01.

The meeting room was quiet and a heavy, depressing mood hung over the whole place. The atmosphere was low and moody. It reflected the mood of the people that were seated around the room. Their expressions likewise were dark.

Tap!

Tap!

Amidst the solemn atmosphere, a low sound resonated in the quiet room. One could hear the friction against the wooden round table. All the elders seated around the room instantly looked in the direction of the man seated at the head of the table.

The man had his head lowered and one couldn't see the expression on his phone. But, a heavy aura radiated off him. He tapped on the table distractedly. If one looked closer, one would see that his fingers were shaking lightly.

The elders looked at him and were unable to even breathe loudly. They were all well aware of how unstable his mood was. No one dared to say a word that could tip him off lest they bear the brunt of his anger.

The stalemate in the room continued for a few more minutes and it was only after a while did he lift his head and looked at the elder seated right beside him.

"Elder Patrick," he said in his deep voice that gave off a commanding aura that belonged to alphas. "How many people died this time around?"

Having been pointed out, Elder Patrick looked at the other elders but he was met with helplessness in their gazes. It seemed they were also letting him bear the brunt of the alpha's anger.

Elder Patrick cleared his throat and began, "Alpha… More than half of the pack died this time around."

"How many in total?"

"1056," Elder Patrick replied, looking reluctant to share this piece of bad news.

The alpha stilled and his body shook lightly, immediately earning a few worried glances from the elders that surrounded him. Alpha Williams seemed to have aged a few more years in just one month that the pack was invaded with a plague.

The alpha took over the pack twenty years back and since then, he had managed to broaden the pack horizons and even annexed a few lower packs. Since then, the Blue Moon Pack had become more prominent amongst the werewolves.

He had always been a decisive and commanding leader so it came as a surprise to the pack elders to see him so lost and helpless.

As they were thinking about this, a low but heavy cough rang from the man. He coughed incessantly for a few minutes and threw his head back.

Elder Patrick who was nearest to him instantly stood up and patted his back to ease his cough. "Alpha…"

Alpha Williams frowned and massaged his throat lightly before waving the man away. He said, "It's okay. I'm fine."

Then, he masked his expression, trying to ease the soreness in his throat.

But, the elders didn't seem to believe him. They looked suspicious and there were a few low, mutters amongst them. The alpha did hear them due to his extremely sharp senses but he acted oblivious.

He knew they suspected that he was also infected by the plague. But, he couldn't blame them. The plague had suddenly become rampant, tearing through the pack and causing chaos amongst all of them.

He clasped his palm and looked at them seriously. "How many members were quarantined with the drug the pack doctor created?"

One of the elders stood up with a book in his hands. He was putting on a white garment above the clothes he was putting on. He was the pack doctor.

He flipped the pages of the book in his hands and noted a few words on them before saying to Alpha Williams, "Alpha, I administered the drug to eight hundred pack members last week." He paused and looked at the book again. "As of two days ago, they were all showing signs of getting better. But yesterday, the plague got worse and they all died."

Alpha Williams narrowed his gaze and pursed his lips while looking at the doctor. He questioned, "So, about two hundred members who weren't infected earlier also died."

"Yes, Alpha."

"Does this mean the drug is practically useless?"

Alpha Williams's straightforward question instantly took the doctor aback. But because he was facing such a superior entity, he had no choice but to answer.

"Yes, Alpha. It's not working." The man sighed and adjusted his spectacles that were beginning to slide off his nose ridge. "We did try…. After several testing, it was the best we could prepare for such an impromptu situation. We don't understand how this plague came about and where it came from. But, it's extremely dangerous and the death rate is increasing daily."

"But, we can't sit around like this and do nothing!" Alpha Williams barked, slamming the table with his palm out of frustration. "My people are dying… There's got to be a solution, right?"

The elders flinched from the sudden temperamental change in the man. But, none of them uttered a word. For, they understood the plight the alpha was in.

The room instantly fell into a sunken mood once more and everyone was on their tiptoes, scared of triggering the man.

