"Has everyone arrived yet?" Asked preoccupied the leader of the Council, while at the same time kept his concentrated gaze on the files in front of him. He hadn't lifted his eyes at all since he had started working.

The stern looking older man was currently reading some important documents received from watchers in missions from all around the world. Usually at this time not a single soul dared interrupt him, other than his highness. In fact, right now he was reading about the exile of an Alpha from a mid-high ranking European pack. It was not a child's play to dismiss a leader of such a pack, as such his agreement to the report the watchers had sent to the headquarters was absolutely needed.

But concentrated as he was, he wouldn't forget about the meeting focusing on a particular subject. That matter was of utmost importance, it preceded every other problems by leap bounds.

"Yes, they are waiting for you in the conference room. The last person arrived just 5 minutes ago." His assistant replied immediately, while bringing another stack of files for the elder to check.

Hearing his answer, the head councilmember briskly took his eyes off from the documents, before turning his sharp cold gaze to the professionally dressed young man. Having been his assistant for almost ten years already, how could the lad not know his priority right now? Had he turned sloppy because everything was going too smoothly?

"Then what are you waiting for, Elias? The discussion we will have is of utmost significance for our whole race. How could you wait to tell me until I asked you myself? Is your head in the cloud, man?" Reprimanded loudly the elder, while he had impatiently let go of the documents, and was already on his feet going towards the door.

"But you said that you would be reading the report about the expulsion of the Alpha of one of the biggest packs in Europe, as the watchers need a reply from the Council before proceeding with the punishment. I thought the matter of the meeting today could wait until you finished." Replied the young man, feeling wrongly accused, as he followed the councilmember out of the office.

The leader turned towards the man and narrowed his eyes at his naivety , but he still kept going.

"You youngster! The expulsion of the Alpha is nothing. Do you think we can easily find a time when we can all be present to hold the meeting, without the knowledge of his highness? He is always watching us like a hawk. He is now at the Academy for the opening ceremony and then he will have dinner with the watcher students. This is the perfect time. We have waited for this hard to come by opportunity for over a year already." He huffed upset, as his forehead was littered with sweat drops and his face was already pale from worrying of being caught.

He was already many years passed two hundred years, an old man. His time was running out, of this he was aware. For his whole life, he had respected the monarchy and had never broken any rules, but now in fact the meeting he was about to hold was treason, as the Council meetings could only be held with prior notice to his highness. He knew this, but nothing could stop him from holding the meeting.

His highness had turned muddled headed over the years, he was no longer looking at the bigger picture, he had already lost his way. To safeguard the whole werewolf race he had to take the matter in his own hands. It was also in the best interest for Salas, the elder thought... kept trying to convince himself of his righteousness.

And, fortunately, the rest of the Council members had agreed to his words. They also shared his worries and were ready to do everything in their power to ensure the plan they had thought of together would succeed. They were so firm in accomplishing this goal that even if they were to be executed afterwards, it would not matter.

Arriving in front of the conference room, he did not wait for Elias to open the doors. With determination enveloping his heart steading it into place, he clasped the doorknobs with both of his hands and forcefully pushed the double door that stood between him and a brighter future. Unbothered by the loud noises the wooden frames made as they clashed against the walls, he decisively walked inside, his heavy steps carrying his final resolve.

The atmosphere in the Council room was solemn. Looking from left to right, the councilmember's expressions strikingly resembled his own. His worries and problems were shared by the others, he knew of this with certainty. Absolutely every single councilmember's visage was pale and stressed. But beneath their appearances they all shared his determination, he could see relentlessness in their eyes and a desire to take this traitorous decision until the bitter end. For this he was thankful.

Not waiting any longer, as he knew that each second could be the last before they were caught, he briskly walked inside and headed towards the leader's seat. Once seated, without further ado the elder started the meeting.

