Page 49 of Game of Destiny
“Did you ask her?” Sam asked Finlay as we sat down.
“I did.” There was a pause in the conversation where everyone around the table but me looked at Finlay.
“And?” Sam asked.
“Did you think I would say no?” I asked him. He grinned at me and relaxed back in his chair. He put his arm around Medow and pulled her chair closer to him.
“No, you are smarter than that,” he said.
“What are you talking about?” Medow asked.
“I asked Amie to become the new Beta,” Finlay said.
“Oh. That’s good,” Medow said.
“The only option,” Matilda said and gave me a smile. I smiled back and nodded. We ate breakfast and when we were done, Finlay stood up and signed for me and Sam to join him.
“Yesterday was a tough day for the pack. We lost loved ones and others were hurt. But we also showed that we are a strong pack. We will not give up without a fight. We protect our pack and our land. Beta Martin gave his life in that pursuit. Today we will take revenge for him and for the others we lost. We can’t be without a Beta. It’s more important now than ever before to show that we remain strong. Our new Beta will be Amie, I don’t think I need to explain why. She will officially be sworn in as we lay Beta Martin to rest. But I know that you will all treat her asBeta from now on. If you have questions, or have concerns, you are always welcome to talk to anyone in the top tier. We are here for you. Thank you everyone for your part yesterday. Everyone did what they should do and took the measures we have asked of you. It’s because of this we could win and only lose a few of our own. I am proud to be your Alpha,” Finlay told the pack. I got a lot of congratulations via mindlink and also pack members telling me they felt safe with me as Beta. It was overwhelming to feel everyone’s support. “In an hour the Alpha of the attacking pack will be executed outside the pack house. After that we will talk to the remaining members of his pack. You will decide their faith,” he then told them. After he was done, the pack scattered. Families with young pups wanted to get them away from what was about to happen, others wanted to stay to bear witness.
‘Ready?’ I asked Finlay in a mindlink.
‘Ready,’ he confirmed.
Chapter 24
Finlay
The area in front of the pack house had been cleared and the pack had gathered around the edges of it. Alpha Jackson stood in the middle of the area. He was guarded by Sam and a warrior. My wolf’s hatred for the other Alpha was strong and I shared his feelings. Alpha Jackson was the reason I had lost my best friend. Whether it was by his own hands or not, his actions had caused my pack the loss of our Beta. If it wasn’t for Amie, I don’t know how I would have made it through the night. I was even more grateful for her stepping up as our new Beta. She walked beside me and I could feel her anger. We stopped in front of the defeated Alpha. I scanned the crowd, making sure no pups had sneaked out to see what was happening. When I knew the only ones around were pack members who should be there, I walked up to Alpha Jackson. Sam had him on his knees and I looked down on him.
“Bring out the representatives of the Rolling Hills pack,” Amie called out. The pack members to the left of us made way for a group of warriors who guided an older man and woman to stand a bit away from where we stood. After what the Alpha hadrevealed in our interrogation, we had let the Rolling Hills pack choose two representatives amongst the survivors.
“I, Alpha of the Blue Mountain pack, have talked to the council and presented the evidence of the Rolling Hills pack’s attack on us. The council has decided the Alpha of the Rolling Hills pack has forfeited his life for his failure to protect and lead his pack to victory. As the winners, we may claim the blood debt for our fallen pack members,” I told everyone with a clear voice. I let the information sink in. “The council left it up to us to decide what to do with the remainder of the Rolling Hills pack. We will deal with the issue next. But first, we will claim payment of our debt. For Beta Martin, Warrior Brian and Warrior Megan, we demand the blood of Alpha Jackson.” I smiled down at the Alpha before me. I had no regrets about what I was about to do. I let my claws extend on my right hand and I used one of them to knick his artery. I did not want to give him a quick death. I took a step back, standing next to Amie. Everyone looked as Alpha Jackson slowly bleed out. As he swayed on his knees, the blood loss made it hard for him to remain kneeling. Sam and the warrior on the other side of the Alpha took a grip on his shoulders to keep him up. A while later I gave them a nod and they let the Alpha go. He fell forward into the leaves on the ground and his own blood. We all listened to the gurgling sounds as he took his last, desperate breath. Amie stepped forward and bent down over him to listen. She felt for a pulse.
“He’s gone,” she said. The pack raised their heads and howled. The victory was officially ours.
“Time for the next part,” I said and everyone quieted down to listen. “Members of the Rolling Hills pack, your former Alpha admitted he planned and executed this attack against the will of your pack. That is the only reason you are still standing here alive. Members of the Blue mountain pack, I will leave the decision of what we are to do with the remainder of the RollingHills pack up to you. Discuss it among yourself and this evening after dinner, we will have a pack meeting and decide their fates. Until then, bring the representatives back to their pack members,” I told the pack before turning around and walking inside the pack house. Amie, Sam and Medow followed me and we gathered in the meeting room. I walked up to the chair Amie usually sat in and moved it to where it once had stood by the wall. Then I sat down in my seat. Sam and Medow also sat down. Amie remained standing, staring at the chair Martin usually sat in. “It’s yours now,” I told her.
“It feels disrespectful,” she objected.
“He would have wanted you to sit there,” Medow said and Sam nodded. Amie looked at me, I could see how uncomfortable she was and the sadness she tried to hide.
“It’s okay,” I said. She sighed, nodded and sat down on the edge of the chair. I resisted my urge to take her hand to comfort her. After our night mourning together, it felt as if the wall between us had weakened. I could feel it was harder to hold back the urge to be physically close to her. I rained in my emotions, now was not the time. “What is the state on the borders?” I asked.
“No further attacks seem to be imminent. The warriors report it’s peaceful,” Sam told me.
“How are the warriors holding up?” Amie asked.
“We have had one shift change so everyone on duty now has had a chance to rest and get food. We are all feeling the loss, but morale is high. The victory did them good,” Sam said. We all nodded.
“What about funerals?” Medow asked.
“Tomorrow, after we settled things with the Rolling Hills pack. Then we will lay them to rest,” Amie said. I grunted my approval. “I will talk with Megan’s family. See if they have any special wishes,” she added. Megan was the only one of the dead whohad family in the pack. Brian had always said his family was the other warriors, and Martin, Martin was my family, and Amie’s, and Sam and Medow’s. We would give all of them a worthy send off.
“What do you think the pack will decide?” Medow asked us.
“I don’t know,” I honestly said. We weren’t a violent pack, but everyone was upset over the attack and the people we had lost. Revenge could make the calmest wolf bloodthirsty.
“They won’t demand blood,” Amie said with confidence.
