Chapter 144

Caleb leads the way back to the Hall, with Tristan and me following along behind him. There, a few of Caleb’s advisors I recognize are crowded around a man I don’t.

The unknown man is in his twenties or so, wearing dark clothing. His hair is a mess, and with those dark bags under his eyes, he looks like he hasn’t slept in several days.

As Caleb approaches, the advisors step back, allowing Caleb direct access to the unknown man – the scout. The scout straightens under the attention of the King.

“What news do you bring?” Caleb says.

The scout digs into the satchel bag hanging over one shoulder and retrieves a piece of paper. It’s thin, with words printed on one side. I’m too far away to read it.

“What’s this?” Caleb says as he accepts the paper and starts to read.

“Proof,” the scout says, “of the rebellion growing in the pack lands. It’s not just the northern ones that border the bear nation. I’ve heard rumors of all the packs sending representatives to this cause.”

“There have always been dissidents,” says one of the advisors. “As before, this one will eventually fizzle out as harmlessly as before.”

“Do not be so sure,” says another advisor. “They’ve never been this organized before. It seems their leader has a way of recruiting some followers.”

“Not just some,” says the scout. “He’s building his own army. One that is organized. His message is gaining traction in every pack. Soon, this rebellion will be large enough to cause serious problems, if it isn’t that large already.”

Caleb crumples up the flyer and throws it onto the ground. Looking back at Tristan, he insists, “I want the Alpha Council back in here. Now.”

“At once,” Tristan says and turns.

The advisors move to take their places, anticipating the arrival of the Alpha Council. When the scout seems unsure, Caleb tells him, “Stand beside the throne. You will tell the Council what you have told me.”

The scout nods and moves into position.

I’m not sure what he wants me to do. While I’m appreciative that Tristan brought me into this meeting, now that he’s gone, I’m unsure what I’m supposed to do. Surely the Alpha Council doesn’t want a consort hanging around.

Last time I was in the room with them, they looked at me with such distain.

“Harper,” Caleb says suddenly.

Glancing up at him, I see that he’s already looking back at me, a touch of worry in his eyes. Maybe he thinks he’s going to lose himself again. With news like this, even a healthy man would feel the knock of paranoia. Given Caleb’s condition, he would more quickly succumb to it.

“Stay near me,” Caleb says to me.

I follow Caleb to his throne. There, I stand beside the side of the stage near the scout.

“Up here, Harper,” Caleb says from atop his throne.

Unsure, I climb onto the stage. He gestures me closer and closer until I’m standing right beside his chair.

Just as I get settled standing there, the doors to the Hall open and the pack Alphas begin to file into the room.

Caleb glowers at them as they arrive. Turning his face toward me, while continuing to look at the Alphas, he says, “This will not be pleasant for you, and I apologize.”

I have no idea what he could mean. Isn’t he just going to alert the pack Alphas to the danger of the rebellion growing within their lands?

Unless he thinks they already know…

Oh. Oh, no.

When the last of the Alpha Council has entered the room, I notice that Tristan and several guards have entered as well. They stand along the back, blocking the door.

Tristan already knew what Caleb was planning then.

My breath caught in my throat, and I hope I’m not about to witness even more bloodshed.

“One of my scouts has returned with news of a rebellion,” Caleb says. He gestures to the scout. “Give them your report.”

The scout steps forward. With every eye in the room on him, he talks about how a new rebel group is organizing and gaining traction. He says that while the packs along the northern border are supply the most rebellion members, he’s seen and heard news that volunteers from every pack have joined the rebel cause under an unknown leader.

As he talks, Caleb’s gaze shifts out onto the Alpha Council. I try to follow the length of his gaze, as he inspects each pack Alpha receiving the news. But I’m not sure what he’s looking for or what he sees.

All of the pack Alphas seem appropriately surprised and alarmed by the news, but maybe Caleb can see something I can’t. I only hope it’s his own intuition and not the paranoia driving him, though.

As the scout finishes, Caleb stands.

“To some, if not all of you, this news is something you have heard before,” Caleb says. “This has been happening on your lands, so I will not accept the lie that you have been ignorant to this going-on. I don’t care for your excuses or your lies. What I want know is to know the name of location of this new rebellion leader.”

One of the more outspoken pack Alphas bowed low. “My King, while I’ve heard rumors of a rebellion, I had no idea they were so organized as to have a leader.”

“What did I say about excuses and lies?” Caleb growled.

“But, Sir –”

“Enough,” Caleb commanded loudly in his harshest Alpha voice. “Someone in this room knows the leader’s name and location, and until that person gives me what I want, I will start removing heads.” His eyes dragged over the room full of Alphas. “I don’t care how many of you traitors have to die.”

This could have been Caleb’s typical ruthlessness. After all, Tristan and the guard seem prepared in the back of the room, even as the pack Alphas start to panic, many of them wide-eyed, some stepping backwards away from the throne, like that would save them.

But whether this action stems from ruthlessness or paranoia, I know that no good can come of it.

Stepping forward, I gently lean into Caleb’s space. He leans back towards me, probably without realizing it.

“Killing Alphas will only make more dissidents,” I say in a soft whisper, for his ears only. “Surely there is another way.”

“Violence is the way of the wolf,” Caleb grumbles, just as softly.

“But it is not the only way.”

“My King,” Tristan says, walking forward toward the throne. “Allow me to return to the field with the scouts. I will return with a name, and our pack Alphas will maintain their dignity.”

“Dignity they have not earned,” Caleb says.

“We cannot give you answers we do not have,” says the older leader of the Moonlake pack.

Many others seem to agree with him.

Caleb frowns at the man. “Then I expect you to reach out to your contacts and find me my answers. My Beta should not be the only capable man dutiful to his king.”

Caleb dismisses the lot of them, and everyone starts going their own way. To me, he warns, “Go nowhere without an escort, even within the palace.”

In the palace? That seems extreme.

“There are traitors among us,” Caleb says. He seems lucid. I don’t think this is the paranoia talking. “As someone special to me, you will be targeted.”

Hurting me doesn’t seem like it would do much good overall for anyone’s cause.

But Caleb insists, “I anticipate another attack. You need to be ready.”