Page 77 of Game of Destiny
“Alpha Ryder, you should use your brother's title. Respect is important, it is a founding stone in our society,” one of the council members corrected him. I looked at the older woman in surprise, as did my brother.
“Of course, I apologise. Old habits, he is my little brother still. Alpha Finlay objected to the change when my father passed away. It was hard for the pack and it was hard for our family losing my father so unexpectedly. I think my brother's grief got the better of him. It’s the only explanation I can give for hiserratic behaviour. Alpha Finlay knew he could never beat me in a duel so instead he persuaded parts of the pack to break off and leave. I have asked him, several times, to stop being stubborn and return home. I have tried to tell him he is putting his pack members, wolves I still consider being under my protection, in danger by living as an unranked pack. Alpha Finlay has refused to listen, and this past fall what I had warned him about happened. Another pack attacked Alpha Finlay’s. It resulted in three of their pack members’ death, amongst them their Beta, Martin. Martin was one of my former pack members and his family still is a part of my pack. Their grief has moved me deeply. It is time for my brother to stop this tantrum of his and take responsibility. I have requested the union of the packs as a way to keep the wolves I, and my pack, still care deeply for, safe,” he finished. His little speech left me worried. He had mixed lies and exaggerations with enough truth to make everything believable. In this moment, I hated him for what he was trying to do to my pack. And I was worried that I didn’t know why he was doing this. It seemed to be too insistent to be simply because his ego couldn’t handle that we left his pack. There was more behind it. I just hadn’t figured out what.
“Thank you, Alpha Ryder. Alpha Finlay, you may speak to what your brother just told us,” the head of the council said. I nodded slowly, taking a moment to gather my thoughts.
“Thank you. As my brother says, this is not the first time we have broached this subject. I even remember he tried to make a similar request of the council a couple of years back, but it didn’t even go to a hearing. There is truth in Alpha Ryder’s words but there are also falsehoods and exaggerations. If we go back to before our packs split, after our father died, Alpha Ryder took over the Ocean River pack and as expected, things changed. The changes worried me as I saw the weaker members being pushed aside. I was not alone in my worries and I talked to my brotherabout it several times. He was not willing to listen and it came to the point where I considered challenging him to protect those members of the pack. I wasn’t afraid of challenging him, I wasn’t sure of a victory, but I believed I had a good chance. My mother pleaded with me not to challenge him. She had just lost her mate, I didn’t have the heart to make her lose a son as well. That was why I applied to the council to form my own pack. I did it all by the book and when it was approved, I did not force anyone to come with me. I left my brother's pack and all who came with me did so of their own free will.” I had to pause to take a breath.
‘You are doing great,’ Amie mindlinked me.
“I won’t say it was easy. The journey my pack has taken has been hard at times. But it has also brought us closer together and made us a strong pack. In the end we found land that suited us, we have built a new life there. A good life. We have been successful and have been able to expand our land four times. We have accepted new members, both as pack members have found mates, but also by taking in lone wolves and other wolves that had sought a new life. We were attacked this last fall, we did lose three of our members in the attack, including our Beta. Martin was like my brother. I mourn him, as does the pack. But he died honourable defending his pack, a pack he loved and dedicated his life to. To bring this request in front of the council at this point feels meaningless. My pack has survived for eight years as unranked. We are now participating in the game and when we leave in a month, we will no longer be unranked. Instead, my belief is we will be one of the higher ranking packs. All of this makes my brother’s objection to my pack mute,” I said. I saw some of the council nodding.
“Alpha Finlay makes a good point. Alpha Ryder, do you have a reply to it?”
“I don’t agree with my brother's faith in him leaving with a high rank. Just look at the team he has brought. One of the malesis as skinny as a twig and he has chosen a female as his Beta. That should tell you how weak his pack is,” my brother said with disdain in his voice. It took all of my self constraint not to growl as he insulted Amie.
“This council has seen more than one great female leader. Alpha Finlay, any comments?” the head of the council asked.
“Many. Beta Armeria has my full support and she is beloved by the pack. I will leave it to her to tell you why she is qualified to be my Beta,” I said and looked at Amie.
“Thank you, Alpha,” Amie said with a slight bow to me. I had never seen her so formal before. But it suited the situation. I had no doubt she would do amazing.
