5
After some thought, I came up with an answer. "Sometimes war is necessary to maintain peace, and choosing not to go head-first into war is not a sign of weakness but a sign of regard for the lives that have been entrusted to you. Blackwood is not weak by any standard, and if Alpha Kaden refuses to act right, we'll have to show him why we've been the leading pack for centuries. But I'd try a diplomatic approach first."
My reply is met with nods and grunts of approval, and a visit to the palace is scheduled for the next day.The meeting is dismissed, leaving me and my father in his office."Where were you at the time of the attack?" he asks, lighting a cigar. At fifty-eight, you'd expect the old man to quit most bad habits and embrace a healthy way of living, but he was as stubborn as a donkey, and I had already given up convincing him to do away with smoking.
"Training with Liam." I was expecting this, but I found myself searching for words.
"Hmm." he places his lighter on the table, puffing out a cloud of smoke. "What did I tell you about being a step ahead at all times?" His words are followed by coughing fits lasting longer than usual. My eyes fill with concern, but I quickly tuck the look away. With my father, sympathy is often perceived as an insult.
I wait for his fits to subside before responding.
"I'm sorry about that. It won't happen again." More than incompetence, my father has a burning hatred for excuses, and I have learned never to give one, no matter how justified they may be. To him, they cannot change the outcome of the situation and are useless.
"Say that to the victims of an attack that would've been avoided if you did your job. One more sign of recklessness, and I'll have no other choice but to send you back to the training camp. You're dismissed."
His words hit me like a punch in the gut, but I show no sign of hurt. God forbid I show that I possess emotions. "Thank you, Father," I say instead and head for the door.
"Luc," he calls on my way out. "You'll be accompanying me to the palace in place of my beta. Do not embarrass me.""Yes, Father," I reply, stepping out of the room and drawing in a lungful of air."How did it go?" Liam's voice comes from out of nowhere, almost startling me.
"He wants me to accompany him to the palace."
"Just the both of you?"
"Yup." I add an extra pop to the 'p', pushing myself off the wall and heading to the dining room with Liam falling into step with me.
"Tough business. What are you going to do?"
"Drown myself in every article I can find about pack conflicts and negotiation strategies before dawn." I pluck an apple from the table, biting into the fleshy red fruit.
The visit to the palace will be my first official one-on-one outing with my father, and my nerves are currently firing at an alarming rate. His threat to send me back to training echoed in the back of my head, but I didn't let it show.Tomorrow, I'll show him how good an alpha I can be.
We arrive at the palace to find the alpha of Silver Pack, Alpha Kaden, already seated and waiting in the throne room.Apparently, upon receiving our complaint, Queen Alice summoned him for the meeting so she could hear from both sides. This might be the first time I'll be meeting her, but I've heard a lot about her and the changes she's been making in the community. She was discovered to be the lost princess three years ago, and since then, she's been a blessing to most.Shortly, we're joined by the queen. "Good morning, everyone. We're gathered here to mediate the dispute between Blackwood Pack and Silver Pack. Her gaze sweeps the room, pausing when they get to my father.
"This complaint was laid by the alpha of Blackwood, so I will let him go first," she says, indicating for my father to step forward."Thank you for your audience, my Queen." he says, bowing."As we all know, the headquarters is located in the Creek Territory, which happens to be under Blackwood and has been so for centuries."
"Lies," Alpha Kaden cuts in. "The Creek Territory first belonged to Silver Pack."
"That's enough, Alpha Kaden," the queen chastises. "I understand you have a lot to say, Alpha Kaden, but I would love for you to wait your turn."
A brief silence follows before my father continues, leading us through the history of Creek Territory and how Blackwood has been in charge of the headquarters, meticulously maintaining the balance between the human and wolf-shifter world while controlling the affairs in our favor.Many in the royal court nod in agreement, while some choose to stick with Alpha Kaden. When he is finally given the chance to speak, he dates the story to a time when not even the history books could account for, insisting that the Creek Territory was both founded and run by Silver Pack before they were intimidated by Blackwood and their numbers.His motive for a takeover is as glaring as the sun, but since no one could completely counter him and the dispute has been going on for centuries, the queen decides to suggest a common ground.
"This is a very delicate matter, and I understand that both have claims to the territory. But the issues pertaining to territories and their ownership is a dispute the King and I have been working on, and if you can call a truce and be patient, a new bill will be passed as soon as possible, and all territories will know where they fall."
The queen's decree might as well mean that the territory belongs to Blackwood. Territories were shared following the natural divisions of the land, and Creek was on the same side as Blackwood, while Silver Pack was on the other side of the river.Alpha Kaden must've come to the same realization as he put up his hand. "Your Majesty, I appreciate you making time to indulge our petty pack squabbles and your desire to help, but as we all know, we wolves are territorial beings." His gaze sweeps across the room, and noting the nods of approval, he continues. "While we appreciate the desire to pass a bill to maintain the peace, I and my pack prefer to stick to the old ways and be given an opportunity to fight for what is ours.