Chapter 2. Council Of The Packs

At the rushed pace, Rex and his wolves got to the Council Grounds a full day before the rest of the packs, or so they thought. Lady Kitsune, a Council wolf, was waiting for their arrival, greeted them warmly, and showed them where they would be staying for the duration of the Gathering. Wanting to speak with Kitsune alone, Rex ushered Makai and his wolves to go in the house and relax. Taking the hint, Makai ushered the wolves away.

“Have any other Alphas arrived, or are we the first?” Rex asked her.

“No, Tristan King arrived last night. He and his wolves are in the house just up the lane from you. He’s a very quiet, insightful leader. Just like his father, Winter Wolf.” She smiled at the memory of it. “He has even kept his father’s Luna as his own.” Kitsune gave Rex a confused

“I was just a pup back then! I’ll have to speak with him when I get the chance. I was always trying to catch up to him and Alpha Singularis. To this day Kit can outrun me in dead out race.” Rex laughed.

“You were one of the best. I’m glad you have remained as long as you have. Chad said you would be a better Alpha than Winter was, but we all remember him differently.” Lady Kitsune looked at the ground. Everyone knew she loved Winter Wolf secretly, as Council members were prohibited to take each other as mates. They could marry, just not mate. The Council was very strict in maintaining the existing Sire Lines and allowing none to cross, out of the unknown challenges if a new line were to emerge.

“Makai?” Rex called as soon as he entered the house.

“What’s up, Boss?” He yelled, coming from the kitchen with a huge sandwich, the bread barely containing its ingredients.

“You never change. Do you know anything about the new Royal? I just got done talking to Lady Kitsune, and Tristan arrived here last night, ahead of us this morning.” Rex said.

“What’s the matter, Boss? You butt hurt because someone’s faster that you?” Makai laughed, with a toothy grin containing specks of the contents of his sandwich in his teeth.

“If you weren’t my beta. Do you know anything about Tristan? If Kitsune speaks highly of him, I’d like to know myself.” Rex said.

“Why don’t you bring him your Offering early?” Makai asked. Seeing the hopeful look in his eyes, Rex agreed.

“OK. Tomorrow morning. I just want to relax a bit before it gets nut around here? I’ll look out, Damien has his scouts already have a perimeter around the place, so we’re good for the night. Get some rest. You look beat.” Makai urged.

“I won’t argue with you. See you in the morning.” Rex said. As soon as his head hit the pillow, he was out.

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                        **Rex’s Dream**

Rex comes to in a wide clearing. He was about 10 feet away from a huge salt and pepper colored wolf with red eyes staring at a snow white wolf with one jade green eye and one sky blue eye. Snapping his head to face the wolf at his side, shock slapping him in the face like lightning.

“What is going on? Dear Creator, this is me, and that’s…my human?” Rex exclaimed over the wind picking up and howling around them. What is this? I have already lived this. I have never seen this side of when we met as wolves.

Closing his eyes when the white wolf charged Rex, feeling not only the pain of that white wolf’s hits, but the emotional counter blows that the black and white wolf was forced to use in order to chip away at the white wolf’s wolf spirit, strength, and stamina, forcing the white wolf into exhaustion so he would phase back.

Every time the two wolves collided, there was a impact of thunder to the air with no sound, and a flash of ice and black snow that swirled as their auras entangled with each other. Rex already knew the outcome to this battle.

“This is going to hurt.” Rex whispered, preparing for the the darkness that was to come at his mate’s hands.

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Sitting up in bed, covered in sweat, and breathing heavy. He has had that dream before, but this time it felt real and that scared him. Reaching over to the lamp on his nightstand, he clicked on the light, trying to calm the shaky feeling that hasn’t plagued him in well over a century. He picked up the little gold box that had the trinket that was meant for his offering to the new Royal.

Rex couldn’t explain why, but he felt his future in this box.

A knocking at the door almost made him drop the box. Standing up, he threw a shirt on and headed to the door.

“Boss? Sorry to bother you, but Damien’s scouts are tracking the Rogues that were shadowing us. They are taking up positions around the grounds. We are prepared for them, but I want to know their endgame before they pull the trap door out.” Makai growled.

“Calm yourself. What do you think their motives are this time? The fact that they have a female Nightshade in their company. They are vicious! I have never come across one, but Kit has. Watch for his arrival as well. When he does arrive, fill him in and send him to me.” Rex ordered. Makai nodded and set out to find Damien to relay the message.

Turning back to his nightstand, placing the box back until he was set to leave to go meet Tristan. Looking at the clock, it read, 4:26 am. Sighing Rex grabbed his towel off a chair, might as well take a shower, he thought, he couldn’t go back to sleep now anyway. Rex didn’t k ow it, but that would be the last good night’s sleep he was going to get for a while.

