Chapter 619
Chapter 0619
Then, an issue arose that I had some knowledge about.
Without thinking, I spoke up with a quick response, offering a solution to the problem at hand.
"If I may," I said, "I believe that the matter could be resolved with a simple treatise. The Silverfangs and the Evenwinds could split the land 50/50 and share the profits of the logging business. In five years, reconvene to reassess."
The room fell silent. The other Alphas turned to me, their expressions a mix of surprise and curiosity. I suddenly felt as though I had said something wrong, and shifted uncomfortably in my seat, wondering if I should have just kept my mouth shut.
But then, Aldric nodded in approval, and it felt like a weight was lifted off my shoulders. Maybe I could contribute here, after all.
One of the Alphas, an older woman with a stern demeanor, leaned forward and asked, "Enzo, I must ask... Have you taken over your father's pack since his passing? You seem so experienced for such a young man."
I hesitated for a moment, remembering the scattered remnants of my father's pack and the treachery that had led to its downfall. "No," I replied cautiously. "My father's pack disbanded due to betrayal."
A collective sense of sorrow filled the room, and the Alphas exchanged somber looks. It was clear that my father had been respected among them.
*Then, who leads your pack now?" another Alpha inquired.
I hesitated, unsure of how they would react to the truth. "I lead my own pack in the human realm, known as the New Peacekeepers," I admitted.
Laughter erupted among the Alphas, and I felt my cheeks redden with embarrassment. It wasn't the response had expected.
As the meeting continued, I stayed mostly silent, feeling as thought it would have been best for me to stay silent. I wasn't sure why they had laughed at the mention of my pack, but it ate away at me for the remainder of the meeting.
When the meeting finally concluded, the other Alphas filed out, leaving Aldric and I alone in the chamber. Finally, I couldn't hold it in anymore.
"Why did they laugh?" I asked, furrowing my brow. "Did I say something wrong?"
Nina's father sighed and leaned back in his chair. "Enzo," he said slowly, "I'm very sorry to say this, but a pack such as yours won't be taken seriously here."
My eyebrows knit together even further, and my frown deepened. "What are you saying?"
Aldric paused. Then, standing, he crossed over to a side table where crystal bottles full of dark amber liquid sat. He opened one and poured it into two glasses. When he handed one of the glasses to me, the scent of whiskey hit my nostrils immediately.
*Your father sat where you sit now," he said, gesturing to my seat before taking a sip of his whiskey. "Right beside me."
As he spoke, my eyes widened. "Really?" I asked. "Aldric, I had no idea."
He nodded. "He was one of my most trusted associates," he said. "When we had our falling out, I was devastated. When he died, I..." His voice trailed off, but he didn't need to continue. We both knew how painful it had been. How painful it still was.
"I suppose, what I'm trying to say," he said, "is that you have large shoes to fill, my boy. And it will be quite a while before you grow to their size."
"But my pack," I said quietly. "Why won't they be taken seriously? I mean, we're a force to be reckoned with. We fought of the Crescents-"
*Indeed you did, for a time," Aldric said. "But these other Alphas have seen their fair share of wars. To them, a pack is so much more than a tight-knit group of friends. It's a business, an army, and a bloodline all at once. And your pack, Enzo, is nothing but a whisper in the wind to them. A candle that could be snuffed out at any moment. Not a pack, but rather a dream."
"And what's wrong with a dream?" I asked.
"Nothing." Aldric paused, and he took another sip of his whiskey. I followed suit with mine, not wanting to be rude. "There's nothing wrong with a dream, Enzo. But perhaps, when dining with the masters of dreams, it's best to hold onto your dream until it becomes reality,"All content is © N0velDrama.Org.
His words left me feeling weak. Aldric was right; the New Peacekeepers were so new, so fresh, so fragile. Perhaps we really were nothing to these Alphas.
Perhaps we would always be nothing.