James' POV

With everything going on, and the threats we could no longer manage, Cody, Zee, Alex and the Commanders agreed to take the matters to the Elder Council.

It's been a week since the last meeting, and the Elders are already trying to plan Cody and I's Coming of Power Ceremony. Cody told me he felt uneasy trying to plan something so important in the face of so much uncertainty, and it's hard to explain that to the Council without explaining everything.

It wasn't something that I wanted to do, but I also understand that this is growing beyond our control and management. Plus, I can't dispatch the Autumn Warriors without permission from the Elders, so sooner or later, the conversation has to be had. As I get ready in the Alpha suite, doing my best to remember how to tie a tie, I try to calm my nerves that leave my hands shaking like leaves.

Cody is in Zee's office getting a refreshment of all the Councilmembers, giving him all the key details so he understands what's going on.

I find myself selfishly wishing that I had asked him or Jessie to stay with me, frustration over the complicated choking hazard overwhelming me as I rip the offensive garment off and throw it onto the ground with an annoyed growl.

"Something told me to come check on you. Always falling apart." I hear from behind me, and I can't help the chuckle that Alex always manages to pull out of me.

"Whatever, asshole, we both know you're the one that freezes under pressure." I point out, deciding that the collared shirt option works better than the button down monkey suit anyway.

Alex scoffs, rolling his eyes as he pushes me out of the way of my own mirror just to flex. I shake my head as I laugh, but I don't fail to notice the way he always knows how to help me relax and lighten up when I take things and sometimes even myself too seriously. He's my best friend, my Beta, and after growing up alone and shunning Sloan for a few years, Alex has always been like a brother. And maybe it's that reminder, or the way he came to check on me that I feel compelled to say;

"Hey, you're going to meet your Mate, soon. Don't give up, okay?" I tell him earnestly, not just because in my gut I believe it, but because I pray that one day Alex will be able to experience even a tenth of the joy that was stolen from him.

For a second he pauses, and it almost seems like his eyes are misting up before he's laughing, rolling his eyes at me as he mocks me. "Meh, I'm James and I think everyone's jealous of me because I'm whipped." He teases in a high pitched voice. I laugh and we continue to give each other shit as I finish getting ready and the two of us head down stairs, but I know that he heard me before and that it meant a lot.

'Cody, baby, Alex and I are heading to you.' I let him know, the excitement and comfort of being able to reach Cody so intimately, still fresh.

When we reach the second floor, Cody and Zee are already going out of the office, Charlotte behind them. As much as I would love to have them here, my Commanders aren't allowed in the meeting, only Head Warrior Jeffery is permitted.

While he's only older than me by five years, Jeffery and I never had much contact with each other. All I know is that he was handpicked by my dad after Cody's father died, at the youngest recorded age of eighteen, to be the Head Warrior of the pack. The council voted him in and that was that. Whether it was to protect himself or to keep his grip on me absolute, my father wanted to do all of my training himself. I hardly new any of the other commanders before I picked my own, chosen from the highest ranking wolves with the best scores.

But I have yet to truly talk to the man.

And I'm not sure I really want to.

Guilty by association and all that.

We finally reach the door to the conference room, but Zee shakes her head as Cody reaches for my arms and I hold him into my side, granting his forehead a kiss. "Hey, bean." I whisper and he says hi back as Zee fills us in on more news.

"I just got a call a few minutes ago. The meeting won't be here. It'll be in their Dome." She tells me, and goosebumps raise on my arms. The Elder Dome in theory is a nice place. It's a dome like building that has studio or one bedroom apartments for the elders, a live in chef, personal offices, and of course, their Chambers. What most people forget is that when Elders die, their bodies are buried inside the walls and floors of the dome. If you manage to look hard enough you can still see skeletons manipulated to hugging their deceased family for all to see.

Cody doesn't seem to understand the grim air that falls with the announcement, and I shake my head when he turns for explanation, knowing nothing can explain nor prepare him for the unnatural creepy air that settles in to ur lungs.

