Chapter 117

Alexander

I had spent the last few weeks walking the fine line between keeping my pack intact and wondering just how long I could keep pretending everything was fine. It wasn’t. I could feel it.

The wolves had become... different. Subtle signs at first—hesitations when I gave orders, the whispers that stopped when I entered a room, the way their eyes would flicker toward the door when they thought I wasn’t looking.

I wasn’t a fool. I knew the pack was restless, uncertain. They didn’t trust me. They trusted Liam, even if he seemed to push it off, they couldn’t ignore him. Not when his influence was growing stronger by the day.

I leaned back against the wall of my office, staring out the window, fingers tapping against the cold glass. I could see Liam talking to some of the younger wolves in the distance, his posture relaxed, casual. Too casual.

It made me want to punch something. But then again, it wasn’t Liam’s fault that the pack was fraying at the edges. That responsibility was mine, and mine alone.

But I don’t regret my choices.

The door creaked open, and I turned to find one of the Elders stepping into the room. His face was as grim as ever, his eyes filled with the weight of a thousand secrets. “Alexander,” he nodded low.

“Jemmings,” I sighed, knowing this old man only came to complain. He was a constant visitor to my office in the past. Always something. “You’ve been warned, Alpha,” he said quietly, his voice low and careful.

I nearly rolled my eyes, but kept my composure. “Warned about what now, Jemmings?”

“The King Alpha is playing a deeper game,” he continued, stepping forward, lowering his voice further. “He’s not just testing your leadership, Alexander. He’s... considering a replacement.”

I stared at him for a moment. I knew what he meant, he was pinning for Liam to take my position. Not a bad move on his part.

“Come on,” I muttered, my voice rougher than I intended. “That’s not possible. I’ve been with this pack my entire life.”

The Elder didn’t flinch. He didn’t have to. He’d been around long enough to see the pack fall apart before. “It’s not just about loyalty, son,” he said with a heavy sigh. “It’s about strength. And right now, Liam has more of it than you.”

The words stung, but there was no point in denying the truth. I’d seen it too—Liam’s rise, his growing influence among the wolves, how they gravitated toward him like moths to a flame.

And I? I was left standing in the shadows, trying to keep control, trying to make them listen. Trying to make them believe I could lead again. But they believed my attention was spread thin recently.

Not that they were wrong.

But the doubt was spreading, and it was starting to fester.

Later that day, I found myself sitting in the pack’s usual old bar, a dimly lit place where too many years of pent-up frustration and bad decisions had been made.

The air was thick with smoke, the low murmurs of voices blending with the faint clink of glass against glass. I wasn’t in the mood for any of this, but retreating now wasn’t an option.

My gaze drifted, scanning the shadows until I found him—blonde hair, pale as moonlight, perched on a stool across the room.

Liam.

The knot in my stomach tightened. Was he really scheming something bigger with his father, or was he just as smug and insufferable as ever? I’d told him to take control of the pack while I was gone. But I was starting to wonder if that had been a mistake.

He was busy nursing a drink, his shoulders hunched, the low murmur of conversation around him like a soft hum. He looked up when I approached, those icey eyes locking onto mine with a smirk.

“Couldn’t sleep, huh?” he said, offering me a drink before I could even ask. “Long day?”

I didn’t take the drink. Instead, I leaned against the counter, crossing my arms, staring at him. “You wanna tell me what the hell you’re up to, Liam?”

He raised an eyebrow, leaning back a little, clearly amused by my tone. “Up to?” he repeated, as if the very idea of him doing anything serious was a joke. “I’m just trying to survive like the rest of us.”

I grit my teeth, trying to keep my temper in check. I hadn’t forgotten what he did to Lauren. He’s lucky he still had his head at this point.

“They say you’re not just trying to survive, you’re trying to take my position. Subtly, behind the scenes, you’re trying to rip this pack apart. Why not just challenge me outright, like a real man, instead of playing these petty games?”

Liam’s smile didn’t fade, but his gaze turned calculating. “Funny you should say that,” he said, tapping the rim of his glass, his voice smooth, casual. “But I’m not trying to take your position. Not really. Sure, I think you’re... unqualified to be with Lauren as Alpha. I hate you for it. But being Alpha? Nah. That’s not for me.”

I felt a brief flicker of confusion before it was buried under the weight of my frustration. “So what’s your angle, then?” I asked, my voice low and dangerous. “You wanna see me fail? Is that it?”

Liam shrugged, lifting his glass in a mock toast. “Wouldn’t it be easier for both of us if you just let go?” he asked, looking over the rim of his glass, his expression unreadable.

I stared at him, trying to process his words. Let go? Let go of the pack? Of everything I had worked for? Of the protection I had promised to my family? The responsibility I had to keep them all safe?

“No,” I said, my voice firm, unwavering. “Letting go would mean giving up the protection of my family. And I’m not willing to do that.”

Liam’s lips twisted into something like a grin. “So... you don’t care about the pack, then. You’re just keeping face for our family. The power, the position—it’s all about them, isn’t it?”

I bristled, but I didn’t snap back at him. “Not what I said,” I muttered, but my gaze faltered, shifting to the bar top for a moment. The silence between us stretched on before I sighed, looking back up at him. “But it doesn’t matter what I think. The pack doesn’t care what I say anymore.”

Liam was quiet for a long time, his gaze steady on mine, the smirk still in place. Then he spoke, his voice softer. “You’re right about one thing. The pack doesn’t care what you say... but they might listen to what you do.”

I clenched my jaw, shaking my head. “And what, you think that’s enough? Just changing things overnight? Acting like everything’s fine?”

Liam leaned back against the counter, his fingers brushing the rim of his glass again. “No. But you’ve got the power to make it right, if you’re willing to stop trying to control everything, and start leading.”

I snorted, bitter laughter escaping me. “Lead? Lead them where, exactly? Into a war? Into more chaos?”

Liam’s eyes darkened, but there was still that underlying calm to his tone. “Sometimes, chaos is the only way to rebuild. You’re too busy trying to hold things together, Alexander. You need to break things down before you can put them back together.”

For a long moment, I just stared at him before I scoffed, shaking my head.

Liam’s smirk flickered. “You’d better figure out how to fix it before it’s too late, Alpha.”