CHAPTER ZERO: LIFE BEFORE.

the lady looked around suspiciously before depositing the baby at the old woman door then run away. the old woman heard the feet shuffling from inside, standing up, she walked to the door and opened it to find the baby. she picked the baby and he was sleeping. the elder could not just take the baby to child services so she kept him. she named him Adler.

years went by and Adler was exceptional, she just encouraged him and he did the rest by himself. when the old woman passed away, Adler was sad as she was the family he ever knew but had to survive as her last words were that.

Adler went on to leave within the pack's secretly as they had a great old alpha. till he passed on too. Adler thought, they will have a new alpha just as good, he was wrong, very wrong. but he remained a secret for a long time until one day, the day everything changed.

Adler was meditating at his cabin front lawn and he was listening to the whole forest and was loving it seeing no problems until birds flew away. he listened some more and it was coming from the pack grounds as there was a confrontation. he signed hard and blocked that out, it wasn't new. a few moments later, a bird landed on him. he did pet it then back to his meditating. until a weapon or a dagger was thrown at him, it stopped inches from his face. the one who threw it stopped surprised.

"get the alpha, we have a mage wolf in the pack," he said to his subordinates. he did and he came all angry as this was a pack take over. even the pack gathered there as some were against him taking over. all arrived to find Adler just seated eyes closed with a dagger inches from his face.

"interesting one, he might be useful," was all he said, but the rest still opposed him. Adler sensed a child nearby, this particular kid loved to come up to his cabin and play around. this day wasn't different. he came and paused seeing all the rest there then walked up to Adler.

"Hello uncle," he greeted him.

"Hi kiddo, your family okay?" he asked him and him speaking had the whole uninvited guests facing him, that is and was too much command in a voice of a beta wolf or so they thought.

"papa got injured but he is healing right now, mommy told me to come and stay here till everything calms down," he replied to him.

"good, why don't you head inside and play some video games with snacks you leftover," he told him, then opened his eyes smiling at the kid, "go on, I will just have a talk with them," he smiled and run inside happily, "now then," he faced forward and stretched his hands standing up. he was tall this surprised them, "who are you all?" he asked the group as he folded up the blanket he was sitting on neatly. walked off to the side and placed it on a chair at a shed there, walked back to his prior position and took the dagger off the air and inspected it, "I am waiting," he added checking how sharp the knife was, he broke the sharp edge and rose an eyebrow disappointed.

"um, they are here to take the alpha seat," one beta replied when no one did.

"and what happened to the chosen alpha?" he asked them.

"he has just been defeated in a challenge, he is leaving as we speak." the same beta replied again.

"and this challenge was it approved?" he asked still busy with the knife in hand.

"I don't think it was..." he paused when one of the goons spoke up, "so what it wasn't approved, he lost the challenge that alone drives him into hot waters, not us. and who the heck are you anyway? what kind of a mage lives in a pack instead of living with the oracles as it is supposed to be?" he asked him.

Adler chuckled and faced him amused, "when I asked my first question, you didn't speak, he did, now I ask something that might get you killed you speak up," he paused and threw the knife back to him and to his feet, "arent you the defensive ones? besides, the challenged in this case will be fine, the one who is the challenger now, he will be in trouble with the law." he paused when he spoke some more.

"and you are what? that law?" he asked him.

"law states, 'when a challenge is thrown without notice to any of the houses, the challenger is to be charged with life endangerment and unnecessary danger to his or the pack being challenged. the one receiving the challenge has all the right to defend himself as any non-approved challenge will and shall be taken as an attack to the said second party,'" he paused and waited, "got that part yet?" he asked them.

"There is no law like that," now their alpha spoke up.

"law book five, law 103, subsection A2," Adler replied to him, "you can confirm it, make the call to your subordinates, I will wait," he told him and everyone waited. he did and got an answer yes, the law is there. they also added, they are in trouble and should leave that area immediately, "and now?" Adler asked them and waited for the next move they shall make.

there was a moment of silence between the two sides and Adler seemed patient enough to wait this out as long as they make it to be. it was at this time, the were council arrived after hearing of an unknown challenge. the pack backed off but the second party believed it was well within their right to be there as they won it fairly without using cheats or anything.

the councilman had not seen Adler as he was at that time, under the tree shed situated on a stool overlooking them all, "no, that isn't the problem here," Arthur, one of the two councilmen who came, began, "the problem is you went against the laid out laws and rules regarding a challenge and more-ever to an ancient pack. that is the problem, if this challenge wasn't approved by any of the houses, then no house recognizes you as the alpha here at all, and neither will the pack." he explained to him and his followers to make them see their problem.

they remained firm on their win and how it is in their right to claim victory. Arthur was mind blown at how dense they were, he had not explained the charges and how severe they were. they didn't listen to reason.

