Controlled Burn (BxB) (Werewolf)

Chapter 31: The Parley

As Beau parked the truck on a patch of grass near the edge of the woods, he turned to Callum, searching his eyes for a moment before leaning in for a kiss. They shared a moment of quiet connection, a brief respite from the anxiety about their task. Then, with a determined nod from Beau, they exited the truck and made their way into the woods. The morning air was cool and fresh, the sounds of the forest a natural symphony that accompanied their steps. Despite the beauty surrounding them, their focus remained fixed on the task at hand.

As they walked, the forest opened up into a clearing where a table had been set up, straddling the invisible line that divided Claiborne and Webster parishes. The table was simple, wooden, and bore no adornments—a stark reminder of the diplomatic nature of their meeting. Four chairs faced each other, two on each side of the table, waiting for the participants to take their seats and begin the negotiations.

Meanwhile, Linh was positioned far behind them, hidden among the trees with a clear view of the clearing. Her presence was undetectable, her breathing steady and silent as she watched over Callum and Beau. She was ready to spring into action at a moment's notice, should the meeting turn sour. Her loyalty to the pack and her skills in stealth made her the perfect guardian for this delicate situation.

Callum and Beau approached the table, their steps slow and measured. There was a palpable tension in the air, the gravity of the meeting weighing heavily on both of them. As they took their seats, facing the empty chairs across from them, Callum reached out to place his hand over Beau's. In solidarity, Beau squeezed his hand as they waited for the Texarkana alpha and druid to appear.

A short time later, two male figures emerged in the distance. Callum's senses immediately detected the druid based on the abundance of essence contained within and leaking out of his body. The druid was a middle aged man with long, dark hair almost reaching his waist adorned with a variety of feathers. He carried a large duffle bag with the strap over his shoulder, and based on how he walked, the bag was clearly heavy.

The other man, who Callum concluded was the alpha, was an older man with a thick white mustache and a cowboy hat. He looked vaguely similar to Otis and Callum immediately began to wonder if they were related.

Callum and Beau stood as the other pair neared the table. Each of them reached out their hands for a greeting shake, Beau to the alpha and Callum to the druid. Naturally, Callum presented his left hand to avoid irritating his burned right hand. They shook hands briefly before crossing over to shake the other. The alpha took Callum's hand and squeezed. His superior strength was evident by his powerful grip.

"This is Big Rex, alpha of the Texarkana Pack," said the druid.

"And this is Morning Moon, my druid emissary," Big Rex said next with a thick Southern accent.

Following their lead, Callum introduced his alpha. "This is Beau Claiborne, alpha of the Claiborne Pack."

"And this is Callum Thorne, my druid emissary," Beau concluded the introductions.

As the four sat down, Morning Moon hoisted the duffle bag up and set it on the table, making a loud thud. The bag looked and sounded like it was full of bowling balls.

Big Rex cleared his throat. "Thanks for coming on such short notice. I figured we'd better iron things out right quick. I won't keep you here too long," he said before turning to the side and spitting a wad of black liquid on the ground. Callum realized he was indulging in chewing tobacco.

"What's there to iron out?" Callum said with a hint of spite. "This could have been prevented if y-"

Big Rex slammed his fist on the table suddenly, causing a large crack to split all the way through to each end. "Quiet, boy! Alphas are speaking!" he shouted at Callum before turning to Beau. "Looks like your emissary needs some training in manners."