The Flame Trilogy (Books I, II & III)

2.11

Dimitri

Morning arrives too soon, there's a part of me that wishes I was still asleep, with her in my arms. I know I have important things to do though. At least one of the numerous benefits of last night is that for the first time in weeks I feel like I've rested. I wonder if it had anything to do with the fact that I had seen Arashi.

The meeting restarts not long after we conclude breakfast, and after the bombshell I dropped in our last meeting I doubt anyone had much of an appetite. The room is shrouded in a thoughtful silence, the other Alpha's each sit with an unmistakable, though weary, mask of determination set upon each of their faces.

"Good Morning, I hope you all had a restful night." I begin politely, addressing the other Alpha's in the room. There is a heaviness about us, as if we all know that no polite small talk could distract from what we are really here to discuss. "I trust that you've all had time to think after our last meeting."

"I don't think there's enough time in the world to be able to process that shitshow," Fabian mutters from his place across from me at the round table. With our enhanced senses everyone in the room hears it, if I was good natured and not focused on being Alpha right now I may have chuckled. "Look Dimitri. This is a lot. Hybrids? Nobody has ever heard of such a thing, hell, I didn't even think it was possible."

I let out a sigh, I suppose I should have expected this. Only I don't have the time or patience for this; I know getting angry would only be counterintuitive so I take a deep breath steadying my emotions.

"I understand your denial, trust me I do. But I can attest to the fact my mate is telling the truth, and so can my men." I try to keep my tone level and it's obvious my control is forced. All I can think of is the image of her naked flesh as it fills my mind, scarred and branded, trying to hide beneath the ink that stained her body.

"And so can I." Chaka speaks from my left, his gaze hard as he surveys the other Alphas. "Now, not about Dimitri's mate mind you, though I did think she was strange. A few weeks ago my pack was raided- it was only after I called Dimitri I realised it was ShadowFang. But these wolves were strange... Faster, stronger... I can't explain it. All I know is that it took numerous of my warriors just to hold off one of them."

Arashi had mentioned it would be like that. My mind turns back to last night. She had told me that Aleksandr plans to attack on a blood moon and if that is the case... Would we even stand a chance? Should I tell them?

It is their right as an Alpha to know, but if they know that they would be sending their men into a battle stacked so far against them would they- could they- do so in good conscience? I already know the answer. I would not put them in that position, this would be my burden to bear.

Besides, if I can figure out a way to change things then we wouldn't have to worry at all, and I'm one hell of a determined motherfucker. It's better this way, I try to tell myself, though I'm not entirely sure that I'm making the right decision.

"Dimitri?" Humphrey growls low and threateningly in his throat. "Surely you are paying attention, unless there is something else you would like to share with the rest of us?"

"Just something my mate said once." I clear my throat as I stall for a moment. "But that can come later, I just need to know that we're on the same page."

"If you were paying attention instead of daydreaming about your damn mate you would have realised that we've all come to an understanding that whether we believe this shit or not, it is probably best that we are prepared to stand together should a time come that we need to." Sean reiterates what was said in my attention lapse, his tone hard, not bothering to hide his frustration at my momentary lack of attention. I suspect that none of these Alphas slept well last night either with so much to think about, only adding to the tension in the room.