Chapter 10: A snappy Verek

"So we're to continue the progression from this part of the territory, up until the rivals realize their mistake and retreat. Correct?" Draven said, pitching his idea to the rest of the warrior elders in the break room. I stroked my chin and stared at him. "There will be loopholes. Anyone smart enough to figure it out will. And that will put us at a disadvantage," I said. He shot me an indecipherable look before nodding politely. Beside me, Elder Zyphar nodded in agreement. He was my father's favorite commander of the troops before his death, and he was one of the elders I decided to retain before my brothers decided on anyone else. I also saw him as trustworthy. "Alpha Nyxion is right. I suggest we begin from within their territory, so they are oblivious until it is too late," he said calmly, stroking his grey beard. Another elder, Conan, looked unimpressed. "We've tried that before. The problem with working on enemy ground is the fact that it is nothing but enemy ground. They know the place more than we do, and traps can be set," he said. I rubbed my temples. We had been in this meeting for over an hour, and we still hadn't come to an agreement on the best direction of attack. "Draven," I called. "Yes, Alpha." "Find Varek and get him here. He's an expert on stuff like this." Too bad he refused to join the troops when I asked. Varek has always had a knack for violence, whether it was good or bad. It never interfered with his personal life or anything else, so I allowed him to build on the knowledge. He just knew how to go over the edge sometimes. Within a few minutes, Draven returned with a very annoyed-looking Varek, and I beckoned to him to sit beside me. He didn't look anything close to pleased. But there was something off about his scent. I fought the urge to sniff him, but it lingered in my head. "What?" he asked when he caught my furrowed brows. I shot him a look and asked Draven to brief him on everything we'd spoken about so far. When he was done, Varek paused, probably thinking and putting everything together as gears turned in his head. Then he spoke, "It's simple." he got up and walked towards the white drawing board where the map of all territories was placed, and grabbed the pointed from Draven. "This is us," he pointed to a place on the map. "This is the most likely entry point for our enemies," he pointed to another. "If we start in their territory, they can create loops and trap us before we realize. If we start too close to ours, they could overthrow us and push us back before we are even able to stop them," he said, his voice turning authoritative. Conan and Zyphar nodded in agreement, and I just watched, waiting. "So, we choose a valid middle point. If possible, one we already know of, so it'll be easier to navigate the troops through the paths," he said finally, and I nodded. That was valid. Elder Conan paused, probably weighing his options. Then he nodded in agreement. "Yes. That makes more sense." "I would say the same," Zyphar concurred. "In the event of anything, they would be too far away from our territory to cause any significant damage. Good work, Varek," he continued. Varek let out a small smile, something he rarely did, and flicked his gaze back to me. I only stared at him, and he bowed to the elders before leaving the room. I knew he wouldn't stay. Soon after, the meeting was dismissed. I was walking towards my room when I saw Varek moving slowly towards the council hall, his stance as if he were searching for something. Or someone. "Is there a problem?" I called out. He stiffened. "No. Have you seen Naeris?" I fought the urge to raise a brow. "Seriously?" "What?" He asked, oblivious. "You're not going to talk to her, and Aeron has left for practice. Would it hurt to see if she's okay?" He snapped, and for a second, I thought you said something wrong. I grabbed his shoulders and looked him in the eye. "Bro, what's wrong with you?" I asked. Varek has always been snappy and quick to anger. But it got a lot worse recently, and it made me concerned. Instead, he shook my hands off, his green eyes filled with a strange fierceness. "Naeris is the only one that can keep my wolf near the surface so I can reach him. Since you want to know so bad. I need to see her, or else I'll go crazy. Literally," he stormed off, his eyes still searching the rooms if he would see her. I let out a sigh and rubbed my chest. He wasn't wrong. My wolf had gone silent ever since I ordered her to be thrown into the dungeon the first night she came. When I had kissed her….gods, when I felt her lips on mine and tasted her, he came alive, surging forward like he'd never done before. That, coupled with the intense pull of the bond, made me want to take her immediately. But I couldn't. That wasn't enough reason to mate with the member of a pack who took everything away from me. Was it? I didn't know if I was lying to myself or if I was just too scared to admit the truth. I wondered if Aeron was experiencing the same thing. I let out a sigh and walked straight to the kitchen. I needed a break. Or a release. I couldn't count how many times I got hard in the last week. When I got there, the familiar smell of roasted meat with tomato gravy sauce filled the air, and I let out a growl without realizing. It was Avery, the head and only chef, who jumped, almost knocking down the pot. My Heart lurched, and my reflexes kicked in, but the pot didn't fall. Avery glared at me, waving her spatula in the air as she marched towards me. But her expression softened when I pouted, making a show of remorse. I didn't want her to spank me with that thing.