"Gentlemen, the meeting today is of utmost importance. I thank you from the bottom of my heart for your cooperation. We have gathered all the evidence we can think of, we have gathered the information from all the sources possible and impossible. We have even bribed and used everyone we know of. All the assistants closest to his highness are in fact our people, now it is the time to act." His voice was already hoarse from the beginning, and it would continue to worsen as time passed. Finishing these initial words, he closed his eyes, solidifying his belief once more, then opened them again to continue.

"Now, let us begin talkin..." He started to speak, but did not manage to utter more as the door, that had been closed by Elias after they entered, was harshly opened.

Tall and solemn, possessing a somber face that seemed capable of freezing their souls, the high ranking werewolf suddenly stood in the doorway. It was the person they least expected to appear. Hadn't their sources assured them of his inability to seek them at this hour with certainty? It couldn't be... they had a double spy amidst them.

With this frightening realization, the elders' faces paled in his presence. Every one of them were guilty of betrayal. Unfortunately their treason had been discovered.

"You geezers. How dare you hold the current meeting without my knowledge?" Salas's voice was at a normal volume, but anger could be felt in it.

"Your highness, this is .... " The leader of the Council tried to say an excuse.

"Emery, please do not try to lie to me. Joshua already confessed that he was bribed by you. So I advise you to reconsider your words." He interrupted, he knew that if he did not say this, the leader of the Council would mislead him indefinitely. He would never admit the accusations placed on him.

The old leader was truly angered. Not only did his highness dare to call him Emery, even though everyone knew he hated that name, now he had also no other way out, but to confess. Really that Joshua had turned out to be a double agent. He only pretended to comply with them, but was in fact still working for his highness. He should have known that a Gamma would not easily betray his Alpha.

Without any valid reason to refute the king, Emery sighed and looked directly in Salas's eyes.

"Alright, I confess, but it is all my fault. Please do not punish the others. I assume full responsibility." He said, his heart heavy with remorse because he was caught before they accomplished their goal, not of regret for his treason.

"Really, how did we get to this stage? In the past you would have never done such a thing." The king stated disappointed, while quickly looked at each one of them.

Under his scrutinizing gaze, the councilmembers lowered their eyes and pretended to look at their hands or at the table. They would gaze anywhere else but at Salas.

"You have left us with no other choice your highness. The fate of the kingdom we must take it from your hands and deal with this situation on our own!" The Council leader stated aggrieved, but with his confidence renewed. He was already caught, might as well lay all the cards on the table and speak frankly.

"I have left you with no choice? I still have time. Why do you still insist on this subject? Emery, leave the matter to rest already." Salas said sighing. He already knew their problem, it was the same as always. These damn geezers, really they could never leave him alone. They were already old werewolves, but still minded his personal business. Even now he had to cut short his meeting with the watcher students and come here because of them.

"I will not your highness. This meeting will take place whether you accept it or not. We must have an heir. Trust us, we have gathered all the information necessary. We have details on all the eligible werewolves maidens gathered here and we have also correlated with your preferences." The elder proudly informed as he pointed towards the projector that had been set up by Elias. The power point presentation was already rolling and a big title could be seen on the wall "Project of priority 1. Plan for the future heir".

"Emery, enough already. I will deal with my personal life on my own." Salas expressed upset again, a clear vexed tone could be sensed in his voice.

"Your majesty, firstly what personal life you speak of, you have no such thing. And secondly, would you please stop it with the Emery. My name is Victor." The old man already had tears in his eyes. The kid he watched growing up kept teasing him, even though the latter knew he hated his girlish name.

"Your name is Emery Victor Reynolds, so of course I have to call you Emery. Right, Emery?" Salas asked again. It seemed that the tears that were already threatening to fall from the old man's eyes did not affect him. Of course, he knew it was only a trick.

Salas sighed again, as he always sighed numerous of times when he dealt with the Council members. Really now, they were using the meetings in which they should be discussing important things for stupid reasons, it seems as though they were turning in to children.