Shadows of Destiny

105 The Gathering

~Leo~

Amelia was in the room. I knew she had not retired to the room. It looked like she had come to use the

bathroom and get something. She exited the bathroom, and her eyes fell on mine.

"What are you doing here?’ she asked, and I smiled at her.

"Called a meeting with the other Alphas, came to dress up before I leave," I said, and she frowned.

"Do not tell Susan this, but the south has been taken already, and the next stop is the East. Yuri plans

to take the East this week. I am trying to ensure that every Alpha has equal fighting chances. So I

called for an emergency meeting tonight. Because we are leaving for the north tomorrow. I am also

arresting Gordon tonight so he does not convey the meeting's outcome to Yuri," I said, and she sighed

and walked up to me.

She searched my eyes just as she used to when we first met, and I wondered what she was looking for

in them this time.

"Please be safe, Leo," she said, took my hand, and placed it on her lower belly.

"It isn't just you anymore,’ she said, and those words hit me hard.

"I won't be reckless, Moonlight. I promise to keep it safe and come home," I assured her and bent to

kiss her.

I kissed her and felt calm wash through me. Along with it came courage and hope, just what I needed

for the coming days.

She left the room to return to the ladies, and I headed to the closet to get dressed for the meeting.

My father, Alexei, Max, Kyle, and I headed to the town hall where our meetings were held.

I was nervous, but it was expected after all we had heard and experienced so far. We also had to watch

our backs in case an attack ensued.

"Do you know the irony of all of this?’ Kyle said while in the van, and I looked at him to speak quickly.

"We are going to the town hall to arrest Gordon and have a meeting. What if Gordon has already told

Yuri, and he decides to take all of us out there? Look at it this way. Every Alpha leading a pack in the

East will be there tonight. Won't that be an easy kill?" he asked, making a lot of sense.

"We will have to take our chances. We won't get anywhere if we have to calculate every move and

outcome. There is risk in everything we do, and you have just mentioned the risk of what we are about

to do. The best Leo can do is make the meeting quick and not spend as long as usual," My father said,

and Alexei sighed.

"I agree with you, Alpha. Let's see how it goes. Worst-case scenario, we will fight and run away," Alexei

said, meaning his words, and as cowardly as it sounded, I agreed with him.

I could not afford to die now that I was about to have my own family. I understood his plight; he would

soon be a father too. We had so much to live for. Being cowards was allowed. It was best to run away

and fight another day. Call it being a coward; I called it being wise.

The rest of the ride was silent. Kyle's words had put some unspoken fear in us, but we were all brazen

about it.

We finally arrived at the town hall, and almost everyone had arrived. It was surprising to see how

people responded quickly to my call. Alpha Gordon was there, and he seemed relaxed. He wasn't

behaving like a guilty person, but he could not fool me.

People were surprised to see my father. Especially those who were alphas before I took over from my

father. They had attended meetings with him.

They came to greet and welcome him, and he was warm towards them.

I kept an eye on Gordon, who remained where he was sitting. Soon I went to sit where was designated

to me, and the moment I sat, everyone proceeded to their seats.

"With all due respect, head Alpha, Kyle and Max no longer own packs; they aren't supposed to be

here," Alpha Thomas, the spokesman, said, and I sighed,

"Max is representing Alpha Timothy of Brentwood, and Kyle is here on my request," I said, and they

relaxed.

I greeted all of them and thanked them for coming.

I looked at everyone and took a deep breath before speaking. I had to make it quick so we could head

back.

"I know you might all wonder why I called this emergency meeting, but I am also sure that you have all

heard of the strange things happening in the south and part of the east about the silver immune

terrorists," I said.

People began to murmur, confirming my thoughts on the situation.

I banged the gavel to silence them, and they were attentive.

"I am forced to believe that there is a ploy to take over the south and east, and we are the ones caught

in the middle,' I said, and I could hear the worry in their murmur.

"With all due respect, Alpha, we should ask Alpha Kuznetsov to explain himself. All this started

happening when he took over hill valley, and Alpha Max accused him of cheating with silver. He must

be immune to it and have a hand in this," Gordon said, and I fought the urge to shut him up.

