Twenty three

NILL POV

"A toast to the success of putting everything in place for the moon festival. May this year's festival be better than the past ones" Black said with a sardonic glint in his eyes and a salacious smile on his lips.

"Cheers!" The men around the table chorused as they clicked their glasses against each other's, then tossed the drinks back with gleeful smiles on their faces.

The women brought drinks and more dishes as the men roared vicariously with laughter over a statement that Keres made.

The room darkened and a beam of light was trained on the grand stage where a pole stood at the center. The men whistled as smoke vapor filled the stage and a woman mysteriously appeared, her body clad provocatively in a bikini and blazing red lacy panties.

The music wafted through the air and she started moving, her hips swaying as she moved along the pole as if she was getting sensual with a lover.

"What a beautiful sight. Such a shame I have a mate. I would have taken her home tonight" one of the betas spoke and the others laughed.

"I don't think your wife would appreciate such words coming out of your lips, and neither would the moon goddess", Black got out with a wink.

"Like you all don't cheat" Detinos muttered with spite, drawing their attention to himself.

Black regarded him curiously. "You look pissed off, is your mate not taking good care of you Detinos, or is it something else that bothers you. Or maybe you're experiencing an early heat circle, You know how angst we get as the heat approaches, is that what is eating at you, dear Detinos".

Detinos brows furrowed as he met Black's stare. "Learn how to mind your business" he snapped and the men at the table cast weary glances at each other before Keres cut in.

"Come on, you two are at it again. Tonight is the only chance we get to hang out, so can we not argue".

Detinos scoffed. "Keres, you really shouldn't talk where all the other Alphas are concerned, maybe you seemed to have forgotten, but it wasn't me who got on my knees for Dearil at the last council meeting".

Keres shot up from his seat and would have charged at Detinos but Black got between them just in time. The other men watched the exchange warily, and the pheromones that thickened in the air didn't help. It made everyone edgy. They knew that it didn't take much for a room full of Alphas to turn into a war zone where the weaker vessels were trampled on, and only the strongest survived, so they sat stiffly, their body poised and ready for a fight in honor of their pack's Alpha.

Vaughn Lyall could always put a stop to all sought of fights before they became a full-fledged war, but he never attended these sought parties, so everything could either get out of hand or die down just as quickly as it started.

Black glared at Detinos. "Watch it Detinos, just because you're Vaughn's son, it doesn't give you the right to disrespect another Alpha".

"I don't think you ever get tired of using that every time you address anyone from my family but newsflash, it's starting to get pretty old, Black".

"Maybe if you stop acting like a child, I wouldn't have to remind you of that fact all the time".

"Don't speak to me as if you're the boss of me. We are all Alphas, and if stating a fact gets him offended then let him have a go at me. Let's see how powerful an Alpha he is."

"I'll slash out your throat where you stand" Keres threatened as he tried to get past Black who stood between them.

"Truth hurts Keres, so be a man and accept the fact that you went on your knee like a little bitch, that too for Dearil. You've got some nerve showing your face around here after such a display.".

"I said that is enough!" Black roared and shoved Detinos in the chest so hard that he was flung a few feet in the air before he hit the wall, the force of his crash resounding through the shocked silent room.

The men around the table all stood up, while the women shrieked and ran out of the room. The woman on the stage who had stripped off the materials she had on continued her dance oblivion to the tension in the room as the music blared on.

Detinos cursed under his breath as he got to his feet, his whole gait that of a predator who was ready to attack. "That was a wrong move buddy".

"Come at me!" Black taunted as he bunched his hands into fists and beaconed for him to come closer.

"Enough!" A strong voice cut through the thick atmosphere, and they all turned to see an elegant lady walk in. The tension suddenly seemed to be directed at the newcomer as they all watched her move toward Black and Detinos warily.

Their hair stood on alert, and their eyes trained on the woman as if they were waiting for her to attack.

The lady chuckled as she took in the gait of each of the men in the room. "No need to look so hostile since I'm always here on every moon festival, I was almost certain that you all would have warmed up to me by now, it's such a shame though that I always meet you all acting like children".

"You weren't invited to this party, so why are you here" Black growled, and the others stood alert, ready to attack If he called for it.

