The three of them hoped that the Goddess would bestow upon Lanky a second partner, allowing him to find happiness again. He evidently favoured Maya, who was 20, and although a distinct sibling rivalry existed between her and Nora, it had been mitigated by Lanky’s care.
He had frequently observed it within his own group. Some sisters desired what their sibling has until they found contentment with their own belongings. He speculated that the sibling jealousy stemmed from Nora being the more attractive of the two, a belief he held but never vocalised. Nora was apprehensive about Maya’s superior intelligence, while Maya was probably preoccupied with her sister’s greater beauty.
The typical rivalry between human and wolfen families suggested a shared characteristic between the two species.
He drove his vehicle to the entrance of the imposing manor, a structure resembling a diminutive castle, with meticulously manicured lawns. A guard at the closed wrought iron gates acknowledged him and his companions, stating, “Alpha Cupper of the Red Moon Pack.” This was not a query but a declaration; he consulted a clipboard and subsequently examined each individual present.
“Affirmative,” Luke said.
“Position your vehicle at the front; a valet will retrieve it and return it to you.” Proceed along the primary road and take the left fork at the divergence.” Subsequently, the gates opened, and they entered the estate.
It is evident that the man possessed images of each individual to identify those arriving. A wolf awaited them, adorned in whole council colours. He relinquished his keys to him. “Refrain from scratching it,” he remarked.
“Yes, Alpha,” was all the wolf spoke. He appeared youthful and exuded the scent of a warrior, yet was assigned to valet duty. He considered it to be more of an omega position. At the summit of the ten expansive sandstone steps, which constituted one-third of the manor’s façade, stood another figure before the four pillars that framed the entrance.
The man standing there, also in full costume, now recognised the scent of warrior blood emanating from him. “Enter Alpha; the council awaits your presence.” Proceed through the initial door on your right. A woman named Val will be awaiting your arrival to guide you to the meeting room.
He acknowledged, expressed gratitude to the individual, and proceeded accordingly. Val, a warrior, detected the absence of omegas within the Alpha Council grounds. All individuals were classified as warrior ranking, presumably as a precautionary measure for potential emergencies.
Possessed a personal army, albeit the Alpha council comprised of retired Alphas and a few Lunas, as per his understanding.
Val smiled at each of them sequentially and then instructed them to follow her. She escorted them down an extensive corridor. Numerous rooms were observed down the hallway, each marked with the name of the corresponding council member and their linked pack. These were all their offices; I pondered whether they were traversed as a demonstration of the numerous Alphas present.
Presumably, to deter any dissenters, they showcased their collective strength. He grinned upon seeing his great-grandmother’s name on the door: Luna Katelynn of the Red Moon Pack. Enquired whether she was present today.
He had not encountered her since his early childhood. She had become a member of the council well prior to his birth.
It was understood that there were twelve council members, each representing distinct packs from across the nation, with the stipulation that no two Alphas or Lunas from the same pack could simultaneously occupy a council post, as this could be perceived as favouritism in decision-making within their jurisdiction.
They did not halt at her entrance. She may not be present; she could be at another estate addressing a different matter or possibly in the royal kingdom. He had heard that all council estates contained portals to the royal kingdom, facilitating meetings and disseminating news regarding new rulers or rules deemed appropriate by the king for his wolf.
They proceeded around a corner, ascended a winding staircase and traversed another corridor to a spacious meeting room located at what he could only perceive as the rear of the building. Several council members were already present. He observed six. His great-grandmother was excluded from the group.
Alpha Philip approached him, extended his hand for a handshake, and guided them to a row of chairs situated behind a table. The room was exceedingly austere. A table for six, flanked by two large windows on each side, adorned with dark blue drapes.
A vacant area separating them from his position and that of his unit.
White marble floors and multiple planters containing ferns were present; additionally, there was another table and chair arrangement positioned to his left, which he observed was secured to the floor and included a central fixture designed for restraining an individual. No additional protection was present, perhaps unnecessary with six council members in attendance.
