Chapter 4 Lycan Alpha

HOWLING MOON PACK

THE LYCAN ALPHA RESIDENCE

There was no way he could get rid of the memory of her no matter how much he tried. A tinge of regret washed over him.

Somehow, her scent still lingered in his brain. Her long dark hair that always found a way to her face the entire night occasionally flashed in his mind. And her moans still rang in his head.

He sighed regretfully. He had never intended for it to happen. But the attraction was a lot. She was so pretty when she stared up at him. Not many women dared to do that. And heck when she had bluntly asked if he wanted to sleep with her, he nearly lost his mind.

Perhaps it was because he hadn't laid any woman for too long a while. He hated himself more because there seemed to be no guilt in his heart. The thought of his first mate crossed his mind. His wolf leapt ready to judge him.

Asher sighed and shook his head. Not now, wolf.

He rubbed his tired eyes. "Who is she?"

"Who is who?" Ethan sauntered in casually.

Asher jolted, gave a small cough and sat up.

Ethan peered suspiciously.

"Don't act like you didn't hear me. Who is she?"

"I said nothing. You should go check your ears."

Asher stood up and walked over to the mahogany desk and grabbed hold of a bottle of drink. He kept his ears open expecting another word from Ethan.

"The council members are gathered at the meeting room," Ethan began in a serious tone.

"Mmh-hm," Asher nodded calmly.

A moment of silence passed. He corked the bottle open.

"Are you really going to abolish the long held tradition? Why? Because you suddenly feel pity for the werewolves?" Ethan asked.

"I believe we have held it enough. Besides, it's just going to be a pause for a few years."

"Why? Is there something I don't know?"

Asher downed the glass of drink he had just poured. He felt his throat burn briefly. He craved another. And began to pour again.

"Is this about what happened years ago...your father...and your mate..." Ethan hesitated knowing he would be striking a dangerous cord if he went on.

Asher abruptly paused, the bottle in the grasp of his fingers midway in the air. After a few seconds, he shrugged. "I don't bloody care anymore, Ethan. But I am done being an obedient coward. I am done saving my head."

"Asher..." Ethan called calmly. He left where he stood and aimed for Asher's direction. "This is risky, Asher. I think it is not time yet."

Asher gave him a levelled look.

"When will it be time? When? The people hate me, they mock me everyday because I chose to remain a coward. Have you heard the rumours about me? Ah, yes. You are the Beta of the Pack. Of course you hear everything."

Ethan let out a sigh. True, he was his Beta but he was first his best friend. And he felt more useless not being able to be of real assistance to his best friend and Alpha.

"Can you give it more time while we still gather evidence?"

"You mean I should continue to act blind and deaf to the people's injustice? I get a lot of petitions every damn single day. The women are brought to me. I decide to use them however I wish. How dare they claim them right under my nose?" Asher's jaw clenched. His fist tightened. He wished he could crush them all.

"For the sake of peace," Ethan mumbled.

"Well, I don't want peace any more. Don't you think we have had peace long enough?" Asher said with the corners of his mouth suddenly twitching upwards.

True, they have had long years of peace. Thanks to him acting blind and deaf for years.

"But Asher, you have never cared about the werewolves women? Why make a case of it now?"

Asher wheeled. His cobalt eyes grew with intensity. "Do you see nothing that I see Ethan? This is not about werewolves women. This is about me breaking off this... this chains my father made me wore. My own elders are getting more powerful than me because I choose to act blind and deaf. They loot lands and women and buildings and cash right under my nose," he paused and for a moment he shut his eyes and sighed heavily.

"You know what the people call me when I pass the streets and the cities? A puppet Lycan Alpha, a weak boneless and useless Lycan Alpha. Some call me wolf less now. They say all I do is sleep with the werewolf women and get high and ride horses and shoot arrows." Again he paused and a wry chuckle left him. His eyes darkened. He had sworn to keep his lycan Alpha instincts and aura locked like his father had asked on his deathbed. But it seemed he might have to let them loose now.

He glanced at Ethan before he continued.

"I am not fond of the werewolves but it seems my elders are greasing their palms behind my back to take me down. The peace I wanted to shut my mouth for was all for nothing because very soon when they have gained all the power, you know what they will come for next? My position and my life."

He spun and strode out of the room.

Ethan's shoulders rose and fell. He adjusted his shirt and his Beta tag and followed after Asher.

At the door of the meeting room, a guard tried to open the door for Asher. He raised his hand and the guard stopped.

He had to gather himself. He must be wise.

At last, he nodded and the guard pushed the door open.

At his appearance, the elders immediately rose to their feets.

Asher climbed the dais and settled into his seat.

The lycan elders sat around a long conference table.

A heap of appeal files lay before Asher. He picked one and read and the next and the next. A mocking chuckle left him. As usual the ones that had anything to do with complaints against the injustices of the elders had all been taken away. And he was left with the ones that will only fill their pockets and children's pockets with wealth.

Wealth...wealth...wealth! He was damn tired of it.

The Chief Lycan elder, elder Silas Darkthorn stood up.

"My Alpha, today we must talk about the honourable tradition of this great lycan Pack. We have respected your decision to postpone the talks but we cannot do it anymore as the time is upon us now."

Asher dropped the file and straightened. Chief lycan elder Darkthorn. Was it him? Was he among the ones that killed his father?

He broke out of his reverie and refocused.

"Elder Darkthorn, I was thinking of pausing the bringing in of the werewolf women into our territory for a few years..."

Elder Darkthorn's brows raised.

"What? Are you planning on abolishing a tradition our fore fathers, including your father, carried out for centuries?"

"Only temporarily."

"My Alpha. You can not do that. This is a long held Lycan tradition. No one can wake up one morning to bring it to an end. No reason is justifiable," Elder Ezekiel Grimfang spoke up.

The other elders murmured amongst themselves. All against Asher's suggestions. Asher watched them. Their mouths moved and their faces squeezed with displeasure.

His jaw tightened. One or two of them must have had a hand in the death of his father and his mate. He had to tame them and expose all their evil doing but how.

"My Alpha," Elder Darkthorn began after the murmurings mellowed. "We have already sent words to the werewolves and the women will be arriving very soon. We cannot take back our words now especially when it concerns our tradition and authority over the werewolves. You do not want them to see us weaklings. We must continue to show we are superior to them and can wipe their existence out if they show their fangs. Have I not spoken the minds of everyone here?" he looked around and the other elders growled approvingly in support.

Asher's fingers tightened on his armrest. They were all against him. None... not even one of them spoke on his side. That was because they were all benefiting from it.

He had to say something. He had to make them stop. But when his eyes caught with Ethan's, Ethan shook his head in disapproval.

"Damnit!" He cussed under his breath and sank back against his seat.

"You must give your approval my Alpha so that our long held tradition and authority over the werewolves will continue to soar," the elders said in unison.

Anger coursed through Asher. His approval? He scoffed inwardly.

Then he stood. "Fine. I give my approval. Let the werewolf women be brought in. I will be there to receive them."

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Scarlett heard a loud thud and jarred awake. It was still early. Who was trying to bring down the roof of her father's measly house. She sighed and dragged herself up.

Outside she heard her father arguing with uniformed men.

"Not my daughter! She is not in! Come back another time!" Her father growled.

She flung the door open.

"Father!"

Once the men sighted her, they shoved her father aside and came for her.

"Miss Scarlett Davies. You must follow us now. You have been selected as one of the women to be taken to Howling Moon Pack."