When I Next Wake (On Hiatus)

When I Next Wake - Chapter 1: Negotiations

When I Next Wake

Fed up with stories about the alpha and his mate?

Well, this story isn't about love. It's about friendship, battle, borrowing and adventure.

The Equinox Pack - governed by Alpha Ultar and his faithful beta, Reece - lives in the deep forest, which has waterfalls, caves and an ancient underground temple.

Winter is a power-crazed wereleopard that wants Ultar's territory. And he's willing to make an alliance with the Aves to achieve it.

But they aren't the protagonists of this story.

Oliver, a lowly Kappa (an ordinary pack member) has an unlikely bond with Leila, Queen of the Archer Warriors - who were called upon to help Ultar's pack. Together, Queen Leila and her Paint Horse, Posudio (meaning 'borrowed' in Croatian), and Oliver battle to ensure the Equinox Pack's future.

Chapter 1 - Negotiations:

All genres could be found in the bookcase which towered above the large, dark brown wooden desk that had five seats either side of it. This showed the more intellectual side of the owner. The room itself was quite small, and its high ceiling could make those who weren’t used to it feel intimidated. This made it the perfect room for negotiations to take place. The only way out was through the heavy, oak door in the far corner of the room.

The wereleopards used this room for negotiations between them and other werekin; it was perfect. Negotiations could result in either peace or hostility, though usually it was the latter. Their alpha was particularly violent, and he had an unquenched thirst for power.

This particular day, there were four werekin in the negotiations room, two on each side and all in their human form. They had been there for a total of five hours.

"This is the last and final time I am going to ask you," Winter, the alpha of the leopards said slowly, leaning over the table while he smoked a cigar at the alpha of the wolves, Ultar. "Would you consider moving out of the area?"

The question hung in the air for ten seconds that passed at an excruciatingly slow pace.

"Never," was Ultar’s response. "You nearly took my mate, and then you demand my territory?" He kept his composure and spoke with undoubted authority, and he was also enforced by his beta’s stare at the wereleopard and his mate.

"So be it." Winter hissed, blowing the smoke from his cigar in Ultar and his beta’s face. Ultar’s face remained hard and expressionless, whereas his beta, Reece, started to cough. "We battle for rights to the territory."

"Consider your demise as revenge in the name of my mate, Jenna."

Ultar got out of his seat and strode out of the room, making Winter smirk and leaving Reece to shake the leopard alpha’s hand before leaving.

Before Reece left the room, Winter said "Tell your alpha that we won’t go easy on him," with a threatening tone. Reece gulped as he nodded, before grimly exiting the room.

"This is going to be interesting, Robyn," Winter said to his mate.

"Yes..." Robyn replied reluctantly. She didn't always agree with whatever her slightly eccentric mate said or did.

"Oh, come on, Rob," Winter whined.

"Was it really necessary?" She finally burst out.

"Woah, woman. All I did was say that it would be interesting." Winter leant away from his mate. He often felt threatened by her when she was angry at him, and sometimes Winter felt that his mate thought that because she was a couple of months older than him then she could treat him more like a son; always rebuking him for whatever he did.

"Is this just another twisted game of yours?" she demanded.

"Maybe... Maybe not..." Winter said, trying to be mysterious with his wry smile.

"I cannot believe you sometimes." Her face contorted as she stressed the 'believe'.

"But you love me."

Robyn rolled her eyes. "I can accept the war, but you don't have to blow things out of proportion like you always do."

"Whatever."

"Don't come running to me with your tail between your legs if your grand plan to 'rule the world' fails. It's getting old now, Winter. Think of the kids before you do anything over the top."

With that, she left the room.

Around the corner stood Ultar, sweat dripping from his brow.

A corner of Reece's mouth turned up with anxiety as he asked, "What are we going to do now?"

"I don't know, Reece, I really don't know."

They stood there for what seemed like eternity, the alpha sitting on the floor with his head in his hands and the beta leaning against the wall staring at the ground.

Finally, the alpha looked up and ahead solemnly but determindly and said "We're going to have to fight."

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