Chapter 49: Pack Meeting.

Bella’s pov.

“You are all here today for a very important reason,” I started to say, looking around to make sure everyone was listening, because I wouldn’t be repeating myself.

“The king and queen are coming here. And they will arrive tomorrow, later in the day… I need you all to mind yourselves. No one should make them angry, no one should disrespect them, no one should even approach them unless they come to you… does everyone understand?” I said calmly, watching the whispers start, the unsure and scared looks taking over everyone’s faces, the uncertainty of what this all means.

I can’t expect them not to be afraid, not to feel the fear of the reality of what it means to be in the presence of the royals.

It’s actually terrifying. One mistake, one wrong word said to them, and they could do whatever they wanted. That’s why it’s so dangerous for John if they were to find out what he did for me…

I cleared my throat as I focused back on everyone around me, my eyes searching the crowd before I took a deep breath.

“Calm down! Now! This isn’t the end of the world. They are the royals, yes, but we are still a part of their kingdom! We are like their pack members, without us they are nothing. What’s a kingdom without the members? Who would they rule over without us?” I shouted over the whispers and cries of fear, snapping everyone out of their frenzy, making them listen to me again, “beta John… he has a few things to say to you all. If you may… come here and say what you need to say?”

I walked to the back of the stage, avoiding eye contact with John, even if I so badly wanted to look into his beautiful green eyes.

His shoulder brushed against mine slightly, like a lost memory trying to make its way back into my mind.

I swallowed the lump in my throat, tears trying to come out of my eyes.

I wiped my face, trying to stay calm, to stay grounded.

The last thing I needed right now was to break down in front of my entire pack.

When I turned around, John was staring directly at me.

His eyes searched my face, a concerned look taking over as he saw my red eyes and dried tears on my cheeks.

I kept my face neutral, not letting anything show as I looked past him, straight towards the pack.

He looked hurt, but he didn’t let it show for long, his usual stern, angry face came back before he turned his back towards me.

My heart clenched in my chest, but I pushed it aside… knowing now isn’t the time for these emotions. I’m the alpha, the leader, I need to be present, mentally and physically right now.

“Everyone… I know how this may look to you all. But it isn’t at all how it seems,” he said, making me want to roll my eyes, because how does it seem? And if it’s that he was sent here by the king, isn’t that the truth? “The king… he is my brother! Now, now! Please, be quiet. I need to explain!”

He tried to calm the raging pack down, but his words angered everyone so much that I had to step up beside him.

“Enough!” I yelled as loudly as I could, gaining everyone’s attention again.

I wiped my hands off on each other, holding my head high as I waited for John to continue speaking.

He cleared his throat, before looking at the side of my face.

“As I was trying to say… When the beta, alpha and Luna were killed in the attack seven years ago, my father, the king at the time, was contacted and he was put in charge of appointing a new beta… I was at a very low point in my life and he chose to send me here so I could get better, mentally…. I am and will always be the beta here, it doesn’t matter where I came from, I am the beta, and that won’t change!” He said loudly, his voice echoing across the field of pack members and the elders, each one of them paying close attention to everything he was saying.

I listened intently too, my body tensed at the way he stayed just near the line of the truth.

He was here to become the beta by his father, and he was at a very low point in his life. But he was supposed to be his spy, to find out everything and anything about this pack and the smaller ones around us.

I clenched my fists by myself, keeping myself quiet, even if I wanted to kick him in the ass for lying to our pack.

I will have to speak to him about it before he leaves.

I can’t leave without talking to him first, he should’ve told them the whole truth.

Even if I don’t know exactly what that looks like.

“I know you probably all have questions, but I am afraid I cannot answer them tonight. As alpha Bella said, the king and queen will be here very soon. Tomorrow, and we have a lot to do. Everyone that has either never been in the presence of the royals before or wasn’t in any classes teaching you the proper way to act around them, please head to the pack hall, elder Mildred will be there to assist in learning the proper ways to speak and act towards them. I know he is my brother… supposedly family but he is still the king. The highest ranking werewolf and he can basically do whatever he wants. I’m not saying that to instill fear into you, but to make you think before you talk and act, okay?”

More whispers sounded out from everyone, some sounding unsure while most of them agreed with John, not so angry anymore.

“So… you’re the king's second son? The one that basically ‘disappeared’ the kingdom's biggest gossip seven years ago?” Sandy, a young teenager yelled out, gaining John's attention.

He nodded his head slowly, looking towards me before looking back at her.

“I am the king's second son. But I won’t get into that right now. Let’s begin to prepare, we don’t have much time.”