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~Noah~ For the first time in my life, I found it difficult to walk away. Pulling Winter aside, it took a lot for me to explain the situation to her. A major part of me just wanted to take her with me to the East, but I knew that if she came along, getting back to the North would take a while. I also wanted her to connect with my cousins. When I told her what had happened, she was ready to leave and head back home, but when I said no, she refused to stay. Just like me, she didn't want us separated. I wouldn't say it was a lack of trust; I just believed our relationship was at that stage. I remembered Liam and Josephine and how they stuck to each other like glue; even though she did not know they were fated, Liam couldn't get her out of his sight. Harper and Adrian were a crazy adventure. We broke rules for their sake. I don't even want to get started with Charlotte and Caspian. Jewels and Jacob were something else and still are. I knew Winter, and I needed that closeness. And not
~Noah~ We finally arrived at the hall for the meeting. Judging by the turn-up, it seemed we were the ones causing the delay. "Is Lord Albert not coming?" Alpha Dickson of Woodleaf Pack asked, and I reigned in my anger at his tone. He was the oldest Alpha among us; he also usually presided over the meetings. He was older than our father. I suspected he was in his sixties. I wondered if he would ever hand over the position to his daughter, who was our parent's age mate. I guess we would never know. There are people who would like to die in the place of power, and Dickky, here, seemed like one of those. "We are here, so there is no need," Sebastien told him sternly, and Alpha Dickson sat back on his chair. Looking around, I noticed all who were present, and I was surprised to see Moses with us. "What are you doing here?" I asked him, and he stood up immediately as a sign of respect. "Lord Andrew Stepanov asked me to fill in for him. Kevin is in Lucland, and the Lord and his wife are
~Noah~ The council chamber was filled with stunned silence, the weight of Brandon's unexpected request hanging in the air like an unspoken truth. "You are willing to give up your status as Alpha?" Alpha Dickson asked, genuine surprise colouring his tone. Brandon nodded in response. "How can I be Alpha when I have nothing to give my people? If another alpha can care for them, so be it. This problem has ruined my life; everything has been taken from me. I have lost everything trying to keep things together. I never wanted the Alpha position anyway, but I had no choice but to take it," Brandon explained, his words carrying the heavy burden of resignation. Alpha Dickson sighed, recognising the depth of Brandon's despair. "If we absorb your pack, then what will you do about the threats you claim are imminent to your people and your land? How will you defend your land? You will be alone, by the way. Do you have a death wish, Brandon?" Dickson inquired, genuine concern evident in his voic
~Noah~ The hall was silent for a bit. I could see Brandon trying to compose himself. It was obvious he wasn't done speaking, and he had much more to say. So we all waited. "I never had a choice, Alpha Noah. Please be in my shoes and see if you would have acted differently. What do you do when you have to choose between your happiness and the welfare of your people? What do you do when you have to choose between joy and the survival of your people? My people can't trade, we can't do business, we can't mingle. How do we earn money to pay off our debts? How do we earn money to be independent? Would it be better if I had gone ahead with the wedding and married her? Then what will happen to my people? What would happen to Hayland?" he asked, and I had a response for him, but I held my tongue and waited for him to complete his lament. The truth was, the issue was that he accused me of taking what belonged to him; the rest of his nonsense was inconsequential, but I would be patient with him
~Noah~ I refused to respond, my anger simmering beneath the surface as Brandon's baseless accusations echoed through the chamber. The presumption of guilt in my silence hung heavy, but I remained composed, choosing not to dignify his claims with a response. It was clear that this confrontation had ventured into personal vendettas, straying far from the initial purpose of the council meeting. "Everyone knows what you and your brothers are doing. Waiting your old man out. After all, you said it at the engagement party in Brentwood," Brandon continued, his gaze turning toward Moses for confirmation. Moses, appearing uncomfortable, avoided eye contact and remained silent, neither confirming nor refuting Brandon's claim. Brandon shamelessly pressed on. "You bragged that you know you are going to get the positions anyway, whether your old man desires it or not. No one dares challenge you for anything. I mean, goddess forbid anyone tries it. So you can just take what you want, bully whoeve
~Noah~ I wasn't bluffing when I extended help to Brandon. Despite Ethan's clear displeasure, Sebastien comprehended the gravity of the situation. We piled into the jeep, with Tevin taking the driver's seat, ready to transport us to the alpha's office. My brothers might not have been thrilled about the unexpected turn of events, but I had a plan to wrap things up quickly and return to Lucland by tonight. I can already imagine the surprise on Winter's face when she sees me. As we embarked on our journey, tension filled the air. Ethan couldn't contain his frustration, and Sebastien, sensing the need to diffuse the situation, addressed him. "You need to chill, E. The guy already has it bad," Sebastien advised, attempting to bring a sense of reason into the tense atmosphere. Ethan, however, wouldn't have any of it. "It's like you guys did not understand the magnitude of what that fucker tried to do in there. He wanted to turn this entire thing into a mate-stealing crime," Ethan exclaim
~Noah~ As I processed this information, a wave of realisation hit me. The fact that the King was involved in summoning Anthony and Adrian to Greenville indicated that there was an event of considerable significance. The exclusivity of the invitation raised questions about what might be happening, and the feeling of being left out gnawed at me. Our father could have told us. I guess we weren't supposed to know. "What's happening in Greenville that they only invited a selected few?" I asked, my curiosity getting the better of me. Adrian sighed, a hint of weariness in his expression. "I wish I knew, Noah. It's something big, but they didn't disclose the details. We're expected to be briefed tomorrow morning. All I know is that it involves a meeting with some high-profile individuals in the South," I relaxed a bit, though still in shock over Anthony's unexpected arrival. The realisation hit me that if Winter didn't see Anthony, it might lead to her thinking I lied to her. I ran my f
~Noah~ I could see that, despite the mistakes he had made, Brandon had a good heart. The complexities of his situation and the emotions he harboured painted a more nuanced picture. "You are a true alpha to your people, Brandon. I respect what you did for them today. Begging on their behalf took a lot of effort, and I know it is hard. I commend you for it," I expressed genuinely, acknowledging the sincerity of Brandon's efforts for his pack. He smiled at me, appreciating the recognition, and his gaze wandered around the room as if reminiscing. "I was running a business consultancy in Gad when my mother called me and informed me that Hayland needed an alpha, and I was next in line," he began a chuckle escaping him at the unexpected turn his life had taken. "I said no. Honestly, I didn't think I was cut out for the job, and I had learned what had happened to the place. She pleaded with me to come home and fix the place. I had no choice. It was either that or the place would be withou