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CHAPTER 13:
“The answer is no.”
“Chi! Just open the door!” Noah groaned, smacking the wall of the hermits old shack again. We had arrived several hours ago, as scheduled, but Chi had refused to open the door. He rejected Noah outright, screaming at us to get away.
It made no sense. “Chi, this is Alpha Collin’s son. Won’t you just open the door? We just want to talk.”
“Ha! You alpha blood boys sure do keep busy, don’t you?” Chi scoffed, coming to his dusty window to sneer at me. “Like I said, get out of here. I reject that boys ascension.”
“I don’t understand.” I sighed, jumping when a hand smacked against the wall beside me. “Noah, are you okay?”
“Forget it.” Noah sighed, sweat from the afternoon son beginning to bead along his hairline. He wiped his face with the back of his arm, clearly exhausted. “We’ve been here for hours. He wants to be difficult. We should just leave him be.”
“But-“
“Let’s just go, Micah.” His tone left no room for argument. He turned around, already walking away.
“I’ll catch up.” I called after him. Noah hesitated, but after a moment decided to keep walking.
“Why are you being so rude, old man?” I snapped, smacking my hand against his window. “Noah is a good person.”
“Like I care, Alpha blooded spawn.” Chi scoffed, holding up a thick stack of bills. “Maybe you should coordinate with your blood better. I was willing to swing my vote either way.”
“What? What do you mean?” I frowned, eyeing the money in his hand. It was unlike the hermit to have anything of value given that he rarely left his shack. “Where did you get that?”
“Your sweet little litter mate came by late last night. He offered me a hefty amount to reject the future alpha. What a fool. I would have done it for much less.” Chi cackled, hiding the money from view again. “Just what are you two planning anyway?”
“We aren’t planning anything.” I snapped, looking around to make sure we were alone. “And you know better than to ever repeat what you just said to anyone else.”
“No need to threaten me, Alpha blood. Goddess, you people with your powerful blood… it’s a pollution. Our transaction is over now. so keep away from me.” Chi growled, slamming his raggedy curtains closed.
———————-
“What the hell did you do?” I cried, slamming Nico’s room door behind me.
“Hello to you too.” Nico huffed, propping himself up on his elbows in bed. “Whatever are you referring to?”
“You paid off the hermit?” I hissed under my breath, storming closer so I wouldn’t have to continue to yell.
“It was the easiest way to sway him.” Noah shrugged, sitting up all the way. “Why? Did he ask for more? Greedy old man-“
“Who told you to do something like that?” I whisper screamed. “We never discussed it. I-I don’t think this is a good idea anymore. I-“
“He swayed you then.” Nico laughed humorlessly, rolling his eyes. “Weak.”
“Fuck you.” I snapped. “Noah is not the enemy. I- I know him now. Th-there’s so much you don’t understand.”
“Explain it to me then.” Nico countered, face devoid of all emotion. Honestly, I wanted to. I really did… but I also couldn’t. To explain would be to put Noah in danger, sharing the secret he shared only with me. Most of Noah’s behavior could be explained away by his horrible upbringing with unmated parents, but I could hardly give that explanation. I had decided the moment he told me that I could never tell. Nico saw the hesitation in my face and rolled his eyes again. “Exactly as I thought. You saw this coming yourself, Micah! The mate bond has gone to your head.”
“Hardly.” I defended myself.
Nico’s eyes widened comically wide, before softening just a bit. He lifted his shirt, pointing to an angry looking scar in his side. We didn’t scar easily. In fact, neither of us had any scars prior to this. “Your mate did this.” He said softly. “I received so much damage while unconscious… this will never heal. A permanent reminder of the kind of man he is.”
“Nico… I’m so sorry.”
“Don’t be.” Nico let his shirt fall down, but refused to look at me. “You’ve changed your mind. Whatever the reason, it is what it is.”
“You have to believe me… He will be better. I can help him be the Alpha we need.” I mumbled, unsure of what else I could say.
“I hope so.” Nico responded. “I know you would never forgive yourself if you were wrong.”
“Nico-“
“I bribed Mick too. He’s pretty old and batty so he didn’t totally understand what the money was for, but I doubt he’ll give it back.” Nico said instead. “You’ll really have to plead your case with him.”
“How do you plead yourself to a senile old man?” I groaned. “His mind’s practically gone as it is.”
“Well, your mate seems to be pretty persuasive. He flipped you after all.” Nico answered, still refusing to make eye contact. I thought about arguing, but I couldn’t bring myself to hurl an insult. Nico was justified in his anger. He had every right to feel wronged. How could he not?
