The Visit

Brynor

We arrived at Hector's beloved pack a little before noon. We drove straight into the village in our blacked out limousine.

Every other pack border in the country was heavily guarded and more often than not gated off from the outside human world.

Pack scents are easily identifiable, warning rogues or other pack wolves of the territory they enter, but not Hector's. He had been so arrogant and self righteous in his way of living, that anyone could wander in and out and never know they had stumbled quite literally into the wolfs den.

I step out of the car and smell deeply with my nose. The faint trace of something familiar catches my attention and I remove my sunglasses inhaling further.

"Brynor?"

I turn to see my two companions exiting the car. Ivan and Gregor.

All three of us are dressed in expensive suits. To the innocent bystander, we look like business men in our forties but at over six hundred years old, we are dangerous. Unlike measly humans who grow frail. Us older, more pure blood shifters are the opposite, getting stronger with age.

Known to most as the elders, we were the last left of the purer bloods giving us enhanced strength and senses above other shifters.

We were the first counsel members founded by Hector. There were five of us originally along with Astor, who faced his unfortunate death six years ago with Hector.

As the packs grew in numbers over the centuries, a sub counsel was formed to deal with all the bullshit of the watered down mutts. The sub counsel are mere puppets to do our dirty work and feed back information. But it's the Ecclessia that pull the strings from the shadows. Nothing happens without our knowledge or approval.

"Do you smell that?" I ask.

They both sniff but but shake their heads to signal they don't.

"Stay alert" I say quietly as I notice the Beta walking towards us.

"Gentlemen, I trust you had a good journey? Please follow me"

Gentlemen. I inwardly cringe at his human terminology towards us whilst keeping my face neutral. They had lived like pathetic humans for so long they actually believed they were.

I nod and follow him into the mundane looking building. The same building and room we are placed in every five years when we visit.

Except this time Beta Thorne stands at the head of the table.

I look him over. He thinks I can't see through him. His slightly elevated heart rate is a pitiful attempt at hiding his nerves. But what is he nervous for? That is the question. Waiting for him to speak I glare at him, I smile slightly to myself.

Waiting. Waiting for the game to begin.

"You will find everything you need in these boxes here. All the paperwork has been double checked by me personally. Finances, new pack members or mates and births or deaths. We still run the same pack law regarding mates. They are allowed to leave to find mates and may choose to return or stay in their mates pack as long as they swear a moon oath before leaving"

I nod at him.

"What about the Alpha position?" I ask lazily. Eager to see him squirm.

"I am still standing in as Alpha at present"

"Standing in for who exactly? Who are you waiting for?" I smile. Waiting for his response. I know he wasn't expecting this.

Beta Thorne hesitates.

"Six years is a long time for a..... Beta... to be standing in. Surely the pack must feel unsettled going this long without an Alpha?"

I make sure I spit the word Beta from my mouth.

"Nobody has challenged me for the position"

He stands proudly as he confirms this. Like it's his greatest achievement.

"Why would you be challenged? Conveniently for you, no other packs know of your existence. And no one here is going to do it. They're all...... Weak. You profited the most from Hector's death it seems"

I watch him closely, his facade drops for a second and pure anger flashes through his eyes. He doesn't take the bait quite as I hoped but I've planted the seed none the less.

"Hector was my longest friend. He was like a brother to me. I swear a moon oath here and now. I had no hand in his death"

I look around the room lazily showing my lack of interest for his pathetic moon oath.

"You have one month to decide who will take over the new Alpha position or I will find someone suitable" I stare at the Beta, daring him to object. Knowing full well I've given him an impossible task. Finding an Alpha blood willing to abandon his current pack is going to prove rather difficult when this pack is unknown and unheard of. They will likely laugh him off their lands or kill him... I was hoping for the latter.

I watch as he pales slightly.

"As you wish" the Beta replies "Will there be anything else?"

I smile darkly, cocking my head to the side before standing.

"We shall return on the spring equinox. Don't disappoint me Beta Thorne"