Adler spoke up, "they might as well be stones if they won't listen to reason," this startled Arthur and his partner, they turned around to find Adler, "stones are hard, so are they," he added amused by how stubborn they were, "are you even pack wolves, to begin with?" he asked them.

"what do you mean? we are a pack of course," one replied angrily he even thought of that.

"a moving pack, thus your challenge to a pack you don't even know. might I ask, where will you take the pack since your so-called alpha is insistent the win is his." he paused and faced the alpha, "dear alpha, I do get to understand that moving alphas move pack every time they find new additions. that's all we are to you right? so tell us, where will you take us?" he asked him and waited.

"north," he replied to that.

"The whole of the north is occupied, you think we are stupid, right alpha?" Adler asked him. arthur did agree with him, the whole of the north is occupied, "you intend to use us and start a packs war, right?" adler asked him some more, that question made them gasp, "good fucking job, you won. but you idiots forgot one minor detail about ancient packs," adler stood up and walked in front of them all and faced the challenging pack, "every ancient pack has two alphas, the known alpha and who is incharge. and the second alpha who stays as a secret and comes out should a take over happened." he paused and the pack with the council men gasped facing adler knowing who he is at that point but the challenging alpha and his followers were confused, "you fools, I am your challenge now," adler let go of his aura and all around him kneeled, "I will be your opponent," he finished and this made all challengers run off. adler hide his aura and they stood up, "hmm, I thought they would fight, that is disappointing," he said in the end.

"wait," Arthur stopped him, Adler faced him and the pack, "who are you?" he asked him.

"someone," Adler replied and Arthur almost smiled, Adler did laughing, "good to see you again, uncle," Arthur was confused, "I was ten when we met, I believe it was the day you became a councilman. you knew my grandmother, Sentinal who recently passed on," Arthur thought hard and finally remembered.

"no way this is you right now?" was all Arthur could say. Adler nodded in assurance it was him, "three hundred did you, good kid," then hugged him, "awesome even, how about I name you the alpha here?" Arthur asked him

"uncle, i.."

he was cut off, "I see no problem," this was martin, Arthur partner councilman, "surely they don't either," he added indicating to the betas and elders there present.

Adler just signed heavily and faced his uncle, "did you have to suggest that?" he asked him. Arthur smiled proudly at that, he knew the sentinal would be proud he became an alpha as she always wished.

so Arthur did name him the alpha there and word spread the ancient pack has a permanent alpha and he is no joke either. everyone runs to make an alliance with him. Adler didn't like most, he rejected so many till he came across one proposal one day.

this was after ten years and the ancient pack had recovered what they had lost in terms of finances and resources and were in surplus of them. Adler was great with finances to the point the bank called him asking they can't handle his input anymore, he has to open a fresh bank account. he did ease their work.

this one proposal was interesting as it was put forward by the pack and not the alpha, then he saw the name of the alpha, 'alpha kade Cullen,' he accepted that one knowing of the Cullen family and bloodline and how kade was a no-nonsense alpha and he happened to be in the south pack. this was even more advantageous to them both.

"alpha, alpha kade and escort is here," he was informed as he was in his office that day. kade walked in and Adler stood up to welcome him.

"am I that repulsive?" Adler asked him when kade didn't shake his hand.

"no, what made you think I want an alliance?" kade asked him clearly angry.

Adler turned to his escort, "you haven't told him have you?" he asked them, kade turned to his escort confused by that, "Tell me what?" he asked them. they smiled nervously, kade cursed at them before he thrashed them out of the room, "my apologies, really." kade said to Adler who just wanted a friendly handshake. kade did accept it.

"alpha trouble!" this startled even Adler as was kade,

"is the world on fire or something?" Adler asked the beta.

"no, ferals, north border. now!" then run back out. Adler run after him and kade followed, they got there to find, the betas put down the last of them and they were all exhausted out, more came into the opening, "the hell?" all thought out loud surprised they were that many.