Chapter 249 I Need Orders
Fennigan didn't flinch under the weight of their reverence, nor did he allow his ego to blindly accept the crown they were trying to hand him. He simply held Maxon’s gaze with the cold, pragmatic wisdom of a leader who knew exactly how dangerous unchecked power could be.
"Yes, I've heard the stories," Fennigan rumbled smoothly, his voice a low, steady anchor that kept the room grounded. He neither accepted nor denied the ancient title. "Call me what you want. But I rule no one. My pack looks to me for guidance, and you may do the same. But I am no fool."
He stepped away from the horrific ledgers on the desk, his massive frame commanding absolute attention as he paced slowly in front of the Alphas.
"There were elemental gods at one point in our history," Fennigan continued, his glowing silver eyes sweeping over the stunned leaders. "Do you know who they are now? Do you know where they are?"
He let the question hang in the heavy air for a single, terrifying second.
"They are the Elder Council," Fennigan stated, his voice ringing with absolute, earth-shattering certainty. "And they are currently sitting in one of my guest wings, completely stripped of their elemental gifts."
Maxon blinked, the absolute certainty in his weathered face fracturing into sheer, unadulterated disbelief. "What?"
The other Alphas physically recoiled. The Elder Council—the ancient, mysterious figures who had advised the werewolf world for centuries—were fallen gods?
"Yes," Fennigan confirmed, the heavy truth sinking into the silent study. "The Elders explained it to us themselves when this war first started. They each used to hold an element. They were absolute, unchecked rulers. And they got power-drunk. They grew arrogant and thought they were untouchable. So, the Goddess stripped them of their elemental stones and cast them down."
A profound, suffocating silence fell over the room. Slowly, as the reality of Fennigan's words clicked into place, every single Alpha turned their head.
Fifteen pairs of wide, awestruck eyes landed squarely on Leela.
They looked at the pregnant Matriarch standing beside the desk—the woman who now held the terrifying, immense magic that the Elder Council had lost. The vessel the Goddess had chosen to wield the power that even ancient deities couldn't be trusted with.
Then, slowly, their gazes dragged back to Fennigan. They completely understood his warning now. Absolute power corrupts, and he absolutely refused to let a prophesied title blind him the way it had blinded the ancient gods. He would lead them, but he would not let them turn him into a tyrant.
Maxon let out a slow, grounding breath. The grizzled eastern leader didn't drop back to his knee, completely honoring Fennigan's command, but he struck a heavy fist hard over his heart.
"King, as you wish," Maxon replied, a fiercely loyal, dangerous grin finally breaking through his thick beard. "There will be no bowing, as far as things like that go. But I, for one, will be by your side as you ask when this battle starts. As will my best warriors."
The spell was broken, and the room instantly ignited.
"My forces are yours," Draven added firmly, striking his own chest in a unified salute, his earlier arrogance entirely replaced by absolute respect for the Alpha and his Matriarch.
One by one, the remaining thirteen Alphas struck their chests, their deep voices overlapping in a lethal chorus of unified rebellion. The alliance was forged in blood, horror, and an unshakeable belief in the leaders standing before them.
The heavy, unified chorus of the fifteen Alphas pledging their forces was suddenly broken by a sharp, rhythmic knock on the heavy oak doors.
Jax, who had remained as still and silent as a statue by the entrance, narrowed his eyes. He unlocked the deadbolt and cracked the heavy door just a few inches, his massive frame completely blocking the view into the hallway.
A low murmur passed between the Beta and whoever was standing on the other side. Jax glanced back over his shoulder, his expression entirely unreadable.
"Fenn," Jax called softly. "Toby needs to speak with you."
Fennigan’s jaw tightened. A disruption from Toby during a locked-down war council meant something had shifted on the perimeter.
"If you'll excuse us," Fennigan rumbled to the room of newly sworn allies. He reached out, gently taking Leela by the elbow to guide her toward the door.
Leela let out a soft, tired sigh, the immense magical and emotional weight of the evening finally showing in the slight slump of her shoulders. But her Matriarchal mask remained perfectly in place. She offered the fifteen men a flawless, diplomatic nod.
"Gentlemen," Leela murmured.
"Luna," Maxon replied respectfully, bowing his head as she passed. The rest of the Alphas immediately followed suit.
Fennigan and Leela slipped through the heavy doors, and the lock immediately clicked back into place behind them. Jax didn't follow them out. The Beta intentionally remained inside the study, stepping back to lean against the locked door with his arms casually crossed. He was perfectly content to just watch and listen, letting his sharp, tactical instincts analyze how the fifteen Alphas behaved when the King and Matriarch weren't in the room.
Out in the dimly lit hallway, the muffled bass of the bonfire party outside could be heard again. Gamma Toby was standing there, his usual good-natured demeanor entirely replaced by cold, hard focus.
"What's wrong?" Fennigan asked immediately, his voice dropping to a low, commanding whisper.
"Border patrol just radioed in," Toby reported, his eyes flicking between Fennigan and Leela. "One of the scouts stationed along the eastern ridge said they thought they saw movement deep in the tree line."
Fennigan's silver eyes flashed. "Where?"
"By the bunker, Alpha," Toby answered grimly. "The blown-up one. The scout couldn't get a clear scent because the wind is blowing the wrong way, but they swear they saw a shadow moving through the ash and debris."
Leela's blood ran cold all over again. The bunker was a scorched crater, but if someone was poking around the remains of Damon's laboratory tonight of all nights, it meant the High Council might have sent eyes to see what had happened to their investment.
"I need orders," Toby continued, his massive shoulders tense and ready for a fight. "Should I go back in there and get Jax and the rest of the silent team to head out and do a full, stealth sweep? Or do you want me to just grab a few of my own guys and go check it out right now?"