MATED TO THE SECRET ALPHA
Chapter 70: Brewing Trouble

Chapter 70: Brewing Trouble

Reana and her group departed the Silver Ridge Pack with a sense of accomplishment, their negotiations having yielded a fruitful outcome.

Alpha Julius had agreed to provide her with two thousand skilled workers and three chests overflowing with gold.

His unexpected generosity had shifted Reana’s perception of him; Alpha Julius suddenly didn’t repulse her as much as he had before.

As a token of goodwill, Reana had shared a warning about the impending winter, its dangers and unpredictability. She proposed that Alpha Julius fortify his pack, ensuring their safety during the harsh months ahead.

Though she couldn’t gauge whether he took her warning seriously, Reana felt a sense of satisfaction. By sharing her concern, she had repaid him for his kindness, and that was all that mattered.

Reana had left Delta Tara and the wounded warrior behind in the Silver Ridge Pack. They would depart with the two thousand workers provided by Alpha Julius, returning to the Black Moon Pack to oversee the preparations for the impending winter.

Meanwhile, she and the others were heading to the human village in the boundaries of the north and south to see the human farmer, Orion.

The journey from the Silver Ridge Pack to the human village would typically span five to seven days, but Reana aimed to shorten their travel time. With the troublesome carriage left behind at the Silver Ridge Pack and Mirian also riding a horse, the journey became easier.

"Hyaah!" Mirian yelled, spurring her horse to meet up with the speed of her companions.

The hooves of the horses pounding the earth with a sense of urgency. If they maintained this pace, they could reach the village within three days.

Meanwhile, trouble in the form of Xavier, brewed at the Black Moon Pack.

It was no news that Xavier was an egoistic, proud, and ruthless warrior, but after getting his ass whooped by Zeta Marcus, one would think that he’d lay low, but no, his defeat only fueled his anger and resentment.

Days ago, he found out Mirian, whom he thought could never defy him, had done just that. Not only did the bitch not carry out his bidding, she had fled with the Luna, temporarily escaping the consequences of her actions.

Xavier’s wrath had then turned to Mirian’s family, but his plans for retribution were thwarted by the interference of Zeta Marcus, a refugee, who dared to stand in his way. Marcus had claimed that Mirian’s family was under his protection.

How dare he!?

Xavier’s indignation knew no bounds. Since when did a Zeta, a mere commander, dare to challenge a Delta, a General?

Since when did he, Xavier, a blue-blooded member of the esteemed Black Moon Pack, take orders from a low-life refugee, who had somehow managed to claw his way to the Zeta position?

The very notion was an insult, a slap in the face to his noble heritage and superior standing within the pack. Xavier’s contempt for Zeta Marcus seethed like an open wound, fueling his determination to assert his dominance.

So, he recklessly challenged Zeta Marcus; If he won, Zeta Marcus would relinquish his position as Zeta and become a servant, just like his ’good-for-nothing’ friend, Ryder.

Marcus, on the other hand, wanted something simple; If he won, Xavier would forever leave Mirian’s family in peace, ending the relentless harassment and intimidation they had suffered at his hands.

But all it took were mere minutes before Xavier saw his life flashing before his eyes - he was beaten to stupor.

However, when you think he’d learned his lesson, Xavier doubled-down on his ruthlessness, unleashing his frustration on the workers he was supervising.

And now, he was brought before Beta Thane after his cruelty had left twenty-five workers fighting for their lives.

Xavier stood before Beta Thane, his eyes blazing with defiance, as the Beta’s stern expression seemed to bore into his very soul.

The air was heavy with tension, and after what seemed like forever, the Beta finally spoke, "Are you aware that we’re short of workers and need all hands on deck?" his voice was cold, dripping with authority.

"Since when do we blame people for others’ weaknesses?" Xavier’s retort was laced with venom, his tone dripping with disdain. He sneered, his eyes flashing with defiance, as if daring Beta Thane to punish him.

"You do not show remorse for what you’ve done." The Beta’s gaze bore into Xavier’s, searching for any glimmer of regret or remorse.

But Xavier’s expression remained the same, his eyes flashing with a stubborn refusal to acknowledge his wrongdoing, as his voice dripped with sarcasm, his tone a deliberate provocation. "What are you going to do, Beta Thaaaane?"

Beta Thane’s eyes narrowed, his jaw clenched in a tight, controlled anger. For a moment, the only sound in the hall was the heavy silence.

Suddenly, Beta Thane sighed, his eyes clouded over with disappointment. He had wanted to extend an olive branch, to treat Xavier with the respect due to a former comrade-in-arms, a formidable warrior.

That’s why he had cleared the hall, dismissing the guards and witnesses, hoping to appeal to whatever shred of decency remained in Xavier, to do the right thing - apologize to the victims, settle their families and be more careful with his emotions.

But now, it seemed that Xavier’s bitterness ran far deeper. His resentment wasn’t just about his humiliating defeat in the hands of a Zeta or Mirian’s betrayal – it was personal.

Xavier’s failure to claim the Beta position had left a festering wound, one that still gnawed at his pride. And now, getting judged by someone he felt was beneath him, the same person who took the beta position from him, really stabbed his ego.

To be honest, even Beta Thane knew that Xavier deserved the beta position more than him, as Xavier was stronger than him, and also well vast in politics, more than him, despite his youth. But the Luna’s thoughts could never be predicted, and the beta wasn’t going to feel guilty for something he didn’t orchestrate.

"Someone!" Beta Thane yelled out and a few guards rushed into the hall. "Lock Delta Xavier up in the dungeon, pending when the Luna returns."

"I dare you!" Xavier growled, his claws elongated, eyes blazing as he took a menacing step forward.

The air seemed to vibrate with tension, the guards hesitating for a moment before moving to surround him.

Beta Thane’s expression crumbled. The last thing he wanted was to fight a fellow pack member, considering this was his first time leading on behalf of the Luna.

"Don’t make this harder than it needs to be, Xavier. You’re already in enough trouble," he said, but Xavier was determined to strut out of the hall, a freeman, with his pride and steeze intact, until HE entered the hall...

Xavier’s latest nemesis, the man most people have been singing his praises since two days ago, Zeta Marcus.

"The Beta is right, don’t make it harder than it should, Delta Xavier," Marcus said, his deep voice calm and even, but his eyes gleamed with amusement.

He leaned against the door frame, his arms crossed, as he watched Xavier’s antics with contempt.

Xavier’s eyes narrowed, his gaze locking onto Marcus with a fierce intensity. The air seemed to crackle with tension, the guards pausing uncertainly, unsure what to do.

They knew Xavier. He wasn’t like them low-ranking guards. His father was an elder in the council and his mother was Alpha Killian of the West Wood Pack’s older sister. Xavier was the pride of his family, so the guards were careful not to offend him.

After what seemed like forever, Xavier took a deep breath, "I know my way to the dungeon." With that, he swaggered out, ego bruised.

He’d weighed his options. Knowing he’d be defeated and humiliated again, he decided to submit for the main time. But he would never forget this humiliation. He’d make them all pay.

Meanwhile, in the heart of the forest, the rogue leaders gathered once more...