05. Underaged and chaotic

"Let's just gut him and call it a day."

The morning was crisp and bright. The scent of coffee and tea filled the kitchen, and the inner circle was discussing strategy.

Vincent was beaming with pride at the suggestion he'd just delivered.

"We could also take over his pack," His grin turned devilish "Or— ow!"

Victoria whacked him on the back of his head "Stop with the evil thoughts, Viny."

"Don't call me that." Vincent crinkled his nose

"As surprising as it is," Tyler said "I agree with Vincent."

Victoria gaped at him, clearly exasperated. Ethan turned to look at his beta, waiting.

"How long can we stay defensive?" Tyler said "If we simply keep stopping him, he just grows resentful and attacks again. It's a never ending cycle."

"My point exactly." Vincent nodded somberly

"Then what?" Victoria sharply raised a brow "Do you think we can just get away with murder? Half the Supreme Council is waiting for an opportunity to have Ethan hanged."

Vincent opened his mouth to counter the argument, but Ethan beat him to it.

"We're not going to kill Lyon." He said, giving Vincent a look when he started to protest "For now, we will try to gain Alpha Texan's support. Alpha Jax is already on our side. Then do the impossible and try to gain Alpha Supreme's trust. If Lyon still comes for us, then we gut him."

"Works for me," Vincent shrugged, Victoria nodded, and Tyler murmured his approval

"A meeting for land distribution of uncharted territory is coming up," Ethan said "Alpha Supreme would send an invitation soon. I'd like to meet Alpha Texan before that. Tyler, could you arrange a meeting?"

His question was met with silence.

Ethan looked over at Tyler, and to his surprise, his beta was looking at the table, his eyes distant.

"Tyler," Victoria touched his arm, he jerked, eyes snapping to her "Are you alright?"

"Yes, fine." Tyler said, his tone calm as ever

Vincent and Ethan exchanged a look.

"I asked if you could arrange a meeting with Alpha Texan in a day or two," Ethan said, watching him carefully

"Of course," Tyler nodded "It would be done. Is that all?"

Ethan nodded, and his Beta excused himself, leaving the rest of the inner circle confused. Over the last four years, Ethan had always seen Tyler composed and alert.

"I'll go check on him," Victoria grabbed her white coat from the back of her chair and went after him

"Did something happen in the morning?" Ethan turned to his Gamma

Vincent shook his head, looking where Tyler and Victoria had gone "Nothing I know of."

…

Alpha Texan's pack was perfect.

From the streets and lanes and fences that said private property. Everything was arranged. There were parks, there were clubs, there were pet adoption centers.

"Thank you for having us on such short notice, Alpha," Ethan said, sitting across the older Alpha in the car "We appreciate it."

"The pleasure is mine, Ethan." Alpha Texan said "If anything, it was a surprising request. You're hardly social."

"Its rather awkward when half the members of the Supreme Council want to kill me." Ethan leaned back in his seat

"Our Alpha is exceptionally good at pissing people off." Vincent said cheerfully "One of his many talents."

"As you can see, my inner circle is highly supportive."

Alpha Texan tried and failed to smolder a smile "I'm sure."

That was why he liked Alpha Texan. He was a simple man who didn't seem to mind that Ethan's whole inner circle was supposedly underage and slightly chaotic.

The car stopped in front of what must be Alpha Texan's own house, from the size of it.

It was simple two storey building, with touches of marble and glass. The guards let them in with short bows to their Alpha.

Alpha Texan led them inside what seemed to be an office. He stopped as they crossed the threshold. Ethan figured out the reason a moment later.

He'd met Luna Delilah a few times before, at meetings of the supreme Council. She was a short, plum woman, deceptively delicate.

She pinched his cheeks with enough strength to bruise.

Lycans often forgot their own strength.

"Its so good to see you, you little rogue!" She beamed, finally letting go of Ethan's face "I thought Rykas was kidding when he said you were coming. You really need to go out more."

"I'm not sure if that's a compliment or jibe, Luna." Ethan said seriously

She lit up at that "Both. Call me Delilah, I look your age."

Luna Delilah turned her eyes to Vincent, and recognized him quickly, considering that his cheeks got pinched next. Then her gaze landed on Victoria, and stayed.

She glanced at Ethan, then back at Victoria.

Luna Delilah caught Victoria's hands in hers "It's a pleasure to meet you, darling. Congratulations!"

Victoria stared at her, eyes wide "Uh, ma'am—

"Hush now, you don't need to be formal with me!" Luna grinned, eyes crinkled "We Lunas have to be friends with each other."

"Oh no," Victoria shook her head, mortified nearly as much as Ethan "No, no, no! I'm not Ethan's mate!"

Alpha Texan snickered, Luna Delilah blinked, her smile dropped. She looked at her mate, clearly for an explanation.

