Decisions: Preparations

Later that evening Damien went to see his father.

“You asked me to see you, father.”

“Yes, what did you think of Alpha George?”

“He is an impressionable Alpha and is quite formidable. However, something doesn’t sit right with me.” Damien said

“He hasn’t bothered about us ever since he became the Alpha of the Sunlit pack, but now he is seeking an alliance with us through marriage.”

Lucien smiled at his son. “There is more to this alliance than George is letting on. He is hiding something and the sooner we find out what, the sooner we gain the upper hand.”

“I feel whatever he is hiding lies within his daughter’s illness. Its most likely she is more ill than he is letting on and he’s trying to pretend by making it seem the benefits of the alliance is more important than the marriage of his daughter.” Lucien said, a cold glint in his eyes.

“What are we to do father?” Damien asked

“We delay the joining until we can dig deeper and grasp George’s weakness.”

Sunlit Pack

Council room

The council room of the sunlit pack was agog due to the immediate summon from the alpha upon his return. Alpha George had left for a journey upon receiving word from seer apprentice Amal. Not a word had been breathed about the whereabouts of his journey or aim. The Alpha rarely summoned the council unless there was trouble or an issue the council members could not resolve. When George became the alpha, the pack was in disarray due to its large number and there were a lot of internal conflict. However, he quickly divided the pack members into different units depending on their role and duty in the pack and placed people he trusts as the heads to handle little conflict within the unit and manage them. He then set up a council made up of the leaders of each of this units that answer only to him, to report issues meant only for the Alpha and help with decisions that ensure the smooth running of the pack. The sunlit pack was one of the largest packs and it was thanks to this system it could thrive and grow and reduced the load on the Alpha without weakening his authority and hold over the pack.

“I have summoned you all here today to inform you of some changes that are about to take place within the pack” George started once everyone had settled down.

“Many of you must have been curious about my most recent journey.”

“Well, I will go straight to the point, I went to the Grey moon pack to form an alliance with them.”

George signaled his assistant to share the agreement with the council. Murmurs of astonishment rang out amongst the council, only those who escorted George on his journey where unfazed by the news.

“Alpha, if I may. We are currently far stronger than them, I see no reason for this alliance.” Lawrence, the head of the healers spoke

“And these conditions stated in the agreement are much to favorable to them if I might add.” Jacelyn, the head of the scribes added.

More voices of discontent arose as they failed to see what they could possibly gain from an alliance with a far weaker pack, a rival pack to make matters worse.

“Goddess, how can we marry our only princess to their third prince. Third! Whatever were you thinking George, she’s your only daughter.” James the Beta and George’s longtime friend exclaimed. He had been left in charge of the pack and was therefore had not gone with them.

“Fret not, I will never do anything that will be detrimental to the pack or my daughter.”

“I have withheld vital information concerning the princess’s health for a while, for her safety. Aaliyah was born with only half her soul, and only by mating with her soulmate before her eighteenth moon might she be well.” George said, repeating the same story he had told the Grey moon pack.

He trusted his councilors, they where his friends and closest allies. But Alice had given up her life to bare his daughter and he would rather die than give up any information that could endanger her. The only people who know the truth aside from him were the seer and her apprentice and Viva and he planned to keep it that way.

“Oh Goddess, that must have been a heavy news to bare alone. I can understand why you couldn’t tell us George.” James said placing his hand on George's in comfort.

George looked into his friend’s eyes and couldn’t bare the guilt that ate him up. He, Alice and James had been friends since they were pups and he had been standing with him through everything. From becoming Alpha and Beta to mating with Alice. James had been the one to comfort him when the reality of loosing Alice hit and took Aaliyah as his daughter. Keeping something this important from him felt wrong, especially since he knew James would never do anything to harm Aaliyah. But he had no choice, this was a curse they were talking about. A curse that could practically doom the pack, that information was too dangerous to let out.

“Thank you for your understanding, James. As you know my mate had given up her life to bare our daughter and I didn’t want to endanger her by letting that information out. We have many enemies as we have allies.”

“As you know, only a seer can identify soulmates without them meeting. I had entrusted Amal with the duty of finding the princess’s soulmate. And as the Goddess may have it, her soulmate is Prince Keitha, third son of Alpha Lucien of the Grey moon pack.”

“The Goddess must be playing tricks on us. Of all the wolves out there, it had to be the wretch of the Grey moon pack.” Jacelyn added, a frown etched on her face.

“Well, my hands are tied, however this is an opportunity for us to keep our enemies close. Most of our info from them are quite outdated, I discovered they are in possession of a very powerful seer during my visit.” George said

“And the heir Lucien is training is very sharp, too sharp if I might add. It will be in our best interest to keep an eye on them. They have lived in fear of us and must be actively looking for a weakness to grasp while they are still useful to us.” George added

“We must not relax our vigilance, especially if they are in charge of hosting the banquet.” James said.

“Which is why I do not want the information of the princess’s illness leaving this room. We will only announce the news of the alliance, the news of the princess’s betrothal will be announced once her eighteenth moon.”