The four of us make it outside, rounding the Pack House along the trail with summer flowers blossoming along the sides. We enter the Village of shops, market stands and restaurants, passing all of them to head towards the center of the haphazard circle. There's a large expanse of grass and a few trees but what takes up more than half of the space is the Elder Dome.

Grey and brown adorn the Dome, the doors embellished in the Vollmond crest, the large paw with a halo in the middle a nod to our loyalty to Vilin and Celeste.

The door opens easily, and I find four Warriors lining the hallway inside, a decent one way window spell in effect along the wall, allowing the guards to see out, though no one can see in. One of the guards peels off to escort us through twisting halls towards the Elder Chambers. I try not to pay attention, but try as I might, I can't ignore the brittle white bones of dead wolves whose crumbled bone crunches under every other step.

From the way Cody's shoulders are hung, like he's trying to make himself disappear, I can tell he's not having the best of fun either.

Finally after way too long in a haunted and dead maze of barely lit halls, we arrive at two grand doors with similar engraving on them to the one in the front. The gaurd knocks on the doors and after a moment there's a call for us to enter.

My palms are sweating massively, something abouit this whole event reminding me eerily of the time Lord Azrin and his Master had gone to appeal to their own council.

I pray to Celeste that our encounter won't go the same.

We enter into a large room, finding ourselves at the bottom, of a very tall room. In the shape of a semi circle there are four rows of long benches, lined with seats and people sitting in them. The Elders. Just from a quick glance there's no one here's that's less than forty years old. Except for one, actually.

In the first row of raised benches, there's an extra chair on the first row, similar in size to the one that Walter Montgomery sits in, and from the plaque that's on the empty seat, I can tell it's for the Alpha. But this time, the Alpha is on the floor.

Walter Montgomery was a close friend of my dads, and is the Head Council-member here in Autumn Falls. I don't know how he feels about Sloan kicking out his friend, but I sincerely hope it'll be a non-factor.

The room full of whispers soon settles down, and so turn to see both Charlotte and Jeffery fall in line with the rest of my team behind me, Cody standing just off to my right.

While I know only some by name, I've been around these people my entire lives, their judgment and eyes on me like hawks, ensuring that I don't become the failure my father was convinced I would. I take a deep breath to attempt to calm my shot nerves, knowing every wolf the room can smell the stress on me. Walter begins to speak, and his no nonsense monotone voice echos loudly off the walls and ceiling.

"We are gathered here this afternoon because the Alpha claims to have information that we, the Elder Council, do not about Vollmond." He explains, though you can practically hear the eye roll in his voice.

Though others aren't so subtle, speaking up before I can start. An older women with cocoa brown skin and silky grey hair sneers at me in distain as she speaks her mind. "Hmph, why should I let some pup try to tell me I don't know something. as if we haven't held these positions for as long as he's been alive." She scoffs, clearly offended and I have to stop myself from retorting with a fresh fuck you that will most certainly get me banished. Her tag reads 'Brenda C. Brown' and I can tell she's going to be a pain in the ass to deal with.

"Now, now Amelia. Let Alpha James speak. He's a lot more involved with the world. It would do us some good to be well informed of anything we may be missing." Calls out another, this woman a lot younger and nicer looking than Brenda.

Finally there's silence, and I gather all of the courage I have to speak. "Good afternoon, Elder Council and thank you for meeting us. As I'm sure you know, there's been a rise in crime in the pack, ranging from destruction of property and theft to sexual assault and murder. Not only have we had three murder victims in a month, but all essential personnel to the pack has had their homes broken into and gone through. We fear that there might not just be a murderer on the loose, we think there's a spy helping them. We have some theories as to who, but we need more information. My commanders found a Witch within our borders, in Rogue territory, and there's have been threats left in blood at the scene of the murder, warning of vengeance and demanding keys. We weren't sure at first, but after talking to a few others, we believe that we may just be looking at another Daemon War on our hands." I finish my very summed up information, and wait for something, anything, and after a beat of silence, the room erupts.

There's so many voices talking at me too loudly and quickly for me to understand anything, but thankfully after a sharp growl, a little more dominance than usual leaking into the act until everyone is quiet again, though the unrest and discontent is almost palpable.

