CONNOR

A good night's sleep can do wonders for your body.

Getting out of the bed, I stretch my muscles, feeling fit and fine as if nothing had happened the day before. I walk into the bathroom for a shower before walking over to the spare cot on which Catrina's sleeping.

She just refused to sleep beside me yesterday, saying that she didn't want to hurt me in her sleep. How do I explain to her that her touch could never cause me pain? Smiling a bit at the memory of her pout, I bend down to kiss her head, and then unable to resist myself, I proceed to land a kiss on her cheek and mouth too.

She moves a bit, so I step back not wanting to wake her up. She was twisting in her sleep, last night, murmuring something and calling mine and Cayden's names. Stroking her cheeks once, I walk into the shower.

"Connor!"

Catrina calls just as I am done, panic evident in her voice so I wrap the towel haphazardly around my wet body and run out of the bathroom to find her sitting on the cot, looking around the room as if searching for me.

Quickly walking over to her, I pull her to me, her heart beating frantically in her chest. I hold her to me until her breathing returns to normal.

"God, you scared me," she whispers, pulling back and looking up at me.

"I was in the shower, baby," I whisper and no longer able to resist myself I bend down to catch her lips in a much-needed kiss. The moment my lips touch hers, she melts in my arms, giving me this feeling of being the King of the Universe.

Unable to control anymore, I devour her mouth, wanting to keep kissing her but she pushes me away due to lack of oxygen, and I have to let go reluctantly.

"How are you today?" she asks, breathing in a lungful of air and my eyes catch the sight of her breasts as they move while she's heaving for air.

"I am all good. Healthy!"

She rolls her eyes at me, making me want to pull her under me but instead, I squeeze her hands, knowing that she's too worried about me.

"Go get showered," I whisper and looking at the smile that lights her face, I know that I made the right decision.

A few minutes later, we both make our way out of our infirmary room and towards her home. I hold Catrina's hand which she entwines in mine, before kissing my jaw, smiling at me shyly.

I suddenly feel ten feet tall!

Knocking on the door, we both hear voices from the inside of the room, so I just push the door, without waiting for anyone to respond to my knock.

Catrina rushes from beside me to her brother who's laying on the couch, with his bandaged shoulder now visible. It's the same one that was injured before when he was in the cavern with Catrina.

"I am so happy to see you up and about."

Hearing Cayden's sarcastic words, I smirk and wave at him when he scowls back at me.

"Have to say. My mate healed me up fast," I say, and watch him growl at my words where Catrina blushes before narrowing her eyes at me. For a moment, I think she's offended but then a small smile graces her lips, relaxing me in my position at the door.

I glance towards Mila, Cayden's new mate who's sitting on the chair on the other side of Cayden, watching the twins interact with each other as if they are meeting after a year and not just a day.

As if feeling my stare, her head jerks up to look at me before she turns away to look back around the room and then down at her lap. Her behaviour confuses me. She's too submissive, unnaturally submissive which makes me think if she's really submissive or pretending to be that.

It's not my business.

"Catrina, do you mind if I go to the meeting?" I ask, wanting her to stay here with Cayden so I don't have to worry about her while Fenris talks about the aftermath.

She smiles at me and then shakes her head. I look over her head at Cayden who's frowning at me.

"You not going to the meeting?" I link Cayden.

"No, it's for all Alphas and elders," he links back and I nod my head, thanking him for the information.

"I'll be back in a few minutes, wait for me here," I say aloud, making sure that Catrina understands to wait for me and not to wander around the school grounds alone. I am not sure how the rogues slipped into the school grounds. I have my doubts but would like to discuss them with Fenris before concluding on them.

Only when Catrina nods her head in agreement with my request do I walk out of her house and into the school's meeting room. Upon reaching there, I find Marcus standing guard outside the office but he signals me to go inside.

Great! Waiting outside would have been a pain in the ass.

Knocking on the door, I alert the people inside before pushing the door open and taking in the crowded room. The room is full of Alphas and their Lunas from all the packs of Recrania with the elders and their mates, of course.

"Good morning, everyone," I say, my voice booming inside the office as I make my way into the empty seat beside Tatiana around the circular table. A chorus of "Good Mornings" is heard while my sister gets up from her seat to hug me, fiercely, her eyes tearing up a bit but I grin at her, showing her that I am fin before we both take our seats.

