Chapter 8: Duel Challenge
1365 Words
“I think it's time to appoint a new Alpha,” Elder Ambrose announced, and the room went deadly silent as everyone gaped at him in shock.
“Surely, you are joking?” Elder Antonia, who had been quiet and expressionless since the beginning of the whole meeting, asked in disbelief, making Ambrose shake his head.
“This is not a matter to joke with.”
“And yet you say something as absurd as that?” She scoffed in annoyance. “You want to appoint a new Alpha when the Alpha is still well and alive? I never knew you were a treasonous person.”
“It is the best solution to the problem we are facing now,” Ambrose argued.
“Tell me, how does removing the Alpha relate to catching a killer?” Antonia replied with a red face as her voice became louder while glaring at Ambrose.
“Answer me: how will removing a well, alive and a fully functional Alpha help get information about a killer? Or are you insinuating that the Alpha is the killer?!”
“Presumptuous!” Elder Ambrose yelled. “How dare you accuse me of such blasphemy!”
“Is that not what you meant? Because that's what it sounds like to me!”
Seeing the situation about to escalate, Elder Shawn cleared his throat to get their attention.
“Let's both calm down. Arguing about our ideas won't solve anything.”
Antonia, who has somehow gotten heated up at the idea of treason, folded her hands and sat back, but with a glance, one can see she hasn't let go of her argument.
Taking a deep breath, Shawn continued as he turned to Ambrose, who had somehow returned to his calm appearance.
“May I ask why you made such a suggestion?”
“As we all know, as long as the Alpha is alive and well, appointing a new Alpha is against the rule,” he explained. “Well, except for exceptions. So why did you suggest this?”
Ambrose let out a sigh, “Well, I am aware of the rules in the pack. I know that my suggestion would face opposition.” As he says this, he turns to Antonia, who is still glaring at him. “But, as you all can see, we can't continue to live like this.”
“We can't continue to watch our people die. It's no news to us that the Alpha is basically not doing anything to help the situation at the moment.” He paused, looking at the faces of the people around before continuing.
“Although we've been told that an investigation is going on, we all can see with our eyes that nothing is being done. And it is suspicious. Makes one feel that the Alpha had something to hide.”
“So, for the safety of our people and for us to get the killer, we need an Alpha that will hear the cry of his people.”
Elder Lydia nodded slowly, her fingers tapping the armrest of her chair. “You’re not wrong. We do need someone who’ll act. Someone who won’t stay locked up away in silence while corpses pile up.”
Although Ambrose was the one who said it. Each one of them has had similar thoughts in mind.
What was the use of having an Alpha who only thinks of himself?
Thinking about the whole situation, Elder Lydia's face flashed with interest as her mind wandered off towards Kendrick.
“But who do you have in mind?” Elder Caine asked with narrowed eyes.
“Personally, I have no one in mind,” Ambrose announced.
“I believe having Collon take his place would be the best thing. After all, he is the Alpha's first child, and Kendrick is already his beta. It balances things out,” Shawn suggested it, and Lydia frowned in dissatisfaction.
“No way! Having Kendrick, who is already familiar with leading the pack alongside his father, become the Alpha is the best option!” Lydia argued.
“Is there really a need to argue this?” Caine joined in. “Kendrick is already the beta, and he has enough power in the pack. Besides, it will be unfair to his elder brother if we give the position to the younger brother. Don't you think so?”
“And I believe Kendrick was made the beta so there won't be such arguments about who becomes Alpha,” he added.
“Since we can't decide, why don't we have the two compete for the position?” Ambrose suggested after watching the elders argue about who to choose.
He could already tell all of them were making suggestions based on their own personal interests. After all, whether Kendrick or Collon, both of them were still young and ignorant when it came to actually leading a pack.
And whoever supports the Alpha would have a lot of benefits, as they would be favoured amongst the others.
Ambrose silently shook his head while the others argued, somewhat feeling a wave of shame on their behalf.
‘How immature.’
The argument died down at his words, and the elders relaxed, each nodding in approval.
“You said it right,” Shawn muttered. “At the end of the day, we need a strong Alpha to lead the pack. Experience or not doesn't matter.”
“Since we have all agreed, how do we tell the Alpha?”
On the other side of the pack, after letting out some steam, Kendrick returned to his home, showered and walked to the pack house, where he knew his father and his brother would be waiting for him.
The thought of seeing the two again made his blood boil.
He stood at the base of the stairs for a moment, staring up at the grand doors of the pack house. The large emblem of their lineage carved into the wood suddenly felt heavier than ever.
Kendrick clenched his fists before stepping inside.
The atmosphere within the large mansion was cold as usual. Nothing like the lively and happy place it used to be when he lived there, making him feel a deep sense of regret.
‘How could he not see anything wrong with all of this?’ He thought to himself as he continued to walk.
As expected, his father sat at the head of the long meeting table, a glass of whisky untouched before him. Collon stood at his side, arms crossed and eyes sharp with accusations, as though he'd been waiting for Kendrick to walk in just to start a fight.
“You're late,” Collon said.
“I was never given a time to be here. And unlike some, most of us have things to do,” Kendrick replied coldly, meeting Collon's eye with the same intensity as the other.
“Kendrick,” Alpha Elton warned, his voice low and firm, “This is not the time for your banter.”
“He started it.” Kendrick exhaled slowly, then took a seat without being offered. “Then let’s get to it. I assume this has to do with me trying to use my powers.”
“It has to do with you disobeying direct orders,” Collon replied coldly. “And putting yourself at risk.”
“Or maybe it has to do with the fact that nothing’s been done for months and people are dying under our watch.” Kendrick met his father’s gaze, unflinching. “Maybe it’s time to stop lazing around and start protecting the pack.”
Collon let out a low growl. “You think you're the only one trying to protect the pack?”
“No,” Kendrick said, standing. “But I’m the only one actually doing something.”
“Enough, both of you!” Alpha! Elton yelled, and the two went quiet. “I called you here for another reason,” he announced as he pushed the white envelope in front of him to the middle.
“We've got a formal duel challenge from the Brown Fur Pack.”
“What?!” Collon and Kendrick exclaimed at the same time.
- Writer