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“Good morning, Makai. Pour me a cup of coffee and grab me some toast please?” Rex yawned, shaking his head to wake up, maybe he should have gone back to sleep.

“Wow. Didn’t you go back to sleep after I left? You look like crap.” Makai smiled at him, sliding a cup of coffee and small plate of toast to him.

“I had ‘the dream’ again. It was different this time. I could feel, hear, touch and taste everything. It was real somehow.” Rex closed his eyes, recalling the dream.

“You are too sensitive man. I think you should just clear your mind, go satisfy your curiosity about the new Royal, and leave the Rogues to us.” Makai smiled.

“That’s scary, Makai. Just be careful, if they are being this cautious, whatever their planning must be worth hiding this close to the Council wolves and 7 packs.” Rex warned.

“It’s good. I’m a big boy, Damian is a great asset to us. You should think about promoting him when this is al done.” Makai grinned and walked away.

Later that morning, Rex was standing outside Tristan’s ‘pack house’, or rather a mansion compared to Rex’s cabin.

“Whew. This place is huge. Just like his father.” Rex whispered to himself.

Walking up to the door, Rex stopped suddenly, a strange scent hit his nostrils. He tipped his head back to get a better whiff. Not being able to sense where the smell was coming from, there were hundreds of wolves in the area, and it would stand to reason that he wouldn’t know every wolf at the Gathering. Dismissing his thoughts, he knocked on the door. A few seconds later, a petite woman with jet black hair and huge silver colored eyes answered.

“What can I do for you?” She asked brightly.

“I’m Rex Callis, Alpha of the Sakura Pack. I’m just here to extend my packs greetings, maybe meet with Tristan, and give him this.” He pulled the small box from his pocket, displaying the offering Makai had given him.

“This is unexpected. Tristan and I were about to walk around the grounds before the Gathering, but meeting any Royal is a priority. Please, come in. There is fresh lemonade in the hall, go grab a glass and I’ll go fetch Tristan,” She offered, hurrying out to get Tristan.

Nodding at her, he walked into the hall, poured a glass of lemonade. Walking around the room, taking in all of the bookshelves with what has to be thousands of books covering every subject on Gaia. It was amazing.

“Hello!” Came a voice from behind him, making Rex flinch being caught by surprise. He was dressed in a white robe with a purple open chested shirt, showing broad shoulders and muscled physique.

“Hello, I’m Rex Callis, Alpha of the Sakura Pack. I’m sorry to hear about your father. He was a great mentor of mine. How have you, your house, and Pack been doing?” Rex asked.

“It’s been a rough transition, but I have an interesting crew behind me.” Tristan chuckled. Rex only nodded in response.

“Not much of a talker, indeed!” Tristan laughed.

“Come again?” Rex raised his eyes to meet Tristan’s.

“My human may be young, but my wolf is older, much older. Your human is old, and your Wolf, Eternal. My father sometimes referred to you as Dark Alpha of Sakura. He never mentioned the ‘dark’ part too often, because he respected your strength and valued your intelligence.” Tristan smiled, looking Rex in the eyes for the first time sending a wave of deja vú over Rex. He shook his head, trying to clear it.

“I guess the reason everyone calls me that is because my Pack has been isolated, I have been isolated for so long. I lost someone very close to me a long time ago, and haven’t recovered from that loss.” Rex snapped his jaw shut, not understanding why he was telling his sad story to a wolf he’d just met.

“My father used to call you ‘the little Alpha that could’ when you were a cub! He really liked you, Rex. It seems that you turned out to be a great Alpha, he would smile at that.” Tristan looked in Rex’s eyes and saw….sadness where there should have been happiness.

“Sorry, I don’t think before I speak sometimes. I need to get ready for the Gathering, please come visit after the ceremony has concluded?” Tristan smiled at Rex. Nodding in agreement, he turned and left, walking like he was in a fog.

Suddenly remembering the little gold box in his pocket, he pulled it out, holding it in his open hand.

"This is for you. I'll see you at the Gathering." Rex said and shut the door behind himself.

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"What did he bring you?" Anatashi asked.

"He said it was to welcome me into the Council. I have never seen anything like it. Do you know what it is?" Tristan offered the necklace to his Luna. Eyes wide open, she responded,

"A Blood Amulet. When your father was alive, he told me of this. It's to help two Alphas find each other through the Blood Bond of the Wolf. Why Rex gave it to you is a mysetery. I'll get everything together and come get you to leave." She quickly exited the room.

Pulling the necklace over his head, putting it under his shirt brought a flashback of two wolves in a clearing, trying to kill each other. The next thing he knew Anatashi drew out her Luna's Chain and recalled Tristan's wolf, drawing his human out.