I turn my head to look at Fenris and Sierra who are sitting at the head of the table with Elder Alarick on the left side of Sierra and Elder Fridolf on the right side of Fenris. Elder Aurora is sitting on the right of Elder Fridolf with Elder Zacharias beside her and his mate beside him on the right side. Zion is sitting to the right of his mother and Tatiana beside him on the right.

I look to my right and smile at Luna Avery who's smiling at me but I glare at Aztec who just nods at me as if knowing the reason for my hostility. The old Alpha of Samara Pack is on the right of Aztec and beside them is Caliana and Lycidas. They are on the opposite of Fenris and Sierra, accompanied by Lycidas's parents who sit beside him and opposite Aztec and Avery.

I look at the empty chair opposite to mine and notice that there are three more empty chairs on the opposite side of me.

"I hope you are doing well, Connor," begins Fenris and I nod at him, taking in his tired face which matches to that of Sierra's.

I sigh before replying, "yes. I am fine."

"We are waiting for my Aunt Nora and her kids. And Dominic," says Fenris and at the mention of Fenris's bloodsucker friend, everyone at the table starts murmuring amongst themselves.

It will take time for people to accept the bloodsucker into our circle. He's my mate's godfather, hence, family.

On cue, the witches drop into the room gracefully causing a few of the females to startle and their mates to growl at such an open display of their skills. Teleporting in a room full of werewolves. I am not sure if this is an act of brevity or stupidity.

"Sorry to scare you all. I am Nora, Alpha King Fenris's maternal aunt and these are my children, Calum and Alcina. Some of you have met me but some haven't. I want to make it clear that my interests lie in Fenris and his pack's well-being," introduces Nora while looking at every male in the eye.

When her eyes land on me, she nods and half-smiles before shifting her gaze beside me to Aztec.

"Why don't you show us that you really are here as a friend and not foe," says Aztec's father, Christopher.

I glance at Fenris to check his reaction. As expected, he's angry while Sierra has a look of disbelief on her face. Her previous pack Alpha is very rigid, I must say, much like my father which automatically puts him on my watch.

I can't take the risk of another greedy Alpha turning rogue and causing havoc. Like my father did.

"Alpha Christopher, I would appreciate it if you listen to your mate before questioning my mother, who is also the Witch of Recrania just like Fenris here is the Wolf of Recrania."

Calum's smug words and the smirk that he passes towards Alpha Christopher causes him to go red in the face while his mate shakes her head a little.

"He can read minds. I request everyone to settle down and if anyone has any questions, I am sure that Nora will answer them all, provided that they are asked politely and not in a mocking attitude," informs Sierra, looking at Alpha Christopher and then at all the Alphas with her brows raised, as if daring them to object.

My wolf also lets a growl but this is from Sierra's side as if he agrees to whatever she says. It's surprising to see that my wolf's agreeing with Sierra whereas there was a time when my wolf didn't like the female much.

When nobody objects to her, Sierra nods and smiles at the witches, waving at them to take their seats. Alcina does but not before hugging the Wolf Queen and whispering something in her ear which causes the she-wolf to blush.

"So, let's begin," says Fenris, looking at Nora first who nods and then at Elder Alarick.

"Elder Alarick, can you please tell us all about your conversation with Conan?" asks Fenris and I watch as the abnormally pale Elder Alarick nods and then looks at me with a sympathetic smile before answering.

"I was in my office when Conan walked in. He was very angry mostly because he was insulted by his own son in a dual for Alpha. He said that the rogue Prince, that's Xanthos, offered him a respectful position if he handed over Catrina and Selene to him."

"WHAT?" I growl, thumping my fist on the table, my anger taking over at the true intentions of my father creeps in on me. Thank the Goddess I killed him.

"Calm, Alpha Connor. Calm," whispers Elder Alarick, making me feel like a pup. Feeling disgruntled now, I nod and wait for him to continue.

"My reaction to Conan was very much similar to that of Alpha Connor," he begins and grins at me and continues, "I made it clear to Conan that he was in the wrong. As an elder, it is my job to reign in a near-feral wolf. I tried that he sees reason but he was beyond that. Lots of bad words were spoken, directed at Fenris, Sierra, Catrina and Connor when I lost my temper.

