Chapter 100

"You asked me here to talk business, and yet all you have offered so far is nonsense about some rogue." The Alpha is far from pleased, rather overstepping his own authority towards me.

If I was a male, he wouldn't be speaking to me with such disrespect.

"Winter was born a rogue, yes, but she's never hurt anyone. I refused to believe it myself, so I understand your reaction but I learnt the hard way that not all rogues want to cause trouble for us-"

"Just last week I lost three men, three good, loyal wolves. You ask me to extend my land for the things that kill my men? Where is the justice in that?" He glares with fire in his cold brown eyes.

"This is not about Justice, Markus. With rogues in alliance with packs, it will deter attacks from the ones that do wish to cause harm-"

"Alliances only work if both sides have a leader willing to take the consequences of their people's actions." Markus snaps at me, completely undermining me in front of not only his men, but two other Alphas.

I felt my anger building up, and I'd be lying if I said I'm not grinding my teeth together right now.

"They want a place they know they're safe, and giving them that shows trust. Just like with pack wolves, you need trust to have any kind of stable relationship.-"

"Where is Hardin? I was under the impression I'd be talking to a real Alpha that isn't living in a world of fantasy and dreams." Markus' tone is sharp with arrogance.

My eyes burn crimson as the last straw to my anger snaps. How dare he sit here, and look down his nose at me?

Markus instantly narrows his eyes at me, like I'm supposed to be frightened of him.

"I have dealt with men like you all my life, Markus. Allow me to make myself perfectly clear." I say softly with menace, standing from my chair and leaning my hands on the desk.

"You will sign this paper, or I will end your alliance with this pack." I promise icily, sliding the form across the desk to him.

"Like Hardin would allow a female to make such a decision." Markus growls, shoving the paper right back at me.

"Call him." I glare darkly. The man is too far stuck in his own ways to realise that a she-wolf has as much authority as him. He doesn't like it.

So confident in his arrogance and barbaric ways of life, he pulls out of his phone.

"Put it on loud speaker, I want everyone to hear this." I state, trying so hard not to smile because I know exactly what's coming.

"Fine." Markus spits, placing the phone on the desk and doing as I ask, ensuring we all hear as it rings.

"Hello?" My heart skips with excitement at the sound of his voice.

"It's Markus, I'm with your mate and she is demanding I sign this ridiculous contract for the rogues, if I refuse she is threatening to erase our alliance. I just want your assurance that our alliance is-"

"Let me stop you right there." Hardin tone is icy, sharp like a goddamn razor blade. I instantly feel smug as I stare dead at Markus, who's face drops.

"I'm aware of your attitude towards females, Markus, and I can assure you that if you have approached Kali in such a way there will be repercussions." Hardin's voice is dark with promise, nothing but the raw instinct to protect me driving his anger.

Markus' face is half disgusted, and half terrified. Hardin is known for being the strict yet reasonable Alpha, so if you piss him off it's not going to be good. But imagine disrespecting his chosen mate?

"Secondly, Kali is perfectly capable of running our pack, and every decision is made with good reason. If my mate is threatening to terminate our alliance then I am certain you have played a role in forcing her to make that choice. This contract is personal to both myself and my mate, if you wish to threaten that in any way then tell me now and we can settle this quickly." Hardin isn't fucking around, his tone is fierce, not allowing Markus to gets word in until he's said his piece.

My body heats rapidly, because honestly, there's nothing sexier than Hardin going full Alpha mode. Remind me to give that man the night of his life when he gets home.

Markus gulps audibly. "No, I'm sure Kali and I can find some common ground."

Don't be smug, Kali. I tell myself, despite wanting to laugh in the poor bastards face. Did he really think Hardin would side with him over me?

"I'm sure you will." Hardin states in that threatening tone of voice that I just couldn't help but love.

So demanding and assertive with dominance, how can I not be attracted to that?

"And Markus, Kali is Alpha Female, and she is my mate. Watch how you speak to her, or our alliance will meaning absolutely nothing to me. Understood?" Hardin seethes maliciously.

Markus' eyes flicker to mine for a moment, the worry in them so plainly obvious that I know he'll do anything to keep Hardin on his good side.

"Yes, completely." Markus responds, his arrogance long gone.

Hardin ends the call without a goodbye, and I stare at the three Alphas with newfound confidence in this contract.

I smile warmly. "Signatures please." I state, sliding the paper across the desk again. Slapping a pen in front of Markus, I merely watch him like a hawk as he slowly grabs the pen and signs his name.

"The Hardin I remember would never have allowed a she-wolf to speak for him." Markus says as he sits back comfortably, staring at me like I've just ruined everything.

"Do you want to know a little secret, Markus?" I offer, arching my eyebrow at the bitter man.

