Witch in wolf's clothing - Namaari

Chapter 45: Intimidated?

Tazzym’s POV

As everyone files into the conference room, I watch them settle into their usual spots, murmuring quietly among themselves while the Omega staff serves drinks. It’s the same routine every time, but today, I decide to break it. Instead of sitting in my usual place next to Kaynim and Zyméo, I move to the opposite side of the table, right beside Namaari. This way, I place myself between her and Alpha Reed, who’s taken an unsettling interest in her lately.

Alpha Reed notices the change immediately, raising an eyebrow as he smirks. "Switching seats, Alpha Tazzym? That's a first. Trouble with your brothers?"

I force a laugh, keeping my tone light. "Not at all," I reply smoothly, pulling out the first excuse that comes to mind. "I just realized I prefer facing the window rather than having my back to it. It’s too depressing not to have a view."

Alpha Reed studies me for a moment, clearly not buying my excuse, but he doesn’t press the issue. I feel Namaari’s eyes on me, and when I glance over, she’s giving me a look that says she knows exactly what I’m doing. I wink at her, and she rolls her eyes in response. I lean in closer, lowering my voice to a whisper. "You’ll be rolling those eyes even more when I f**k you later," I tease.

Before she can respond, Nikolaj, sitting on her other side, pushes his chair back slightly, narrowing his eyes at me. "What are you whispering to my sister, Tazzym?" he asks, his tone light but with a hint of protectiveness.

I chuckle, leaning back in my chair. "Nothing serious, bro. Just reminding her not to let Elder Gavner intimidate her during the meeting."

Nikolaj snorts, a hint of pride in his voice. "My sister, intimidated? Not likely."

Before the conversation can continue, Kaynim stands at the far end of the table, commanding the room's attention with a sharp gesture. The murmurs die down instantly as all eyes turn to him. Kaynim’s presence is powerful, and when he speaks, there’s no mistaking the authority in his voice.

"We’re beginning the meeting," he announces, his gaze sweeping across the room. "The main point on today’s agenda is the situation with the Duneshadow pack. But before we dive into that, are there any other urgent matters that need to be addressed?"

As soon as Kaynim finishes speaking, Alpha Reed leans forward with a casual smile, but there’s a sharpness in his gaze. “I’ve got a rather important question,” he begins, drawing the room’s attention. “Have you three finally decided who your chosen Luna—or Lunas—will be? Everyone’s been buzzing about it since the mate ball, and I think we’re all curious to know where you stand.”

The room falls into an expectant silence, with all eyes shifting to me and my brothers. I catch Kaynim and Zyméo’s eyes, and we exchange a glance. This is the moment we’ve been avoiding, the question we knew would come sooner or later. I quickly mind-link my brothers, my thoughts racing.

“What do we say?” I ask them. “We can’t keep putting this off, but we can’t just announce that Namaari is our mate in front of everyone before we’ve talked to Nikolaj privately.”

Kaynim looks thoughtful, but before he can respond, Alpha Flint interjects, his voice cutting through the tension. “Indeed, the decision is long overdue. My daughter mentioned she felt a strong connection with you, Alpha Tazzym. Yet you didn’t even attempt to pursue her during the hunt. Is there a reason for that? Does she not meet your standards as a chosen mate?”

I swallow, not knowing what to say. There’s a palpable tension in the room as Alpha Flint’s words hang in the air. His Beta, Larc, shifts uncomfortably. It’s obvious to everyone except Alpha Flint that Larc has feelings for the Alpha’s daughter.

Before things can escalate, Zyméo speaks up, his tone calm and diplomatic. “The reason we didn’t choose anyone at the mate ball,” he explains, “is because we found our fated mate.”

The room goes still, and I feel Namaari tense beside me. I glance down and notice her hands clenching together in her lap, her knuckles white with anxiety. Without thinking, I slip my hand under the table and place it gently on hers, squeezing to offer comfort. She doesn’t look at me, but she relaxes slightly, her breathing evening out.

Alpha Reed’s Beta, Tyler, trying to keep the conversation polite, asks cautiously, “May we know who it is?”

Zyméo hesitates, then shakes his head slightly. “We’re still exploring our bond,” he says, choosing his words carefully. “We want to understand it fully before making any public announcements.”

Elder Gavner, Elder Borgan, and Elder Ranulf exchange skeptical looks, their disapproval clear. Gavner scoffs openly, his voice dripping with disdain. “It’s not normal to hide your fated mate like this. What are you trying to keep secret?”

Elder Ashnar of the Stormfront pack nods in agreement, his expression serious. “I have to concur with the Elders of Wavecrest. It’s unusual, to say the least. Is there something… wrong with your fated mate?”

The room falls silent again, everyone waiting for our response. I let out a low scoff, then smirk as I meet Elder Ashnar’s gaze. “If by ‘wrong,’ you mean too smart and too beautiful for this world, then yeah, there’s definitely something wrong,” I say, my voice filled with a mix of pride and defiance.

The tension in the room shifts slightly, a few murmurs rippling through the gathered men. This wasn’t how we planned to handle this, but we’re in it now, and I’m ready to defend our mate, no matter what it takes.

