赤裸裸的滑稽故事

“I never thought I would see the day,” Galen said, holding the paper up to the light as though he were checking if it were real.

“It’s very much real, Galen,” Caleb said. “Ashleigh told me before it arrived.”

“But why?” Galen asked. “He’s not that old, and I fought beside him during the fae attack. He is not lacking in strength or stamina.”

“I’m sure Alpha Wyatt would be pleased to know he has your approval,” Caleb smiled.

Galen rolled his eyes.

“Ashleigh said several factors led to the decision, one of them being mine and Ashleigh’s relationship.”

Galen set down the invitation and looked at Caleb.

“How does your relationship lead to Alpha Wyatt retiring?” Galen asked. “If anything, I expected a declaration of war.”

“That’s it exactly,” Caleb replied.

Galen raised his eyebrow at Caleb.

“You do this to annoy me, don’t you?” he asked.

“Do what?” Caleb asked.

“This!” Galen shouted. “This thing where you speak in half sentences or ask questions you already know the answer to! Just say what you mean. I already know how smart you are!”

Caleb stared at Galen, his expression a mix of entertainment and warning.

“Sorry,” Galen sighed, picking the invitation up once more. “What I meant to say was, Oh Caleb, whatever do you mean?”

Caleb chuckled.

“When an Alpha retires rather than dies in the position, the transition of power is an entirely different process,” Caleb stated. “There are all kinds of customs and traditions. But the most important thing is a declaration of peace.”_.

Caleb grabbed the document from Galen’s hand.

“All the Alphas from the surrounding packs are invited to the ceremony. There will come a point where each Alpha will make an oath to the Goddess during the event. This oath will be a promise of peace between the packs for no less than six months.”

He took a pen and signed the paper.

“The point is to give the former Alpha time to train the new one without the threat of war looming over their heads.”

He held the paper out towards Galen, who took it.

“So you’re saying that Wyatt is retiring so that you and Ashleigh can confirm your bond without Spring and Autumn bringing war because of it?”

“It’s one of the factors, yes.”

“I don’t understand,” Galen replied with a sigh.

Caleb laughed again.

“I don’t know all of what is happening in Winter,” Caleb said. “But from what Ashleigh has told me, Wyatt is stepping down for the good of his family. He isn’t too old or weak. He is making a choice to step back.”

“I didn’t know an Alpha could do that,” Galen commented.

“Most won’t,” Caleb replied. “We have strong personalities and big egos.”

Caleb gave Galen a warning glance before he could have a chance to comment. Galen smiled and made a motion of zipping his lips.

“The idea of stepping down, allowing someone else to take control of everything you have built. All the people you protect… it’s… uncomfortable.”

Galen watched Caleb; he could see his friend’s genuine discomfort just considering the idea of stepping down from his role.

“Wyatt seems like even more of a control freak than you,” Galen said. “So why would he be willing to do this?”

Caleb shrugged.

“It could be as simple as trying to delay war,” Caleb said. “Or something far more complicated.”

***

“What the fuck is he playing at by doing this?!” Tomas shouted, crushing the invitation before throwing it on the ground.

“What does it matter if Winter changes their Alpha?” his Beta asked.

“It fucking matters because I say it matters!” Tomas growled, shoving his Beta out of the way.

Tomas entered his office with a slam of the door behind him.

His phone rang almost immediately.

“Damn it!” he hissed angrily.

He took a deep breath through his nose and accepted the call.

“Yea,” Tomas answered.

“Seems Winter is not as in your control as you claimed,” said a raspy withered voice on the other end of the line.

“It’s nothing,” Tomas replied.

“That’s what you said about Cain.”

Tomas swallowed.

“What happened to Cain, Tomas? Was it really rogue wolves like you told me?”

“Of course!” Tomas shouted.

“And you saw the body?”

Tomas swallowed again, feeling a cold sweat.

“There was nothing left,” he said.

“Hmm,” the voice said. “What about your wolves?”

“Cain killed several. The others I sent in never saw him before I pulled them out.”

“Did they see rogues?”

“What?”

“Your wolves, the ones that didn’t see Cain,” the voice asked. “Did they see the rogue wolves?”

Tomas felt a cold grip on his heart.

“No.”

“Who saw the rogue wolves, Tomas.”

Tomas didn’t answer.

“Why did you believe Wyatt was under your control, Tomas?”

“He owed me,” Tomas said.

“Hmm…” the voice said.

Tomas tried to shake off the crippling anxiety that had settled over him.

“Wyatt saw your wolves, didn’t he?”

Tomas felt his heart leaping from his chest, desperately pounding against the walls of his body, trying to escape.

“It seems I have given you too much credit and freedom.”

“No… no, I–”

“Don’t worry,” the voice said. “The actions of Winter won’t affect our plan. On the contrary, they are only delaying the inevitable.”

Tomas nodded quietly. “Good.”

“There is something else,” the voice said.

“What is it?” Tomas asked, regaining some of his confidence.

“It’s time for him to come home.”

Tomas felt the world around him tipping.

“What?” he asked.

“He has been gone long enough. He should return to his duties now.”

“No, he… he can’t… he….”

“Why Tomas? Is there some reason that he needs to stay away?” The voice whispered with a smile.

Tomas could hear how he was trying to force him, but even if Tomas wanted to tell him everything, he couldn’t. Telling this man anything would be breaking his oath.

“It’s not the right time,” Tomas finally managed to say.

“Fine,” the voice said. “You have six months to prepare.”

“What?!” Tomas shouted.

“We both know he won’t be able to resist his urges during a declaration of peace,” the voice sighed. “But once the clock has run out. He has a role to play; he will return.”

“Fine.”

“No more surprises, Tomas,” the voice said with warning. “I will have my eye on you from now on.”

The line went dead.

Tomas leaned back against the door and slid down to the floor.

His memories stirred.

Back then, Cain had agreed to work on the project again. Tomas felt on top of the world.

Until he walked into the house.

The smell of blood in the air had been overwhelming. Blood Tomas recognized. He ran to the back room. There she was, lying on the floor, blood covering her face.

Tomas ran to her side and called a medic.

“She knows now.”

Tomas looked back at him. The boy’s hands and shirt were covered in her blood.

“She can never leave me,” the boy said with a wicked grin, highlighted by his fiery eyes of burnt orange.

Even six years later, the memory still haunted Tomas.

Wyatt never knew, but Tomas had been happy to let him take Bell. And no matter what Wyatt did or didn’t do, Tomas never planned on telling that monster where she was.