Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Amber went to look for the twins in the crowd.

The stinking scent that she had inhaled still lingered in her nose.

It was too strong for her liking, she felt like sneezing actually.

She just didn't want to be rude, so she held it in as long as she could.

And now, snotty liquid was threatening to drip from her nose. So, using the hem of her clothes, Amber wiped it off without hesitation.

The man was friendly—or, at least, trying to be, and she felt bad that she was harboring such a negative impression of him.

Has she gotten influenced by her thoughts about the river too much?

She and the Alpha were already chatting earlier, yet she still somehow forgot to open up to him about the smell she took notice of lately.

Actually, she was having doubts at first since it was clear that once she told him that, she was going to lose her personal training grounds.

To become a pack warrior, training is essential.

River Severn offers several training programs to help their werewolves hone their inherent skills to perfection.

There's also the existence of many combat sports that aims to pique the interest of pups, so their motivation starts young.

Although, Amber always has this desire to make friends, her stand on this particular subject remains firm.

She prefers training alone, granted that there's a downside to it such as having no direct supervision from a mentor, and not getting a piece of relevant advice on anything that she tries to do.

The drills that her Papa made her execute before was deeply indoctrinated to her memory.

And Amber thinks she can always start from there, regardless of what the final outcome of her own training menu is.

Her personal activities are rather… disorganized.

They involve a lot of 'running' or 'chasing' after all.

Amber's thoughts don't follow a specific pattern. As long as she's done with their clan's personalized exercises, and still has the energy to spare, her imagination can be very creative.

For example, she suddenly saw a hare.

Her mind would whip up a few instructions for her before she went chasing after the poor animal.

It just happened recently—she made her mind up that she had to catch the hare with a handicap.

And the handicap that she decided on was to close her eyes.

Amber was fond of small and cute animals.

She never wished to scourge them in the first place. It was just her brain's way to keep her moving at a random pacing—to keep the blood rush pumping through her veins going.

So, in return, she made sure to feed the animals for all the stress that she caused before freeing them back into the wild where they truly belonged. It's the least that she can do to make it up to them.

Besides, Amber doesn't sit well with 'guilt'.

She finds it extremely uncomfortable because it's a mark that she has done something that requires a lambasting at the very least.

So, before she even gets scolded, she takes the initiative to straighten herself, and correct her mistakes.

Hares are a great source of food for their kind.

Although, most of the time, werewolves prefer a larger prey for the thrill and better reward, they also hunt smaller animals if need be—and this scenario especially happens if they're starving.

Any meat will do, so long as they have their fill.

Still, Amber isn't hunting for food; she goes on a hunt just to play or train. She has no reason to keep her catch, too, because she's well-fed. The Luna prepares hearty meals every day. There's no need for greed, so she always releases the animals she has caught.

The contentment that she feels whenever she's one with the wind…

Amber was afraid it could disappear in a blink of an eye once Alpha Severus made a big deal out of her little concern on the riverbanks. She was actually planning to visit the location today, and she wouldn't have been reminded of it if she hadn't met Sir Alaric.

He's as tall and intimidating as the Alpha, and there's something about his demeanor that tells her he's a strong werewolf.

He smelled different, too, so it got her thinking that he wasn't from River Severn.

The pack members here respect the Alpha so much, but Sir Alaric… he looked too carefree even with Alpha Severus' presence.

Amber's mouth twitched in dismay.

She couldn't seem to find Salt and Pepper here. Lukas should also be standing out, but there were no signs that he was here.

Where did they go?

They were the very reason why she had been looking forward to attending the barbecue party.

Standing alone at a lively celebration made her feel downhearted.

The other children were still playing, and it looked like their game wouldn't be over anytime soon—that's why Amber was hesitant to approach them, and say hello.

"I see a pouting Amber…!"

"Careful."

All of a sudden, dainty arms wrapped around her shoulders as she received a back hug from a very close friend. Amber's eyes lit up when she turned to see who was behind her.

Salt and Lukas were standing close to each other as they watched Pepper nearly put her in a chokehold due to excitement.

