Chapter 62
Steve’s heart skipped a beat. “What have I done this time?” He
thought to himself as he sighed and slowly opened the door.
“Good day sir.” The guards greeted him in unison and he nodded
in acknowledgement.
“The Alpha has requested your presence, sir.” One of the guards
reiterated.
“I’m not deaf, I heard you the first time.” Steve replied, coldly.
“I’m sorry sir.” He apologized.
“Do I have to go with you this time around? Or can I at least go in
my car?” Steve asked them, because he remembered that the last
time they were at his house, they insisted that he had to go with
them and not in his car.
“You can go in your car, sir. We were only told to inform you.”
They said to him and he nodded.
“Fine then. I’ll be there soon.” He said, and they left immediately.
Seeing them leave, Steve immediately went back into the house
to grab his car keys.
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“What happened now? Were those the palace guards?” Megan
asked immediately Steve approached them, and he nodded in
response.
H
She and Veronica had been a bit unsettled the moment the
guards said the Alpha wanted to see Steve again.
“I heard the Alpha wants to see you again. What is going on this time?” She asked, impatiently.
“I have no idea.” He replied, searching for his car keys.
“You haven’t done anything wrong this time, right?” Megan
asked him, concern and worry, evident in her face and through
her voice.
Steve turned, glaring at her for uttering those words.
“I’m sorry.” She quickly apologized, “I was just worried.” She said,
but he gave no response.
“So, what do you want to do?” She asked him but he still
remained quiet.
His mind travelled far away as he thought of the possible
reasons why his father could have asked to see him on the same
day he was let out of the dungeon.
“Now, where are those darn keys when you actually need
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them!? Damn!” He shouted, angry and frustrated.
“Are those the keys you’re looking for?” Veronica, with her soft and soothing voice, asked, pointing at the car keys lying on the shelf top.
Γι
Seeing that the keys were indeed the ones he had been looking for, he let out a frustrating sigh, grabbed the keys, and made his
way out of the house.
“I’ll be back.” He uttered, his face devoid of any expression. The door slammed shut behind him as he stepped out of the house, its sound echoing through the room like thunder.
The silence which followed was palpable. The next thing they heard was him turning on the ignition, the revving of his car engine and the screeching sound of the tires as he drove away.
Complete silence then followed right after as both Megan and
Veronica practically had no words. Their minds travelled far
away, different thoughts and emotions flooding their hearts.
And as the silence lingered, they both sank into the nearest
chairs, not saying anything and staring at nothing in particular.
“What if he is about to be in another trouble? Or what do you think?” Megan asked, breaking the silence.
She turned to look at Veronica who looked so lost and far away,
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not saying anything and she sighed.
“I guess we have to keep our fingers crossed and wait for him to get back. I just hope he is not in any trouble.” She muttered and
leaned back into the chair.
ALPHA’S PALACE
Steve walked straight into the palace immediately after he
stepped out of his car. As he walked in, he kept reassuring
himself that nothing was going to go wrong.
“I don’t think I did anything wrong.” He thought to himself and
took a deep breath as he opened the door to the inner court
where his father was.
As he approached him, he tried as much as he could to compose
himself, ensuring that his face didn’t show any form of rebellion.
“Oh, look who we have here.” Alpha Marcus said as Steve came
- in. “Wow. I’m surprised at how quick you showed up here.” He
continued, his voice, dripping with sarcasm as if trying to get a
reaction from his son.
Steve’s eyes locked onto his father’s, his expression neutral. He
stood steps away from his father, with both his hands behind his
back. He didn’t reply to any of his father’s words because he
wasn’t ready to say anything that would get him into any more
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trouble, especially since he just got out of one. And if his father
was trying to intentionally get under his skin to get a reaction
from him, he was determined not to let it happen.
“You don’t look rough though. Are you sure you have been in
that dungeon for the past couple of weeks?” Alpha Marcus
teased him further.
“Yes, I have.” Steve responded, his tone icy and without any
emotion attached to it.
“Why am I here?” Steve asked him, and Alpha Marcus smiled.
