Chapter 414

Enzo

I paced back and forth in our bedroom, my thoughts a jumbled mess. The weight of the phone in my hand felt heavier with each passing moment. I had rehearsed the conversation with Tim a dozen times in my head, but every version seemed inadequate.

“What do you want, Enzo?” I muttered to myself. “Just say it.”

But doubt gnawed at me no matter what I tried to come up with. Would he believe me? Would he think I was weak for letting Mila’s actions affect me like this? I had to say something, do something, but the words remained elusive.

Just as I was about to hit the call button and just say ‘fuck it’, a knock on the door startled me. I looked up and called out, “Come in,” as I slipped my phone back into my pocket.

The door opened, and Nina’s father, Aldric, stepped into the room. He had a thoughtful look on his face, and as he looked at me, I had a feeling that he needed something.

“Enzo,” he began, “I have a proposition for you. Would you consider assisting me with some Alpha duties today?”

I blinked in surprise, momentarily forgetting about the call to Tim. “Alpha duties?” I echoed.

Aldric nodded and continued, “Yes; my assistant called out sick today. But I believe it would be a good opportunity for you to get a taste of the Alpha life here in the werewolf realm. I have a suit for you, if you’re willing.”

I hesitated for a moment, glancing at the phone in my hand. The call to Tim would have to wait. Assisting the Alpha King himself with his duties? This was an opportunity I couldn’t pass up. “Of course,” I said, nodding. “I’d love to shadow you for the day.”

Aldric smiled and held a suit out that was on a hanger. “Put this on, and we’ll head to the Alpha Council chambers.”

I quickly changed into the suit, feeling slightly out of my element in the formal attire. I was so used to my usual hockey uniform or flannel and jeans that it all felt a bit tight around my body; I rarely wore suits except for very special occasions, like my wedding with Nina or the party we attended the last time we were here.

But, if putting on a suit meant appearing by the Alpha King’s side for even one day, I would do it. Once dressed, I followed Aldric through the mansion’s corridors, my heart pounding with anticipation.

As we walked, Aldric explained, “The Alpha Council hasn’t met for many years. It’s a gathering of high-profile Alphas from the werewolf realm, with me, the Alpha King, at the forefront of it all. I’ve been working to bring the council back together recently.”

The idea of meeting other powerful Alphas made me nervous, but I couldn’t let my insecurities hold me back. I had to prove myself. And so I nodded, straightening my suit jacket.

“What made you decide to reconvene the Council?” I asked as we walked.

Aldric sighed. “A myriad of reasons, really,” he said. “This is a big realm, Enzo. One man can’t rule it all by himself, nor should he. My… ex-wife was adamant that we dissolve the Council. Had I not been under her spell, I never would have done anything so brash.”

Just as he finished speaking, we arrived at a set of large wooden doors. Aldric paused, turning to me one last time.

“Take this as a learning experience, Enzo,” he said. “The other Alphas here knew your father well. They’ll be looking forward to meeting you.”

I nodded, swallowing. As we pushed the large wooden doors and entered, though, I immediately felt out of place.

There was a long mahogany table in the room, and around it sat several men—many of whom I immediately recognized as high-profile Alphas. They all stood in unison as Aldric and I entered, and bowed for the Alpha King.

But then, their discerning gazes fell on me. They furrowed their brows, trying to decipher who I was. And then…

“My word… Is that… Richard’s boy?” one of the Alphas, a man who I knew as Heinrich from one of the coastal packs, called out.

At his words, a collective gasp rippled across the room.

“Everyone, this is Enzo Rivers,” Aldric announced, clapping me on the shoulder. “You are correct. This is Richard’s son.”

I felt frozen as the men regarded me. Aldric and I made our way to our seats, where I sat stiffly beside him.

The meeting commenced, and I listened carefully as various issues were discussed. It was nothing at all like the meetings we held for our little back in Mountainview; not at all. I felt rather out of place, but in a strange way, it was exciting.

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 I 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.”

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.