Chapter 171 171
CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND SEVENTY-ONE
AURON'S P.O.V
"And you're sure about this, Alpha?"
I shot Derek a look, "Auron."
"Sorry, Auron."
"I am sure, and with the things that I've been discovering lately, I am even more determined to find out what his motives are. Especially with that research..." I shook my head, "...I'm just thinking about it now, but something about taking her blood to get her powers doesn't make sense to me. At all."
"What would you like us to do, Alpha...." Gail hit him, "...um Auron." He ducked his head. "Habit. It will be hard to break."
I stood, nodding.
"First of all, call all the men in the pack, every single one. I'm having very important meeting."
"Even the ones guarding the border.?" Gail asked.
"Every single one. There has not been an attack for a long time, there certainly won't become all of a sudden."
"Okay."
"Call me when you are done."
"Yes Al...Auron."
They both nodded and left. I was left alone to muse in my thoughts. It won't be long now, Mikhail, I will expose you for all your lies and evil plans you have. Just you wait.
I stood there for a whole until Derek came to call me.
"Al...Auron, the men are assembled and waiting."
"Alright, let's go."
They were all waiting for me outside the pack house, their numbers surpassing more that two hundred. They all gathered in organized lines, quieting down immediately they saw me. I looked at them, their faces hidden behind the blank masks and their bodies covered in long, black cloaks and hoods. Gratitude coursed through my chest knowing that they had stayed with me all these while even though they had to deal with such ridiculous conditions. With Derek and Gail standing once more behind me, I let my voice boom out even though as wolf shifters, they had enhanced hearing.
"Men, I want to thank you for your loyalty and service. You've been with me through thick and thin, and I appreciate it."
The men shifted slightly, but still stayed still, I'm sure they were feeling surprised, maybe even shocked by my sudden thanks to them.
"I want to ask something of you," I continued. "From now on, I want you to call me by my name, Auron. We've been through so much together, and I feel like we can dispense with formalities."
They began to stir, murmur to each other while planing up at me as if to make sure of what they were hearing. I cracked a smile and stepped Forward.
"I know its sudden and might prove difficult to you all, but we can start by affecting me as Alpha Auron, if just my name is too much for you."
I noticed some were already nodding they're heads. Then I faced a random guy and pointed at him.
"You."
He looked back then pointed at himself.
"M...me?"
I nodded, "Yes you. Can you please step forward."
Slowly but without question, he came to stand in front of me.
"What is your name?"
"T...Thane. Thane Tan, Alpha."
"Auron." I said after him in a mild voice, he nodded quickly. "Now Thane, its nice to meet you, can you do me a favor and take off your mask?"
"What?" His head shot up, I could hear the panic and alarm in his voice. The men had heard it and they also began to panic, their voices rising steadily. I raised a hand and brought it down in calming motions, they immediately went quiet.
"Its alright, you won't face any penalties, just do what I'm telling you to do. I'm your alpha. Trust me."
Thane stared at me for a while, I felt like he was trying to read my thoughts through his mask. He nodded slowly, then reached up a hand and pulls off his mask. Shoulder length blonde hair, deep brown eyes and unshaven beard stared at me. His face was young and looked white and pale from lack of sunlight. He couldn't be older than I was. I smiled at him.
"Now take off your cloak and hood too."
He looked like he wanted to protest but he sighed and took off the cloak along with the hood, to reveal him wearing a pair of dark jeans, boots, and a long sleeved black T-shirt.
"Now how do you feel?"
Thane looked down at himself, flexing his pale arms and moving it side to side. He glanced at me with unsure eyes but I nodded encouragely at him.
"I feel....free...I felt light. It's been so long...since I saw my skin...outside in the daylight." His voice trembled and sounded choked, as if he was about to cry. I stepped closer and pat him on the shoulder.
"Thane Tan, thank you for always sticking around even when you had the choice to leave. It is my honor to have you serve with me." His lips trembled and his eyes got misty.
"Alpha..." He couldn't continue because he looked one second away from crying.
"Don't cry and it's Auron or Alpha Auron."
He sniffed and nodded, his body trembling.
I turned to face the rest of the men.
"The same goes for all of you. What this man here, Thane, has just done should show you that I have no ill motives when I tell you to take off your masks and address me by my name. Things are going to change in this pack and they will change for the better, because I found that putting you all in these situations and keeping you at arms length was nothing but selfishness on my side. As a pack, you should be comfortable and close to me, your alpha. But I guess I made it impossible with my outrageous and crush demands and for that, I am so sorry." I bowed my head low. Shouts of protest rang out in the open telling me to stop blowing to them. I raised my head and grinned.
"I will stop apologizing when you all do what I'm begging you to do. Please, as your alpha, I am ordering you all, to take off your cloaks, hoods and masks. You are not servants, not faceless people anymore."
The men exchanged glances, and then one by one, they nodded and removed their masks. I turned and faced Derek and Gail, they stared at me with bright eyes and a smile on their faces.
"And that goes for you two. Take off your cloaks and hoods."