Kaynim clears his throat, cutting through the lingering tension in the room. "So, can we move on now? The Duneshadow pack? Alpha Flint, I believe you wanted to address this issue today?"

Alpha Flint nods, leaning forward as he speaks. "As you’re all aware, the Wavecrest pack lies close to the dunes that transition into the desert. I don’t need to explain that the desert is home to several hidden packs. No one ventures into the desert without knowing it intimately, or they don’t come back alive. Only the members of the desert packs have, let’s say, special abilities that allow them to survive there. Their way of life is very different. They’re practically barbarians. Now, the Duneshadow pack is the closest to us, situated right on the edge of the desert, and it’s the only pack that’s somewhat reachable for us to go to and return safely."

He turns to Elder Ranulf. "Elder Ranulf, would you explain the issue further?"

Elder Ranulf nods solemnly and continues. "Recently, the Duneshadow pack has been making unexpected raids on Wavecrest’s borders, stealing our supplies. We’ve suffered significant losses, and with the occasional rogue attacks as well, we can’t afford this additional strain."

River, leaning back in his chair, responds thoughtfully, "You’re the pack furthest from the mountains, you haven’t been directly attacked by the rogues."

Beta Larc, looking visibly irritated, interjects, "That’s true, but we always have to come to your aid during a major attack."

Alpha Reed sighs, his patience thinning. "Can we get to the point, please?"

Elder Borgan picks up the thread. "The desert packs, especially Duneshadow, are a thorn in our side. If they’ve started attacking, then we’re in serious trouble. We can’t fight on two fronts."

Alpha Gavner leans forward, his expression darkening as he speaks. "So, we propose that we take control of the Duneshadow pack, make them part of… Wavecrest, for example. Think of the advantages— they have resources we lack, resources that could be highly beneficial to us."

The room goes silent as everyone absorbs the weight of Alpha Gavner’s suggestion. The idea of conquering the Duneshadow pack and expanding their territory is as dangerous as it is tempting. The implications are vast, with potential benefits and significant risks.

The silence in the room is thick. Namaari, feeling the tension, decides to break it. Her voice is clear and confident as she speaks up, drawing the attention of everyone in the room.

"Has anyone stopped to consider why the Duneshadow pack is attacking in the first place?" she asks, her tone more thoughtful than accusatory. "I’ve read quite a few books on the desert packs, and while there isn’t much known about them, one thing is consistent— they’ve never been known to attack packs outside the desert without reason. They prefer to keep to themselves."

The room shifts slightly as eyes turn towards her, some curious, others skeptical. Elder Gavner, who had been intently focused on his own agenda, narrows his eyes and gives a dismissive sneer.

"Books, Princess Namaari?" he retorts, his voice dripping with condescension. "You think your knowledge from books can explain the actions of savages? Those packs live by different rules, far removed from what you’ve read in your cozy little library. We don’t have the luxury to sit around and theorize while they raid our borders."

Elder Gavner's condescending tone sends a surge of anger through me. The way he speaks to Namaari, as if she's nothing more than a naïve child, grates on every nerve. I clench a fist under the table, fighting the urge to hurl the nearest book at his smug face. Instead, I mind-link my brothers, unable to contain my frustration.

"I’m two seconds away from throwing a book at Gavner," I tell them, barely able to keep my voice even in my thoughts.

Zyméo’s response is instant. "Make it a whole library."

Kaynim, always the more level-headed, sends back a calming wave. "Stay cool, brothers. Losing our temper will only make things worse."

I take a deep breath, trying to rein in my emotions. The anger boils beneath the surface, but I know I need to stay composed. Just as I'm about to snap back at Elder Gavner, Namaari's voice cuts through the tension like a blade.

"Books, Elder Gavner," she says, her tone calm but edged with steel, "are more than just words on a page. They contain the wisdom and experiences of those who came before us, lessons that we’d be foolish to ignore. The packs in the desert have survived for centuries by staying isolated. If they're suddenly acting out, it’s not random—it’s a sign that something has changed. Ignoring that and rushing into conflict without understanding the cause could be disastrous. We need to approach this with more than just brute force."

Her words hang in the air, and I watch as Gavner blinks, momentarily caught off guard. The smugness on his face falters, replaced by something akin to surprise. A smirk tugs at my lips gently stroke Namaari’s hand in a silent gesture of praise.

My mate is something else—fierce, intelligent, and impossibly sexy. She knows how to hold her own, and I feel a surge of pride watching her put Gavner in his place.

But then Alpha Flint chimes in, bringing the conversation back to the Duneshadow pack. His words are blunt, dismissing Namaari’s points and insisting that unless she can magically make the attacks stop, they’ll have to fight back. I see her swallow hard, her eyes flicking briefly to Nikolaj.

A wave of tension washes over me, a strange sensation I can’t quite place. Namaari’s reaction is off—normally, she’d have a sharp retort ready, but now she’s quiet. Nikolaj seems to understand something I don’t, and I’m left feeling uneasy, unsure of what’s going through her mind.

Is everything okay with her? I wonder silently, my concern deepening when she doesn’t respond.