Chapter 4 Meeting of The Elite

Alpha Liam

I never imagined I'd derive such pleasure from watching someone squirm so anxiously in their seat while I chomped down on my steak. Dinner and a show, my wolf joked inside. I couldn't stop the smirk from spreading across my face.

Alpha Maddox's nerves were shot, his words fumbling together while his forehead glistened with sweat. "So you see Alpha, it is in everyone's best interest that our packs join together in an alliance of sorts. The humans keep building closer to our borders, it's only a matter of time before there's a fifteen story condominium overlooking one of our packs," he explains, pushing the green peas with his fork around on his plate like a child refusing to eat.

My gaze is intently focused on him, I can't help but feel slightly disrespected that he's barely touched his food. "Is there something wrong with the food?" I interrupt, reaching for the napkin draped across my lap and carefully dabbing it with the corner of my mouth.

"Ah, no Alpha. The food is delicious. I appreciate your hospitality," he says, quickly shoving a mouthful of mashed potatoes into his mouth.

"Glad to hear," I reply, arching an eyebrow, like the sarcastic asshole I'm known to be. Really, I'm just messing with him. I already had made my decision before I even agreed to meet with Alpha Maddox. Given that his pack borders mine and I like to keep a tab on things involving anything that's mine, meeting with him was solely out of courtesy.

"Uhm, my apologies Alpha Liam, Alpha Maddox. Luna Rachel is insistent to join you for lunch," my Beta explains. I chuckle when I catch sight of Luna Rachel, storming into the room in a professional black suit dress with her blonde locks tied into a low bun. She's trying to show me that she means business, walking straight towards me and extending her hand in a firm handshake before taking a seat beside her mate.

I don't usually tolerate such behavior but there's something about her demeanor that I enjoy. Her grit is unmatched to that of most of the Alphas I'm forced to deal with, including her mate. She clearly has bigger balls too.

One of my kitchen staff appears from the doorway, carrying an identical plate of steak, mashed potatoes and peas. She straightens her back, giving her mate a small smile before slicing into meat. "Very well, where were we?" She asks.

"Alpha Liam and I were just discussing the need to prepare for when the humans inevitably push closer to our borders," Alpha Maddox states, following his mate and biting into his steak. "Ah yes," she coos.

I raise my hand, requesting a refill on my wine before injecting. "I can see how this would be an issue but right now, my pack's efforts are focused on keeping the rogues on their dedicated lands and away from our borders."

Silence fills the room, I catch Luna Rachel's eyes shifting ever so slightly to her mate. I sigh, this meeting would have been done much more quickly if she had been present the entire time. She knows what I want and she's prepared to offer it.

"Yes Alpha, we understand. We propose coming together in a joint effort to ward off the rogues. They're a hassle to us too. But who says we can't focus on both issues at hand?" Alpha Maddox asks, loosening his collared shirt with his fingers.

"I do," I say. "Given my unique stance with the humans in town, I'm prepared to aid you with your problem once mine is resolved."

Luna Rachel carefully drops her cutlery, turning to me. "How many?" She asks directly, her eyes wide.

I knew I liked her.

"50. Give me fifty men by nightfall and I'll ensure there's no condominiums or human buildings being built by pack borders for the next year," I offer.

"Five years," she insists. I stop my eyes from rolling to the back of my head, knowing that the humans would never dare come near my borders. Afterall, I have them all on my payroll. "Very well," I agree.

A glint of accomplishment shines in Luna Rachel's eyes, she's satisfied that she won and I'm pleased that I won't have to waste any men on those bloody rouges that linger at my border. "So Alpha, we noticed you weren't in attendance at the annual Alphas meeting," she states, casually changing the subject and continuing with her meal.

"Alpha Axton is a barbarian. I can think of a hundred other places I'd rather be than dining in his pack," I retort.

Alpha Maddow furrows his brows together, disagreement flooding his face. "He's an interesting character for sure since his mate passed but he does ultimately wish to keep our kind safe from the humans."

I scoff, tilting the crystal wine glass to my lips. "He poses more of a threat with his repeated use of human brothels to expose our kind than any human buildings ever will," I explain.

Luna Rachel lets out a small gasp, turning to her mate in shock. "Do you think?" She asks him. Alpha Maddox shakes his head, trying to stay off the subject which serves to further intrigue me.

"Do you think what?" I ask in my Alpha voice. Usually, I could care less about what the other packs are doing but something tells me this guy might be up to no good which in turn, can one day affect my pack.

"Oh it's nothing Alpha. An omega was careless during dinner service and he was rather rough with her. He gave her two lashings in front of the entire table and then sent her away. I guess it just made me wonder, but Maddox is right, it's probably nothing," she says, casting her eyes downwards.

"Please excuse my wife Alpha. She didn't mean to speak out of line about how another Alpha chooses to run his pack. It really is none of our business," Alpha Maddox scolds, pressing his lips together.

"And, you think she's in danger?" I ask, watching her facial expressions intently for any hint of dishonesty. I lean back on my chair and rest my ankle over my knee, interested in what is really going on inside of the borders of Shadow Pack.

The humans have been complaining about Alpha Axton for months. There's been mention of an underground player picking off human girls, disturbing my chain of command and impacting my sales at the human establishments the pack runs. He wanders around the human towns like some God, demanding alcohol and girls as he pleases. Taking him out would be ideal to appease the humans to feel safe again and if I have another pack complaining, well, this could be easier than I thought. I could get them to do the dirty work.

"No," Alpha Maddox pipes in before his mate can respond. "She deserved it. Excuse us Alpha, but we have to get back to our pack."

Luna Rachel looks at me with sad doe eyes before following her mate's lead and standing up abruptly. The two of them exchange handshakes with me, inviting me to come visit their pack soon before exiting into the hall. I sit back at the table, nursing back the remainder of my drink.

Hushed whispers echo through the hallways and thanks to wolf hearing, I can hear every word clear as day between the two of them. "Are you fucking insane? She would be no better off here than she would be in Shadow Pack Rachel," Alpha Maddox scolds. "Mind your own business next time. If Alpha Axton knew you were spreading rumors about him, his men would be at our borders within the hour."

"You saw what that asshole did to her! She's not even eighteen yet, she's still a child! Imagine how many more are suffering, HE can help them." She pleads with him.

"ENOUGH!" Alpha Maddox yells.