~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
~Anthony~ Ethan and I finished lunch and decided we should head to the orphanage. It was best to get the task over with so we could rest and go clubbing tonight. It was the least I could do. Most of us were going clubbing in Lucland, but the sudden summon had counted me out. Adrian and Jacob weren't going anyway, so nothing was lost on their part. "It sucks, right?" Ethan asked me behind the wheel. It was as if he could read my mind. "There are some hot chicks in Lucland, and I was looking forward to clubbing," I confessed. "Me too. But then that fucker Brandon had to throw a tantrum and drag all of us here," Ethan said, and I realised he had some serious resentment toward the Alpha. It wasn't a good thing because Ethan could be dangerous. I really didn't want to be in Brandon's shoes. "Wouldn't you ask me what he did?" Ethan asked, and I shook my head. "Nope. None of my business. Heard enough shit to last me a bit. If you tell me, then it becomes my problem, and I don't want th
~Anthony~ Breaking the spell, I cleared my throat, prompting Chelsea to look up from whatever she was engrossed in. Her eyes, large and expressive like a doe's, met mine. It was as if time stood still for a moment, allowing me to take in the details of her features. Full, pink lips, a face perfectly contoured yet softened by gentle edges – she was the epitome of delicate beauty, a fragile charm that I felt the need to handle with care. Without lingering, Chelsea gracefully rose from her seat and bowed, a gesture of politeness that caught me off guard. It was a touch of formality that seemed unexpected, given the casual setting. It made me wonder about her background and upbringing. Realising that she might not recognise us, I took a step forward, eager to bridge the gap. She didn't seem like someone who followed television, or perhaps she simply hadn't connected our faces to any public personas. In any case, I extended a hand in greeting, ready to introduce ourselves. "Hello, Chels