Chapter 40

Chapter 40
Alexander's POV

With the previous precedence, the last time that I was late to a meeting, I was very nervous as I hurried into the hall where there were various dignitaries. She was beside me, of course, and a couple of elders were with us also, but I just couldn't help but wonder if I had done it again like the last time and if things were going to go just as well.

Then, I had control over the entire situation. The elders were working for me after all, and they couldn't exactly query me very much. But these guys, all of them here were esteemed guests, and I couldn't allow myself to disappoint them by being late. However, once again, I had come at least five minutes late. Maybe it wasn't that late, maybe they wouldn't notice, or maybe they would and call me out for it.

I pushed my way forward, wanting to make it seem as if I had been here all the while instead of as if it was only just now that I was showing up because, honestly speaking, I didn't want anyone to know that I was late. The elders were looking at me with frowns on their faces, as if they weren't also late, but I couldn't blame them. If they were late at all, they were late because of my sake and nothing more.

It was all my fault and also the fault of this Luna with me here. In fact, I could even say that it was all Nora's fault. I wanted to push all the blame onto her, but not in this public setting. Maybe privately I would berate her for everything that had happened and all my troubles coming here late, but as for now, I would need to absorb all the blame that was put upon us, and personally, that was the worst one that I could hope for.

She held my hand and squeezed it tightly as if trying to reassure me that everything would be okay. Somehow that seemed to soothe me even though I didn't really see why or how it would, because I was rather angry at her. How could I be pacified with just a single touch of someone that I was angry with in the first place? It didn't make any sense at all in any way, but somehow it just worked, and somehow I wasn't mad at her so much any longer just because she did that to me.

I took in a deep breath as I went over to greet one of the guys that were already here. It was still in the early stages of the meeting, which meant that everybody was still getting familiar with one another, and it was all greetings and familiarities, exchanging pleasantries with everyone without any really tough conversation.

I smiled at the man before me. He was pretty much an alpha, an alpha in his own right, and even though his pack was very small, more like a colony of another pack, I needed to show him respect just because of the people that he represented. We both smiled as we talked to each other, exchanging greetings. The conversation was rosy; it would continue to be until the actual meeting where they would start saying what they really had in mind, and everyone would start revealing their true colors instead of simply hiding it under a veil of some sort.

I wasn't really looking forward to it. These kinds of meetings, they were absolutely draining, but I knew that I needed to bear with it when it came and also needed to participate actively in the politics. If not, I could be the one to suffer and be left behind, and that was something that I couldn't accept at all. My pack was going to be one of the best no matter what happened and no matter who I met, and whatever challenge it posed to me, I would make sure to prop my pack to the top no matter who was involved and who I was up against. Competition might be fierce, but I was fiercer, and I was going to succeed one way or another.

I walked up to another man and started talking with him before turning to frown at my Luna for just a couple of seconds. I smiled at him once again as if nothing had happened just now and finished the conversation first with light-hearted laughs before I went all the way back to meet her because I had a piece of advice to tell her. In fact, she needed to be given a piece of my mind.

"What the hell are you doing?" I asked, my voice low as I approached her and raised my eyebrow, looking at her with that particular frown on my face.

She smiled a little at me, a sheepish expression that might have been cute in another situation, but right now it was just annoying. "Don't you know what you are supposed to do?" I questioned in annoyance. She needed to start acting a little smarter. This was how the Luna was now? In exchange for that old attitude? I was totally up for the old Luna instead.

I couldn't be telling her every single thing she needed to do because then my work would just get harder, and I might as well do the things I chose her to do but by myself. "Can you remind me?" she asked, a little confused. She looked around the large hall.

"Go and socialize," I commanded, my voice bitter. "Go quickly, start talking with the other Lunas and getting into relationships with them. We need it," I said. "Even talk with the alphas as well."

She looked as if her memory had been jolted. "Oh," she said suddenly, her eyes twinkling as if she just realized. I shook my head at her. I couldn't deal with this attitude that she had, and how suddenly naive she seemed to be. Anyhow though, I would leave her to do her job. I had my own people to talk with. I couldn't afford to watch her all day. Hopefully, she would get the hang of it and come out of this little kind of dream that she seemed to be in, stopping her own progress and unable to perform as efficiently as before.

I proceeded to meet with other dignitaries to talk with them, but I made sure to keep an eye on her. She went to a particular lady, one that I didn't recognize, most likely the Luna of a very minor pack, and started talking with her. They were smiling as the conversation went on. I heaved a sigh of relief at this—she seemed to know how to do what she was required to do. That was something now, wasn't it?

She continued talking with her, and soon they were laughing together. Alright, mission accomplished, I thought. Go to another person, I would have said, but I was still talking with the man with me now, and I couldn't afford to seem distracted. I was upset, even though I actually was worried for her. I was getting a little off in our conversation, and I needed to put in my effort once again and redirect it.

So I nodded as I turned back to him, focusing everything on him, boldly telling him about how nice his pack was and how I would love to pay a visit someday. It was cool that way. We kept on giving each other compliments until it was time for another person to talk with.

I raised a glass as I went to meet with someone, but all of a sudden, the atmosphere changed as I recognized that someone was in the room that I hadn't acknowledged before. I took in a deep breath as I looked at him. What on earth was he doing here?

I took in a deep breath as I looked at him and spent a couple of specific minutes contemplating how to deal with his sudden unexpected arrival. For all I knew, he was here to cause trouble, but I had no proof yet, and I also had absolutely no right to accuse anyone. All of us here were with the same purpose—to convene and have a good time, because I didn't see any other reason for us to be here considering the fact that we weren't exactly sure of the theme of this meeting when we were all invited, but we were expected to honor it.

I took in a deep breath. Talking with him—that was something I didn't really want to do, but maybe I should have that private conversation first and get it off my shoulders. Maybe talking with him would prove to be productive after all, even though most likely it was going to be the exact opposite.