A small smile appeared over her pouting lips before she turned around to hug her friend back.

They both jumped in joy, though Pepper was the only one who was squealing between them two.

So, some pups were forced to stop running around to look at them curiously.

"Where were you?" Amber asked with a genuine look of interest.

She couldn't say that she had been lonely without having them around because it would sound selfish—as if she were demanding them to stick with her all the time.

There's a bunch of young werewolves from the other packs here, and Amber wishes to make friends with them to widen their circle, but only with Pepper around.

Of course, she knew that Pepper would love to meet them, too.

Although, another reason she couldn't do it by herself was that… she was nervous.

Amber wasn't sure if they'd come to like her.

After all, her memory of first coming into River Severn wasn't exactly very welcoming.

Pepper scrunched her nose after hearing her question. "We went to meet Daddy. As usual, he gave us some reminders… refreshed our minds with the dos and don'ts. He also said that you already came down the stairs, and we should find you here." She pulled away from the embrace, and puckered her lips. "And Daddy was right. You're here. He's really good at locating people, Amber. I wonder where my pet rabbit is now…? Daddy couldn't give me a definite answer. Do you think he… ate it? That's what Salt says."

Salt grunted. "Stop lying."

"That's what you told me! I don't get why you're denying it now!?"

"Whatever."

Pepper held both of her hands, desperation washing over her features. "I'm not lying, Amber! Salt said that! Believe me! Pick me…!"

Amber giggled softly. "Yes, I pick you."

Pepper stuck her tongue out to her brother—to which he just scoffed at in return.

Lukas, then, suddenly joined the conversation. "What took you long?"

She blinked at him. "I-I slept in."

"I told you. She took a nap." It was Pepper—and she looked satisfied with herself.

Amber smiled shyly. "Well… I really did sleep in. I'm sorry for making you wait."

"It's fine, Amber. Like what Daddy said, rest is just as important!" Pepper squeezed her hands reassuringly. "Have you eaten yet?"

She shook her head. "How about you?"

"Just finger foods!"

"Liar," Salt interjected. "You've had your full meal half an hour ago."

Pepper blushed profusely. "T-that is certainly not true…!"

Her twin just shrugged his shoulders. "Whatever floats your boat."

"There's a thing called buoyancy…! You're not listening to our teacher at all, Salt!"

Salt stared at his twin with a bored expression. "As if I was talking about that."

Lukas came to interfere. "Alright, you may stop now. You're confusing Amber. Look at her."

Huh?

'I'm confused?' Amber's face contorted into one of uncertainty.

She looked up, and threw Lukas a questioning look, and he just shook his head, and winked.

He was telling her to go with the flow, so the twins would put their argument to a stop.

Although, Amber wasn't a huge fan of telling lies, especially to her friends, she just found herself reluctantly nodding at his request.

Well, at any rate, she's doing it for their sake anyway.

She shouldn't feel too bad.

Besides, Lukas' intention was to stop their bickering—so, that was a good thing.

Pepper's mouth formed an 'O'. "I'm sorry, Amber."

Salt just stood on his spot, unbothered.

Pepper rolled her eyes after seeing that, so she added, "Salt apologizes, too. Just… try to not look at his face."

"You don't need to apologize. I'm not that… confused," Amber squeaked out, stealing a side glance from Lukas.

He just grinned at her.

"So, where do you want to go first?"

Amber pointed at the banquet table. "Let's check it out?"

"Sure!" Pepper replied automatically.

"I don't mind. It's not like I've had a proper meal tonight yet." It was Salt.

"Same," Lukas supplied.

It felt as though they were trying to make Pepper feel bad for being unable to wait for her, so they could enjoy dinner together.

Amber pursed her lips.

She knew Pepper very well.

She was a good friend, and she would wait for her as long as she could.

In fact, Amber feels she's at fault here for making them wait longer than necessary.

Werewolves have a voracious appetite—particularly the growing ones.

So, when Pepper pulled her along, she looked over her shoulder, and shook her head at Salt and Lukas, her gentle gaze begging.

Pepper would feel bad.

She was sure of it.