"The next thing I know is that he stabbed me with a syringe and shifted into his wolf over me. After which he ran away from my office, leaving me half-conscious and unable to link anyone."

Silence follows his words. Everyone is digesting this news of how a fellow Alpha turned rogue for power while I try to swallow the shame that creeps in, knowing that he was none other than my father.

A throat clearing pulls me from my thoughts and I focus on my mother who is trying desperately to keep her tears at bay but a few fall betraying her feelings.

"Alpha Conan deserved death for his deeds. It is good to see Elder Alarick recover from the poisoning. All the credit goes to my aunt Christine who found him in his office in an unconscious form. She used her healing ability and treated him. This also solves the mystery of Elder Ernouf's death," explains Fenris and then looks at me, so I continue.

"Yes, my father was responsible for Elder Ernouf's death. He confessed it when I saved my mate from his hands. He somehow knew that with Elder Alarick missing, I would go to search for him and that's when he came to hurt my mate. To take her to Xanthos. I couldn't find Elder Alarick that's why I returned back and then saw him pulling my mate to the forest. I confronted him and learnt about his misdeeds and then I injured him to the point of unconsciousness."

"He was dead when I found him," adds Fenris confirming that I killed my own father. Should I feel guilty?

Again, silence follows. However, I don't care that these people think bad about me because I killed my father. I would do it a thousand times again if it means saving my loved ones. Because he never really loved me. All he wanted was power and submission.

"You have become truly capable of being an Alpha, Connor. I am proud of you."

The soft yet firm admission causes me to whip my head back at Lycidas's father. He nods at me, and then slowly all the other Alphas too, nod their head. Something funny happens in my chest, especially when the quietest of the Alphas, that is Moon Stone Alpha has given his blessings.

He never actually spoke much, preferring to be a 'listen and then act' kind of a guy.

"Thank you."

This brings a smile to my mom's face. Her eyes still overflowing but this time in happiness and again, I feel ten inches tall for putting that look of pride in my mother's eyes.

Blinking back my own tears, I look around the room and try to focus on what Fenris is saying.

"...Xanthos's death."

"She was the same one whom we found in the cavern. She was bound to chains coated with Lead Silver," says Nora. 

I look at Fenris once to take in his stony face and it's confirmed. The woman that they are talking here about is Fenris's sister and that woman who materialised in between us and Xanthos was indeed her.

"She doesn't know me," he says, trying to keep the emotion out of his voice but it still leaks into his voice. 

Sierra subtly shifts closer, not wanting to show any weakness to these old Alphas, but I understand her need to calm her mate.

It's the same one that I have to soothe my Catrina.

"She doesn't know maybe. I am not sure. The moment we removed those chains from her body, she disappeared. It means that she knows she is a witch and also knows to use her powers. Only time will tell what powers she has and if she's stable enough," whispers Calum and I watch as Alcina shivers in dread.

I don't understand her reaction. My wolf peeks through my mind, confused at the reckless witch princess's fear but shrug it off when Calum notices me taking an interest in his sister.

I do not want to deal with witches. They are quite messy and a hassle that I do not want to step in, especially when I have my own personal life to sort out.

"She's confused. She'll come back. She must have felt the sibling bond with you," whispers Sierra looking up at her mate who nods at her and then looks ahead to address the crowd of Alphas and Elders effectively changing the subject away from his newfound sister's.

"The rogues got into the school territory because of Conan," says Fenris, answering my unasked question. I nod and watch as all other Alphas nod too. It's like a mystery solved. One person set out a chain of events, endangering the heir of our Alpha King and his pack.

"I am going to destroy that castle and the debris surrounding it. I am formally taking that territory, the previous Crimson Shadow Land under my control and expect everyone's approval," declares Fenris.

I thump on the table twice to show my complete support, which is followed by Alpha Lycidas and Alpha Zion's agreement. Alpha Aztec too thumps on the table twice, though his father maintains a neutral expression.

Curbing the urge to roll my eyes, I focus my attention on Fenris who finalises the work with Alpha Zion since he's more skilled in this construction business.

"Meeting Dismissed," Fenris calls and gets up, nodding at all the Alphas before walking out of the room, following behind his mate. They both look in a hurry, no doubt because of their daughter.

Whichreminds me of my own soon-to-be daughter. 

Time to finalise some things, no?

~~~~~

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