Page 76 of The Alpha King's Curse: Part One

“They’re not here to see you, so don’t worry about it,” he answered with a tight smile.

Chase had never openly challenged him. Like most Alphas, his ego was the size of a small country, but he was strong enough and intelligent enough to back it up. He would be a dangerous enemy for Dylan if he didn’t deal with him the right way.

“But we’re neighbours and allies. I have to worry about the things you and your pack do,” Chase said, adding—as if it was an afterthought—“Your Majesty.”

His fists balled up again under the table. Chase had also become the Alpha of his pack at a young age. The Alpha of the Dark Moon pack was twenty-six, two years older, but not once had Chase spoken to him with such impertinence as he was showing now. His whole attitude since they had sat down was like a challenge to his position, and Cain was convinced they were on the right track. This man had suddenly grown bigger balls because he knew what was happening with the witch. He had to.

“We have bigger issues to discuss right now,” he growled before he looked at the two other Alphas seated around the table. “The rogues are becoming a problem. We had several sightings in the woods before the last meeting I had to cancel, but they breached my territory the last couple of days. Have any of you had any problems?”

“No, Your Majesty,” Alpha Braxton answered. “Besides an odd one or two a couple of months ago, we haven’t seen any.”

Alpha Brax was the oldest among them. His pack was small, and they preferred to live quietly. He’d never shown any ambition to take over anyone else’s territory and expand, nor had he ever extended a friendly hand to those who tried to befriend his pack.

“Neither have we,” Alpha Kendrick said.

And that Alpha had always been ambitious. If Chase somehow wasn’t involved, he would put his money on Kendrick being in bed with the witches.

“We had some the other day,” Chase said. “But you already knew that since you tracked them to my territory.”

Though Dylan was standing behind him like all the Betas were standing behind their Alphas, he could feel his gaze boring into the back of his head. He hadn’t told Dylan that.

“And you didn’t think to lead with this information?” he growled.

“I’m telling you now, Your Majesty,” Chase said. “They just ran through my land; I didn’t think anything of it.”

“You didn’t think there was something wrong with rogues just running through your territory without raiding you?” he asked through his teeth.

And that made all the Alphas pause.

“What’s going on, Your Majesty?” Brax asked. “Should we be worried?”

“I’m trying to figure it out. Have your scouts keep a lookout and report any rogues to me,” he told them. “Don’t try to capture them; killing them before they open their mouths is better.”

“Is this why the Circle is coming? There’s something wrong with the rogues?” Chase asked.

The door opened before he could answer, and one of his warriors entered.

‘The Circle has arrived early,’ he said through the mind link.

The function room had been specifically built for private meetings. It was soundproofed and spelled so the people inside couldn’t mind-link anyone. It came in handy for interrogations but was a nuisance most of the time.

“The Circle,” he warned the other Alphas.

This time he felt their unease, even Chase’s. Nobody liked dealing with those fuckers.

“I’ll call you if there are further developments. You can go and help yourselves to the food downstairs or go home, whatever you choose.”

He allowed them to leave before the Circle saw them, though it was likely they already knew the Alphas were here. Brax was the first to stand up—he was never one to get involved in things that were none of his business.

“Leaving so soon?”

The moment he heard that voice, a chill filled the room, and the scent of death almost choked him. He watched the Alphas lower their heads and Brax back away from the door. There was more than unease in the air now—the Alphas' fear was mixed in with it.

‘That is how they should treat you,’ Cain growled. ‘That is how they should cower at your feet. Instead, you let them poke fun at you and forget who you are.’

He pushed the wolf back and turned to look at the new arrivals. They were Alphas like the others, but they had strengthened themselves with magic over the decades. Dark magic. They’d sold their souls several times over ‘for the good of wolfkind’ just to be the most powerful among their kind. Alpha Hugo, Alpha Lincoln and Alpha Finn. Older than dirt but hadn’t aged past thirty, like the rest of the Circle members.

But still, they were nothing like him.

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