Her friend has just a jolly personality overall, so the gloom she's feeling will be too inconspicuous to make out.

Thankfully, it seemed that the boys got the message as both of them looked away, cheeks flustered.

The four of them reached the banquet table in no time, and astonishment could be seen on their faces. It feels like they're indeed celebrating a feast tonight.

The party was generously serving the guests and attendees with all types of meat, and they couldn't help but be mesmerized by the sight of them.

The boys were already drooling, but they let Amber and Pepper get a serving for themselves first before they attacked the table mercilessly.

Crusted lamb chops…

Chicken pot pie…

Smoked turkey breast…

Roast beef…

Turkish chicken kebab…

Duck with orange…

And many more!

"The Luna is amazing," Pepper exclaimed as she swallowed down a pinch of her portion. "I bet you're eating this kind of food your whole life, Lukas!"

"Not true," he mused. "You can ask Amber to confirm if you want."

"Eh? If you say it like that, then I'll have no choice, but believe you!" Pepper glared at him playfully. "Boring."

"Boring is better. At least, I won't get doubted…" Lukas threw Amber a knowing look, "anymore."

"Huh? What do you mean?"

Lukas laughed. "I wonder, too?"

"Shut up."

'This is a whole lot better.'

Amber smiled to herself.

Whenever she was with them, she could forget the uneasiness slowly seeping into her system.

What the Alpha said to her about the possibility of having her first shift in the next coming days left her shaken up.

If they're talking about pain, Amber isn't afraid to face it as long as it isn't… persistent.

The thought of having to endure it for hours—of course, she felt scared.

Although, she takes a fancy to grueling trainings, it doesn't mean she's immune to the pain associated with them. She had injured herself countless times in the forest, but since she was already familiar with the feeling, her brain already knew what to expect from it.

But… first shift?

A chill ran down her spine as she imagined how her bones would break, and turn into something completely different.

Alpha Severus was breathing heavily.

He couldn't help it.

The Werewolf King representative, Alaric, kept eyeing Cain's daughter like a hawk.

After their brief talk earlier, they parted ways with Alaric saying that he would like to survey the area by himself.

In addition to that, the man had been seeing familiar faces among the invited guests, so he decided to send them his regards personally.

The Alpha wouldn't have picked up on what the man's real motive was if it weren't for his Gamma's close observation.

Severus can't possibly monitor the kids' activities 24/7, so it's highly likely that he's going to miss out on a thing or two.

But thanks to Brandon, he was informed of Alaric's suspicious behavior.

He should have known it in the first instance.

Why would such an important person like himself bother with a pup?

For him to suddenly show an interest in Amber whom he just met tonight…

It was already a hint in itself.

"Make sure to keep tabs on the children, Brandon."

"As you command, Alpha." The Gamma Chief stood awkwardly beside him, his eyes inquisitive. "Is that all?" Because Brandon wasn't satisfied with just that.

They aren't going to do something with that Alaric guy?

He knew that crossing that man could threaten their pack's standing in Akkad, but he personally felt wronged if they were to just sit back, and pretend they didn't see anything.

After all, it was strange enough that, out of all River Severn pack members that were present here, it had to be 'that' little girl.

Amber.

Shouldn't they have a word with that man at least?

Alpha Severus casted a brief look his way, but he didn't entertain his question at all. "I should go back to the table." His tone held finality—one that the Gamma couldn't challenge, so he hoped that he got the message clearly.

'Be inconspicuous. Don't do unnecessary things. Avoid attracting unwanted attention.'

Yes.

They're going down that route on this occasion.

After all, it will be a wrong move to ignore the position that Alaric holds here.

Picking a bone with him is no different from insulting the Werewolf King himself.

Severus knows what exactly Brandon is thinking about, but they can't afford to act recklessly here.

Of course, it bugs him that Alaric has his eyes on Amber.

Severus could spend the night agonizing over the reason, and still arrive at the wrong conclusion.

Nevertheless, he wasn't excluding the idea that it might have something to do with Amber's… roots.

It goes without saying that the Capital has already heard of the Santiago clan.

