Chapter 61 - Not On My Watch

— Kaden —

Since the incident with the hidden cameras, the news of Elaeya’s abilities has spread like wildfire and impressed a whole lot of people.

There has been a number of requests for her, and I’m starting to think that soon, she will need her own office and secretary to deal with everything.

I couldn’t afford to always go with her, so Ylva, who has been reinstated as her main bodyguard has been going with her most of the time.

I had to admit that it felt nice to see how rapidly everyone wanted to accept her. Evidently, the news of the Luna ceremony this weekend and our wedding the following weekend had gotten a lot of attention.

I had been on an uncharacteristically good mood until I’d gotten news of a visit from the Moonhunter Brotherhood’s envoys the evening before.

Since, it has been chaos in the office. Most had been running around in circles trying to prepare for everything.

Getting a visit from the Brotherhood has never truly been a matter for worries before, but this one was different. The situation was tense between us. Jean-Philippe had called me late yesterday to tell me that he had gotten his hand on information about this meeting. And though the situation with the artifact would have led to this, eventually, it was the rumours, not only from my interference at Stonewillow, but the fact that a number of packs had come to Blakemore for the type of assistance the Brotherhood should have given, and also that some have been preparing to join us now, that had gotten the Brotherhood’s panties in a bunch.

I had no idea what their plan was, but I was pretty sure I wouldn’t like it.

They came around noon.

They had ten SUVs packed with people. I guess this was not a small curtesy meeting.

I wasn’t by the door of the packhouse to greet them, which I was pretty sure annoyed the crap out of them. Jayson did the greetings and guided them to one of the bigger conference rooms. If we’d known how many of them would be here, we would have set the ballroom for this.

I walked into the room a couple of minutes after everyone had settled.

“So, gentlemen,” I said, not hiding the venom from my voice. “To what do I owe the pleasure?

One of the Brother rose on his feet with scorn evident on his face.

“Alpha Devon, we are here for an inspection,” he said.

I stopped myself from showing any sign of emotions as I took my seat at the head of the table.

Most of my people had to stand up as the chairs were nearly all filled with Brothers and their entourage. But this had the side effect of having them surrounded by the towering shapes of my people behind each and every one of them.

I made steeples of my hands on top of the table.

“Inspection?” I asked dangerously. “Blakemore has not had inspections in decades, none under my reign. We have been one of the most active signatories of the Moonhunters Accord, and have been one of the greatest protector of both the Brotherhood and its signatories. So what in all the Hells would warrant such decision exactly?

I saw a few uncomfortable people sitting before me, but a fewer of them seemed unperturbed.

“Firstly,” said one who grabbed a pile of paper to read. I knew him. I hadn’t dealt with him often before, but I wasn’t particularly fond of him. His name was Sinclair. “You are holding artifacts of great historical and magical power without authorisation.

I kept my eyes on him as I leaned back in my chair.

“Secondly, you have often engaged in conflicts without the approval of the Brotherhood.

“I always informed the Brotherhood before actions warranted under the Accord were taken,” I told him.

“But you too often, didn’t do so with time for the Brotherhood to approve of it or not.

“That is not part of the Accord,” I corrected him. “It is nothing but a curtesy. There is no legal obligation to oblige. I breached no laws.

“Your actions,” he continued as if I had given no objections. “Have led, lately to a war with a fellow signatory pack.

“One, I did not start anything that I did not finish myself. Two, men under their employ took, hurt, and tried to kill my own sister. That alone give me all the right to ask for a bloodgild. But they also caused grief to a number of allies who asked for help, and attacked another, killing the Alpha, Luna, and their heirs. And their new Alpha approved and supported my interference on their behalf, and did so officially. This is all according to the Accord’s own laws. I’ve not only respected them all, but also followed the procedures as requested. If you don’t like how I did this, then this is a matter of opinion, not laws. Do not believe that your position can give you rights of biases over signatories. Your role is to be neutral, don’t forget it, because I won’t.

Sinclair paused for a moment, gaining back is baring before he continued.

“Following said war, once the situation has calmed down, you did not send the artifact to the care of the Brotherhood.

“I’m under no such obligation. Again, this would only be a curtesy, it’s no law,” I told him.

“It is the role of the Brotherhood to maintain order between pack. You, keeping them, could be seen as a sign of an upcoming imbalance.

“Or simply a sign that I believe they are more secure here,” I said.

“They can be secured at the capital,” he told me.

“Are many warriors do you have exactly?” they all knew I had far more than them.

“Nothing is stopping you to send a delegation of warriors to the capital to help secure the artifact,” said an older Brother next to Sinclair. I think his name was Joffrey.

“It’s not just the warriors, the territory is safer here,” I told him.

“I heard there as been an attack at the core of your territory not long ago,” said Joffrey.

How the Hell did he learn of this? I’m going to have to dig into how the Brotherhood is getting information about my pack.

“Firstly, it was not a regular opponent, but an Other.