“Uh… Straight to the point. I like that.” Alpha Marcus said,
leaning back in his chair, tapping his fingers, silently, but
rhythmically on the arm of his chair.
“Remember the last time you were here before you were
thrown into the dungeon?” He asked Steve, his eyes piercing.
Steve nodded curtly.
“Can you remember what we talked about?” He inquired,
waiting for Steve’s response.
“We didn’t talk about anything.” Steve answered sharply, his
jaw clenched.
Alpha Marcus chuckled, “Oh, we actually did.” He confirmed.
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“I know you might not remember because of how long it has
been. I mean, it’s been almost a month already.” He paused to
study Steve’s reaction.
But, I will remind you.” He continued, but Steve could sense that
his father was up to something.
“He definitely has something up his sleeves.” He thought to
himself as their gaze remained locked.
“We talked about you, going on a very important journey.” He
said, and Steve immediately knew what his father was saying.
“We?” Steve scoffed, “You mean ‘YOU‘ talked about it.” He
furrowed his brows.
“Either way, the information was passed and you heard it. As far
as I’m concerned, that’s all that matters.” Alpha Marcus shrugged
as he spoke.
“You agreed to go and that journey and promised that you’ll be
in
Steve’s eyes narrowed, “What?!” He interrupted his father. “I
never made any promise and we never had an agreement.”
His father suddenly burst into hysterical laughter, leaving Steve
confused.
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“What’s so funny?” Steve asked, still in his confused state.
“You are, son. You are so funny.” His laughter suddenly disappeared and was replaced with a very serious look.
“You know what is at stake, Steve. I’m sure I don’t need to
remind you. You’ll be gone for a week. You leave in two days
and that’s final. Go and pack your bags.” Alpha Marcus said
authoritatively.
At that moment, Steve really wanted to protest. He had a lot to
say, and wanted to refuse his father’s instructions, but at that
same moment he remembered Beta Richard’s words and his
advice to him and so, not wanting to let Beta Richard down,
Steve swallowed his words.
He didn’t want to disappoint Beta Richard, especially after all
that he had done for him, and so he just nodded silently, biting
back his retort. However, his frustration was visible.
“Understood, Alpha,” Steve said aloud, his tone measured, hiding
his true emotions.
Alpha Marcus‘ gaze lingered on Steve, as if searching for any
sign of defiance.
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Seemingly satisfied, he nodded, “Good. I expect you to be ready.”
“Richard will discuss the details with you before the end of
TH
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today.” He added and Steve nodded.
“Will that be all?” Steve asked his father, who snickered as he
stared at his son.
“If that is all. I’ll take my leave now.” He said, bowed, and started
to leave, but Alpha Marcus‘ voice stopped him.
“Steve.” He called him, and Steve turned back, meeting his
father’s intense stare.
“Remember, this isn’t a request. It’s an order. I’m sure you know
better than to defy my order.” Alpha Marcus said sternly.
Steve’s eyes locked onto his father’s, a silent understanding
passing between them. He inhaled sharply, nodded and then
turned around, leaving his father’s sight without saying a word.
Leaving the inner court, and back into his car, Steve closed his
eyes and let out a slow, controlled breath, as he tried to calm the
raging storm, brewing inside him.
As he sat there, the silence of the surrounding enveloped him, a
complete opposite of the tension he had just left behind in the
inner court.
With his eyes closed, he replayed the conversation he had with
his father, analyzing every word, every gesture. Beta Richard’s
voice also began to echo in his mind:
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“What type of leader do you want to be, Steve? What kind of
leader do you want the pack to see you as? Do you want to be
the leader who divides his own pack or a leader who unites all,
keeping every member in unity? Don’t allow this pent up anger
and resentment you feel towards your father, consume you.
The people are watching the soon–to–be leader. The ball is in
your court.”
Steve’s eyes snapped open, with determination igniting within
him. He was ready to do all it takes to prove to the pack
members that he was worthy of their trust and that he could
protect them and provide the perfect living conditions for them.
He started the engine and pulled out of the palace grounds,
heading back home.