Perhaps, Alaric is feeling intrigued?

It looks like it's his first time seeing a direct descendant of the distinguished bloodline.

Putting it that way makes Severus calmer.

He shared a knowing look with his Gamma before he joined the table of his esteemed guests. He will try to keep the discussion with them short and simple since today's supposed to be a celebration, and not another day of doing pack business.

Alphas can be very selfish about what they want, so Severus will keep them at arm's length for now.

He wasn't in the mood to get cozy—not after learning that Amber is being watched.

"I'll take this opportunity to announce my enlistment in the acquisition campaign, launched by the Capital."

"I believe you're taking about the old… West Crescent? The land could be useful for expansion."

"I agree, but don't you think your original pack is too far to consider West Crescent land an annex?"

"The distance won't hurt if the benefits are worth it. How about you? Don't you desire the same thing? A larger pack means a plethora of new pack members. The acquisition of that land presents many advantages—including increased influence."

"I'll keep that in mind for now. I wasn't interested to go for it to begin with."

"Don't worry. The Capital isn't going to pit the aspiring packs against each other."

"Laughable."

"How about you, Severus? Yours is the nearest to West Crescent. I'm certain that the idea of acquiring the land must be quite tempting for you, huh? After all, there's a chance that you'll get your hands on the unclaimed territory bridging your land and West Crescent's as well."

Alpha Severus doesn't intend to poke his nose into the topic at hand since it's quite sensitive for the old pack members of Leviticus to hear.

Diving into the conversation can certainly create an ugly impression even if those wolves have completely moved on, and are now settling in well here in his pack.

Still, no response is a response—and he despises being misunderstood.

So, he decided to give them an answer before giving it a rest. "I'm afraid that my masterplan for River Severn for this year can no longer accommodate that sort of a movement," he stated with a poker face.

That was the safest answer he could come up with which held an ounce of truth in it.

To acquire the West Crescent land without causing an uproar among its previous dwellers, Severus would need to condition the mindset of his pack members first. He was certain that it was going to be an elaborate scheme, and the pack wasn't ready for something huge like that yet.

So, for now, his goal is to maintain their current seat—or climb up higher.

Although, the road isn't going to be easy.

"Really? That's new."

"I didn't know that you, of all the Alphas in our region, would actually reject that without batting an eye, Severus."

"I thought you knew the previous Alpha? Isn't it better to take over the land yourself instead of letting it fall into the hands of others?"

A grin formed over his lips. "I respect my pack members' sentiment. However, I see your suggestion as more of an act of greed, and not concern."

Normal discussions among Alphas could escalate into serious altercations if one failed to choose the right word to say. They were used to being superior, and listened to, and only fools would dare challenge their authority—those who were asking for a quick death.

The pack members who overheard the conversation were good at pretending.

They went on talking with each other casually as if they didn't hear anything.

It had been five years after the West Crescent's downfall, however, the pack's name was barely mentioned within this pack until the present date.

It was out of respect for the pack members that River Severn had embraced, of course.

Besides, one of their unforeseen values was their exceptional adaptability.

Most of them are now part of River Severn's official warriors. The adults, in particular, have no trouble facing the pack drills head-on. They are excellent warriors; born with the talent. That's why, it's an open secret that every original member of River Severn is looking forward to how that pup, Amber, will pave her own way into the ranks.

Their curiosity is stemming from both admiration and envy.

After all, she also won the regionals for the werewolves' kickboxing competition.

And all of her matches were completely, and utterly… one-sided.

"Shall we start the games?" a voice coming from Severus' back suddenly interrupted. "I'm curious as to how competent the pups can get if they're asked to 'play'."

The crowd dispersed after greeting the Werewolf King representative.

He was a person of a significant social standing, and must not be easily approached by anyone.

No…

That was faulty thinking right there.

As ordinary pack members, they couldn't help but feel intimidated.

After all, he was a wolf that could stand eye to eye with an Alpha.

His existence was… no joke.

All the Alphas from their table stood up to acknowledge Alaric's presence, too, though there was no reason for these males to lower their gazes like a coward in the first place.

