An Alpha's Duty

Chapter 47

"The council must have lost their fucking minds to organise an attack like that. We knew they were bold but this, this is a full out power struggle." Callum trudged around his study, his hands clenched at his sides, trying to resist the urge to throw things. His mate would not be pleased if he damaged another desk.

The rest of the men in the room growled their agreement, looking between Ryan and their Alpha for further instructions. In total, there were only five of them sat in Callum's study for the impromptu meeting, but even with so few the power in the room was overwhelming.

Ryan took deep steady breaths to calm his wolf. He missed Lenah, and his wolf was itching to find her.

Once the pack had settled, Lenah left with Sally and the rest of the females to help prepare a feast and, knowing his mate, see how well training had progressed without her. She was playing the Luna role perfectly but Ryan couldn't help but miss her presence as he tried to explain everything that had happened, along with everything they'd discovered about Lenah.

Although his mate wasn't in the room, he could feel her energy pulsing down the mate bond. She may be with the pack, but he knew she was monitoring what they were discussing.

Her energy at the end of the mate bond was all that kept him routed to his seat. It was a reminder of everything he could lose if they couldn't find a solution that didn't involve a blood bath.

"We've suspected their hands were involved in the Ironfang pack overthrowing and there was the burning of that vampire nest near Addison not a year ago." Darius spoke up, an uncharacteristic frown marring his face.

"Do you think we should alert our own council to what we've now found out?" A large muscled man that Callum had introduced as his third Colin spoke up.

Mostly Colin has remained studiously silent whilst his Alpha and Second had reacted in anger but his eyes had never strayed from Ryan or Luke as they'd explained. Many would mistake his lack of reaction for indifference but Ryan knew it for what it was, the careful mask of a man who was planning the slow demise of his enemies.

Callum sat down in his chair whilst rubbing the back of his neck roughly. Ryan noticed him looking at the various pictures of his wife and children littered across the desk. He noticed the Alpha's eyes zeroing in on one particular photo of Lenah and Elaina with a small blue bundle in her arms.

If he wasn't mistaken, he could see the man's eyes water slightly as he gazed at Elaina.

"But what about Poppy?" Darius shook his head unconvinced.

Ryan almost smiled at the Second's behaviour. It hadn't taken long for Poppy to have almost every wolf wrapped around her little fingers, but judging from the way they treated the Alpha's daughter, Jenny, it wasn't uncommon.

"And there in lies our problem. There has always been a reason we keep our true mates' secret hidden. Greed runs through many packs and many would wish to possess what we have." The man leaned his elbows on the desk and allowed his head to fall into his hands.

"You can bet some on the werewolf council would want to possess her." Darius pulled a face as if the words were too disgusting to say but what shocked Ryan and Luke the most was Colin's reaction to the whole thing.

They watched as the man growled darkly, his wolf flashing behind his brown eyes.

"There is no way in hell Zach will ever come anywhere near that child." Ryan looked between the three men who had all growled at his words with venom in their eyes.

"Why does this Zach have my stomach turning?" Luke dramatically placed his hand on his smooth stomach, easing the tension in the room.

Ryan watched as Callum sighed before standing and waking from behind his desk to one of the unoccupied chairs.