2-The Meeting

Edward’s POV

So Erin and James Lopez? I’m okay with that. He’s a strong Alpha, insists on female warriors, has living parents, believes in the mate bond. As long as he comes to this meeting unmarked I’m good.

Erin saw he and I spar to a draw at the interpack training three months ago, but they didn’t meet. Good thing too, my little sister is a total fan girl. I’m sure she hasn’t stopped talking yet. She fell head over heels for James calling him all forms of “hot” for the past three months. She has googled him, followed all the gossip, printed posters of paparazzi photos of him. It’s almost like she knew.

James is the richest of the Alpha’s. I don’t do bad, I’m a billionaire too, but he’s more of a billionaire. His pack is smaller with less expensives. I might make more than him but I also spend more.

Every wolf, peaceful vampire, light witch, troll, and peaceful rouge is interested in James Lopez. Ever since he turned eighteen he has been in all the sociality columns and tabloids. “Hottest Alpha”, “World’s Most Eligible Bachelor,” “Richest Alpha” blah blah blah. My sister is on cloud nine.

I’m less popular. No one buys mags if I’m on the cover unless it’s another story about a terrible thing I’ve done. I’m too ruthless, stern and hated. James is just a deadly as I am. Whatever.

I like expanding, my father did too. I’ve taken out hostile Vampires, dark witches, hostile rouges and any threat to my authority. I don’t kill children, no matter the species. I try to leave them both or one parents but if the parents chose to remain hostile, of course, I kill them. People call me ruthless, but I’m not. I protect my pack and my borders. I have a heart, I mean I take care of the orphans I create. That sounds horrible, but whatever. I won’t have my pack threatened.

Now these western packs want to war with us? Really? My pack combined with James’s could take out the whole west. Maybe that is what we need to do. Just kill all the dumba** Alphas who are threatening war. If I convince my sister, maybe she can convince her mate?

I can’t stand this whole meeting thing I am about to attend. These little weak Alphas wanting to Ally with the stronger packs so they don’t have to train warriors or lose members. No, why defend yourselves when Blood Moon and Silver Creek can spend time, money, energy, and warriors to defend you? I’m sick of losing my warriors defending weak packs.

There were a few weak a** Alphas in my area. I took care of it and expanded my land. Some of the Alphas here are worried they are next, so they started training. I’ll leave them alone as long as they are training. I mean defend yourselves, all I ask! If an Alpha will defend themselves and their pack I’ll leave them alone. I’ll even help out if they are training and working hard.

There is plenty of hostile territory to tame. I’m more than happy to expand my territory by taking out hostiles. I just can’t stand watching my warriors die for wolves who refuse to help themselves. Widows with children, all about defending them. Omegas with no wolves, absolutely. Wolves who with a little training could be kick a**, yeah I’m sick of defending and burying warriors for their a**es.

That is my line in this meeting “Train all capable wolves! I’ll assist anyone who trains and makes an effort.”

I see James coming into the room. He sits across the table from me. He is unmarked. Good boy.

“My sister completely fan girl on you?” I ask attempting to be friendly.

“She is a ball of fire. I hope she doesn’t burn me too much.” He is smiling so big his jaw must hurt.

“She is something. So now we are in laws we should team up. Take out the weak Alphas who refuse to train their packs. We could rule the whole East.”

He looks surprised. “I’m not killing just to expand.”

I narrow my eyes, “Neither am I. I hope you realize my position. I’m sick of my warriors dying and then opening bunkers to find capable wolves hiding with Omegas, widows and children. These Alphas need to command more wolves train. It can’t be you and I defending these weaklings burying our warriors creating widows, orphans, and childless mothers all because they refuse to fight for themselves.”

James looked in deep thought. “I’m not killing to expand. I’ll work with other Alphas to train their warriors and capable wolves as you say.”

“Fine you get these f**kers to train and I’ll back off,” I can’t believe he sided with them. I may have to get my sister to influence him. “James aren’t you sick of friends dying when other packs could do more? If we can convince the Alphas to train their packs you and I could officiate less funerals.”

“You are not a bloodthirsty killer are you?” He looks at me with narrowed eyes.

“I’ll kill anyone whose actions or inaction threaten my pack, including careless Alphas,” I don’t drop my serious expression.

More Alphas start to join us so I sit back and wait.

“Alpha James,” a tall guy with dark black hair sits next to James. “Where’s Kass?”

“Home this trip, good thing too I met my mate!” James smiles crazy wide.

“Congrats man! Like met her today? Here?” The tall guy asks.

“Yeah, Erin of Blood Moon,” James answers.

“Sweet. I wonder if my sister knows her? Oh by the way Pumpkin saids if you don’t make Kass Gamma she is coming up there to personally give you a kick in the ass.” The tall guy laughs.

“Claire couldn’t kick my ass without a ladder,” James scoffs.

“She’s a Wallace,” the tall guy saids smiling.