"I will get to that later," I said, and he smiled and sat back down.

"Unfortunately for Alpha Corrigan, also known as Bane, he has had many traitors in the south. Because

of that, the south has fallen to a man called Yuri Stepanov of the Stepanov bloodline we dared not

speak of," I said. Some of them gasped, meaning most of them knew what was happening.

"I thought Lord Dimitri Volkov eradicated that bloodline," someone said, and I nodded.

"So we thought, but that has not been the case. They live and walk among us,’ I said, trying to sound

mysterious in the process.

"Yuri Stepanov has taken over the South, and he is coming for the East," I said and cleared my throat.

"I know these people have approached some of you, and most of you have refused to collaborate with

them. I commend those who rejected their offer and chose to be loyal for your loyalty and bravery.

Because of you, the East has remained impenetrable," I said, looking around. Then I signalled Kyle

and Max, who immediately stood up and when to stand beside Gordon.

"I want to commend those of you that have refused to allow greed to drive you and stand for what is

right. Whilst doing this, I will also want to condemn someone in our midst," I said, and Gordon wanted

to get up, but Max and Kylke held him down. Kyle pulled a silver cuff and clamped it on Gordon's

wrists, arresting him.

"Alpha Gordon, I am placing you under arrest for arson at this moment,” I said, and people began to

murmur.

"You will have the opportunity to defend yourself, of course, but I have a Kappa that claims he told you

of my Nitric plant the night it was set ablaze. The significance of that plant has forced me to take the

matter seriously." I said, and Gordon began to protest.

"Why would I burn down a Nitric plant? Why?' he asked, trying to sound like a victim, and some people

agreed with him.

"On the surface, you will have no reason to do so. It is useless to you, but when it has been used

successfully to combat the silver mutants, it begs the question of why it would suddenly be set ablaze

after it had sat there for many years," I said, and people were silent. They knew where I was headed.

"Just as they did in Pridewood in the south, Yuri Stepanov sent his men to do the same to Brentwood.

They were to pump silver into the air while the occupants inhaled it and died. Luckily my father had a

bright idea of dissolving the Silver with Nitric Acid.

It was a guess, but when we went to help Alpha Timothy, and they attacked, we had to use it, and it

worked. We were able to save Brentwood with it, and because of that, Mountain is safe, and the East

still stands.

That is why we think Gordon brunt it down,’ I said, looking at Gordon in the eyes.

"Because he is working for Yuri Stepanov," I said, and people gasped.

"Call me paranoid, but I will hold you in Mountain. Until you can prove otherwise," I said and nodded so

Kyle and Max would know to empty his pockets. I also knew we couldn't waste time as usual. The

earlier we disperse, the safer for all of us.

"Guessing that Gordon has been compromised, we cannot linger here and argue as always. I will just

convey my message, and we will all leave to ensure we do not allow Yuri to attack and kill us at once

because I believe his men are in the East right now, awaiting his orders,' I said, and everywhere was

silent. They were all attentive.

"I have inside information that Yuri plans to strike this week. Make sure you send your civilian pack

members underground and only leave the warriors above ground. Wear goggles and gas masks; have

tons of Nitric Acid on standby to pump into the air if they attack. Once you do these things, they would

have no choice but to fight you physically without silver. Without their silver weapons, they are easy to

kill.

If they inhaled the silver themselves, they could only shift partially. Their healing capacity would be

slow, strike them and create mortal wounds. Do not underestimate them; they are more advanced and

enhanced than us," I said, and they murmured.

"What about you, head alpha?" One of them asked me, and I nodded.

"My father would be in Mountain to hold the forte. While I try to gather an army to take the war to the

south where I believe this Yuri Stepanov will make his resting place," I said, and they stood up.

"When the time comes, call on us, and we will be there to fight beside you, Alpha," Thomas said, and

the rest agreed.

They had all offered themselves and their warriors at once. Which meant we would have more warriors

that would use Erik's AgK32. We stood a chance against Yuri.

The meeting ended, and everyone dispersed. We did not spend up to thirty minutes in that meeting, but

the minutes counted, and we had hope.

Holding Gordon in our van, we returned to Mountain to secure him as our prisoner and prepared to

head north the next day.