Chapter 51

*****Axel's POV*****

"Please enlighten me with your name?" I question the older woman, as we sat in a smaller meeting room for more privacy.

I could tell that she wanted to talk to us back at the meeting but perhaps felt too nervous with the whole pack being there so I decided it was best to dismiss everyone.

"My name is Ivanna..." She startles me slightly with her newly found voice.

"The stutter from before? You don't seem so nervous now?" I immediately question, keeping my demeanour stern as Dani shuffles awkwardly in the seat beside us.

"Sir... with all due respect... until you arrived here I have had to hide my true identity." The woman named Ivanna begins, peeking my interest now with her words.

"How so?" I push on, as her eyes study my own briefly.

"As you are aware... this pack has fallen apart... if they knew who I was I would have been used or killed by now... I have had to act like the helpless old lady that I appear to be for years." She explains softly, glancing over to Dani who offers her a small smile.

"They?" I catch the word, knowing now that she had a lot to say.

"The Ferdenalds..." The word causes me to squint, it was unknown to me.

"Elaborate." I comment briefly, as she glances at her hands before sucking in a heavy breath.

"The Ferdenalds are the group who have taken over the packs on this coast... all of the children... they even took them too... they come around here regularly and take everything that we have...” Ivanna begins, showing a deep sadness behind her eyes.

“I see…” I respond - prompting her to continue - as my mind instantly goes into overdrive.

“That’s not the worst news sir… rumours say that they are building an army to overthrow the crown..." Ivanna explains further, as my hands tighten around the rests of the chair.

"So my brother is he..." I begin, as she catches my eye contact.

"He is sir... yes." She confirms my thoughts without me having to go into further detail.

This was his doing...

"Your brother Cassio and Halliday... they are the ones in charge... everyone within this pack is innocent sir... all except from the Alpha himself who works for them. Everyone else around here is just trying to get by... we can't leave either or we would become rogues and nobody else would take us in... we won’t leave without the children either." Ivanna continues, her face painted with worry as I glance to see Dani's own eyes now watering.

"What do they want with the children?" Dani steps in now, earning the attention.

"We do not understand why they took them... nobody knows... they would go missing during the night until there were none left... we do believe that their base cannot be far from here though... there are tales of them residing in the dark mountains... maybe if I had the strength I could..." Ivanna trails off in thought, as I straighten up.

"You could what?" I push on as she shakes her head in thought.

"I could locate them maybe? I haven't practiced for years though... I don't know if I could..." I watch as she seems to battle with herself within her own mind.

She was a witch. It made sense to me now...

"You're a witch yes?" I ask for confirmation as she sighs.

"I am... maybe not the sort of one that you need right now though." She speaks with only sadness in her voice.

"What do you need... we can at least try?" I encourage, as Dani nods confidently too.

"You can do it!" Dani offers her support as the frail looking woman's eyes begin to water.

"Well yes I can only try... I guess you are right... I will do it for the children... my grand-daughter... she..." She struggles to find the words as I hold my hand up to silence her.

"I understand... give us your essentials and we will organise a room for you... we can start tomorrow! As for the innocent men and woman in this pack... do you believe that the current guards would be loyal and fight alongside us?" I ask her, perhaps thinking that Nolan could train the guards over the next couple of days for extra numbers.

"Yes sir absolutely! There is one in particular who I hope puts himself forward for the Alpha title too... he is the only young man around here who has a bit of fight left in him... he would often steal us food and necessities to keep us going... I believe he is what this pack needs for the new Alpha!" Ivanna speaks fondly, as a smile falls across her thin lips.

"Certainly... what is his name?" I question.

"Saul... Saul Walker is his name sir! He is a lovely young man, he's the strongest I believe we have around here... he would be stronger with a proper diet too... we would be lucky to have one pack meal a week before you arrived!" Ivanna explains as I take note of the man's name.

"Grey find me a young man named Saul Walker and bring him to me."

I mind-link Grey since this woman had now sparked my interest in meeting Saul. I wasn't planning on leaving just anybody to run this pack... he has to be on top form.

"Yeah... just to add... the reports we are getting about this place are fucking sickening bro! The only good thing is they all seem to be co-operating... I think this pack clearly just needs help!"

Grey was right and so was Ivanna... it seems they are a loyal pack after all... just too deprived and scared to fight for anything until now.

"Have Nolan train up their men... make sure the pack doctors have all of the supplies they need... we want them strong! We need new housing built too... can we arrange for the men from back home who build our homes to travel here by tomorrow?"

I mind-link him deciding that I want this full pack transformed immediately.

"Of course Axel I'm on it... I've found that man Saul you were after... seems like a tough one too... sending him up."

Grey responds as I nod - realising that a short silence had fallen across the room now due to my mental absence.

"Saul is on his way up, I am eager to meet him. I will have a room arranged for you to begin tomorrow Ivanna and we will reward you generously for your cooperation." I state, as the shaky woman rises from her chair with a nod.

"Please go and help yourself to the food downstairs!" Dani encourages with a smile as the woman returns it.

"Thank you dear... I can sense you are as genuine as they come!" She compliments Dani, earning my respect from the small statement.

"There is also a spare bedroom available for you... my guard will help you out with anything that you need!" We follow her to the door, as we open it to be met with my guard who immediately assists Ivanna as they walk off down the hallway.

"Before I can conclude tonight... I need to meet this Saul character..." I state to Dani who yawns and slumps back into her seat with a nod.

"You're doing great Axel!" She suddenly encourages me, causing my heart to race.

I'll do my best for her.