Chapter 169 169
CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND SIXTY-NINE
AURON'S P.O.V
The air suddenly became thick with tension ad Gail and Derek continued hesitating. Their hands twiched as they rested on the table, I could tell they were having a serious internal struggle and uncertainty because of me. But I was really serious, I was never going to punish anyone for taking off they're mask, I'm the one asking you to take it off for crying out loud. I did t want them more afraid of me, so I took a deep breath, pasted a smile on my face.
"Please, take off your masks." With a softer voice.
Slowly, the one on my right reached up and removed his mask, revealing a rugged face with a needle shapped scar above his left eyebrow and revealing sharp, gray eyes. The one on my left followed suit, his mask coming off to show a pair of piercing blue eyes, he had a jaw line full of beard, I guess he didn't think about shaving.
I was taken aback by their appearances. They looked...normal. Like regular people, not the intimidating figures I had imagined them to be for years. Don't blame me, I only saw their faces a few times that one year I met them before making them put on masks the rest of the years so its pretty normal for me to forget their faces.
I faced the one in the right and pionted at him.
"Derek." His eyes widened a bit and he nodded.
"Yes alpha."
I smiled then turned to the one on that left.
"Gail."
"Yes alpha." He whispered, emotion loaded in his voice.
Gail and Derek glanced at each other, then back at me, their faces still cautious but more relaxed.
"Now. Eat with me," I said, gesturing to the food on the table.
They exchanged another look, then nodded, and began to eat. The silence was awkward, but I didn't mind. I was too busy studying their faces, trying to understand the people behind the masks.
As we ate, I asked them questions, trying to get to know them better, I knew they had left their packs and had been roaming about until I found them, bit after that, nothing. They were hesitant at first, but as the conversation went on, they began to open up. I learned that Gail was twenty four years old and Derek was twenty five years old. Which was about the same age as me because I was turning twenty five this year. It was strange to see that we had a lot in common and had to fight hard just to survive. But the time we were done eating, they had huge smiles on their faces.
"Remember, do not call me alpha again. I want to hear you call my name, I wasn't born with the nane Alpha. Auron is my name, okay?"
"Yes Al....ahem...I mean A..Auron." Gail replied, and also did I forget to mention that Gail had a bit if a funny side, he was like Jake and I liked it. He balanced the serious atmosphere from Derek, though he was beginning to warm up to me.
"Yes Auron." He answered, tapping his fingers softly on the table. "To be honest, when we first got here, I wasn't that psyched up with the idea of wearing masks and just calling you alpha, especially if you said we were your right have men. But I just had to move with it once I saw that you were serious about the punishment."
"Same with me." Gail seconded.
I rubbed my chin.
"That's the crazy part, I never ordered for anyone to be punished for not wearing masks. I don't think I ever ordered for anyone to be punished unless they actually went against serious rules in the pack. Rules like violence and other criminal acts. Never for things as trivial as masks."
"Or eating with you?" Gail asked.
"What?"
He shifted on his seat.
"There was a time you ordered me not to eat for a whole day after I made some remarks about wanting to eat with you."
I shot up from my seat, fury blazing in me.
"What? I never did that.".
They stood up too.
Gail continued.
"Well it was Elder Mikhail that heard me and reported to you then he reported to me that that was the punishment you ordered for me."
I took a deep breath, let it out, then took a deeper and longer one.
"Okay, let me get one thing straight." I rubbed my face. "All the times you and the others were punished...Elder Mikhail was the one giving the punishments?"
They both nodded.
"And he said it was all with your permission too...your orders." Gail spoke again.
"Sweet moon goddess." I muttered, sitting back on my seat. I slammed my hands on the table and shot up again. "That bastard! He was...I never...how could he...haha! I was such a fool.." I couldn't even firm a complete sentence.
"Al...Auron, is anything wrong?" Derek asked carefully.
I let out an angry laugh as I glanced at him.
"Oh Derek, trust me, everything is wrong but soon I'm going to make it rigjt. I just need to take things slowly."
"It seems like you weren't the one giving the orders?" Derek asked.
"Never."
"And you didn't ever know about the punishments?" Gail asked.
"Not one." I squeezed the back of the chair, hearing the cracks it was making, I had to let go or it would end up splintering into pieces.
They were silent for a while as I tried to wrap my head round the news I was hearing. So all these whole, Elder Mikhail had been the one making my men fear me, he gave them orders and punishment I never knew about. Who knows what more he could have done? The damage he has made on my name.
"Alpha." I heard Derek call me, I groaned before turning.
"I told you to call me Auron...what are you doing?"
I was shocked to see that they two of them had gotten behind me and on were on their left knees, head bowed and right hand placed over they're chest.