Chapter 73

The tensions in our world had reached a breaking point, and it was clear that we needed a united front against the looming threats. The meeting between the packs had reconvened, the weight of our discussions heavy in the air.

Solomon stood beside Armand, showing how united the two of our packs had become. The two of them exchanging solemn glances as the other leaders filled in around them.

They had just been deep in conversation, discussing the logistics of our alliance and the potential for peace among our kind. They had hopes of finally coming to terms with the other packs today.

The dissenting pack was a problem. Their desire to mate Nicholas to one of their females had faded away into the background, or at least I had assumed it had, since I hadn’t heard anything else about it.

Armand's voice resonated through the chamber as he addressed the assembled alphas and their representatives. "I understand that this arrangement is new and uncharted territory for all of us. But I believe that together, we can overcome the challenges that threaten our packs."

The room was filled with murmurs of agreement, only one pack was still showed uncertainty. This alliance was born out of necessity, a response to the troubling times we faced. But old rivalries and prejudices still lingered, making trust hard to come by.

As the meeting progressed, I couldn't help but overhear hushed conversations and whispered doubts. The dissenting pack, the one that had once tried to sow discord among us, seemed to be a constant source of unease.

Their motives remained unclear, and I couldn't shake the feeling that they were hiding something. A female among them kept glancing my way. Once she had caught my eye, and a sly grin crossed her face.

I leaned over to Cheney, who was sitting beside me, and whispered, "Cheney, have you noticed how tense things are with them?"

He nodded, his expression grave, something hidden in his eyes. "Yes, Beryl. They are up to something. I don't trust that pack."

Brian, seated on my other side, chimed in, "They were trouble from the start. I wouldn't be surprised if they have ulterior motives." He too seemed to be holding something back from me.

Armand continued to speak, his voice steady and authoritative. "Our proposal was that we work together to strengthen our defenses, share resources, and ensure the safety of our packs. Together, we can face any threat, be it from vampires or internal dissension."

The initial idea of unity had been met with a mixture of support and hesitation, but now all but the dissenting pack were on board with the idea. The alphas were willing to cooperate, realizing the benefits of a united front.

Armand was not discussing terms with the dissenting pack, figuring out what they needed in order to join with the rest of them. My mind was drifting, having not gotten much sleep the previous night.

I had been up worrying about Nicholas and I. I had to find a way to bring us back together. The separation was too much right now.

It was while my mind was elsewhere that a whisper reached my ears—a snippet of conversation that sent shivers down my spine.

"...Amy's plan..."

I turned my head, searching for the source of the hushed words, and caught sight of the mysterious female closer to me now, than she had been before. She seemed to be standing alone, but her mouth was moving as though she was speaking to someone near to her.

Seraphina, who was sitting across from us, caught my eye and raised an eyebrow. She had heard it too. I saw the flicker of concern in her eyes, mirrored by the same unease that had taken hold of me.

Once the meeting adjourned, Seraphina approached me, her voice low and conspiratorial. "Beryl, did you hear it too? The mention of Amy's plan?"

I nodded, my heart sinking. "Yes, I did. Could you tell who was talking about it? Who is that female with the dissenting pack?”

She frowned; her gaze distant as she thought. "Her name is Clara, but I couldn’t tell who she was talking to. It didn’t look like anyone near her, but she mentioned Amy. It's as if they have ties to her somehow. We need to find out more."

The meeting was ending, with the dissenting pack still hesitating about joining us. With this new information, Seraphina and I had a pretty good idea why now. We needed to speak with our alphas alone.

As we joined the others for a post-meeting gathering, I was breathless with nerves, and I rushed to tell the group what we had heard. “Armand, Seraphina and I have something we must share with you, now.”

“Yes, this is vital to the safety of the packs. Solomon, please listen to this.” Seraphina was next to me, steady, but tense with excitement.

“While you were discussing terms with the dissenting pack, the female that was with them broke away from the group, what was her name Seraphina?” As I turned to look at her for the answer, I saw a strange look cross Nicholas’ face.

“It’s Clara, she’s the one they had wanted to mate with Nicholas.” This caught me by surprise. I knew the idea had been pretended, but I hadn't known they actually brought the female with them.

“Oh, um, right... Anyway, she was speaking to someone, we couldn’t see who, but we both heard her mention Amy and some kind of plan.” This time, I saw and worried glance between Cheney and Brian, and my curiosity got the better of me.

“What is it?” I asked them, knowing they knew something I didn’t. Brian swallowed, “Not now, love.” He whispered to me, reaching out to take my hand. His eyes were apologetic, but I was still concerned.

“We need to look into this. We’ve succeeded in sneaking one of our pack members into their ranks, maybe they’ll have more information for us.” Solomon seemed unphased by what was going on between me and my mates.

Whatever it was seemed less important than finding out what Amy’s plan was, so I decided to let it go for now. I leaned into Brian, and felt Cheney move to support me from behind. The only thing I was missing was the support from my third mate, who was still standing across the room from us with a strange look on his face.