“There will be another Perigee-syzygy in two weeks.” I said instead, trying to lighten the mood while also changing the subject.
“Fun.”
“Nico-“
“I support you, micah. It is your choice.” Nico assured me. “But… I don’t have to agree. I don’t have to think you’re right.”
“I’m not asking that of you.”
“Then what do you want?” He yelled, startling me into taking a step back. “What the hell do you want from me, Micah? What haven’t you taken at this point?” Guilt rushed over me like a wave to the face and suddenly I was drowning. He was right. Every bad thing that had befallen him… it was of my own design. He had done everything I’d asked of him and now I was abandoning him for my own happiness. I was selfish. I was stupid. The goddess had been right to take my position away.
“I-I-“
“I didn’t mean that.”
“I have to go.” I said quickly, walking backwards toward his door.
“Micah, I didn’t mean-“
“I know. I’ll come by to see you soon.”
“Micah!” I was out the door before he could say anything else.
——————
“Does Mick’s vote really count? The guy is… not right.” Noah asked as we approached Mick’s home, nicer than Chi’s but somehow more run down. His newer, larger houses lawn was full of clutter. Metals were rusted, papers were weather worn, and an odd stale smell hung in the air.
“He’s the oldest lycan alive. He’s been an elder longer than anyone. My father says he recently began to lose it.” I informed him under my breath.
“How recently?”
“Fifty or so years?”
“I’ve seen this guy throw newspapers at stray cats.” Noah cried. “Plus, your father says he’s never once voted for someone’s appointment. Not even your own father.”
“Well, you need every vote you can get.” I sighed, knocking against the front door. My fist had only touched the door once before it was swung open roughly.
“Shhh! They’ll hear you, damn brats! Get in! Get in! Hurry!” He yelled almost at the top of his lungs, yanking me inside. Noah followed, confused.
“Nice to see you, Elder Mick.” I greeted him robotically, eyeing Noah to repeat me. Mick was pressed against his windows, covered in aluminum foil. “Um, are you expecting someone else?”
“Always, brat. Always.” Mick growled, staring at the aluminum foil as if he could see through it. “You can never feel too safe. Not with your father as Alpha.”
“Excuse me?” Noah cried, but I touched his arm gently, shaking my head. This was just Mick. I had heard him disparaging my father since as early as I could remember. He was a crazy man. You had to take his words with a grain of salt. My father was rarely offended and usually defended him. ‘Lycans aren’t meant to live this long. He’s a great wolf trapped in a boy with a decaying brain’ he would say. I would often repeat that to myself.
“You heard me, brat.” Mick snapped, turning on Noah with a raised brow. He stepped up to him, sniffing around him as if trying to guess his detergent. “Hmm… you’re a little off, aren’t you? Parents, cousins or something?”
“No, Elder Mick.” I spoke up before Noah could. “We came here for your blessing.”
“That’s what they always come for. Say yes! Say no! Damn brats, all of you.” He ranted, running from the room as if he had just remembered the stove was on. He ran back just as quickly, watching us as if he expected to catch us in the act. “This pack has gone to shit. The inferior packs have no respect like they used to. We have humans who were turned, we have people who aren’t mates, hell we even keep our runts now! Disgusting! We’re destroying bloodlines like this!”
Noah looked at me, obviously shocked at the vile words this man was spewing. I shrugged, knowing already that nothing nice came out of Mick’s mouth on purpose.
“Time’s have changed, Elder Mick.” I said vaguely, not wanting to encourage him.
“You sound just like your father! Pussies, the whole family!” Mick sneered and I squeezed Noah’s arm reassuringly as he tensed. “And you, brat, do you think you could do a better job?” Mick turned his attention to Noah again.
“I- I would hope so.” Noah answered, grabbing my hand and squeezing them together. “I want to do what’s best for the pack.”
“Ha well, a damn dog could do better than our sorry excuse for an Alpha.” Mick rushed to his window again, peeling off a bit of aluminum foil to peer outside. “We need someone to right this ship boy. We need a real leader, someone to show those nasty sun demons who they’re messing with.”
“I agree.” Noah answered. I frowned, but kept quiet.
“Oh yeah? What are your plans then, brat?” Mick questioned, turning to stare Noah down. “Peace treaties? Sucking their cocks?”
I rolled my eyes against my will, glad Mick was paying no attention to me. The man was vile to his very care. “More aggressive military action. Take back lands we’ve lost, coordinate with other packs to create a more cohesive army…”
I frowned, listening as Noah rattled off dozens of bad ideas. He promised Mick a war, a violent one, that relied on almost all pack members having to fight. He talked about working sparring into our school curriculums, giving young lycans no choice in being soldiers. He wanted an army and he wanted to use it for world expansion. No treaties, no sharing, just a swift bloody battle to get it over with.
