Alpha Rhys

Chapter 11

We are all seated together for dinner and waiting for Alpha Zax. I have been warned that he is very stern and may be offensive at times. I've heard of all the stories of how he had a mate but denied her and sent her away so he could be with any woman he wanted. He is in his forties and is a great leader, but doesn't know exactly how to lead his people in the right path. Everyone in his pack looks up to him, but everyone else outside of the pack looks to him with disdain. I wonder if he knows this?

The room we are in is quite large and the table we are sitting at has a place setting in front of each chair. The dining room is very bright with lots of white fabrics and silver chandeliers. Our chairs look like it is made of glass and almost transparent.

Damon is getting nervous as time passes by. Damon is on my left and Rhys is on my right. Rhys didn't want me to have an empty chair by me for some reason. I can only imagine that he is worried someone would sit by me and harm me in some way. "Perhaps no one is going to show up?" Damon questions.

Rhys shrugs, "We will know if the food comes out without him." We have been waiting for ten minutes now for the Alpha of the North, but there has been nothing but silence. After a few more minutes, Damon speaks up, "Are you worried that he is going to do something to us? The food could be poisoned."

My eyes widen and I look at Rhys. He gives us both a weak smile, "No way! He may be rude at times, but he wouldn't do something like that!" My heartbeat isn't slowing down its fast pace from his reassuring statement. Rhys is trying to be nice to calm us down, but I can tell he doesn't even believe his words. If these people are really strict and hard to talk to, why am I here? I could have ordered Chinese food in my room, curled up in the big bed with a good book.

Someone comes into the dining room from the big doors behind us. We turn our heads to see who it is and my heart races even more. The male had unnatural blonde hair and brown eyes. He is skinny and tall, but it is hard to tell from his slouch as he walks to us. He doesn't seem to notice us as he smiles into the air. In his right hand, he has a bottle of something. In his left, his hand is formed into a fist with his middle finger pointed out.

It seems that he had his hand like that for a while and it had turned to stone, figuratively. He stumbles onto a chair on the opposite side of us. He takes a swig of his drink and slams it onto the table and wipes his mouth with his fist. He stares at Rhys and then blinks. He squints and then opens his eyes wide in happiness. "Hey! You all made it! Welcome to the richest, elegant pack alive!"

Damon glances at Rhys and I look at Damon and shrug. Rhys smiles at the man and says, "Thank you for inviting us here, Beta Jarack." Jarack nods eagerly and then frowns abruptly. His eyes squint again and he yells, "Hey! Why are you all so far away? Do you hate me already!? Sit in front of me!"

This time, Rhys looks at us and I shrug again. We are already sitting in front of him. Damon scoots his chair up closer to the table and we follow his action. Jarack smiles again, "There we go! Much better!" He takes another drink and lets it fall onto the ground this time. "So, I've got a problem as you all can tell." He talks in a slir.

I keep myself from rolling my eyes. Obviously, there is a problem with him if he is acting this way to us. He leans on his elbows and stares at Rhys. "Alpha Zax will not be joining you tonight. He had... business to attend to. So, he sent me! Unfortunately, I was informed to come here after I went to a party, soooooo."

He frowns and looks at Damon, "That is my problem. I hope you are not dissatisfied at the lack of his presence. He will join you all for your meeting tomorrow though." Jarack suddenly looks tired and he slams his head on the table. I jump in my seat, scared that the Beta of the North had hurt himself, but no one else looks worried as the food is being brought out, so I relax back into my seat again. When the food is brought out and the room is silent again, Jarack pulls his head back up with a smile. "I'm also an alcoholic."