One of the men looked at Alpha Williams who was now leaning motionlessly in his chair and deliberating. He pursed his lips and began, "We're not the only ones suffering from the incidence of this plague. Most of the packs around us have been obliterated. The only pack that has managed to escape this problem is the Peak Ocean Pack. No one knows how they've been doing it."

Alpha Williams lifted his head and looked at him for a moment. Then, he asked, "The Peak Ocean Pack? That pack that is been led by Alpha Luke's son."

"Yes."

Alpha Williams's shoulders immediately slumped when he heard this. It could be seen that he was not expecting such a piece of news.

He shook his head with obvious disbelief as he mumbled, "How is that possible…?"

He stared into the space as though he was recollecting a few memories. His expression was dazed and he seemed lost in thoughts.

The Elder who had spoken earlier immediately continued, "When the Peak Ocean Pack began to assemble two years ago, everyone expected it to be obliterated within two months. But, no one expected them to grow like this and even become larger in number."

"You are right. Nolan is indeed his father's son. He has shown the ferocity of their bloodline. Back then, his father was also a tough nut and it was extremely hard to bring him down," Another Elder chipped in, obviously in support of the Elder's words.

Alpha Williams looked at the men across him. But, he didn't speak.

He felt that they were a right. Back then, Luke was indeed hard to defeat.

Twenty years back, all the packs in the East had organized a treaty to defeat the Peak Ocean Pack that was led by Luke. It wasn't exactly an easy feat because the pack was one of the largest of that time.

Coupled with their Alpha's ferocity, it was extremely hard for the entire werewolf organization to defeat them.

However, they eventually managed to and each pack annexed a certain part of the pack.

It was not exactly a wrong thing because in the werewolf world, 'it is to kill or be killed.'

Years after the defeat of the Peak Ocean Pack, everyone had long forgotten the existence of such a pack. Until two years back, when a young Alpha suddenly rose and rumors were circulating that he was the descendant of Luke. That he was Luke's son, Nolan.

Most of the packs were wary of his existence but none of them put him to eyes. This was because he was gathering all kinds of rogues from all over the werewolf kingdom into his pack.

Everyone believed the pack was bound to be obliterated sooner or later. But in reality, none of the packs dared to attack them because no one underestimated the ferocity of rogues.

Rogues were known not to be bound by pack rules and their fighting skills were even better than some nurtured pack members.

So, even after two years, the Peak Ocean Pack was still in existence.

Alpha Williams suddenly thought of something and looked at the Elder. "Have there been any occurrences of the plague in their pack?"

The Elder paused for a moment, as though mulling over his thoughts before saying, "No."

Alpha Williams choked suddenly and he slumped back into his chair. His image at that moment was a stark contrast to the knowledgeable and decisive alpha the Elders were familiar with.

He seemed to have lost himself and for a few moments, he didn't talk to anyone.

He only kept muttering indistinctly, "I've ruined the pack… The pack is suffering from my stupidity."

The Elders could hear his words but they couldn't make sense of them. So, they were all quiet and kept mulling amongst themselves.

A few minutes passed like this until the Alpha suddenly tapped on the table. He sat up straight and said, "You all can leave. I have something urgent to do."

The pack elders all looked at him in surprise, showing that they didn't understand the reason for his sudden decision. But, no one objected and they all left the meeting room.

After they left, Alpha Williams sat in his chair quietly, with his hands over his temple as he deliberated. Nearly half an hour went by like that until he suddenly held the chair's armrest and stood up.

At this moment, there was a difference in his aura. His eyes were filled with obvious determination and it was clear he had just had a breakthrough in his thoughts.

Nothing seemed strange about him. However, just as he was about to walk away from the table, he suddenly felt his throat tighten and he choked.

He began to cough dryly like he did earlier and he was unable to control the incessant coughs. He patted his chest lightly to relieve the tightness and the pain seemed to relieve him.

He coughed once more. But this time around, he felt an unusual sticky and metallic taste on his tongue.

At that moment, he suddenly recalled what the pack doctor once told him about the symptoms that came with the plague: Victims cough blood.

Instantly, he spread his palm which he had used to cover his mouth. And sure enough, there was blood on it.