Chapter 15
**MARCUS'S POV
**
The entire room is quiet as I enter. I can feel their gaze on me. The high ranking betas and the elders who sat here from the time of my father are all standing at the long table. I walk to the head of it then I sit, reminding myself that there is no reason to get angry. They want something and I have to listen and understand what they want, know if it is what I can give.
“Alpha Marcus. We have been conferring and we have decided that agreeing to let the demand of the red moon pack to be let into our business is not an acceptable decision. The red moon have wanted this one thing for over fifty years. A war was fought fifty years ago just for them to be able to push their foot in and they have been stopped. All of those efforts became for nothing when you let them set their foot in the business. Our position has weakened and the other packs will see that we have conceded. They will begin to ask what else we could do, what else they can make us do and I don't think that is something we want to find out,” an elder says. He is a short man, sturdy and menacing. I can even remember the way he looked when I was a boy.
I watch as they all nod in agreement and I look to see that Elliot is quiet. His eyebrows are pulled close together like he is in deep thought and he doesn't even look at me but into nothingness.
“Who was the Alpha at the time when the Red moon were forbidden from certain businesses?” I ask.
“Your grandfather, Alpha Leonard,” Simon says. I nod in agreement.
“He kicked them out because their growing strength would be further bolstered by any financial success and war was on their mind back then. They wanted to expand. They wanted more and he made sure they did not have it in order to avert any thoughts of war that may be on their mind. Things are not exactly the same as they were all those years ago. The red moon is being led by Veronica and she does not want war with the Crescent Blade or any one. She wants success and prosperity for the members of her pack. That is the one thing that she wants and the longer we keep that away from them for no just cause, the more the animosity grows. My brother made a mistake that aggravated them, that cost them the lives of three of their wolves, a great cost. They already paid the price for this,” I say.
There is an almost deafening silence then Elliot speaks. His words are slow and quiet but I can feel an intensity to them that I can't quite lay my fingers on.
“I don't think…I think you may see things one way and the enemy may interpret it in another way. They have seen that they can use your sense of fairness to get you to do what they want you to do. Do you think they cannot set traps to trigger your sense of fairness and make you think that you have something to atone for? Those wolves attacked me first. You may not believe me but it is the truth. How do we know that this wasn't an elaborate plot by Dona herself to make sure she gets what she wants?” Elliot asks.
His words seem to have some weight to them and I start to consider it then I nod.
“I can understand why you would say that and, truth be told, what you said may be true. I will take measures to ensure it does not happen again but she won't set the trap for just me. It will be for all of you as well, attuned to your temperament. I would like us to be very careful with how we progress henceforth. I also think that Dona should have what she has asked for. I will be watching and if she steps a toe out of line, we will remove that toe,” I say. I see many of the elders nodding slowly and Simon seems to be pondering upon what I am saying.
“Simon,” I call and he sits straight.
“Yes, alpha Marcus.”
“There is something I would like you to do for me,” I say to him and he nods.
“How may I be of service?”
“You have been away for far too long and when my father was alive, you were in charge of the pack's defenses. You handled both the financial and militia arms of our defenses. Now, my brother handles the militia. I am afraid my sister is yet untested in these matters and I would like you to train her while keeping the office until she is ready to take full responsibility. Our business in the Middle east will be transferred to anyone you find suitable at the moment. You know the people there and you trained many of them yourself,” I say to him. He nods slowly.
“You give me a great honor, Alpha Marcus,” he says. I shake my head as I stand.
“It is a great responsibility, one that I can only entrust to an experienced man such as yourself. Everyone, be vigilant and be careful. Our enemies are at our door and if we do not know what they mean to do, they will swallow us. We don't want that,” I say and stand. They all stand as well then dip their heads in deference. I walk away and Elliott follows me.
“That was smart, what you did there,” my brother says to me as I walk out of the building.
“What did I do?” I ask him and he shakes his head. I look down at his hand then start to say something about it. He seems to notice and he shakes his head.
“Don't,” he whispers. I nod and walk into the car. There are many things to do.