"This is Victoria Davenport," Ethan told her "The coordinator of pack affairs, and a skilled healer. You two haven't had a chance to meet before."

Luna Delilah grimaced "My apologies. I guess I jumped to the conclusion of this meeting."

Ethan matched her expression. He made a note to arrange a schedule for interpack meeting.

"Make yourselves at home," Alpha Texan said "The rest of my family will be here shortly."

Light conversation followed along with coffee and tea.

Ethan had just poured himself a third cup of coffee— much to Victoria's obvious silent disapproval— when the door knocked, and two people followed, with faces blank enough to give Tyler a run for his money.

"Ashlyn and Austin," Alpha Texan introduced, as Ethan's inner circle stood to greet them "My eldest children."

"Alpha Parks." Austin shook Ethan's hand "I've heard great things about you."

"I'm sure," Ethan said "I hear I'm a subject of interest around here these days."

Alpha Texan coughed, Austin cracked a smile. He was perhaps, two or three years older than Ethan, as was the custom. New Alpha's took charge in their early or mid twenties.

"You must've expected as much," Ashlyn's voice was cold "Discretion leads to suspicion."

She looked like her mother, with raven hair, but grey eyes so cold Ethan was surprised he hadn't frozen on the spot.

"You flatter me, my lady," Ethan took her hand, and though she was a head shorter than her brother, her grip was twice as strong

"Do I?" She raised a groomed brow

She let go of his hand once she was sure she'd broken a few bones. Ethan suddenly found himself rooting for Austin as the new Alpha.

Austin exchanged polite greetings with Vincent and Victoria. Ashlyn regarded Victoria curiously, then jerked a nod of acknowledgment. Then she turned her eyes on Vincent.

And the temperature of the room dropped by fifty degrees.

The Alpha's daughter narrowed her eyes a notch. Vincent did the same. Both of them regarded each other like the enemy.

"Vincent Davenport," Ashlyn voice, if possible, was colder than before "The rogue Gamma."

It wasn't a question, but Vincent raised his chin, stone faced "Why, thank you."

Any amiability in the air was now dead and withering. Ethan put his hands in his pockets, and turned to Alpha Texan, waiting.

They didn't need his support that bad.

Alpha Texan cleared his throat "Ashlyn is the one incharge of training the warriors in our pack."

"How interesting," Ethan sat back down, Victoria tugged at her twin to do the same

Austin also nudged Ashlyn, and she finally broke the death glare she'd pinned to Vincent's face. Competiveness was itched on every angle of her face.

"Well," Luna Delilah said brightly, looking at her children "Where's your sister?"

As if on cue, the door knocked, and the next moment someone familiar shuffled inside.

"I'm sorry! I got stuck in traffic and—

She cut herself off when she saw the people standing in the room, stopping like a deer in front of head lights.

Alpha Texan went over to her and put a hand on her shoulder.

"Alpha Parks," He said "May I introduce you to my youngest daughter, Roselyn Texan."

Ethan nodded in greeting, a voluptuous smile curled at his mouth.

"Pleasure to make your acquaintance, Ms. Roselyn."

…

Dinner was… interesting.

If Ethan ignored the way Ashlyn and Vincent glared at each other, or how Roselyn looked like she wanted to disappear in her chair, he'd have found the food good.

At least the Alpha and Luna were entirely amicable to his suggestions of increasing investments in his construction company.

At the other end of the table, Austin and Victoria were engaged in a conversation about being the sane twin.

"How about a match?"

The light chatter disappeared around the table.

Ashlyn was dead serious.

Vincent, Ethan warned through the link, hopping to stop his Gamma from immediately fighting someone.

"If you allow, Alpha," Vincent didn't look away from her

Alpha Texan looked at Ethan, but he waved a hand to let the older man decide. Maybe it was best for them to solve it with their fists.

"Well, then," Alpha Texan cleared his throat "The training rooms are free. Be careful, both of you."

"I think I'll come along," Austin started to rise from his seat

"No," Ashlyn shot him a look "You're not going to change my mind. Don't bother."

Austin sat back down.

Ethan had a very clear idea of who was going to inherit the Alpha position and who would be the beta.

He sent a prayer above.

"We should retire for the evening too," Ethan stood, nodded at the Alpha and Luna "If you'll excuse us."

They left the dinning room, and Victoria let out a long breath.

"She's going to kill him." She deadpanned

"Vincent can hold his own," Ethan said "But Ashlyn looked murderous. Maybe we should check on them in a while."

"Agreed."

"So," Ethan asked, dropping his voice "Did you talk to Tyler?"

Tension seeped in her shoulders, but Tory kept her eyes ahead "He said he didn't sleep well."

"Tyler doesn't sleep."

"I know."

Ethan furrowed his brows. He knew he couldn't make Tyler confess to anything if the beta didn't want to tell him. If even Victoria couldn't get through him…

"Alpha Ethan!"