“Nic Wallace?” I interject. I know of him, his temper is vicious. The reputation doesn’t jive with the smiling joking guy in front of me.

They turn to me. “No I’m Liam the Eldest. Nic is at Golden Moon Training.”

Oh, he’s the super strong nice guy. Apparently he pinned James once. I can’t pin James.

“How is he doing being away from Claire?” James asks.

Liam rolls his eyes. “He’s fine.”

An older guy Sits next to Liam. “James.”

“Alpha William,” James nods respectfully. “Have you met Alpha Edward?”

“No nice to meet you I am William Wallace Mountain Peak,” he extends his hand across the table.

“Nice to meet you. You train some amazing warriors.” I tell him. The mountain wolves are amazing fighters.

“We try to. I’m most impressed by my boys and my little girl,” he claps a hand over Liam’s shoulder.

“How do you feel about Alphas who don’t compel training for capable wolves?” I ask bluntly.

Liam leans forward.

“Even wolfless Omegas can be trained to defend themselves. At Mountain Peak and my new pack Blue Mountain all members train starting at twelve. My sister has six rouge kills and she doesn’t have her wolf yet,” Liam answers.

“Yeah the Wallaces are not like the Alpha we discussed.” James tells me. “Their the sixth largest pack, but honestly, I wouldn’t go against them. Pumpkin is about five foot tall, little pixie, but girl can fight. My head trainer Kassandra called her a deadly ball of fire.”

“Pumpkin?” I say smirking.

“My little sister,” Liam explains. “She is deadly.”

“She’s my daughter,” William saids smiling full of pride.

“How’s Miss Grace?” James asks.

Liam smiles broadly, “my Lovely is waiting impatiently for me to get home. Almost as impatient as I am for her to turn 18!”

James nods.

“If we can come to order,” Elder Titus calls.

“Thank you all for coming,” Elder Brown starts. “Its good to see all of you. We need to discuss the threats that we face. Rouges, other packs and each other.”

I perk up at the last one. I didn’t know there were threats to each other. Now I’m listening.

“Alpha Edward,” f**ker was talking about me. Fine let’s do this. “We are concerned about your challenges in particular the number of challenges you’ve made in the last year. Care to tell us why?”

“Sure,” I stand up. “Three years ago at a meeting like this my father and I agreed to help several packs with a massive rouge problem. Packs were getting attacked left and right. My father and I sent warriors, trainers, money for new borders and we even fought on the battlefield for some packs. We, and by that I mean my father and I found that the packs who called to us for aide had one thing in common, training and fighting was voluntary. I opened bunkers that should only have Omegas, children, and mothers that housed capable wolves who simply didn’t know how to fight. My warriors were dead while capable wolves cowered away staying cosy and safe. My warriors left their mates, children, parents, to defend those who refused to defend themselves. I have officiated more funerals than I care to mention. Then two years ago my pack was under attack by rouges dumb enough to try. My father and I called on our allies only none came. No one was there for us. The challenges over the last year were the direct consequence of one sided alliances. I’ll help any pack willing to help themselves and help other packs. But I will no longer be allies with selfish Alphas who depend on me to protect their packs so they can f**k their mates and hide in bunkers. Train your dam* packs to fight. Defend yourselves. I’ll send trainers if you need them. We have a war coming and only six packs in this room are battle ready. Six out of forty. That’s not good gentlemen.”

I sat down and looked around the room, guilt hung over their faces, guilt and disgust. Almost everyone looks uncomfortable. James looks at me with wide eyes. Liam and William were actually smiling and nodding.

When James stood up my heart leap. Mother F**ker sees it my way.

“I share Alpha Edwards sentiment that you all need to get battle ready. My Luna had requested my head trainer as her personal bodyguard, but I am sure to train your packs my Luna would be willing to release her. You all have seen Kassandra Byatt’s ability, she and her father can whip any pack into shape. I offer their services to any pack willing to train.”

I had heard of Kassandra, my sister wouldn’t shut up about her. Apparently, Kassandra, or Kass as people called her, taught my baby sister some techniques and Erin was able to slam me to a mat. Granted I was distracted by something. The smell of Chocolate and Bananas, my favorite dessert. I smelled it but it was gone when I got up off the mat.

I notice the other Alphas talking. Maybe we are getting through. Just freaking maybe!

“I offer my services as well. We have many trainers and are more than willing to send help to any pack that requests it,” William stands. “That’s three packs willing to train. Are you really going to turn it down?”

“Green Creek is small but stands ready to fight,” a young looking guy stands up. “We train to fight hybrids. We have several in our pack and hold training classes on our pack lands.”

I hear everyone continue to talk and some make excuses why training should be voluntary. I make a mental note of these idiots.

James passes me a note.

Okay, I see your point. These guys really expect us to do all the work. You have my support. We will train these packs together and take over those that need new leadership. I’ll help you clean up. But we do this with as little killing as possible. Can you agree to that?

I nod, he nods. We have our Alliance.