"I came to pay my yearly tribute. There was never a specified time for me to come was there?".

"What do you want? You might be an Alpha, but you were a rogue first, you shouldn't overstep your boundaries", Detinos snarled.

The girl stepped towards him, and their pheromones thickened in the air as each tried to make the other submit. "I have my pack now, so I'll appreciate it if you showed me a little respect."

"That is enough" Vaughn's voice cut through the gathering and they all whipped to face him, their faces morphing into one of horror as they met the eyes of the chief. Vaughn strode toward each man, stared them in the eyes then shook his head.

"I am disappointed in you all. I would expect this sought of behavior from Dearil, but certainly not from you. You demean yourself In front of the Bettas and the soldiers, such a shit show".

"I'm sorry father. I was just... "

A glare from Vaughn silenced him. "Get back to your party. Black, Ariel, come with me. We have urgent business to discuss" he ordered, then stalked into the inner chamber of the house.

Black grinned in Detinos face. "Try to keep your hands off Keres before I get back, ok".

Ariel rolled her eyes. "You two should just fuck it out already. All this sexual tension is making my eyes ache"

"There's no sexual tension!" Both Detinos and Black answered at the same time, the glare they aimed at Ariel matching.

Ariel smirked. "Yeah, I can see that as clear as day. Let's go Black. Vaughn is waiting".

Black couldn't wipe the scowl off his face as he followed Ariel through the path that Vaughn had taken.

The two were soon in the room, their gaze fastened on that of Vaughn's grave-looking ones.

"There has been a report that might be to our advantage. An omega has been killed allegedly, and the culprit is Dearil".

Black lips twitched as a smile of triumph tried to force its way through. "Well, what are we waiting for. This is the perfect opportunity to get rid of him once and for all".

"I think you skipped the part where the chief said allegedly, or maybe you haven't stopped being stupid yet" Ariel got out with a side-eyed glance at Black, the look in her eyes screaming how idiotic she thought it was.

"Thank you, Ariel, but please speak to Black with more respect. He is higher in rank than you'll ever be considering you were once a rogue and this clan took pity on you, picked you up from the gutters when death should have been your sentence" he reminded with a stoic look on his face. Ariel dropped to her knees, her hands fisting by her side.

"Forgive my impudence Alpha. I should know my place".

Black smirked. "You should Ariel. I hope this will not repeat itself".

The air thickened. "Of course not" Ariel forced out of her throat.

"You may rise." Ariel nodded once and got to her feet, her eyes a reddish color as she fought with her wolf to remain calm.

"We do not know how true it is that Dearil killed someone, and why would he when everyone knows he has a human in his quarters that still breaths".

Ariel's eyes cleared at the information. "He has a human in his quarters? Is it a woman?"

Black shook his head with a tsk. "When will your obsession with Dearil end little wolf? Two Alpha can never be together. You both will end up destroying the other, but that doesn't deter you, does it"

"I am not obsessed with Dearil. I am just curious. He's always been so volatile. I'm surprised a human has been living with him and is still breathing after all this time".

"Yes. It is very baffling. That's why I don't want us to leave anything to chance before the moon festival. Let us get rid of him now if we can. Ariel, you will go to him. You're the best sniffer we have and that's why I invited you here. Find out if he did kill an omega and tried to hide the body".

"That is a very hard task to do my Lord. Dearil's scent is very difficult to sift through and his whole pack practically reeks of him".

"Are you saying no to an order Ariel?" Vaughn asked, his gaze trained on her hard.

"Of course not. I'll do my best to find out the truth".

"Black, find out everything you can about the human. I do not like that Dearil has been so calm-headed since she arrived".

"Of course. You can count on me".

Vaughn nodded solemnly. Jade Alvarez was a human but he could already feel the power of her influence. The soldiers had brought the report that Dearil's pack had started to get more coordinated and he was even accompanying them to hunt and make rounds.

It didn't take long for the members of a pack to warm up to an Alpha, and with the way, things were heading, if Dearil won the trust and affection of his soldiers and pack members, there was nothing that would stop him from overthrowing everyone in his path. He'd attack and take over the other packs in revenge for all they had done to him, then he would turn them into his slave. It could never happen. He wouldn't allow it.