Severus bit back a sigh of displeasure while lifting his body off the chair.

Among the Alphas, he was the last one to greet the man with a stiff nod.

He immediately mindlinked Brandon. 'Where are you?'

'Patrolling the area, Alpha. Pups' side.'

'Anything significant?'

'Nothing as of now. I saw Alaric left earlier, and I'm guessing that he went over to that side?'

'He's got a suggestion. Would you like to hear it?'

'Going by your wolf's agitation, that seems like something I wouldn't wish to hear as well, Alpha.'

'Alaric has proposed to commence the games now.'

'What!?'

'Keep the pups out of his damn sight! Now!'

And with that, Severus closed his mind off.

He didn't want to entertain any updates from his men right now. He was too worked up that he might take his anger out on them.

Thankfully, Xyla didn't seem to be around.

She was a worrywart, and it would be better to let her keep her mind off this situation.

Damn it.

If that man was, indeed, keeping an eye on Amber… surely, he would go looking for her in games.

Actually…

She might also be the reason why Alaric wanted to initiate this.

"I've heard that our Luna has prepared games for the children, yes?"

Severus' mouth couldn't form a smile properly, so he motioned a finger to summon another person. That way, everyone's scrutinizing eyes would deviate from him. "Gather the kids, but don't be forceful," he ordered.

From his peripheral vision, he could tell that the Werewolf King representative was pleased that he was taking action right away.

Ha.

Severus was confident that the man's smile would melt once he found out that Amber wouldn't come out to play.

Alaric closed the gap between them. "I believe you have a son. Is he joining?" He leaned closer to whisper in his ear. "How old is he again?"

Severus' wolf was raging inside his head.

It hadn't said anything since then, but now that it was unhappy with how the Werewolf King representative was behaving. His wolf was forcing him to shift.

And this was the tricky part—Severus was positive that his next words would be growly.

'Stop that.'

'Why's that rice grain looking for my pup?'

'Rice grain? I see that, once again, you've come up with a quite original pet name for your new favorite person?'

'Favorite!? I'll murder you,' his wolf snapped.

'As if you can kill yourself.'

'Have you no concern for my boy?'

'Lukas is thirteen. He's got his own wolf now. So, can you?'

'Can I what?'

'Calm the fuck down.'

'No, I won't!'

'Alaric's target isn't Lukas. Were you even listening?'

'Don't wait for it, bastard. Don't wait for him to target your pup next.'

Those were his wolf's last words before it blocked him off from communicating.

The hell.

Severus could handle Xyla's mood swings better than that wolf.

It acts like an overbearing Alpha, through and through.

His wolf was just being paranoid. The moment that it heard something that didn't sit well with it, it would go bonkers—like what happened just now.

And it wasn't because he didn't care about his son that's why he was showing little worry to none.

Alaric had no reason to go after his son, or an imminent conflict was inevitable.

But with Amber…

The man could enumerate his reasons.

The fact that she's a Santiago…

How she was able to survive the massacre five years ago…

Who could be her parents…

There's a lot.

Alaric lifted a brow at him. "Mindlink?"

"Oh, yes. I informed my mate," Severus lied smoothly.

"Figures…" Alaric grinned, "seeing your eyes glazed over like that."

"That's oddly specific, Alaric. You don't need to describe it."

"Why not? You disregarded what was in front of you, and made him wonder who you were trying to get to, Severus. I know the importance of mates, so I let it go."

What the hell is this mutt talking about?

He's speaking as if he owes it to him?

Severus chuckled lowly. "I absolutely appreciate your understanding."

When he looked around his surroundings, it was only then that he realized that they were the only two left at the venue. People had probably gone to notify and support their pups, Alphas included.

Severus took a deep breath.

The purpose of the games was to let the children enjoy themselves to the fullest.

They were celebrating the pack's achievement tonight, and someday, they would become part of a similar achievement—and more.

Naturally, pack members should be treated equally no matter their age.

"Shall we go?" Severus asked, his voice deeper than usual. It was probably the work of his wolf once more.

