Chapter 65: Family Conference

STORM

I’d seen wolves fight, but only packs fighting rogues. I’d never seen a challenge for dominance or alpha. Watching Axel and Reign had my heart racing. The world I was a part of now was vastly different from what I had witnessed growing up.

Sure these things still happened, but it was rare a wandering witch would be present to see them. We never usually stayed in one place for very long.

Come to think of it, this was the longest I had stayed in any place at any given time. I had begun to feel itchy feet. Soon it would be time to decide whether I left or stayed.

~Would Axel come with me?~

~Would he still be obligated to stay here now that he wasn’t alpha?~

~Could wandering witches even settle down?~

Once again, we met in the usual family room for a conference. ~It seems all this family does is have meetings.~

I was so proud of Reign and how she stepped up. I hadn’t thought she had it in her, honestly. She was a good fighter and one of the best trackers—after Diego, of course. But a leader? ~An alpha?~

She’d broken the glass ceiling among the wolves. In the pack's entire history, there had never been a female in that position.

As everyone piled into the room, it soon became crowded. A couple of wolves from the leaders' circle had come along, and Beta Jordan was there with his son Arlo, who’s Axel’s best friend.

Axel slipped into a seat beside me. I reached out and squeezed his hand.

“You okay?” I whispered, leaning into him.

“Better now I’m with you,” he whispered back, planting a soft kiss on my lips.

My heart skipped a beat at his touch. We hadn’t had a chance to be alone since we had become mates. There was always something.

It felt like a lifetime ago when we first met, when we had a brief quiet moment before his uncle and cousin started arguing about a fire.

I gazed at him, drinking him all in, how his crystal blue eyes sparkled under his dark black hair, how he got dimples on his cheeks when he laughed, how his brow creased when he frowned or was deep in thought.

~I love this man so much.~

~I would do anything for him.~

We needed to be alone, and soon. I couldn’t wait anymore. I needed to feel him in every way.

He squeezed my hand, sensing my excitement. “We’ll be alone soon. I promise,” he whispered.

~Good.~

“What a day, ladies and gentlemen. What a day.” The chatter hushed as soon as King Raphael entered the room and took his seat.

“Sit, sit, please.”

He waved at the vacant chairs around the table. Some sat. Some remained standing.

“May I just say how very proud I am of my grandchildren today?”

A murmur of agreement went around the room. Axel sat up straighter in his chair, and Reign blushed slightly but held her chin up high.

“Now, Reign, dear, are you sure this is what you want? Being an alpha is no easy feat, especially for you being the first female one.

“There will be pushback from many traditionalist members of the pack. Pierce’s father being one of many, I’m sure.”

Raphael peered down the table at Reign. He was a big burly man, his reputation being that of a savage man. Yet when it came to his family, he was soft and gentle.

~I still wouldn’t cross him, though.~

Reign sat up straight, staring down the table, determined. “Yes, I’m sure. I wouldn’t have jumped in otherwise. I know what is expected of me. I can do this.”

My chest swelled with pride for my friend. So much had happened to this family in such a short time, and yet they never backed down. Always did what was expected of them, what they needed to do.

They were always there for each other, even in times of darkness and anguish.

Raphael turned his attention to Axel. “And you, Axel? Do you wish to be Reign’s Beta, or have you other plans?”

Axel looked at me deep in thought. “Actually, sir, I’d like to try my hand with the mages and witches. I think joint forces under the right leadership could really build something.”

Frieda clapped excitedly. “You will do wonderful, darling.”

Raphael smiled slightly, nodding in agreement with Frieda. “Well, Reign, seeing as you became alpha only a couple of hours ago, I’m assuming you haven’t thought of a Beta yet?”

She shook her head.

“Well then, Beta Jordan?”

Jordan stepped forward, his hands clasped behind his back like a soldier awaiting his orders. “Yes, Your Majesty?”

“For the time being, while my family and I clear some things up, dot the i’s, cross the t’s, et cetera, please step in and look after the pack in Reign’s absence until she is officially announced in.”

“Yes, sir. With honor, sir.”

“Excellent. Well, that is all for now. Thank you all for coming. Dismissed”

The room cleared out of everyone who wasn’t family. Gianna leapt up from her seat, scooping up Axel and Reign into a bone-crushing hug. They squirmed awkwardly.

“I’m so proud of you both. How did I get blessed with such wonderful children?”

“Mom, I can’t breathe,” Reign gasped, pushing at Gianna’s arms. She reluctantly let them go, sitting back down in her seat.

“Just the matter of that headache, Keir, left to sort out.” Raphael rubbed his fingers along his forehead.

“We don’t really want to give him much more time to regroup. I dread to think what he is planning.

“And I’m pretty sure he will have vacated his lair that he kept Axel in, so who knows where he is or what he’s up to now.”

I shuddered at the thought. Axel clasped my hand tightly.

“Can’t we use the spell again to find him, like you guys found me?” he asked, looking at Frieda.

She shook her head sadly.

“No, darling, we cast that spell to find you, not Keir, and performing such magic is a slippery slope.

“I made an exception to find my grandson, but I can’t condone such magic being performed repeatedly. I’m sorry, darling.”

Axel nodded, sinking back into his seat. For the first time in a long time, I was stumped.

How were we supposed to find someone when we didn’t even know where to begin looking?

He’d already killed an alpha and kidnapped a royal. How much more craziness did he have locked away, waiting to be released?

I shuddered again, thinking about what he might unleash.

All I knew for certain was we needed to find him, and soon, before he hurt anyone else.