That got the attention of everyone. Any who knew even the slightest thing about Others knew they were no fair opponent to a werewolf.

“Secondly,” I continued. “It has been properly banished.” I let that information sink in. There were a few impressed faces around the table. “And thirdly, the place is being warded against Others and a variety of other spectral and spiritual entities, with additional layers of protections. I can assure you gentlemen that the probability of this occurring a second time is nigh impossible.

A few of them looked at one another concerned.

“Now, before you start arguing again about the damn artifacts, I have sent you reports about then, and partnership in tracking the original owners of them all for proper restitution. This is all but a temporary situation, and moving them from location as little as possible, especially when they are properly guarded, is the best approach, security-wise.

I saw Sinclair open his mouth, so I cut him off first.

“Also, the trust in the Brotherhood has been eroded with the years, and not just with me, but many others. After the Belfast incident, and the destruction of Schönmond, and all the leaks, and Cyryl Dabrowski’s rampage, you can’t be expecting otherwise. Trust is earned.

I had just listed some of the worst event in the Brotherhood’s recent history, and they knew how bad those made them appear.

I was not trying to antagonize them, and actually, more than a few of them were pretty decent people. They tried their best at making a difference. But like any organisation that last for more than a few decades, bureaucracy sets in first. Then there is complacency, some bribing, laws getting more and more convoluted with time, loopholes adding to other loopholes, and people losing the original goal of the organisation, to a more self-serving one.

The Brotherhood was full of idealists, but also of opportunists. Sometimes, it’s even hard to separate them, and to know which is which as they grow more entrenched in their ways. It’s not just the Brotherhood too, plenty of Packs are facing similar issues, especially the old packs, or the big ones. Blakemore is both, and actually, my great-grandfather had to overhaul the whole power structure, even back then, and purge out a lot of rotten apples out of then Blakewoods as things had become dangerously precarious. It’s not uncommon for packs to have to go through a similar situation every few decades or at least centuries, otherwise the packs often fall apart or get taken over by another. And every time our packs have grown, we have to be careful on what foundation we set this up on. I won’t let it fall, not on my watch.

“We have heard that you’re getting involved in another conflict?” said Joffrey. “We also heard you might be adding more packs to Blakemore?” he looked me up his nose. “How many Alphas do you have?

“Thirty-six. A number you already have,” I told him, my voice lowering.

“How many blood-Alpha do you have?” he said, his voice colder.

“I frankly haven’t kept count.

“A hundred?

“If you count the active Alphas and their blood relatives, it shouldn’t be too far from that,” I admitted.

“But you have more. There have been smaller packs that have been fully absorbed. How many Alpha bloodlines are running inside Blakemore?

“I don’t compile this data.

“You see, this, to us, is a red flag. A large pack that goes awry is bad, but a pack with so many Alphas is a lot worse. You don’t have warriors, Alpha Devon, you have an army. How many packs do you think should have to unite against you if you decided to go on a conquering spree? We have enjoyed a good relationship, regardless of this, up to now. But your recent behaviours are particularly worrisome. Blakemore as grown more than 900% in the last decade and a half. Now you want more growth, and refuse to give objects of power to a neutral party. You have to see how concerning this is from our perspective.

I leaned back into my chair and tried to stay diplomatic.

“You have been informed that no pack has been absorbed into Blakemore since its creation, through force. It has existed for more than fifteen years now. Most of the growth you speak of have come since the creation of Blakemore. Those who chose to join since then, did so willingly. Must I stress that the main reason this has occurred as been for protection? Protection which in the past as been the aegis of the Brotherhood. I have personally petitioned for enlarging the military capacity of the Brotherhood, and its reach under various branches, but some feel this unhealthy competition with packs, including mine, and refuses to head my words. And now, the Brotherhood is dealing with too many issues with its hands tied behind its back.

How do you think this makes the smaller packs feel? How do you think the packs that have limited resources, funds, reach, warriors, how do you think they can prepare for what’s to come? If they want their people safe, there are a limited number of choices for them. From changing for better strategical territory, to fuse with another pack. Some packs have gone to great lengths for gaining strength. We are seeing a surge in hostile packs, it has been so for years.

This is not the cause but a mere symptom. Don’t go blaming me for how the times are changing. Like everyone, I’m trying to adapt, but are you?

“I suppose there will be no good in us perpetually throwing the blame at one another,” Joffrey said.

“Obviously not,” I said.

“We will wrap this up before dinner, and may proceed with the inspection tomorrow.

I grinded my teeth.

“Also, I believe congratulations must be in order,” said another brother who was bald and somewhat rotund. “We caught wind of your upcoming wedding. I’m sure the woman who caught your eye must be exceptional.

What have they heard exactly, I thought. If this is some hidden message, I’m going to ask for blood.

“Is she your mate?” he asked. He looked like he was trying for casual conversation to lighten the mood. It didn’t work. I got up off my chair in silence, and stalked out of the room, my people in tow.

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