Both of them turned to find Roselyn rushing up to him. She stopped just a foot from them, breathing heavy.

"I need to talk to you for a moment." She said, glancing at Victoria

Victoria raised a brow, but nodded at Ethan "I'll check on Vincent in a while."

She turned on her heel and walked over to where they were told the guest wing was. Ethan turned to Roselyn again.

"I'm listening, my lady." He put his hands in his pockets

Roselyn kept her eyes on him for a moment "Walk with me."

Without waiting for any answer, she started walking. Ethan's brows raised, but he followed her quick strides to the gardens.

Once there, she spun around and crossed her arms over her chest.

"Did you know?" She asked "Who I was when we met?"

Ethan shook his head "I only knew what you told me."

She let out a breath, the stiffness in her frame escaped. It occurred to him that she'd thought he'd pulled a practical joke on her.

"Thank moon," Roselyn said, looking up "I thought I got screwed over."

"My apologies you felt that way."

"It's alright. But you really should've told me," Roselyn cast him a look from the corner of her eye. She shook her head "God, I completely embarrassed myself in front of you, didn't I?"

"I didn't know we'd be meeting again." Ethan said, and regretted it instantly after

Roselyn narrowed her eyes at him "So you never intended to tell me even though you said we'll meet again?"

He opened his mouth to say something but she beat him to it "Forget I said that. You had no reason to tell me anyway."

Ethan sighed "It wasn't personal, Roselyn. As the Alpha of a pack, I can't risk revealing that sort of information to anyone." He turned to face her "In any case, I really enjoyed your company."

"I said the stupidest possible thing." Roselyn said sheepishly

Ethan flashed her a quicksilver smile "It was one of the more flattering rumors I've heard about myself."

She chuckled, and continued walking. Their breaths clouded as it got colder, leaves crunched under their feet as they took another round of the garden.

Then Roselyn bumped her shoulder to Ethan's "You're not at all like they say you are."

Ethan raised his brows "Seductive?"

Roselyn rolled her eyes, but the upward curve of her mouth betrayed the expression "A liar. Thief. Manipulator. All that standard stuff."

The smile that had tugged on his lips slipped away "And how do you know I'm not all that?"

Roselyn raised an eyebrow. Ethan tucked his hands in the pockets of his coat.

"You've known me for less than a week," He said "How can you say the rumors aren't true?"

Roselyn crossed her arms "I trust my instinct. And its telling me you're not a threat."

Ethan turned his eyes skyward, where stars winked on the night sky "Just because I'm not a threat to you, does not mean I am harmless."

There were so many memories swirling in his head, it was difficult to pick one apart from the other. He was used to their weight by now, so much so that it wasn't even an inconvenience.

"Please," Roselyn said, bring him back in the present "Don't tell me what I have to see you as. My own eyes, and my own judgment would suffice."

She leveled him with a peculiar look, one he couldn't place. Something in his chest ached. Ethan only managed a small smile before he had to look away and suggested they go back inside.

Roselyn accompanied him to the guest's wing and she bid him good night.

"It was fun talking to you," She said, sticking out a hand "We should hang out more often."

"If you don't decide you believe the rumor's afterall," Ethan took her hand

Pain crawled up his fingers, up his arm, burning over the skin. It was all he could do not to flinch and pull back.

"Then we'll be meeting soon," Roselyn said, unperturbed

She let go of his hand and walked away. Before he could blink, Ethan was leaning against the closed door of his room, trying to calm his suddenly frantic pulse.

Every muscle fiber in his body throbbed with pain, his stomach lurched, and bile rose to his mouth. He was going to throw up his dinner.

He stumbled to the bathroom, and frantically splashed water on his face.

Scorching pain built up at the back of his head and neck. He gripped the faucet with both hands. Everything came in and out of focus.

Somewhere in his head, a thought came up.

Not my mate. Not my mate. Not my mate.

And everything stilled.

The pain. The lurching. The dizziness.

Ethan could feel the air flee his lungs.

No, his eyes snapped to the mirror, the ocean blue darkened. No.

He flinched, stumbled back, hitting the opposite wall. A new ache started forming at the back of his head.

Mate. Mate. Mate.

Ethan pushed his hair back, his forehead beaded with cold sweat. He tried to focus on a spot on the floor, forcefully pushing everything else aside. Breathe in. breathe out.

He repeated until the words were automatic.

The noise in his head quieted to a weight, pain radiated to the back of his neck, his shoulders. He was suddenly bone tired, exhausted enough to sleep for years.

Every fiber in his being was yearning for something physically impossible.

Ethan pressed his eyes shut, trying to keep those instincts at bay. Opening his mouth took more effort than lifting a weight.

"Stop thinking about this," His voice echoed in the silence, in his head "There's no point in thinking about this."

He took a deep breath, his throat closed around the words, not wanting to let the out.

"Melody is gone. And she's never coming back."

…