I stood, frozen and horrified, watching as Mick’s expression lifted into a smile. He laughed, gave ideas, even patted Noah on the back. I tried to fix my expression, attempting to appear neutral. He’s just sweet talking him, I assured myself. He was getting Mick on his side…
And he was succeeding. “You’re a visionary.” Mick chuckled, smacking Noah on the back again. “Seems like the reign of pussy alpha ends with you.” I bit my tongue so hard it bled to keep from verbally assaulting this man. “Alright, alright. I’ve made my decision then… I suppose you’re as good a fit as anyone… Alright. Fine. I give you my blessing brat.”
——————————-
We walked home in silence, Noah practically vibrating in happiness. By the time we reached the porch, he was laughing joyfully. “I can’t believe it went that well.” Noah laughed as he opened the front door for us.
“Well, your lying got you pretty far.” I chuckled awkwardly, still a bit uncomfortable he had even been able to come up with such bad ideas. “Mick’s an idiot so-“
“Lying?” Noah closed the door behind him, coking his head to the side. “What do you mean?”
“Your plans.” I laughed aloud, holding up finger quotes for my next words. “Your ‘aggressive military action’.”
Noah’s face fell and the frown on his face made my stomach turn. “I wasn’t lying, micah. I’ve thought a lot about this. Those are my real plans.”
“You’re kidding?”
“I’m not!”
“And it doesn’t concern you that the senile old man agreed with you?” I cried. “We’ve talked about this Noah! Violence is not the answer! So many of us have died!”
“Because we lack a cohesive vision! The sun kingdom has a whole army, with leadership! Your father leaves the other packs to their own devices and so they die-“
“My father is liberal in his beliefs on freedom, I’ll give you that, but that doesn’t mean we should take his no leadership approach and instead create militaristic leadership! We need social welfare, for all living things!” I argued. “We should just all live in peace.”
“That’s not realistic, Micah! They will keep killing us!”
“How do we know that?”
“So should we do nothing and just wait to see if they wipe us out or not? Micah, I love you and you have taught me so much. I love this pack, exactly how you told me to. I need to protect them and this is the best way.” he reasoned, coming to grab my hands gently. “I would protect you and this pack with my life. Those aren’t just words to me. One day we’ll have children and I can’t live knowing I left us defenseless. The sun kingdom isn’t disbanding their army. We need one.”
“They’ve never attacked us unprovoked.” I squeezed his hands, desperately trying to get him to understand. “If we offer them peace… I do believe they’d take it.”
“I won’t risk it.” He leaned down, pressing his lips to the top of my head. “I’m sorry, micah, but I have to do what i think is right. You’re the one who taught me that.”
“I… I understand.” I said after a moment, pulling away from him. “The world would be a better place if everyone did what was right.”
“Let’s create that world.”
I looked up at him, my heart skipping a beat at the way his hair fell onto his forehead, his ruggedly handsome face somehow more handsome every time I saw him. “Let’s do it.” I smiled, looking over his shoulder at a clock on the wall. “Oh, I need to go take my pill. Excuse me really quick.”
He made no make to stop me as I ran up the stairs and shut myself in my room. The bedroom was cold, unlived in as I’d spent the last few days sharing a bed with Noah. At one point in time the thought of being touched by Noah disgusted me so much, I lied to him to get this room. Now, shame filled me as I realized how harsh i’d been. Noah was not evil. Noah was good…
But Noah should not be Alpha.
The realization was like a bucket of ice water dumped over me, making me shiver in shock. Noah was a good man, a good mate… but he simply wouldn’t be a good Alpha. There was a bigger picture he just couldn’t seem to see. He would risk his life to protect me and our future. I understood that sentiment, but it wasn’t just his life he would be risking. It was my life too, and Nico’s life. It was our future children’s lives and their future mates lives. Anyone could die at war… the only way to save those lives would be to not have a war in the first place.
I pulled out my phone, still trembling as i typed out my message:
Me: You were right
Nico: What do you mean?
Me: We’ll continue with the original plan
Nico: Why?
Me: For the good of the world
There was a moment of silence, as no reply came back. I had played with Nico’s feelings… and I’d done it often. I dragged him into all my messes and decided on my own when I was done with it. It was possible he was done with it. I wouldn’t blame him. Even if he made that decision, I would have to continue the plan alone. I knew now, without a doubt, that I would have to. Not because Noah was evil, or bad, or even stupid… but because he was wrong. I jumped as my phone vibrated, shocking me out of my mental planning.
Nico: For the good of the world.
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