Page 51 of Game of Destiny
“We thank you,” Finlay told him and did a half bow.
“Next game will be interesting. We might see some rearrangement at the top,” a woman in the council said. I felt pride bloom inside me. We had a good pack. Finlay was concluding the call with the council.
“Beta Amie?” I almost didn’t react to my new title. It would take getting used to.
“Yes, Cade,” I said, turning towards Cadence.
“How is your shoulder?” he half whispered. I smiled at him.
“It’s much better, almost healed. Thank you for asking. How are you feeling?” I asked him.
“Oh, I’m fine. My mom fusses over me and even Mari is nice to me. It’s a bit weird,” he told me. I chuckled and messed his hair up. As Finlay was done and turned off the equipment, I told Cadence I had to go. I was walking towards Finlay, Sam and Medow.
“Beta? Excuse me, Beta?” I turned around at the unknown voice and saw the older woman from the Rolling Hills pack trying to get my attention. Two of our warriors made sure she couldn’t go past the area we had dedicated to the prisoners. Iwalked up to her, but kept my distance. I nodded to the warriors and they stood to the side.
“Yes?” I asked.
“Regarding the sentence. Can you ask the Alpha to change it? We know the pack land we have isn’t much. But it kept the pack alive until our latest Alpha started spending money as if we could grow them. We can’t lose the land our pack has lived on for generations,” she begged me. I looked at her, she must have called me over because she thought it would be easier to sell me a sob story.
“No. I know your Alpha didn’t listen to you, but in this pack, when the pack speaks, the Alpha listens. And it’s not your pack land anymore, you don’t have a pack. You lost that privilege when you attacked my pack. We may be peaceful and we don’t like to be cruel. But we aren’t weak. You tried to take us over. For that, your pack will be erased from the surface of this world,” I told her.
“Please, show mercy. We didn’t want to attack your pack. We had no choice,” she said.
“You had a choice. You could have warned us, you could have told the council that your Alpha was forcing you. There were several things you could have done.”
“It would have been to betray the pack,” she objected.
“No. It would have been to honour your pack, but betray your Alpha. You made your choice. Now you have to live with the consequences of that decision. I feel my pack has been more than generous in how they decided to handle you. Be happy you are walking out of here and can reunite with your families. Not many packs will be willing to take you in, but at least you have a chance to find a new pack. Be grateful.” I turned my back on her and walked away.
‘Are you okay, Red?’ Finlay mindlinked me as I joined him, Sam and Medow.
‘Fine. If one of the prisoners happens to die during the night, would that be bad?’ I answered. He grinned and shook his head.
“I think it’s time we all head to bed,” he said out loud. “Some of us are starting to get grumpy.” Medow nodded and yawned.
“I will carry you,” Sam offered his mate.
“I can walk,” she objected. He sighed, but nodded. The pack was splitting up as well, everyone heading for their home except the ones who would relieve the warriors on duty. I waved as Medow and Sam turned from us to head to their house.
“Will you be okay?” Finlay asked again as we paused outside the pack house. I was going inside and he was heading to his house.
“I will be. I’m tired enough to fall asleep the second I hit the bed. How about you?”
“I will be happy if I can hold out until I get upstairs to the bedroom. It’s a fifty-fifty chance I won’t make it past the couch,” he told me.
“Suck it up, Alpha. You need a good night’s sleep. Sleep in your bed,” I told him.
“Aye, aye, Beta Amie,” he joked. I shook my head as we parted. I wanted to follow him back to his place. What I would do if I did, I didn’t know. I forced my feet to take me into the pack house. It was the safer option.
Three pyres were built in the glade where we usually celebrated the full moon. A body laid on top of each pyre. As the day turned to dusk, Megan’s father and sister stepped forward and shared memories of her. Then some of the warriors talked about Brian. Then Finlay stepped up.
“Martin and I met as pups. We grew up together, we learned about life together and how to be wolves together. He was mybrother. He never hesitated to follow me when I broke off from our old pack. He loved this pack, and he was proud of what we have become. Martin made the biggest sacrifice anyone can make. He gave his life for this pack and we honour him for it.” Finlay stepped back and I took a step forward.
“When I arrived at this pack, Martin was one of the more enthusiastic to get to know me. He knew I grew up in a Beta family and he wanted me to teach him to be a good Beta. I never needed to teach him anything. He was a natural. Instead of becoming his teacher, I became his friend. In Martin I found a friend, a confidant, and an older brother. As I shoulder the mantel he left behind, he will be my inspiration and my role model. He was our first Beta and we will remember him as a Beta all other Betas will look up to.” I stepped back to stand between Finlay and Sam. Medow, Matilda and Megan’s sister stepped forward. They all had a lit torch in their hands. Each of them lit a pyre and then stepped back. We watched as the fire took hold and soon all three pyres were in full flame. After a while, the pack walked around, talking to each other, eating from the food that was laid out, and sitting down to talk amongst themselves. I walked over to Matilda and gave her a hug.
“How are you holding up? You are always looking after us, but don’t think I don’t know you have spent most of your waking hours in the kitchen, making sure the pack is fed,” I told her.
“I’m okay. They were all good wolves and I hate to see them go this early. But I like to keep busy,” she said. “Thank you for looking after my nephew. This has been hard on him. The two of them were inseparable since they were pups. I know he doesn't like to let it show, but he is devastated,” she added, and we both looked in Finlay’s direction. He looked up at me as if he felt me looking and raised an eyebrow. I smiled at him and turned back to Matilda.
