Reschedule

Chapter 15

 Lucien's POV

We have gotten wind that there is a prisoner within the Lycan castle, and as the Moon Council, it is only right that we are kept up to track with what is happening within the pack. I artificially kept my lips in a smile that did not reach my eyes, then, I folded my fingers in front of each other, laying them out on the table that stretched from one end to the other in the grand room.

This room was used for my meetings and those of my brothers with the Moon Council. Most of their members were middle-aged and older, which gave them the misconception that they had wisdom to give. Well, some years had just been spent gathering audacity,the type of audacity that made them comfortable waltzing into our castle and making demands like this. In the past, the Moon Council knew their place and wouldn't dare do this. Unfortunately, because of the war that was dragging on and against our favor, we've had to make some sacrifices for the sake of our pack members. Resources flowing from the Moon Council's pocket made them a production force. I think it's about time I clipped their wings before they reached out too high towards the sun.

"First of all, good evening to all of you," I said. "I see you were all in such a haste to find out this information, for the sake of the pack, of course, that you were not troubled with what time you had to get that information, and if my brothers and I would be resting."

There was a stillness at the table as if everyone had been frozen. I'm sure they could feel my Alpha aura permeating the air. If they had been any lesser wolves, their heads would have naturally bowed, but fortunately for them, they were the highest-ranking wolves of the Lycan Kingdom. That was one of the major qualifications for joining the council. However, because of their obvious lack of tact, I was beginning to suspect that might be one of the only qualifications.

"Alpha Lucien, please understand that we mean no disrespect," the council head replied. "Just as you have a front, we are only here for the purpose of protecting the pack. That is our foremost interest, and from what we have seen recently, the Royal body needs as much support as it can get, which is what we are trying to give."

His words seemed respectful on the surface, but right underneath them, I could smell the condescending message hidden between the words. He was practically saying that the Council now found me and my brothers so inept that they had the right to poke their noses in where they didn't belong.

"Many of you might not understand this," I said, my fingers pressing tighter together, "but assistance can become overbearing when it is given without discretion."

I stood up, controlling my strength so that I would not end up breaking the chair as I gripped it. "This meeting will be rescheduled, and both of my brothers will be in attendance, of course, at a more proper time. I'm sure nobody disagrees with that, right?"

Murmurs swept through the table. Most of them had probably hoped that this ambush would go a lot more smoothly, and now I was dismissing them. While I would overlook their meaningless muttering, none of them had the guts to speak up directly to me.

The council head, who had been speaking directly to me, cleared his throat. "All right then, Alpha Lucien. We will leave now, but I think we should at least know when we are going to have our next meeting. As you know, time is of the essence and we're running short."

I bit the inside of my jaw. I had to give the old man credit, he was pressuring me and yet framing it in such a way that I could not just wave off his words without thought.

"Then we will have this meeting again in two days." This time, I intentionally didn't ask if there was going to be any issue with that and just wrapped up the meeting. I waited until every single member of the Moon Council was gone before I buried my face into my palms and released a long, loud sigh.

In my very first life, they would have not dared to speak to me like this. Our victories had completely made them submissive, but now we were back in a new life with new events that didn't make sense.

Why was the Viper, who was so viciously loyal to Voss’s pack, suddenly so eager to be on our side? It was an advantage, a dangerously lucky advantage, but she was like a rose, appealing, but you had to remind yourself that it had thorns. Ending her would be smarter, but if she was really honest...

I got up and went to the dungeons, the remains of my headache beginning to fade away as I thought about seeing her. There was something about the small spills of scent that calmed the perpetual storm in me. To think I would be calming myself with the same woman that had ruined us in a previous life.

I came into the dungeon expecting that there would be no more surprises, and then I was hit with the biggest one ever. It was like a gut punch, and when I felt it, I had to steady myself so that I was not slumped on the floor in the most un-Alpha fashion. Her scent was no longer hidden by the cloakers, and it came out with the intensity of a dam breaking. The threads of fate formed, and I knew, before any voice vocalized it, what was going on.

As I allowed my eyes to drift from one brother to the other, I could see it, the same paralyzing realization eating all of us at the same time. And then, finally, my eyes dropped on her.

And there was a smile on her face.