Starting with the first row, already regretting my agreement to come and talk to the Elders, I nod towards an older gentlemen with smattering of grey hair who's curious eyes call out to me.

"We did know of the murders, though we hadn't heard of the messages nor of everyone's homes being broken into. I'm not familiar with the key that you're in search of, though I am curious as to who you were referring to when you claimed that you spoke to a 'few others.'" Apparently the rest of the elders want the same, because no one speaks over the man or interrupts with their own question, they all watch me, with curiosity, distain or distrust, all of them waiting for my answer.

"I have met with the Winter Moon Pack, the Crown Princess and Princess of Melamar and Lords of House of Mind and Earth." I answer honestly, and their reactions are even worse than I expected.

"Celeste save our souls." Calls out another council member in distress, a middle aged woman sitting on the left end of the second row, fanning herself dramatically.

"You have put our entire pack in danger, you damned fool. It wasn't enough that you talked to Winter Moon behind our back. It's been years since we've even been on speaking terms. And for you to take our weaknesses and information to the Faeries is unforgivable." Calls out another, this time from a man who's tag identifies him as Vince Johnson.

Though I don't know why I even pay attention since I'll forget the name almost as soon as I read it.

Trying to reign in the absolute anger that rolls through me at their blatant incompetence and ignorance, I continue to explain.

"Those in Melamar and in Winter Moon have suffered similar issues and crimes. They, too, are trying to get to the bottom of this and figure out what the hell is going on. All of us are being attack by the same person or people. And I worry that next time, it won't just be an innocent couple that gets killed to forge our hand. A hand we don't even have. What we need to do is discuss this 'key' the note mentioned and discuss ways we can prepare for an emergency, or even a war if it comes down to it." I tell them, trying not to plead, but starting to feel helpless.

"I don't care what the hell those Faeries have going on. You and your Luna need to do as your told and stop taking things into your own hands. We've already seen that the Luna can't protect his own family, we're making a fool of ourselves if we believe he could take care of our pack." The older lady at the end of the second row speaks up again, her sneer personal and directed straight at Cody.

"She's right. We all know Omegas are good for nothing flea bags that can't pull their own weight. I don't care what people say, there's nothing you can do to change that. And we're not just going to start preparing for a war or anything for that matter, just because you have a hunch and you said so." Vince says, spitting on the ground in disgust.

"We agreed we would hear him out, but all you are doing is arguing and trying to shame him into doing whatever you say. It's disgusting." To my surprise, it's another council member that speaks, a eerily familiar looking woman in her early thirties, her brow raised as if a challenge.

When I read her name tag I almost have a heart attack. Amelia Janine Autumn. The last descendent of the founder of the Autumn Falls back, one of two twin brothers that settles in Vollmond.

We've been learning about their incredible lineage at school, and it feels surreal to have her advocating for me to speak.

"What a disrespectful, self entitled group of fucking pups. You are babies compared to the knowledge and experience that we have, all of you combinged wouldn't dare to compete with one of us. So please, keep your fancy titles of you want, but go back to playing House in Zyndall's office while we Elders actually take care of the pack." I turn and see a smug bastard in the third row that I recognize as one of my father and Walter's friends, Samuel Parish, the condescending asshole finally sending me patience over the edge.

"Let's get one thing fucking straight." I don't raise my voice, I don't have to, my tone sharpens, and I force my dominance into my voice, making it weight down on their souls with every word as I remind them of a few key things. "I am the Alpha of this pack. You walking corpses are going off of information so outdated, it was probably sourced before I was born. You're negligence and ignorance is going to lead this town to massacre and ruin. So either you submit to your Alpha, and ask which cliff when I say jump, or I banish every single one of you that has an issue and start this Council from scratch. I'm sure the Rouges would be more than happy to see the people responsible for their banishment." I threaten cooly, my voice never raising as I assess the shallow callous assholes that are supposed to be pillars of compassion and wisdom. While there's some scorned faces full of anger and growing resentment, no one dares to voice another unwelcome opinion. "Now, here's what's going to happen."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Okay the meeting goes on but the chapter picks up afterwards with a nice little summary. The story is almost at its climax. The beginning of the end is here!

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