The Alpha Assassin novel Chapter 60

“Alpha John of The White Forest Pack.”

“We, uh, I back your challenge.” I nodded deeply to him, keeping my face passive. I caught Ezra’s eye briefly, and his gaze was so intent on me I had to look away, afraid my body would give me away.

“Alpha Issac of The Blue Mountain Pack?”

Alpha Issac stepped forward. “We support your claim, me and my heir both do.” He bowed his head, and I returned the gesture.

Then I moved to the ones I wasn’t sure of. I was saving the one who started it all, the one who put the idea in Sam’s head for last, hoping I could count on him to sway the crowd.

“Alpha Owen of The Starry Ravine Pack?” I willed the nerves down, tucking them away with the anger I kept so carefully leashed.

Another Alpha stepped forward; he looked at Raymond and not me. “I do not back this silly game.” Raymond smiled at him with a deep nod and turned to me triumphant.

I ignored him and addressed Alpha Owen instead. “That is your prerogative. Thank you for voting,” I said calmly.

“Alpha Timothy of The Silver Lake Pack.”

No one moved forward this time; there was just a gruff. “No.” I thanked him politely and moved on.

Now, there were three against two, still in my favor, but this next one could even it up. I hoped that I got through to one of the other Alphas today, that they were either appalled by Raymond’s actions towards the werecats or swayed by my words for just giving me a chance.

I was only asking for a chance.

“Alpha Liam of Dark Wood,” I called out.

There was some shuffling. “I’m sorry, but we can’t risk it. We can’t risk the turmoil, and I don’t want to see you dead, either. You’ve been through enough.” I met his eyes with my cold ones; he looked down but did not change his mind. “Save yourself,” was all he said before melting into the crowd.

Three for three.

I finally called on the one who first suggested it. Sam called him a loose cannon, but I hoped it worked in my favor if he were only bored enough to want to see some bloodshed, even if he thought it would be mine.

“Alpha Jameson of The Red Eclipse Pack?”

I could barely hear my own voice over the rushing of my blood and my thundering heart. I was glad for the gloves because my hands were clammy and sweating.

He stepped forward and gave me an oily smile. “No,” he said, and my stomach twisted on itself. I felt like the air had been knocked out of me.

Three were in my favor. Four who weren’t.

Alpha Raymond turned to me with a wide smile and fake pity in his eyes. “Simone, there you have it. No one wants to back your unfounded challenge.”

“That is not all the packs in the territory,” I responded calmly, trying to buy time to figure out a solution.

Even Ezra seemed angry, sad, maybe, though his face didn’t change much.

I fought for anything to say, to plead with them to do anything to help me.

But I was just as helpless as the girl I was when I came here, without an end in sight.

The silence was deafening; everyone collectively held their breath. I felt as if I could fall to my knees. The anger in me swirled and tried to keep at bay the choking sobs that threatened to come out. Anger was better than complete desperation, and I would be damned if I showed them how much this affected me, especially Raymond.

“There are no other Alpha’s?” The Elder asked. His voice sounded far away, but I focused on that. I would not succumb to emotions. I held them in for years. I could do it now.

I would do it now.

“This is all in the territory,” Alpha Raymond responded; he looked at me with smug satisfaction. It might not be today, but I would wipe that look off his face forever. I held onto that thought, and not that everything I planned for today crumbled under my feet. Embarrassment mixed with my anger and I was furious now at myself for the first time in a while.

“Well then.” Elder John said; he looked between me and Raymond with sympathy and clasped his hands together. “If that is it for now.”

Ezra mentioned The Elders might be able to do something about what Raymond did, but I didn’t trust them didn’t want some legal process. I wanted to be the one stripping him of his title. This just convoluted things further.

Alpha Raymond opened his mouth to speak, but someone else spoke for him.

“I, Nolan Coinin, future Alpha of The Black River Pack, back Simone’s challenge.”