Page 31 of Smoke and Moon

It had worked out well that Bleddyn, his childhood best friend, ended up being his second.It wasn’t always that simple.Like the Alpha position, the Beta spot also had to be fought for.If an Alpha and a Beta could not get along, if the Beta could not fall in line behind the leader, it could cause issues in the Pack and possible destruction for them.

“What I need to deal with now is the rogue wolves.”Chanin took his full height and dropped the dirt back to the ground.

“Those bastards.”Bleddyn shoved his artwork into the back pocket of his jeans as his eyes darkened.“Do you think it was Farkas’s crew?”

“Fuck, yes.”Chanin gritted his teeth, the pressure in his molars growing.

“After the last warning you executed, I’m surprised they attempted to pull some shit again.”Bleddyn’s fist clenched, and his chest swelled high above his folded arms.

Chanin knew Bleddyn referred to six months ago when Farkas attempted to abduct the Beta’s mate.Since Farkas, who had lost the Alpha position many years ago to Chanin, continued to be a curse on Chanin’s Pack, he knew he’d have to deal with Farkas decisively now.

“I can’t comprehend how your cousin can’t seem to get it through his thick damn head that the selfish actions of him and those who follow him could have dire consequences for the Pack.Bring war.”

“Bad breeding.Like our whole generation, we are descendants of the sickness that the last Alpha perpetuated throughout.Most of us were eager to change our ways and not only be prideful but have the honor to go with it.Then there were those like Farkas who looked forward to becoming leaders among the Pack and continuing the same regime.”

“True.And now they’ve done the unthinkable.”

“Shown our Pack in a bad light to outsiders.”A sour taste filled Chanin’s mouth as he thought about the embarrassment of having Aodh accuse his wolves of thievery before the council and questioning if Chanin could provide for his people.”

His people had lost a lot because his uncle, Alpha, at that time, had refused to prepare for the natural and man-made disasters that were coming.He’d refused to occupy their seat on the Global Shifters Alliance, GSA.It met annually in the remote Eastern Fjord in Iceland, and the entire country was considered neutral ground.But, Kenneally was too shortsighted to see the benefits of such a council.However, Chanin’s father went as a Pack representative on his own every year without voting authority.It was how Chanin’s father had warned about the growing threats and urged Kenneally to prepare the Pack.

However, Kenneally believed that no matter what destruction humans brought, their shifter abilities would allow them to survive.

Kenneally had been half right, a lot wrong, and did not fully understand how their kind could be affected.And the man’s ignorance had almost destroyed them.

This had been Chanin’s breaking point and led him to challenge his uncle.

“How do you want to serve up justice to the rogues?”Bleddyn’s words broke into his thoughts.

“Swift and precise.We need to call a meeting.”Unable to isolate himself from his Pack any longer, Chanin started toward his house.

Bleddyn fell into step.

“Contact Boris.Get a report from the scout team.I want to know their current numbers and whether Farkas still resides in the northern plains.”

The cunning wolf had a way of staying hidden because he moved locations often.

“Will do.”Bleddyn continued the path alongside him into Chanin’s spacious backyard.“When do you want the report by?”

“Midnight.I want to call a meeting then.See if we can catch the rogues unaware.”Chanin rounded the side of his house and was not surprised when he saw Rudie leaning against his front door.He didn’t pause in stride as he took the six steps two at a time.“I want the fang warriors readied.”

His assistant stepped aside quickly, allowing him and his Beta to enter his dwelling first out of respect.

“Welcome home, Alpha.”The Lupine female with skin the color of desert sand, narrow almond-shaped eyes tilted up at each corner, and long, straight, jet-black hair that only covered one bare breast in her lounged position on his couch stopped him in his tracks.

“Minsi, what are you doing here?”

~YH~

Oh, my Lord, what is happening to me?

Kai sat higher on her elbows as she stared at the odd-shaped mark on her belly.

“What—?Is—?How—?”Her mind went blank, and she couldn’t seem to string together more than one word at a time.Due to the natural soft roundness of her belly and the curviness of her body, she felt as if she had the best angle to see it.

“Kai, it’s—”

She bolted from the bed.Moving fast, she scrambled across the large mattress until she could get off, ignoring everything else around her.Once her feet touched the cold, unforgiving stone floor, she rushed into the bathroom.She stood before the mirror and stared at her reflection.Correction, she focused on the black design—the scale.

---