Chapter 467: Beta Visit 3
"What happened to Alpha Galen?" Sam said, causing the other Beta to bristle ever so slightly at the question.
"What happened to Andreas?" Ranier asked in return. "Where are the three council members who have been leading this pack for the last decade?"
Graeme’s eyes narrowed at the Beta who avoided the direct question. "Treason is what happened," he said. "I believe you were asked a question."
"Cassian killed Alpha Galen," Ranier replied, lifting his chin above the emotion that threatened to swell at the memory.
Cassian was an outsider—a terrifying, heartless outsider who had no care for the members of the Thundering Falls pack. He was not who should be leading them. And ever since his takeover, the pack members were lost.
Their way of life had suffered in such a short amount of time. Some of the males who had been kept in line by Alpha Galen had begun mirroring the violence Cassian demonstrated. Ritual and tradition were pretty much thrown out the window.
Ranier didn’t know what would become of Thundering Falls. He only knew that he had to remain by Cassian’s side if there was any chance he could reign him in or help their pack members from a place of leadership.
It was a relief when Cassian had left to find his mate, and many of much of Thundering Falls had prayed to the Goddess that this new Alpha would stay gone for as long as possible to allow a peace to resume that wasn’t threatened by his cruel presence. Maybe if Cassian did bring back a mate—a Luna—it would affect his character. Maybe he would be more understanding and welcoming of the pack’s older traditions. Maybe he would be kinder and more caring. It was all they could hope for at this point.
Or maybe he would tire of his leadership and never return.
"I am sorry to hear that, Ranier," Graeme said, his voice softer now as he imagined what that arrow to the heart of their pack must have felt like, particularly from a male like Cassian. He could see how the memory of it affected the male before him.
"And I am sorry to hear of the treason of your council," Ranier replied, a nod of his head to indicate his respectful intention with that statement.
Graeme sighed and walked to the window overlooking the forest. "We had to replace these windows recently. Cassian was here," he glanced back at Ranier. "Sam went through one of the windows and I was impaled. It was actually one of our alyko who was able to stop him. Otherwise I imagine Cassian would have claimed leadership of another pack that day."
Ranier took a steadying step backwards as if the words were a physical blow. "He attacked you?"
That was an act of war. Cassian had initiated an act of war with another pack without consulting their own leadership or council.
Ranier imagined how the fallout of that may have unfolded. Even if Cassian had succeeded in killing Graeme and his top leadership, the Hallowell pack would have never allowed that attack to stand—particularly if Graeme’s sister were still around to say anything about it.
Ranier knew Greta. She was fierce and honorable and she had Alpha blood. She would have led her pack to fight theirs until the bloody end of it.
Graeme turned from the window and faced the Beta who looked like someone had just walked over his grave. "Cassian marked a female from our pack against her will, and then he demanded we let him take her when she was unwilling to go. I do not imagine this is how Alpha Galen would have done things."
Ranier swallowed with some difficulty, his mouth having gone dry. This was just another nightmare in the succession of nightmares since Cassian took over. "No," he agreed. "I did not know Alpha Cassian marked our Luna that way. Did he take her?"
"We did not know he was an alpha of any pack," Graeme said. "If we had, we may have tried to imprison him."
"You cannot imprison him," Ranier scoffed. "Goddess forgive me," he raised his eyes upward in apology for the frank words he was about to speak about their Alpha, "that male is... unstoppable. If he were, we would have tried. He is also capable of taking our wolves with a mere bite. That is how he was able to overpower Alpha Galen."
"Yes, the female he marked spoke of that. She is without her wolf," Graeme said. "She was also attacked and assaulted by some males from your pack. Had I known it was Thundering Falls where she had been, you would have heard from me sooner."
The threat was clear in Graeme’s voice. Thundering Falls was responsible for a number of serious offenses against the Hallowell pack.
"I heard of that assault as well. Cassian killed the males responsible for it after he realized that the female they had attacked was his mate," Ranier bowed his head under the weight of that known violence against a female that could not be taken back. And to think it was a female who was meant to be their Luna...
No female was treated that way in Thundering Falls prior to Cassian’s arrival. The only reason why Cassian had killed the males who did it was because it was a personal affront to him. Otherwise, Ranier knew he would not have intervened.
"That is not behavior that would have occurred under Alpha Galen. I am truly sorry," he said.
Graeme and Sam exchanged glances while the Beta was bowed in submission before them. Apparently Cassian had not gained the kind of respect from his pack that would make them defend his actions or prevent them from comparing him to the Alpha who preceded him.
"Cassian is dead, Ranier," Graeme finally revealed. "As I said, we did not know he was your Alpha. He did not announce himself as such."
Ranier let out a haggard breath, his head shooting up to meet Graeme’s golden stare. Cassian was truly dead? Was it possible?
"You killed him?" He found himself asking in awe.
"We did. One of us did, yes. I was very near death myself at that point," Graeme told him. Truly, had it not been for Sage and August, Graeme may not have made it.
Ranier sighed heavily, a huge smile suddenly alighting on his face. It felt wrong because Cassian was technically his Alpha, but he could jump for joy at this news. And he was certain that is how the entire pack would react as well.
They would hold a celebration for having been rid of the terror of Cassian, and they could finally truly grieve the loss of their Alpha. They would at least have the freedom to do that.
"We can grieve. And we can finally heal," Ranier said to himself. "Will you allow us that?"
Graeme’s brows knitted together at the question that was directed toward him.
"Our pack is guilty of a great number of crimes against yours," Ranier said. "It is within reason that you would retaliate. But we are," his voice began failing him, and he paused to regain his composure, "we are shredded—the fabric of our community. It is in pieces. We will not survive an attack."
Graeme sighed. This was a tragedy—a pack so torn apart by the male who had infiltrated them. Just one male. One male from Eliade had done so much damage. He silently thanked the Goddess that August was different. She was a gift to their people.
"Cassian did not present himself as your Alpha and so the attack was not done in the name of Thundering Falls," Graeme said quietly. "And it sounds like the males responsible for the violence against our pack member have been dealt with."
"Yes, Alpha," Ranier swallowed, his head bowed once again in submission.
"There is no reason for us to retaliate," Graeme said with an air of finality. He wanted to add that Thundering Falls was another victim here, but that would be an affront to the Goddess. Nothing happened that was not without reason, and perhaps it was simply that they were unaware of the reason in this case.
"You will not retaliate?" Ranier glanced up once again, this time with a look of shock written on his face.
"Do you wish us to?" Graeme chuckled.
"No, Alpha. No sir, thank you," Ranier bowed. "I am but surprised."
"I wish to retaliate," a female voice spoke from the doorway. "Do I have no say in this? As the female who was raped and marked against my will and as the mate of your late Alpha? Should I not be consulted as well?"
Violet strode in, the golden suns in her eyes blazing fiercely as all the males turned toward her in surprise.
"Violet," Graeme growled a warning, but she ignored it.
"I believe I should be consulted. As I see it, I am at least the Luna of Thundering Hills, Graeme. Isn’t that right, Beta Ranier?"
