Chapter 397 Getting rid of the enemies
Sebastian turned everything of Nick’s upside down with his men until he had gotten the names of every single spy his cousin had planted in his pack. When he read the list, his silver eyes turned dark with ironic mockery, and he let out a bland chuckle that sent shivers down the spines of everyone present, making them instinctively bow down to him in submission as his aura flared out like icy waves.
His warriors and betas, who had been working alongside him until past midnight and were already dying of exhaustion, watched as he crumpled the tablet holding the list in his hand the way one would crumple a sheet of paper. His silver eyes looked darker, appearing almost black from a distance. He was furious, and it looked like there was no hope of any of them retiring for the night or returning to their partners in bed.
He flung the broken tablet across the wall before ordering one of the betas, who served as an assistant to Matt, “Gather all the elders in the hall.” His voice was menacingly low as he walked past the men, who looked concerned, since it was past midnight and the elders might have their heads for being summoned at this hour.
Everyone knew the elders liked to consider themselves mighty, mighty enough to believe they were untouchable by anyone but the Alpha. Many suddenly wished Matt were there, since the elders respected him more than they did the others, but he had led the team searching outside Silver.
••••
On the floor where the elders resided, the betas and warriors went one by one, calling out the elders within the building and phoning those who had gone home to stay with their families. Among those in the High Tower building was Elder Halvrek, who was already in bed trying to make himself sleep and not worry about what the hell Nick was up to and why he wasn’t answering his mind-link.
Elder Halvrek had worked for Nick for years, ever since the boy had displayed extraordinary strength to him and asked him to be his ally, promising that Halvrek would remain an elder forever, and that once he took the seat, he would be made head elder rather than Elder Natasha, who wasn’t only a female warrior once before, but also a Serrano enemy, since their families had fought for generations over the head elder seat.
Natasha had been given the seat by the late Alpha for her so called bravery and loyalty, and Elder Halvrek had been cast aside as an ordinary elder because he lacked enough influence.
The late Alpha had betrayed him by giving that seat away to “the skimpy bitch,” and Elder Halvrek had been angry ever since, which was why his loyalty had been so easily bought by Nick, for Sebastian was just like his father, who had cast his opportunity aside. Had Sebastian given his niece a chance, had he picked Laila, Elder Halvrek would have given anything to make sure Sebastian never lost a hair on his body.
Elder Halvrek thought about this as he got out of bed and reached for his phone to call his useless niece, wanting to hear what she had been up to so far, and whether she had caught herself another big fish at the ceremony in Grim Pack she’d attended. However, just as he began dialing her number, his door buzzed, and a loud knock vibrated through his room.
Elder Halvrek put the phone down in annoyance. Who the hell was disturbing him at this time of night? He thought as he walked to the door, opened it, and was met with one of the Supreme Alpha’s assistant betas.
“You must be truly ready to die, disturbing my sleep with your rude knocking. I could have your head for it, beta Lion.” The elder gritted out irritably, until the beta bowed his head and announced, “My apologies. The Supreme Alpha summons all the elders to the front hall.”
Elder Halvrek’s eyes narrowed. “For what reason at this time of the night?”
Beta Lion bowed. “We weren’t told the reason, sir. You are requested to proceed to the meeting room in the front hall.”
Before the elder could ask for more information about what had prompted this strange meeting in the middle of a bloody night, the Beta had already walked away after
delivering the message.
Why were they being summoned? He had heard that Nick was wanted, could it be that the son of a bitch had implicated him in his evil plans, when Elder Halvrek had done nothing but pass along the occasional inside message?
Elder Halvrek’s first instinct was to find an escape, but the moment he stepped out of his floor’s elevator into the lobby area, he noticed bulky pack warriors stationed in front of every single door leading outdoors, some of them escorting the other elders to the meeting hall while keeping a respectful distance.
Many of the elders looked annoyed at being disturbed, but they obeyed the command and walked.
“What does the Supreme Alpha want that couldn’t have waited until morning?” came the complaints of several elders who didn’t know what was happening, though Elder Halvrek and his partners in crime could already sense it and exchanged anxious looks but remained composed.
When they entered the hall, the Supreme Alpha was already seated at the head of the table, a pen rolling casually between his fingers. However, his expression was murderous enough to make them all bow to him in respect before making their way to their seats.
“Nobody sits. I want you all standing.” Came his calm voice as he regarded them carefully.
The Head Elder, Natasha, looked at the Supreme Alpha in confusion, as he had never spoken to them in such a tone unless they had done something unreasonable.
“What has warranted this meeting, Supreme Alpha? Are we under attack or in danger?”
“Some of you are about to be,” he deadpanned before sweeping his gaze across all of them.
“As you all know, I have been the target of assassination attempts time and time again by an unknown enemy, one who succeeded in shooting my sister years ago. The culprit’s identity has finally been revealed, and along with it, the names of some of you who have been working for him.”
Murmuring broke out among the elders, who exchanged glances. The innocent ones wondered who among them had been working with an enemy, while the guilty ones pretended to be clueless as they began to sweat under the Alpha’s gaze.
“Are you certain of this, Supreme Alpha?” Elder Natasha asked, knowing that elders were meant to be loyal to their Alpha and support him in his reign, and not thinking anyone foolish enough to work for the enemy. “It might be a grave misunderstanding.”
“Yes, I agree with Natasha.” Elder Halvrek chimed in, supporting a woman he had never once backed and had always opposed, and everyone turned to him in surprise. He barked at them, “What?! Natasha is finally making sense, and you’re all looking at me as if—”
“Yes, she is finally making sense, when she hasn’t made sense to you in more than fifty years, Elder Halvrek. Is it because you’re guilty of something?” Sebastian asked, tilting his head to the side. This old fart had been Nick’s informant in everything, and because of them, he had nearly lost not only his sister but his wife and his own life to the last assassination attempt.