Alaric tilted his head to the side. "Just waiting for you."

"Ah."

The two of them walked side by side silently to the kids' venue.

And Severus found it utterly ridiculous.

For them to walk side by side?

Is this man trying to insult him or something?

Severus' mind went blank as soon as his gaze landed on a very familiar girl.

Everything else was a blur.

'I see that you've failed to comply with my order, Brandon,' he stated, an underlying threat present in his voice.

Brandon was standing next to Amber when all of a sudden, his head turned to scan the crowd.

And when his Gamma's eyes finally met his, that's when he continued with his apology.

'Forgive me, Alpha, but…'

'…Amber insists on staying behind.'

The games will commence in a while, and Amber is fired up more than ever.

Not only did the Luna prepare some new games for them to enjoy, the other players are from the other packs, too.

That means that she'd get to see, and assess how they were going to perform as well.

Amber noticed that Sir Brandon was acting… strange.

He said that he would be making them four watch a historical war drama wherein they needed to provide their insights about the events that occurred in it afterward, yet for some reason—the Gamma Chief looked frantic when he prompted them to go upstairs.

Salt, Pepper, and Lukas went along without any protest.

But Adara…

She wouldn't have kicked up a fuss if it weren't for the fact that she thought she heard someone from the garden mention the word 'games'.

Her ears perked up that moment, and she immediately tried to find the person who said it—but there was just too much background noise which impeded her attempt.

"Dad, why would you ask that of us now of all times?" Pepper whined, frowning.

Meanwhile…

Salt, who was looking unbothered, and minding his own business at one corner while sipping his apple juice, suddenly spoke. "Is that an assignment, Dad?"

"From your Gamma, yes."

Lukas shrugged nonchalantly. "I'm fine with it, Sir." Besides, he's not that interested in the party per se. He figured it shouldn't hurt to attend since Amber and the twins would go, too.

Plus, to be honest, he'd rather play video games with Salt because the number of their wins against each other currently had come to a tie.

He could only get a peace of mind if he moved his figures higher.

"So, Amber…" The Gamma was staring at her intently. "How about you? How do you find the challenge?"

Brandon watched the girl's reaction closely.

As long as it was something stimulating, Amber wouldn't say no to it.

He heard that she was a brilliant student at Woodridge Academy, and usually aced both objective and subjective exams—so, he was hoping that this one would work on getting her attention.

Young trainees of River Severn Pack are required to familiarize themselves with the varying scenarios, strategies, and mindset seen in wars, though they have to reach a certain age before they study, and watch movies with vile themes.

Salt and Pepper are the children of the Gamma Chief, so their fates are at variance with the pack's norm.

And since Lukas and Amber were good friends of them, Brandon just found himself allowing the two to participate from time to time in his strict lessons and supervision with his pups.

Besides, as the pack warriors' Commander, he had a good grasp of Lukas and Amber's abilities and potentials.

At the very least, he just knows that they won't be fazed with something unostentatious like this.

Amber showed him a brilliant smile which had him sigh in relief.

But he guessed he celebrated inwardly way too early for that.

Going by how her gaze twinkled in delight, it was obvious that there was more.

And boy, was he right…

"May I ask the Sir Gamma when the deadline is?"

Brandon wasn't able to think that far ahead, so he just answered in reflex, despite his confusion. "Tomorrow morning?"

"Okay," Amber chirped happily, then gave her friends a thumbs up. "You guys can go ahead."

"What?" Pepper protested almost automatically. "Why?"

"I'll be with you in a bit, don't worry." She lowered her gaze, blushing. "I want to go sightseeing first… but you don't have to pause the movie every now and then just to wait for me, okay?" she said meekly.

They might have already gotten tired of the party, but it was different for Amber.

She just came down here, and not even an hour had passed.

She wished to stay longer.

Pepper didn't seem to appreciate the thought because it showed on her face.

"Don't be selfish," Salt told his twin sister off. "We've been here for enough time. I'm sure your friend wishes to enjoy what we enjoyed earlier as well."

Lukas hummed, nodding. "And Amber doesn't have glaring problems with essays."

