Beta

Chapter 11

After three days of being stuck in the pack house, I was going stir crazy. The only form of relaxation I had was a walk around the street. Konrad was always beside me, ready to carry me back to the pack house if labor started.

The elders had traveled to Blood Moon land, completed the transfer and the meeting. Everything went smoothly, and now we are riding out the last days of the travel allowance. Five more days had to pass before anything could happen.

The elders were traveling back on day five, taking turns to drive all the way in one go. Gus and Stanley were going to remain in Blood Moon land with our hidden friends. They'd booked into a motel, slipped in under the cover of darkness and hopefully remained unseen. We'd heard nothing, so it seemed as if the plan was going well.

At the end of day seven, when we'd received word that our travel allowance was over, the coups could begin. I was starting to think that I'd bitten off more than I could chew. It was seriously bad timing and I knew I had other things to worry about.

But, as my elders pointed out, everyone knew that I'd taken Konrad as a mate, and once that happened, a pregnancy would usually follow soon after. Most sensible Alphas would not even consider taking on three new territories in such circumstances. A newly appointed pregnant Alpha who was in the middle of training a Beta from another pack. Sure, he knew a lot of things but they were the ways of his pack and not this one. Things were different. He could bring a lot to this pack but there were other things that needed to be added to the long list of his training and education schedule.

So, from a logical point of view, I shouldn't be thinking about taking over Dark Claw or Iron Fang. They probably thought that while I would have issues getting to Blood Moon land, I wouldn't have the time to consider dealing with the access issue. They were wrong, and that was mostly because I was a glutton for punishment and I had elders who were clearly itching to return to the ways of old.

My father was never one to look at the border and say that it was enough. It was never enough.

That's why Konrad was in my life. Dad wanted more. Sure, it was a way to cut his tax bill but that was just dad's take on the modern world. Border wars were no longer a thing. Coups were still done but becoming outdated. In this changing society, the ways of our ancestors were becoming obsolete. But for one moment in time, I would ignore that. Well, my elders would on my behalf.

Konrad was upstairs in the office studying one of the books that the elders had left behind for him. There was a great stack of them, and even though it seemed daunting, Konrad wasn't fazed by it.

This place was boring without Alec to talk to. Joey had gone with the elders, leaving me with the dust bunnies for company. Not that they were around anymore. I'd dusted the entire bar area which wasn't hard because Alec kept it clean. It was only what had accumulated in the past three days since he's not been around.

I'd swept the floors until Paula took the broom and ordered me to put my feet up because apparently, it looked like I'd lost my ankles. That's why I was now watching a dull movie with my feet up in a recliner chair that I'd dubbed the jail. It's where I was sent every time one of my prison guards found me doing something I shouldn't be.

Konrad walked in, smiling at me as his head shook.

"In trouble again?"

"Ain't nothing new."

Holding out my hand, I waited for the papers that he'd clearly brought to me to look at. Konrad offered them and pulled a chair closer.

"So they're back in West River land?"

"They are."

"And they're camping out at Mick's place for what reason?"

"Well, I assume because he's the one that has a house near the border. They've started the constant stream of visitors so that if the place is being watched, it will be difficult to track what's going on."

It was a good move to make, one that I knew wasn't common. We hadn't received any reports about there being spies in our land, but I wasn't about to think that they weren't here. I'd be labeled as an idiot if I tried to convince anyone that the use of spies was outdated. We used spies. Konrad used them. They were a good tool to have and I wouldn't go without them.

"Okay. Have they said if they're returning here at any point?"

"No. I think they're busy ensuring that all weapons are checked and cleaned. Going over the plans again, making sure that everyone knows what is expected of them. They want this plan to work, and they have a pretty good reason to as well."

"Yeah, two more pack territories."

"No," he said, taking the piece of paper from me. "Think about it, Megan. You're a female Alpha, something that is rare. You've endured an attempted coup, you gained territory because you survived an attack by an insanely huge Alpha male, and now you're about to take over two more packs. How many female Alphas do you know that have four packs under her control?"

"But Ezra's helping."

"Only because you offered him something. You could easily consume both packs without his help. You think that this is some scrap of a pack, but it's not. Your father created fear by making this pack the strongest and the most ruthless. You've shown that you are no different, even if you approach things in a more passive way. Your elders want the world to see how amazing you are and how strong this pack is. At the end of this, no one will come near us."

He reached out, pressing his hand against my stomach.

"That is the legacy that you will give to our children."