Silviu glanced around him, the meeting room was occupied by council members from the Mystic Hollow Pack and the Alpha and Beta of the Dark Wood Pack. His gaze lingered on the Alpha, his eyes set on the man, he was seething. His anger was understandable; it had been two weeks since an unconscious Sophia had been found in the woods next to a bloodied piece of clothing belonging to his son, the future Alpha of the Dark Wood Pack, Everett.
It had taken another two weeks until they came upon the boy’s mangled body at the mountain cliff, a distance away from the Mystic Hollow’s Pack border. He’d only been recognizable from the pieces of clothing that still hung to his already rotten figure — It had been a sight.
“She can't remember anything,” one of the council members spoke up, continuing their discussion. “Sophia is a child and…”
The Alpha of the Dark Wood Pack roared, “A child who had something to do with the death of my son!”
His brother didn't take lightly to his daughter being accused of this and so Silviu watched as his brother, Elton spoke up; his voice calm amidst the chaos they’d all been embedded in for the last weeks, only managing to worsen with time.
“We have no evidence that Sophia had anything to do with this.”
The Beta of the Mystic Hollow Pack spoke up this time. “She had been the only one with Everett and his bloodied cloth was found next to her, Alpha Elton. In addition, the child conveniently remembers nothing about what had happened that day.”
“Which would mean she must have been harmed by the same people who had done this,” Elton maintained.
Silviu could see he was beginning to lose it, the tip of his ears turning an ugly shade of red. He was going to have to step in, not now but soon enough.
The perfect timing was imperative.
The Alpha of the Dark Wood spoke this time, shooting up from his seat.
“Both physicians from our side had the girl tested and came to the conclusion that she is perfectly fine. In fact, they have no idea why she had been unconscious or the reason for the gap in her memory. The child is obviously lying and you are all covering up for her.”
“She is eight, Alpha Lowell. I don't think she is capable of harming anyone, much less being the cause of the death of another.” one of the council members said calmly. Their side was calm, they had Sophia safe and sound unlike the Dark Wood Pack who had lost a future Alpha, it was a good thing they still had another son for that position.
“The stupider child,” Silviu whispered to himself, a small smile on his lips, his eyes still darting from person to person watching the interaction with interest.
It was beautiful to watch them go back and forth with this, very beautiful for him because he knew the truth about what had happened with Everett but he was certain Lowell didn't need to know just how much Silviu had made his son suffer before letting wild animals prevail.
“So you admit that my son was killed by a member of this pack? We came here for an alliance and this is what you pay us with?” The pain in his voice could be heard from miles away, Silviu was certain of that.
Lowell’s nose was flared, rage emitting from him and Silviu wondered how long now until he declared war on the Mystic Hollow Pack.
They had been at loggerheads for years over a topic that no longer should concern them, but Lowell had held on to the grudges of the Alphas before him and had declared his hate for the Mystic Hollow Pack. This single move was all it took for Silviu to realize that, just like the men before him, Lowell was stupid, a man who didn't have a mind of his own but a man crammed with cockiness regardless.
It had seemed like a good thing that at least the child in line for the Alpha’s position had been smart, a little too smart for his age. A good thing for the Dark Wood Pack, not so much for Silviu and so now he was dead.
“And we are actively trying to find the persons responsible for this.”
“No, Elton!” Lowell barked, slamming his fist against the hard wood of the table in front of him. “You have the culprit in your home and all you've done is shield her because she is your daughter. I have decided to take this up as a war threat against me and my pack members. The alliance is off!”
Now…
Silviu leaned forward from his seat. “I understand your pain, Alpha Lowell, and it is in every bit justified. You have lost your son and the only person who might have any useful information about it has nothing to say.”
Lowell softened but only for a brief second. “You are all protecting her and you shall suffer for this!”
Silviu shared a look with his brother amidst the numbers of the other occupants of the room. The Dark Wood Pack’s warriors seemed to be these days far stronger than theirs. It would be a bloodbath if they were to get back into the battleground. They would lose.
It had been a good thing the child enjoyed the woods as much as she did, stumbling on Sophia one day had been enough to fuel his plans. Lovely girl, that one.
“It is deeply regretful what had occurred and no one better than I here understand a loss as you do. I lost my wife to those wild beasts years ago, I live every single day of my life blaming myself for her death. If only I had been around to protect her from those damn rogues! Every day is a pain for me and…”
His voice trailed off and he started down at his fingers intertwined on top of his thighs, tears obscuring his vision. He swallowed and looked up, glad to see how much attention he was now commanding, silence sweeping over the room, even Lowell didn't look so enraged anymore.
“I better than anyone here understand your pain and I can only imagine how much of it you are feeling. A father seeing the mangled body of their child is not a sight I would wish on anyone, much less you, Alpha Lowell.”
And he turned to his brother, conveying with his eyes that Elton should trust him, Elton gave him a small nod in response. It had never been that hard to get his brother's complete faith in him.
He continued, “We do not know if Sophia was involved in this or not, we have no idea why she had woken up unconscious, and most of all, the reason for the gap in her memory but I believe there's a better way to resolve this issue without concluding to continue the war we have promised to put behind us.”
This time, he could feel the stillness in the air, the way every breath was held waiting for his next words. All eyes were on him unblinkingly and this was why too many times Silviu had confirmed he had been born to be more, he had been born to be an Alpha, not Elton, but it was unfortunate that even the Beta position itself had skipped him and he was to settle for being a common commander of the pack’s warrior, the most distasteful position in his opinion.
“My suggestion by no means should hold water but in a situation like the one we’ve found ourselves, I think it's only fair the Mystic Hollow Pack pay for what has happened and the child too.” He glanced at Elton one more time before saying, “It is my opinion that in punishment for what has happened, Sophia should be taken by the Dark Wood Pack and made to serve the Alpha in line, young Alexander for the next fourteen years.”
“What?” Elton barked, his fury returning and for a split second, Silviu saw a shadow of his wolf appear in his expression.
“And considering the child is of such high status herself, if by the fifteenth year she is yet to find her mate, it would only be fair and to uphold the good relationship both packs are trying to form that Alexander takes her as his mate and the future Luna of the Dark Wood Pack.”
And for the longest time, the silence was the only response he received.