Chapter 13

Damien's POV

I gazed upon my Beta as though offended that he had even asked the question. Of course I had a plan, I always did. I tried to be one step ahead in every situation. It was how I had sustained the Blood Moon pack and had transformed it into one of the most powerful packs in the world. 

“Of course, I do,” I replied my Beta with a mischievous glint in my eye. I had a foolproof plan and nothing was going to make it fail. 

“You really want to make me ask?” asked Austin, my Beta teasingly. 

I laughed and replied, “what fun will I have, if I don't make you ask?” 

“Fine, do you care to share your plan?” he asked me. 

My lips stretched into a smile as I thought about the best way to present my plan to my Beta. Austin always had my back no matter what and he was the only person who had the guts to call my bluff. It meant that if I did not present my plan in a logical manner, he was going to see all the flaws I had not thought of and he would let me know unapologetically that my plan would not work. It was one of the things I liked and disliked at the same time about my Beta. However, Austin was more than my Beta, he was my partner in crime and he always had my back irrespective of the situation. 

“Alpha Simeon is weak right now,” I began, “I intend to take advantage of that.” 

“That sounds typical and you are mistaken, Damien. Alpha Simeon is not weak. You are not thinking of challenging him to a duel, are you? That would be a mistake,” there was warning in his voice but I did not think it was necessary. 

“I defeated him the last time we fought. I had his head under my feet, remember?” I was undoubtedly stronger than Alpha Simeon. However, the expression on Austin's face told me that I was greatly mistaken. 

“You think he's stronger than I am?” I could not believe that Austin would doubt my superior strength. 

“Alpha Simeon is a very strong man, Damien. You may not have the upper hand if you challenge him to a duel,” came Austin's response. The temerity of his voice told me that he meant what he was saying. It made me wonder if I had lost strength? Or perchance there was something Austin had observed from watching me fight lately that he had come to that conclusion? 

“What have you seen, Austin? Why do you think he may have the upper hand?” it bothered me that my Beta would think this way. I wanted to know why he thought there was a possibility I could lose to  Alpha Simeon in a duel. I knew that my Beta never said anything except there was good cause for it. 

“I watched you two fight and if he had not been distracted, you may not have won so easily,” he gave me his honest assessment of the situation. I believed him even if I did not like what he was saying. It meant only thing—that I had to resume training again. 

“You really think that?” I asked again just to be sure. 

“Yes but you have the upper hand because your people are strong. He may be as strong as you are but his army? compared to yours? is quite laughable,” was his response. 

“It is a good thing my plan does not involve a duel then,” I said to him. 

“So you will battle him again?” 

“He started the last conflict, that is not my fault. He got what he asked for,” I defended myself. 

“What is your plan, Damien?” 

“Another pack will battle him. I will instigate this, of course and then I will step in to help him,” I surmised the plan to Austin who did not look convinced that it would work but the fact that he had not said anything yet meant that he was patiently waiting for me to be done explaining my intentions so he could give me his objective opinion. 

“I will make a deal with him. I will get my son and Olivia in exchange for helping him fight,” I said with a note of completion in my tone so he could know that that was all to my plan. 

I waited with bated breath for him to say something but the longer he kept quiet the more I began to think that perhaps my plan was not as foolproof as I had thought it to be. 

Eventually, he cleared his throat and said, “For this to work, it has to be believable.” 

I sighed in relief—my Beta was on board. 

“Of course, that is why I am considering approaching Alpha Orion. He has always made his distaste for Alpha Simeon known,” I said to Austin. I had not thought everything out yet but I knew with Austin brainstorming with me, my plan could not fail. 

“Alpha Orion is too greedy, he may just go to Simeon and reveal your plan for a bag of gold or some such thing,” replied Austin. 

Austin was right about this. It was not just Alpha Orion that could screw me over, any other Alpha could. If it did not present a problem now it could become a problem  in the future. They could use it to blackmail me even. 

“What about a misunderstanding? We can create a misunderstanding between them that would escalate into a battle,” I suggested a solution to the loophole Austin had found in my plan. 

“What are you thinking?” asked Austin. 

“It is famously known that Alpha Orion and Alpha Simeon are in conflict over a border town between them that is rich in gold. All we have to do is make it so the two Alphas think that the other is trying to dominate the other in that town. Alpha Simeon is too hot headed to let go of that town and Alpha Orion is too greedy at the idea of losing a major source of his kingdom forever,” I explained to Austin. I could see his face brighten up which made me know that he liked my plan or at least he thought it was feasible. 

“I like it and all we have to do is erect Simeon’s flag in the part of town known to belong to Orion and vice versa,” my Beta added. This was why I liked having him by my side. I had yet to think of what would instigate the misunderstanding between them but he had already thought of it. 

“Let’s get to work,” I said with a smile on my face. 

We put the plan into action immediately but we soon discovered that it was impossible to erect a flag without attracting too much attention. This was not how we wanted things to be because if I got caught trying to do what I was doing, it would only cause me embarrassment. 

Then I remembered that before I had approached Austin with my plan I had wanted to leverage my trading routes in order to make Alpha Orion bend to my will.

When we returned to the palace I told Austin about it. He was not very convinced and was worried that the plan would backfire but I was going to do it anyway. It was the only way and I was desperate to get Jeremy back. 

I decided to thus pay Alpha Orion  a visit. It was a secret one of course, I did not want anyone knowing my business. More so, I knew the Council of Alphas would not be too pleased with my plans. They would tag my actions illegal and liable to cause confusion but I could care less what they thought of me. If any problems arose in the future, I would deal with them then. 

“To what do I owe this clandestine visit?” inquired Alpha Orion. I had not informed him of my coming to see him. When I got to his pack, I told the head guard who I was and showed him my seal as Alpha. It was only then that he had led me to a parlour where I waited for Alpha Orion to join me. 

“I have a proposition for you,” I said to him. 

He looked intrigued and displeased at the same time. Alpha Orion did not like to do anything but he loved money. He knew I would not come to him with a proposal that would bring him money but this time he was quite wrong. 

“Your trading route through Shadow Brook forest,” I said and paused, waiting for the effect of what I had just said to settle in. I saw Alpha Orion's face turn red with dismay. 

“What about it?” he asked me with a strained voice. He had been standing all this while but he sat down now. He knew the words I would say next could either make him or mar him. Either way, it was not something he could hear standing else he may end up fainting. 

“Some have described your trading practices as manipulative and greed driven. Let's just say a lot of people are displeased about your business and have suggested to me that perhaps you need competition in that area so that you can…” 

“What do you want?” he asked me before I could finish talking.