Page 44 of Knot Quite Ready

“I also think our bylaws are firm against the abuse of power,” Tristan leans forward, his canines extending as he fights for control of his wolf. His quarrel with my father is a bit more complex than most but that is his story to tell.

My father laughs a deep sinister rumble. “Tristan, how is your dear mother? Spoken to her recently?” he says with a smirk, venom seeping from his words. On the surface, it seems like a simple question - but I know better.

Tristan roars and I pull him back as his wolf tries to take control. My eyes flash and my voice deepens with command, "Stand down, Tristan."

Tristan struggles, I lean forward with a, barely there, whisper, “Don’t let this piece of shit win. Reign it in."

I glance at the council, who is looking at the events unfolding with interest, and I almost feel their minds whirling. In reality, my father's presence may be more helpful than detrimental. I'm going to let him talk himself into an early grave, assuming Tristan doesn't put him there first.

My father seems unfazed, a smug look on his face as he folds his arms across his chest, "Clearly, there is a lack of control here. Regardless, our bylaws protect an Alpha’s choice, how I choose to run my pack is none of your business, youchoseto leave.”

Aneira stands and looks at the Council table with a serene smile on her face that belies the rage I feel vibrating through our bond, “Alpha Harailt, if I may?”

Harailt nods, rigid in his seat.

“Our bylaws are in place to protect our people first. The fact that an Alpha can lead their pack, as they choose is second to that. Alphas who choose to ignore the basic rights of their people, who believe in ruling with an iron fist with no justice, are the reason so many wolves are broken and defecting from their packs. They are also the reason you and the rest of the council are here today. These wolves have been through enough,mypack, has been through enough and yet they still have enough fortitude to rebuild, time and time again. That is a testament to Casimir’s strength, not a by-product of their pack of origin…” She pauses and looks at my father up and down with disdain.

Her rage spikes, and I touch her side briefly. My father’s eyes sharpen as he takes in the small touch, and Montgomery snarls in my head at the interest that flares in his eyes.

“Omega’s do not have a voice. Therefore, your opinion means less than nothing to me. Especially since you are the whore of a defected wolf, nothing more,” my father’s lip curls as he spits his vitriol.

All hell breaks loose as growls fill the room, making the hair on my body stand on edge as I shove my chair back, ready to tear my father’s limb from limb, Council presence be damned.

Tristan rises to his feet angrily, teeth bared and claws out as he partially shifts, “You will treat my Luna with respect, you worthless murdering son of a maggot.”

Storm hisses and pulls off her earrings. “Oh, hell no. This Snout-Sniveling, Moonlight Malcontent, got my family all the way fucked up. Stand the fuck back. I’m going to shove my hoof up his dickhole and then tie a unicorn horn on my head before I shift and plunge my glitter-covered razor-sharp horn right into his worthless, shriveled asshole.” For a split second, all eyes flick in her direction, and I swear I see fear flash in my father’s eyes before they go blank. I mean, a sharp horn up the ass will make most people run.

“That is enough,” Calian’s voice boomed throughout the room. “Mate, sit your gorgeous violent ass back down in that seat before I take you over my knee,” his voice dark with promise.

Sensing the seriousness in his tone, Storm sits down but not before grumbling, “he acts like that’s not something I want anyway.”

A fleeting smirk graces Calian's face before he directs his blazing gaze around the room, unleashing tendrils of his power. The air becomes so thick that it feels as if you’re swimming in pure molasses. It's a testament to Calian's power that Harailt isn't the one to rise and confront the blatant disrespect shown not only to wolves as a whole but also to an Omega wolf. Despite the rot that has seemed to take root in several packs across the country, Omega’s are precious and are to be protected.Agreed-topolitical alliances notwithstanding, forcing Omegas to marry or to abuse one physically or verbally takes a wolf of pure evil. It goes against every natural instinct we possess.

Another surge of power fills the room, and my gaze quickly shifts to Harailt. His eyes are wide, fur bristling, and fangs lengthening as his wolf struggles for dominance. It suddenly dawns on me why Calian is the one stepping up in his place - to give Harailt a chance to regain control before he unintentionally scares the very wolves he's meant to lead, particularly now that he knows about the abused Omegas within our pack.

Aneira stands up straighter and laughs,laughs. Calian looks at her curiously, and she smiles at him gently. “Forgive me, but this,” she waves her hand at my father before she turns her body away, effectively dismissing him as a threat, “sorry excuse of a wolf, just proved our point that some packs are rotten from the very core. His overall existence may be a complete waste of space but at least now the council sees, first hand, why despite the laws about defection, wolves still choose to leave their packs. I don’t think anything further needs to be said.” She nods at Calian before taking her seat.

“Thank you, Aneira,” Calian says before turning his gaze to my father, who is poorly controlling his anger. The wolves with him, very obviously, take a step back as the full gaze of the Shifter Council falls on him.

“I think we can all agree that this meeting has been most enlightening.” Calian’s voice grows deadly quiet, and he leans, palms down on the table in front of him, staring directly at my father, “Alpha Casemiro of the Pielt Pack, you have been abusing your power. Bringing physical and emotional harm to your pack Omegas and the other wolves under your charge. In fact, your sheer ineptitude as Alpha, has resulted in multiple wolves defecting. All of whom you never reported. If these wolves did pose a danger to society, the result of that poor choice would have been detrimental to all shifters. And yet, despite knowing the Shifter Council would be present– which we'll discuss shortly – you show up to do what, exactly? Threaten your son? An Alpha worth more than a hundred of your pathetic hides?”

My father sputters, “You are not a wolf; you do not understand the way we do things in order to stay on top of the food chain.”

At that, Harailt leaps over the table and, in a blink of an eye, strikes my father, his claws leaving bloody marks across his face.

“Silence!”

Calian continues as if he wasn’t interrupted, “You insult the sanctity of a Shifter Council meeting, breaking all of the usual protocols, including, but not limited to, speaking out of turn, disrespecting a Council member, and insulting a female, the mate of another Alpha. Then let’s add to your long list of egregious offenses, not calling a formal meeting to discuss your grievances, instead choosing to hide the rot within your pack. Instead, you choose to bring members of your pack with you, now making them equally as responsible. Tell us, how many wolves will you have left if I kill everyone present tonight?”

My father’s face pales, and I smirk and sit back, grateful I don’t have to address the cluster fuck that was my father. There are some serious perks to this brother-in-mate business.

“Let’s add that he is also a slobbering, fang-fumbling douche,” Storm pipes up, and Calian lets a laugh escape.“Although my mate speaks out of turn,” he looks at her with a mock glare, “We can add that to the list as well.” He nods at Harailt, who looks to have himself under control, finally.

Pinning my father with a glare, he turns to the members of my pack, “It looks like I have failed all wolf shifters. I put too much faith in our Alpha meetings, trusting that the Alpha’s under my command would be truthful. For that, I am truly sorry,” he bows to them.

“From this point forward, we will be investigating all packs with in-person reviews, and I think I speak for the entire council when I say we plan to ensure that all complaints are pulled, heard, and rectified immediately.”

I feel elation pour through Aneira, and a rush of warmth fills my chest. This is what we needed, both as a people and as a society of shifters. Who would have guessed that my father would be the catalyst to uncover the rot?

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