Alec's POV
"Do I need to repeat myself?" I raised my voice and the betas and gammas around the table flinched. "I asked why we are still dealing with the rogue attacks."
It had been three days since I got married and nothing had been right since then.
Ivan, one of my Betas, who sat across me, finally spoke up. "Alpha, the rogues are more feral now." He began with caution. "They are somehow trespassing our border by—"
"Finding our weaknesses." I snapped, cutting him off. "Weaknesses that shouldn't exist in the first place."
Dmitri, the only beta in this room met my eyes without flinching. "We have doubled the patrols on the southern border, but it's not enough. They are keeping their eyes on our defenses closely."
"So we enter their territory and kill them." I replied, voice calm, almost bored. "Or is that too complicated?"
A flicker of a smirk tugged at Dmitri's lips. "I was getting to that." He said. "But I thought you would prefer we catch a few alive, get some information first."
He was on point. What he meant was catching them and torturing them and he needed my approval in this.
I leaned back with a satisfied look at him, "Make it painful. I want to know what they are up to and if they are stupid enough to lie, put their heads on spikes along the border."
Dmitri nodded, his expression turning serious again. "Understood, Alpha."
"And the missing cargoes?" I asked.
Dmitri's brown eyes dimmed. "No sign of them. But pretty sure, Rogues are not involved. We suspect a mole."
A traitor in the bloodmoon pack. A betrayer, foolish enough to think they could cross me and survive.
I clenched my jaw. "Find them," I said, my voice stern. "I want every suspect under surveillance. And when you find the rat, make an example of them. Publicly, of course."
Dmitri gave a sharp nod, his gaze steady. "I will handle it."
Even though I hated it, I could only trust Dmitri Hale here… not because he knew me since childhood, not because he claimed himself as my best friend when I was pretty sure we acted more like enemies but because he had a sense of responsibility and his commitment to the pack was really impressive.
With a nod, I glanced around the table, "Meeting dismissed."
Ivan rose from his seat, his discomfort obvious. "Let me know if you need anything." He said before turning to leave with others.
The door clicked shut behind, but Dmitri didn't bother to leave. Instead, he leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed, and that familiar judgmental look on his face.
"Go on," I muttered, glancing down at the papers in front of me. "Spit it out."
He didn't waste any more time. "Why are you staying in this office for days? And not to mention, you are ignoring your mate."
I looked up, meeting his gaze. "Who told you that?"
He pushed off the doorframe, stepping closer to me, his eyes narrowing. "Do you think the pack members are blind? You didn't kiss her on the altar using a lame excuse. You think they are not going to talk?"
"And who said I give a damn?" I let out a humorless laugh. "As long as it doesn't reach mom, it's fine."
I had been avoiding Mom, anyway. No, actually, the whole pack, it was. I was able to successfully avoid them because of the rogue attacks on the border. I had to visit them and spend my entire day out patrolling or doing other important stuff outside. At night, I had been busy planning and with the meetings in my office.
I hadn't seen her since the morning after our wedding. She didn't try to see me either.
"Alec." Dmitri sighed loudly, the sound breaking through my thoughts. "That's what I am saying. Your mother is going to hear about it soon. We tried our best to shut the guests up, but it didn't work. So you know, you trying to ignore her, skipping the meals with her… hell, not even bothering to pretend to be happy about it only makes it worse."
I scoffed as I pushed back from the table, standing up. "What do you suggest, then? Pretend I am some lovesick fool?"
Dmitri seemed to hold back a smile as he said. "Exactly. Play the part. Kiss her, sit with her, make it look convincing. Even if you can't stand the thought of it, it will keep the pack and your mother from exploding."
I scowled. "And if I refuse?"
Sam, my wolf decided to chime in, "Then, Mom finds out and we all are ruined?"
I Ignored him and focused on Dmitri who shot me a look of disbelief this time. "You know that better than anyone. The ancient pact is no joke. It's not just a dusty old relic, it has always been a real threat. And your lovely mother isn't the type to let things slide."
Annoyingly, Dmitri wasn't wrong again. My mother was a daredevil.
Sam grunted in my mind, "You better don't forget about the conversation you had with her before the wedding."
I clenched my jaw, the flashback of my mother's threats rushing back.
A few days ago, when I refused to marry her, my mother had been clear, dead serious when she said, "If you reject her, if you treat her like she is nothing, you are breaking the ancient treaty, the ruling of shadow tomb. You know what that means, Alec. It means—Ruin. Not just for you, but for all of us, our entire family, our pack. Do you really want to test the moon goddess? Because if you do, I won't sit back."
I rubbed my temple, the tension coiling in my muscles. I already had a secret that could fuel mom, everyone… the contract. I couldn't add more to it.
Frustration ate at me. "Why the hell is everyone so obsessed with her?" I muttered under my breath.
Even before I could figure out what to do with her, she was already causing chaos in my once peaceful life.
Sam started again with his stupid words. "And why are you obsessed with being an asshole? It's almost as if treating your mate with decency might keep the pack from revolting."
I growled mentally. "Not now, Sam."
"Oh? Not now? When would be a good time? When your entire pack is in chaos because you decided to play the fucking tyrant?" Sam's tone dripped with disdain now.
Watching me battling with myself, Dmitri sneered, his stupid jokes on their way, "I like it when you are stressed. It's like watching a volcano just before it erupts."
I shot him a disgusted look. "You will like it even more when I throw you into the lava."
"Anyway, about the contract with—" Dmitri said something but at his mention of the contract, I realized there was something I must do.
Without wasting a second, I stood up and strolled out of the council room.
"Where are you heading to?" Dmitri followed me.
"Training ground. I can't go for patrolling today. I will pick who will."
"Where will you go then?"
"I need to deal with something." I replied as I strode into the living room.