He just looks at me blankly, uncaring.

"Hardin enjoys being challenged, it excites him in ways that a boy such as yourself will never understand." I almost smirk at the look on his face.

Zed and Beck cough into their hands to hide their laughter. Markus has a reputation for undermining she-wolves, he assumes himself and all men better in every way. It's time this guy stepped out of the stone ages and into reality.

"Thank you all for your co-operation, I hope you know how much we appreciate this." I tell the Alphas, not particularly talking about Markus.

"Hardin has always helped me out in the past, figured this is the least I could do." Alpha Laikin tells me, offering me his hand as he stands up to leave.

"I'm sure he'll appreciate it as much as I do." I smile, shaking his hand firmly.

One by one the Alphas depart, and the office door finally closes.

Dropping into the leather chair, I exhale heavily and rub my tired eyes. I didn't know that meetings could be so exhausting, having to debate with multiple Alphas about pros and cons, ease their worries while trying to convince them it's a good thing.

How does Hardin do this constantly and still have the mental energy for everything else?

"You should get some sleep, Alpha Maddox is arriving early morning and he'll be much harder to convince than Markus." Zeds voice echoes, and I realise he never followed the Alphas out with Beck.

"At least Maddox doesn't question my Alpha status." I grunt.

Zed crosses the room and sits in one of the chairs on the other side of the desk.

"Perhaps not, but he is known for his brutality towards rogues. I don't mean to be a downer, but if he gets a whiff of Winter...he'll tear her apart." Zed gives it to me straight.

Am I going to have a problem with almost every Alpha over this?

"I'll call Dom and see if he's available, will you ask the chef to make burgers please?" I ask hopefully, my stomach cramping at the thought of delicious greasy food.

"Are you sure you don't want some actual dinner?" Zed frowns at me, not particularly keen on asking one of the chefs to create something so basic. The pack don't eat things like cheeseburgers or fries, if they want it they have to go into the city and get it.

Hardin is kind of strict about fatty foods.

"Pretty sure." I smile tightly, feeling somewhat defensive.

"Alright, do you need me to run patrol?" He offers, and I know that he's only asking because he knows Hardin runs patrol every night since we met.

"I already scheduled a couple of the wolves, but thank you." This time my smile is genuine.

He nods and turns for the door, reaching for the handle when he stops dead. Part of me knows that this is the first time since the whole Kage thing that we've been alone, and I know exactly what he's going to say.

"I don't blame you, Zed, and neither does Hardin. Kage was once innocent, and the years of isolation twisted him into something cruel and manipulative." I tell him softly, honestly.

"Kage was in my head all the time...And I was in his, looking through a glass window." Zeds voice is quiet, and I could smell his discomfort.

Perhaps Kage had him trapped?

"I see them every time I close my eyes." He suddenly whispers, his hand dropping from the handle.

My gut churns slightly, and I gulp. "Who?"

"Your pups...Kage watched your wolf give birth, he almost never left that screen. It's like I was the one watching them, you know? And then...they were gone. And Kage...he was satisfied." Zed turns to me with guilt ridden eyes, agonised by what he remembers.

Why is he telling me this now? Has he only just got the guts to fess up?

Not so long ago I would lashed out, I would have torn his tongue out were he stands. But now I see the pain, the twisted torment that the vision brings him every day. It hurts me that he has to live with something like that.

Standing up without hesitation, I cross the room and wrap my arms around the large stubborn male. Offering as much comfort as I possibly can, even if he feels awkward right now.

"You have nothing to feel guilty about, and I mean that, I hold absolutely nothing against you. My pups are gone, and it hurts but all I can do is hope they're at peace with the gods." I say comfortingly, hoping to ease his pain.

Zed slowly wraps his arms around me, squeezing me gently like I might snap.

"Do you think you'll be ready if you get pregnant again?" He asks almost curiously.

"I don't want anymore." I say quietly, pulling away from him.

"I get it, it's just...well, these things aren't exactly planned." Zed looks slightly awkward having this conversation with me.

I just smile at his reaction, and show him the small bump on the inside of my bicep.

"I made sure to get this before Hardin and I did anything." I admit, lowering my arm.

Zed looks a little saddened by the idea of me choosing to never again have pups, but he doesn't press the topic. I know Hardin needs an heir, I just don't think I'll ever be ready to give him one.

After Zed leaves, I call Dom and bribe him into dropping in for an hour to see me, faking sadness as I tell him all about how Hardin isn't here and I'm all alone. It's true, and I am a little lonely but I'm not upset by it, I know Hardin is back in a few days and he's only away to help Winter.

By the time Dom agrees, Zed is walking back into the office with a plate of burgers. Naturally I end the call as quickly as possible so I can feed my face.