he has agreed to stay by my side just for that. If you take me, he won't want to accompany me. So, I ask you to let me stay here for at least one more month, to get to know this world.

Einar remains thinking for a moment. I am convinced that he was not expected that I say something like that because he purses his lips into a fine line, but he restrains himself.

"I'm sure you could spend that process perfectly well in the Silver pack, next to your father, of course," he replies, trying to keep calm, although he seems impatient.

“I know nothing should be compared to your company since you are my father, but I have a cousin in this pack, Kayra, who is uncle Maikan's daughter. She is my age, and she can help me, too," I keep begging him, although I don't know how long I can hold on without laughing, "everything is so new to me, father, so I beg you to let me stay a while longer. It would only be a month."

"I'll only let you stay one more week, Alanna," says Einar, raising his voice, "after that you'll go with me to the pack. You are the future alpha, and you need to know everything before taking your position," he finishes telling me. I don't dare to insist, because I don't know if he thinks better and undo his word.

"Thank you so much alpha," I say, trying to sound excited. He nods his head, but you can tell he's forced.

"Kyle, I bring you a peace offering," he says to him, and we all stare at him. Then, Einar nods to one of his escorts and he brings in none other than Astrid, "I know you hate traitors, just like I do, so I brought Astrid back to you. She came to me a little while ago, to tell me that you would not agree to give my daughter back. She gave me all the information in great detail."

"Ah, little Astrid, so that's what you were doing," he says, and she lowers her head, "what am I going to do with you?" His words are sweeter than necessary. I did less than Astrid and he almost ripped my head off, so I'm sure he's pissed off.

"I hope you put her in a dungeon, the same way you have Maddox right now," he says, and I try to hide my surprise. As much as I want to hate Richard, he has been like my father all this time and I don't even want to imagine how he will feel right now in that place, "by the way, I have come to take him, too. He took Alanna, the Silver pack's future alpha, he was kidnapping accessory, just like the traitor Adara," he adds, "I want to judge him and execute him personally."

"That's impossible, Einar," Kyle answers something serious. You can tell that he is not going to give in on this, "I captured him, and I will judge him. He has also committed crimes towards the Scarlet Moon pack, so he will be tried and executed here in his own pack."

“You don't leave me anything, Kyle. I am not taking my daughter, I am not taking the traitor," says the other alpha, "I will not leave empty-handed."

"I remind you that your visit was unexpected," Kyle tells him, “You are ahead to all events. Alanna just arrived this afternoon and you came when we were welcoming her. Excuse me if I have nothing for you at this moment, but I'd planned to inform you in due course and do the corresponding honors."

"I hope you do the corresponding honors when you send my daughter to the Silver pack."

"I will fulfill your daughter's wishes, which will surely be yours, of course," Kyle replies.

“A week, Kyle. I will send an escort within a week, and I hope there are no further delays in this regard."

Kyle doesn't answer him, instead, he nods his head in approval.

"Well, if all is said, I will leave," says Einar, "a pleasure to see you all," says goodbye to Kyle's entourage, "see you in a week, Alanna," he tells me and winks at me, then he turns around and leaves, with his people behind. The office doors close and Kyle stares at Astrid.

"What have you done?" He snaps at her with anger in his eyes, "you have not only committed treason, but you have also exposed the pack as weak and insecure, all because of your damn spite," he yells even louder and Astrid bows her head in submission, "was it worth it?"

"No, my alpha," she replies.

"I would never have expected an attitude like this from a delta and even less from you. Everyone knows that you have made an effort to reach that level," he continues yelling at her, "now tell me, what has everything been worth, if you spoil everything out of spite," Astrid looks embarrassed, she doesn't even try to look for Kieran's gaze, who is next to me just as upset as his father.

"I'm not making a decision now, Astrid. You are going to have a trial and you are going to have a punishment," he emphasizes in a tired voice, "for now, I remove you from your position and I will send you to a cell, until the day of your trial."

"Yes, my alpha," she just answered, and Kyle guides her to the door and gives instructions to one of her escorts.

"I think it's too late and I'm tired," he says to everyone, "rest well, we'll have a meeting tomorrow after breakfast."

"Yes, my alpha," they all answer and leave one by one.

"Kieran, Bianca, Atea, stay a minute," the three of us stop and sit down again. Kyle starts talking.

"Congratulate you, Bianca, your intervention has served to give us some time, but that will not do for long, as you already know."

"Thank you very much, alpha," I reply.

"Call me Kyle," he says, "I'm sure it doesn't fit at all calling me alpha," he continues, and I smile at him, "I don't understand your change in attitude, could you explain? “He requests me.

“Let's just say that no one throws a party for someone who intends to hurt. In addition, you have a dungeon where you could have sent me from the beginning, without having to do any amenity."

"See that you are a very observant person," he replies.

"I was going to be a lawyer if that answers your question," I answer, and everyone laughs.

"You would have been the best lawyer, there's no question about it."

"Are you going to judge Richard?" I ask him directly because he already made me clear that I don't have to pretend with him.

"It's my obligation," he says, "you've already heard Einar. If he is not judged here, he will ask for his head and I will not be able to deny him. I won't let him finish Maddox as he did with Adara. Nor can I conflict with him, that will bring the war to both packs."

I gulp at the thought of all that Einar would be capable of just because I won't go to a pack I've never been to. My pack. The future Alpha. I think the words and I don't believe them.

How could I rule a pack if I still have no idea of anything?

I think Astrid was right in saying that I would not be a good Luna and I must add that I would not be a good alpha either. Then I remember that Einar is not interested at all that I am the next in line of his succession, on the contrary, he intends to use me to acquire more power.

"Can I see him? I ask Kyle. "Richard, I mean."

"Of course, you do," he tells me with a smile.

"Now?"

"Yes, of course, have them escort you to the dungeons."

"I'll accompany her, Dad," Kieran intervenes.

"Of course, I expected no less from you," he replies, and we all left his office.