Chapter 53

Kaelan's POV

I look in front of me at the man and wonder when this meeting is going to begin. It isn't just us; elders are supposed to be here, and at least seven of them from each pack for this agreement to be reached. We are waiting for the rest of the elders, but while we are doing that, we seem to be having some sort of staring contest. We try to be cool, the two of us each exuding his own kind of dominance in the room.

I have my information with me. I am not going to end up with an unfavorable deal with him, but I am not sure how he will accept it. Yes, I feel happy to have at least some sort of leverage. The information Lana has given me is going to come to good use any time from now.

"Your elders seem to be the ones delaying us," I tell him quietly. He looks at me straight forward but a little apprehensive.

"Don't worry, they'll be here soon enough. We just need to wait a couple more minutes."

We continue waiting in silence after what he says, me not really having much to say because, well, I have to be cool. After a long while, the elders of his own pack are complete. Now the waiting can end.

"Let's not waste time and get straight to the point," Alpha Zander starts, taking off his mantle immediately. "We are both being attacked by rogue packs, and they seem somehow coordinated in their attacks, so it's a good idea for us to team up with each other to take them down," he says.

"Yes," one of my elders says. We have already agreed about this after all, so it isn't time for us to be quarreling since we have already reached a general consensus.

"So we should share the responsibility, dealing with the attacks 50-50," Alpha Zander continues, smiling. "Since we are both the ones that are going to be benefiting from it, send equal amounts of soldiers to help and also use the different soldiers to raid and defend against the raids from the rogue packs at intervals."

That is when I know it is my turn to speak. I pull out the document and hand it to him, wanting him to read it first of all. He looks at it skeptically, frowning as he reads through the contents. I know exactly what is contained in this. Our pack has helped his pack sometime in history, helping his family take back control over the Alpha lineage since it was being threatened by some other powerful family in his own pack, and hence they owe us a favor.

I smile at him while he still doesn't say anything, so I decide to pass the information myself to the elders concerned. "The Starlight Pack has already once been helped by us against people who would have been holding the pack unjustly," I announce. "Because of that, this particular pack of yours," I continue, "I'm calling in that favor at the moment."

"What exactly are you suggesting?" he asks me. "That we should be the only ones to send soldiers in and not you guys?" he questions once again.

I know how the deal would sound if I make it like that. It would truly be 100 to zero in terms of contribution. That is definitely going to be uncomfortable for him, and I know that there is hardly any way he would agree to such.

"Not really," I say. "I just think the split should be more of 60-40 in efforts. We are still going to help you, of course, since we both need each other's help, and we aren't here to ask for your complete help without doing anything for you. Just that you will have to contribute a greater number of soldiers to fight against them for our cause."

He contemplates for a while before telling me his decision. This is pretty much disrupting the deal between us one way or the other, but I prefer it to be like this. If there is any advantage that my pack can get out of anything at all, then I need to grab it as soon as possible because that is my duty. I can't simply let my pack be at a disadvantage when I can do better.

He looks at his elders. This is a move he has definitely not expected, and he is too conflicted at the moment. "Well, what do you guys suggest?" he questions simply.

I smile, but I have no input. This is the moment of decision and truth. One wrong decision can sour the relationship between both our packs, especially if his elders decide not to agree. I am not sure if I would agree if I was in their shoes. Am I going to agree with him if he decides against fulfilling this proposal that I have given him? I am not sure, but he has to say something. Maybe the manner with which he speaks will determine my response, because I am not one to let myself be stepped on, and if I have the right to something, only kindness would make me not retain that right – and nothing more, definitely not fear or anything of the sort.

Finally, he speaks. "I would need to verify the authenticity of this with our own records," he says.

I nod; it is to be expected, that kind of reaction from him. "How soon can you get that done?" I ask him.

He frowns a little before taking out his phone. "One phone call soon," he tells me. I decide that isn't so long in the end, so I wait while excusing him to make a phone call in our meeting. He says some words into the line, and soon he gets the response. I know from the look on his face that it is a positive one.

"Alright then, if you want to deal that way, we can't help it," he responds to me. "But you also have to come and help us when we are in need since it's just a 60-40 split of tasks."

"Of course," I say. "I've already promised that, so I'll keep my word in this little deal between us."

I look at my elders to get their approval. Their nods of satisfaction and the look of admiration in the eyes of some of them show me that they are indeed quite impressed and probably happy with this course of action. I look at his own elders, wondering what they think about this themselves. They seem downcast at the news and also at the decision of their Alpha. They don't squirm or challenge him – not here, not now – and as long as they do nothing of that sort immediately, I am completely fine. If they go back home to complain, then it isn't really going to affect me because the decision will already be finalized by that time.

"Well, I don't think there's any other thing for us to discuss if that's the case," Alpha Zander says.

"I'm quite a brisk person," I think, smiling as I extend my hand for a handshake. He is quite a character, I have to say. He nods at me, shaking my hand.

"A good deal. I hope you keep your end."

"I hope you keep yours," I respond simply.

I stand up, happy to leave the meeting. It seems like Lana has done a good job after all, and it doesn't just benefit her. It benefits me. It benefits the entire pack in general.

I make my way back from the venue feeling good about myself because of how well things have turned out between us at the meeting. One of the elders smiles at me.

"That was a pretty smart move you pulled there," he says in approval. "It seems you are still one of the greatest Alphas of the pack."

I nod in agreement. The praise is well deserved, though I feel like Lana should get some of it. I don't tell him anything about her. I can keep her as a trump card, a secret weapon for later, especially considering the child that we have and the secrets shrouding him.

There is silence as I enter into my own personal car and start driving back, almost whistling in my head in happiness. I am still reveling in my current political victory when suddenly I get a message from Alex.

"There have been a series of attacks on the northern borders of the pack," he reports, and I frown. It is somehow to be expected, yet I am very uncertain about it. He doesn't usually report such attacks to me, but this time around he is passing the information directly instead of taking it through one of my generals. Something is definitely wrong.

"Give me the details fully," I send back to him and wait patiently. When I see the long message that he sends in response, I know that things are really up.