Pepper glared at the Alpha's son. "What's that supposed to mean?"

The Gamma came in between them before it could even become a full-blown quarrel—which always happened. "You go now. You'll find a copy of it on my study desk. Make sure to not make a mess out of my documents placed on there, too." Then, his face became stricter. "Understood?"

"Yes, Sir," the boys said in unison.

Pepper, obviously, had a different concern.

But before she could utter a word of it… Salt effortlessly dragged her along with them.

Pepper struggled to get free—but to no avail.

Her twin was unyielding, and their father had no qualms about it. "Who says you can drag me with you!? What? Don't ignore me…! Dad? Make sure to convince Amber to join us soon…? Okay!?"

Well, of course.

That's the plan at least.

Brandon will have to try to talk it out with Amber first.

Alpha Severus' instruction was clear, and that was to distance the kids from Alaric's eye—especially Amber Santiago.

But that didn't give him the right to force the kid against her own will.

Hence, Brandon could only hope that persuading her wouldn't be too difficult.

"You won't join them just yet?"

Amber pursed her lips, and nodded timidly. "I'm sorry, Sir Gamma."

His face softened. "No, you have no fault. I don't see any reason for you to feel that way."

"I can watch the movie by myself later…" she exclaimed reassuringly. "And I promise I won't be late for the submission."

'I know.'

That's what Brandon wanted to say.

But even if he allowed that, the random assignment that he gave them on a whim wasn't the main problem here.

It was Alaric's interest in her…

"Then, can you promise me to join them upstairs in fifteen minutes?" The Gamma tried to negotiate, though it was more of an attempt to get her to agree at his own convenience. That's the most of the time limit he can give until someone from the pack comes looking for his assistance.

And as long as Amber is here at the garden, he must not leave her side no matter what.

Brandon is one reasonable man.

Unlike the Alpha, he's not one whose default view of a person is a potential enemy unless proven otherwise. He may be the strongest pack warrior in their pack, but his belief isn't distorted to the point of hysteria.

Of course, he completely understands Alpha Severus' case because that kind of character is innate.

He wouldn't be surprised if he were to find out that the Alpha and his wolf were constantly arguing in his mind, too.

Those who don't share even a droplet of an Alpha's blood circulating all over their system will never understand the struggle.

Brandon is also skeptical of the Werewolf King representative's behavior.

The man seems particularly drawn to Cain Santiago's daughter.

The Santiagos were quite the name in the Capital five years ago. However, the hype died down when people found out that their clan was massacred brutally.

No one was prepared for the disaster, and some couldn't help but speculate that, maybe, the Santiagos were hiding something dark and dangerous for them to be targeted specifically in that unfortunate event.

No one knows about the existence of Amber Santiago.

As West Crescent's former pack member, Brandon knew about their certain tradition of not formally introducing their pups to the pack until they were of specific age or something. He couldn't quite recall everything, but that was pretty much the main idea.

For sure though, there were other pack members who might have known about it before Amber was officially introduced, but they had so much respect for Alpha Leviticus and the Santiago clan to even tattle about it.

"Fifteen minutes?" Amber placed a finger under her chin. "I think it's too short, Sir Gamma."

"I-It is?"

She beamed at him, peeking from under her thick eyelashes. "I'm going to need an hour at most…?"

An hour!?

Brandon was stupefied by the kid's bluntness. "That long?"

"I'm looking forward to the games…!"

What?

Those exactly were the Alpha's worries about…

Why did it even come to this?

"Will you play the games, too?"

Amber shook her heard firmly. "I'm just going to watch, Sir Gamma. I don't think it's fair that I get to join while Pepper and the others are already doing the assignment…" She was interested in those 'new' games, and couldn't help but wonder if the games were going to be her area.

Because if that was the case, she'd be more than willing to learn the mechanics—so that she could teach her friends about it, too.

"Is that so?" The Gamma Chief sighed deeply.

Amber focused her curious gaze on him.

This has been, by far, the longest conversation they had with each other.

The Gamma doesn't do 'idle chat'.

That's what she heard before.

