MATE AND HIS LOVER 9

#35 We fight fair

Thunders rumble in the distance. There's cold air swirling around. Alpha Christopher Penston is warm inside a small cottage at the border of the Raketrope pack land.

A few of his trusted men have come with him. Two stay close to the cottage. The rest of them have spread out, to see and catch any threats before it's too late.

The answers from all of his close councilors were the same — It's no coincidence Nate gets attacked and not long after Ian Stanton asks for an audience with the Alpha. It's no coincidence at all.

But the decision to come or not depended on Christopher himself. Could not knowing what Ian was up to put one of his son's life in danger? He thought. And so he came.

The meeting is kept secret from the rest of the pack, and the place of meeting is secluded.

A moment later Christopher hears the low growl of one his men. It meant, "He's here."

When Ian Stanton enters the cottage, Christopher sees a boy who is a lot like his own two sons. Maybe more like the eldest, Nate. They are about the same build, with the same toughness in their eyes that come from growing up with an attitude to defy their fathers at all cost.

Ian pulls one of the wooden chairs in the cottage closer to the Alpha's seat and sits down.

"Alpha," Ian says, bowing a little.

"Why did you want to meet me?" Christopher says.

"Before that, I must thank you for agreeing to see me. Not that many Alphas accept my request for a meeting out of fear."

"I don't fear kids, Ian. How is your father?"

"Not good, I'm afraid. Guess his time is near. Like you, in a way. News of the soon to be passing of title in your pack has spread fast. Has gained a lot of people's attention."

"Why it has yours?"

"I'm just looking for peers who I could work with. Like your son, Patrick."

Alpha's right hand twitches. "I don't understand."

"I'll be upfront with you, Alpha. I'm looking to expand my business — the legal ones, of course. Working with a pack with a young leader means he'll be able to view and share my vision. I've heard great deal of Patrick and look forward to working with him."

"I can't speak on behalf of my son. But, as you can see, he's not the Alpha yet. I am. I don't see why you need to see me to propose your business that you want to have with Patrick."

"You are right," Ian says, leaning back on his chair. "After he becomes the Alpha, I will take my proposal to him directly. However, that's where the issue lies."

"What issue that might be?"

"The guarantee of his title," Ian says. 

It all makes a bit more sense to Christopher now. 

Patrick will make a great leader, Christopher believes, however, Patrick's leadership will have the weakness of his immaturity. Something that the likes of Ian can try to take advantage of.

"At Raketrope, we fight fair," Christopher says. "The title will go to whoever earns it."

"Does that mean you are fine with it if your bastard son takes your title?"

A thread-fine crack appears on one of the armrests of the Alpha's seat, as he tries to not lunge at the boy before him. 

"Nate is as much my son as you are your father's," Christopher says.

"You have that look," Ian says. "The look of a man who's going soft in his old age. Just like my father."

"I doubt I'm anything like your father."

Ian smirks. The thunders stop for a moment, engulfing the cottage in an eerie silence.

Ian says, "If Patrick loses, I want to challenge Nate for the title."

If it weren't for his years of political experience, Christopher would've now looked shocked. 

Instead, he smiles for the first time today. "You have my permission to challenge either of my sons for the title. When the time comes, I'll even make sure my pack acknowledges the challenge. If that is all..." Christopher gets up, knowing full well of Ian's plan. It's time to leave now.

"You don't seem bothered by it," Ian says.

Christopher steps closer to Ian, towering over the boy by a couple of inches. "The reason I said I'm not like your father is because your father might've prepared you to run a gang of rogues, but he didn't prepare you to face leaders of a pack. On the other hand, my sons know both how to run a pack and deal with rogues like you."

Ian smirks. "We'll see about that, Alpha," he says and steps away from Christopher's way to the door.

"We will," Christopher says and leaves, but not before stopping by the door for a second to say, "Even though I've never really thought very high of your father, he was wise enough to not come near my pack. Give him my regards."

After Christopher leaves, Ian walks back to his car. He's furious about being treated like a child by the old man. Just like his own father. And Ian could do nothing.

But not for long, Ian thought. Not for long before his gang and this pack fully becomes his.

When Ian reaches his car, he sees Patrick waiting. Patrick keeps looking around to see if anyone else is here. He heard about the secret meeting through a close source. His father kept it a secret from even him.

"What the fuck are you doing here?" Patrick says. "You'll ruin everything! Wasn't it enough that your men made it worse already?"

"I just needed to know where your father stood in all this. The man seems to be fair to a fault."

"I told you, once the title is mine, it's mine! I'll be the only one in charge. And whatever deal we had, it's fucking over now! Your involvement had only made things worse for me! Stay the fuck away from me and my pack!"

"Let's be honest, you're not going to win against him. I'm your only chance. And it'll be over when I say it's over," Ian says with confidence and gets inside his car and drives away, leaving behind a conflicted Patrick. 

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