Chapter 40
Amie
Finlay had passed the word to me and I would do my best to shove the smirk on Alpha Ryder’s face down his throat. He had insulted Finlay, he had said our pack was weak and he had questioned my place as Beta. I couldn’t physically hurt him like my wolf wanted me to, but I could use my words.
“Council, my full name is Armeria Rose Winstone Sage. I am the daughter of Ron Winstone, former Beta of the Eagle Forest pack. My brother is their current Beta. My father raised me and my brother both to take part in his, as well as the Alpha’s and the Gamma’s duties. I was a lone wolf from my eighteenth birthday until I joined my pack four years later. I survived on my own. Alpha Finlay found me and offered me a place in his pack. I was serving as an advisor to the top tier due to my training and worked closely with Beta Martin. When he was killed, I took the role of Beta. I am more than qualified for the position and I am humbled that I was asked and that I get to serve my pack in this way. May I add some points in response to the request from Alpha Ryder?” I asked the council.
“Former Beta Ron is your father?” a council member asked. I had skipped that part during our emergency meeting a couple of days earlier.
“Yes,” I said.
“The council knows him well. He has always been a good and sensible Beta,” the same member said. I inclined my head.
“We have no objection to you adding to the response of your pack,” the head of the council told me.
“Thank you. Alpha Ryder states the attack on our pack as the root of his concern. What he fails to take note of is that we won. We did not just drive away the attack from a middle ranking pack. No, they were annihilated by us. We lost three members, and they are missed each day. But they paid by having their Alpha killed by Alpha Finlay and their pack being dissolved. There is no longer a pack by that name, there is no pack land who holds its members. The few members who survived were spared by our pack. That should show you how stable and secure our pack is. They had it in them to show mercy. It is a commonly known fact that a pack is a reflection of their Alpha. Alpha Finlay has built our pack to be strong when needed and compassionate when possible. If Alpha Ryder claimed that losing our Beta is a sign of weakness, I would question what it says about his pack as his father, the Alpha, was killed in a rogue attack. Should we draw the same conclusion? Our pack has also grown, as my Alpha told you. Several of our members, including me, have no relationship with Alpha Ryder’s pack. What will happen to us? Will you just force the original members of the Ocean Shore to reunite?” I asked. The silence in the room lasted a moment. Finlay’s brother didn’t look as smug and I was happy about it.
‘You are amazing. If we weren’t in the council chamber, I would fucking kiss you,’ Finlay mindlinked me. I felt myself blush, and I looked down to collect myself.
“Alpha Ryder?” the head of the council asked. It looked like he was trying to hide a smile.
“The situation involving my father and the attack that killed the former Beta Martin can’t be compared. The situations are completely different,” Finlay’s brother said.
“How are they different?” a member of the council asked.
“They just are. And I have made changes since then, we are stronger than we were. And we would open our pack to all of the Blue Mountain pack members. Whether they have ties to our pack or not.” I wanted to scoff. Something was making him desperate to join the packs. I had seen enough of him and his warriors to know I would never accept to be a part of his pack.
“Anything else you want to add, Alpha Finlay?”
“I think my first statement and my Beta’s statement cover most things. The only thing I want to add is if you decide a forced union is the way forward, I ask you to also rule that the pack land should be sold and the profits should be split equally between the current members as their personal property. My pack has all contributed to the funds for buying the land. They should have the right to the profits,” Finlay said. How could I not love this wolf? Even at this moment, he was looking after the pack, making sure the profits from the pack land wouldn’t go to his brother. All council members nodded as if they approved of his thinking.
“We will recess to talk about our decision and we will reconvene after lunch,” the head of the council said. We were escorted out of the chambers and I felt empty as we stood outside. Finlay looked lost as well.
“Should we wait here or go back and eat at the cabin and come back?” I asked. He sighed and shook his head.
“I think it’s best to stay here, in case they decide to call on us earlier. You can go back to the cabin, eat and relax for a while,” he suggested. I shook my head and mindlinked Rania, one of oursupport staff, and asked her to bring some easy to eat food to the council building. We found a bench in a quiet area and Rania showed up with wraps filled with chicken salad and big flasks of iced coffee.