And she thought that was the truth since they never really had the chance to have a heart to heart talk. She doesn't have the courage to… and as for the Gamma, he has no reason to.

"Yes, Sir Gamma…" Amber made a promise gesture. "I promise to do well on the assignment you've given us."

He smiled down at her briefly. "That's… comforting."

Brandon had been wanting to close his eyes in frustration, but before it could even happen, he was able to compose himself.

The problem now is how he's going to explain such turn of events to the Alpha without the latter expressing his outrage in front of these many guests.

Brandon wouldn't want to be the cause of the dipping of the pack's reputation.

Simply because he couldn't go against a mere child's wishes…

Amber informed him that she was going to take a seat on the patio, unaware of his plan to follow her around everywhere. The Gamma Chief gave him a thumbs up, so her small grin widened even more before she dashed off, leaving him in the dust.

The patio wasn't even that far, but the way she took off like a seasoned warrior with a wolf… Brandon always found himself in a state of bewilderment.

Salt and Lukas were known to be fast runners at their age, but…

Amber's agility was of different kind.

And soon enough, Alpha Severus learned that he screwed up, and no matter what he reasoned out… the man wouldn't listen to any word that he tried to say.

So, in the end, he had no choice, but to accept the string of curses the Alpha called him, and swear that he wouldn't leave Amber's side tonight.

Brandon's attention was caught when he heard someone clapping—and it was Amber who did it while listening to the Luna discuss the instructions, games' target age group, dos and don'ts, and prizes.

Some notable games mentioned were 'tag' (while blindfolded), three-legged race, pictionary, capture the flag, and of course… the most popular of them all—the obstacle course.

It's extra special today since the game will be played in the nighttime.

The success rate for each team player is guaranteed to be lower than usual.

Darkness is an element that can also affect one's focus and ability carry out even a simple task.

And the location for this game extends from the pack house's garden to the meadow near the playground.

Pack warriors are given their own designated posts to guard and secure the perimeters where the games will be held as well. The Luna was currently explaining the objective nuts-and-bolts algorithms of the 'new' games when, all of a sudden, a guard went over to her side to whisper something in her ear.

Xyla, who's clueless about Alaric's suspicious behavior, is more than willing to call the Werewolf King representative on the stage.

Amber was full of curiosity as she watched the small exchange of conversation between the Luna and Sir Alaric.

The Luna was all smiles—she noticed.

Amber couldn't help but wonder if the Luna was just being nice to go as far as to wear such an expression when Sir Alaric didn't even smell good at close range?

Just thinking about it makes her little nose itch annoyingly.

And she's actually having the same reaction as she did on the days she was on the riverbanks.

Amber knows that her thoughts of Sir Alaric are kind of… insulting.

But…

Her vision may betray her, and her sense of smell won't.

"Greetings to the pack members of the great River Severn Pack…" Alaric stated, his voice cold and domineering.

It wasn't the conversational tone that he used with Amber earlier.

"Since we all know that you're more thrilled to learn about the new games that the Luna is about to introduce to you…" He stopped, and nodded at someone from the huge crowd. "How about this? We'll play a game that's particularly renowned for the young warriors in the Capital?"

Murmurs began to swell from the crowd, and the pups were jumping up and down after hearing his words.

That's the most natural reaction those sentences could spark from wolves living outside the main region, so Alaric was beyond pleased to take in their positive attitude.

The Capital…

Amber bit back a squeal.

'It's probably on a next level, right!?'

That's what she's thinking.

Alaric could see that wheels were turning in 'that' child's head, so he continued, "We call it…"

"…'Who's the Bad Wolf?'"

The children wowed at the title alone.

After all, it sounds… exciting.

"And when you've correctly identified the rogue…" he trailed off, an evil smirk playing on his lips. "Guess what?"

"You're the winner!?"

"The bad wolf is out of the game…?"

And more random guesses from the kids came through.

Alaric shook his head, chuckling. "No."

Dark malice swirled in his eyes, and it was gone in an instant before someone could point it out.

His gaze grew darker, too. "The bad wolf gets burned alive."