Third person's POV

"She is here. If you would love to keep your head intact on your neck, be quiet. She doesn't like hearing unnecessary noise in the meeting hall." A woman in her early fourties, Mara said to a younger man, who had been chatting away.

The younger man, although seemed defiant, sighed softly but kept quiet.

The scent of fear filled the air as Chloe strode into the pack's meeting hall, majestically. She had carried herself with elegance, poise and confidence, as always.

Chloe was slender, tall and gorgeous. And the daily exercise helped her stayed fit, making her get curves where necessary, so when walking about, her presence commanded attention.

As she walked deeper in the hall, conversations were hushed, and heads bowed respectfully.

Chloe reveled in their terror, and a satisfied smirk played at the corners of her mouth. Even though she was only a 24-year-old, not even the elders in her pack dared to not respect her.

"Greetings, Alpha!" Her pack's council members said to her in greetings, their heads were still bowed and nobody dared to raise up to look at her until she had seated.

"Report!" Chloe barked, immediately after settling into her throne-like chair at the head of the long table.

Her beta, Liam, quickly cleared his throat.

"Shadowpaw Pack has refused our offer of... protection, Alpha." Beta Liam informed her.

She had sent words to the pack of her intention to merge them with hers, putting it as a way of solid protection for the pack in her own words. Which meant taking over the pack.

Chloe's golden eyes flashed dangerously, at the information.

"Refused? I decided to handle them with care yet they refused? How interesting." She exclaimed, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

"And what was their reason for refusing?" She inquired, raising her perfectly carved eyebrows.

"They claim their territory is old and sacred, passed down for generations and won't ever accept to put it in the care of a younger alpha not to talk of a mere female alpha..." The gamma who was new to the council spoke up, but before he could finish his sentence, Chloe was before him.

She had gotten across the room in a blur of motion and her hand was gripping the gamma's throat, lifting him off the ground completely like he was a piece of weightless doll.

"A mere female alpha, you say?" Chloe snarled at the older man. The other members watched the display in fear and nobody dared to talk.

"I see you have a problem with having a female alpha lead you, right?" She inquired, gritting her teeth.

"Should I ease you of that trouble? I know exactly how to do that." She added in fumes.

"N-no, Alpha." The man choked out.

"Then, why can I hear contempt in your voice? Would you like me to send you to where the former gamma went, so you would learn how to be under a female alpha?" She inquired.

"N-no, Alpha. Please, forgive me." The man sobbed, he had heard news of what happened to the former gamma. He was killed for a reason best known to Chloe.

Seeing the man sobbed and trembled fearfully under her hold seemed to calm Chloe down a bit and a satisfied smile made its way onto her lips.

However, she held him there for a moment longer before dropping him unceremoniously.

"Henceforth, the position of the Gamma is vacant. Now, get out of my sight and out of my pack before I change my mind." She snapped at the man and let out a growl.

The other members bowed to her in submission.

As the chastened wolf scrambled away, feeling grateful that he didn't get beheaded, Chloe turned back to Liam.

"Shadowpaw Pack... I want them broken. By tomorrow night." She declared firmly.

Liam nodded, but hesitation flickered in his eyes.

"Alpha, perhaps we could negotiate—" He was saying but got interrupted as soon as he had started.

"Negotiate? Oh, Liam, your soft heart amuses me." Chloe said and let out a dry laugh, the sound was sharp and mirthless. Then, she leaned in close to Liam, her voice low and menacing.

"Well, I hope you remember that I hate being questioned? Or do I need to rip out that soft heart of yours before you will learn better?" She snapped at him.

"No, Alpha, I understand you." Liam replied, quickly lowering his gaze.

"Listen well. The Shadowpaw Pack's defiance ends tomorrow. We attack at moonrise. Anyone who stands against us dies. Any who surrender becomes our slaves. This is not a democracy. This is not a negotiation. This is how we grow stronger." Chloe addressed the room, her voice sharp and menacing. There was nothing girly about her voice.

A chorus of "Yes, Alpha" echoed through the hall.

As the council filed out to prepare for battle, Mara, the Delta lingered around. Chloe could see how Mara's eyes were darting between her direction and the entrance of the hall. Chloe knew she wanted to talk but decided to turn a blind eye to her.

After some seconds, the woman finally summoned courage and walked up to Chloe.

"Alpha, can I talk to you for a moment?" Mara inquired, her voice was low and Chloe instantly knew she wasn't going to like what the woman wanted to talk about.

"Speak." Chloe stated, raising an eyebrow. Mara cleared her throat for a split second before finally opening her mouth to start talking.

"The association of alphas are growing concerned about your... methods. They are calling for a meeting to discuss—" Mara was saying but Chloe cut her off.

"Let them call," Chloe stated nonchalantly and Mara sighed.

"I have killed Alphas twice my age with my bare hands. The association of Alphas can discuss all they want. Their words mean nothing. If they are brave enough, they should come and confront me, then I will show them the tough stuff I am made off." Chloe said and scoffed.

"But the balance of power—" Mara pressed further. Chloe's patience was wearing out and she narrowed her eyes on the woman, wondering what was driving her between bravery and foolishness.

Chloe's hand shot out and she grabbed Mara's chin roughly.

"The only balance of power you need to concern yourself with is the one in this room. And right now, you're tipping those scales in a very dangerous direction." She snarled at Mara.

Fear finally broke through Mara's resolve and she swallowed hard.

"Forgive me, Alpha. It won't happen again." Mara apologized.

"See that it doesn't." Chloe released her with a shove.

"Now go. We have a pack to conquer." She added, firmly.

As Mara hurried out, Chloe turned to the window, gazing at the rising moon. A familiar restlessness clawed at her insides, an itch she couldn't scratch.

"Another night, another battle..." she murmured to herself.

"So why do I feel so... empty?"