Sovereign (Silenced Part 2)

Part 41.

My seat at the conference table was securely between Silas and Logan. Adam was posted up out at the front door waiting for our guests to arrive and Aaron was with Emily and Matthew. Amelia was conscious but mostly still just sleeping and eating. Alisa had been kind enough to look after her while Silas and I attended this meeting. My stomach was in knots knowing in just moments I would be in a room full of Alpha's but as Silas had repeatedly assured me the ones that had been invited here, to our home just before the real meeting, were all allies.

I glanced between the two Alpha's already seated. Logan was his usual brooding self. He sat with his arms crossed and his feet up on the table as if he didn't have a care in the world. As if going into the major meeting without his wolf wouldn't phase him in the least. Both Aaron and Logan had been too close during the spell I'd used on the council. They'd both lost their wolves and the only way they'd get them back would be at the next full moon. The full moon was a week after the meeting where all the packs would gather to choose either an acting king or a new council. As Aaron had bluntly stated it would likely end up being a blood bath.

It wasn't that Alpha's were ignorant or even unintelligent. They'd held meetings of this standard before with little blood shed but the problem here was that the stakes were so high. The packs were almost divided equally with five packs knowingly supporting Devlin and four solid allies backing Silas no matter what. There were seven other Alpha's set to attend that had not yet voiced exactly where their allegiance was. Apparently two of which, Alpha Calder and Alpha Winthrop, were meant to meet with us today. Whisper Pines and Blood Storm were not obvious allies but according to Silas they were great leaders and often worked together with our other Allies in the past.

A knock on the office door had me jumping to my feet and immediately swaying from the sudden movement. Silas followed with much more control and poise. He casually dropped an arm around my waist to help steady me. I squeezed his hand in both thanks and reassurance.

He'd been watching me constantly since Aaron and I had completed Amelia's binding. It required more strength than I should have given considering my previous spell and following surgery. Still I was able to be on my feet for short periods of time and there was no way that I would miss this meeting.

Adam opened the door and stepped back to allow the others in first. The first of the Alpha's to enter was Jason Sanders. He was in charge of Samuel's pack, Ocean View. The alliance between him and Silas had strengthened significantly when we'd found and saved his beta's son and our own Amelia. I gave him a warm smile, careful this time to meet and hold his gaze which was something I had been unable to do during our last meeting. Sanders returned my smile with an all out grin showing he hadn't missed my confident eye contact.

Just behind Sanders was Alexander Thane. I grimaced and he shot me daggers but his lips were tilted up in an enduring smirk that said he wasn't too furious about my commanding him to leave only a few days prior. Thane sat down on Silas's right, just across from Logan, and he carefully skipped the seat that was being saved in case Aaron was able to join.

I eyed the empty seat and couldn't stop my mind from wondering toward Aaron and Emily. She was in the early stages of labor but it had seemed like more than that when I'd stepped out of the medical wing to be here. Matthew and Aaron were both on high alert for any complications but I still couldn't help but worry for her.

My eyes flickered up and over to the door again. This time two more alpha's had entered the room. One was easily taller than Silas with wide shoulders and a large but still lean build that was surprising. He had warm hazel eyes, black hair I'd almost consider shaggy, and bags under both eyes. There was a sadness to him that was intense and almost consuming. My hand tightened on Silas.