Ivory

TEN*

The shadows encased me the next day as I stood at the back of the pack meeting hall. Another one of my gifts was that I could control shadows and darkness, which came in handy when I was trying to be sneaky. I had given everyone a good heart attack while doing that.

Anyways, the Alphas, betas and warrior wolves from our three packs stood in the front of the room before Keiran, Brettly and their betas. A few members of our packs were also in the crowd, but they were simply there to create more of an audience. Everyone but the visiting socks knew that I was standing at the back listening to their pleads for training. Little did they know that I had already made up my mind.

After I had left Austin and Natalia I had told John that I was ready to meet them the next day, with the other packs as witnesses. I knew at that point that there was no way I was going alone, so I also asked for the top ten teachers in our three packs to come as well.

My brain kept telling me that I was ready for this, but I really didn't think I was. All the people that had tried to bring me down at every opportunity we're going to be there and there was a high possibility that they would realise who I was just like Austin did. But there was no way I would let them suffer because I was selfish, that was not what I had raised myself to believe.

We all listened at Kieran and Brettly took turns explaining their predicament and begging for our help. Someone asked a question every once in a while, but otherwise we watched with blank expressions.

Half an hour later they were done and stared into the audience expectantly, but no one there would help them. It was me they were counting on whether they liked it or not.

A moment later I announced from my shadow, "The decision has been made."

Everyone froze and created a path towards the stage. I emerged and walked towards them with my head held high.

That was the first glance I got of my mate in four years. His hair was lighter than it had been before, more blonde than brown really. He looked more like his brother than his father now.

My brother looked like he had been through hell and back. Dark bags circled under his dull green eyes. It looked like he had given up on everything that once meant the world to his before. But what more could I expect? He had dug his grave when we were four, now he gets to lay in it.

Austin looked befuddled, but didn't say anything, which was greatly appreciated. And Kieran's new beta, who I recall his name was Leon Hanson, stood impassive and large in the back. From what I remember he never really talked, but he had been the warrior wolf, so it was expected that he would become the new beta.

I stood between Zander and Parker with my arms crossed over my chest. "I will agree to train your two packs under a few conditions," I said, directing it to Kieran and Brettly. "I will use whatever methods I see fit to use against them, no matter how much they complain or scrutinise. I will show them no respect until they have earned it and my first evaluation will be of my choosing."

They shared glances with each other and began talking in hushed tones, which I chose not to hear. I didn't want to hear their deliberation, and if they knew what was good for them and for everyone else they would reject the proposal and leave me be.

Some might be wondering why Brettly hadn't realised that I, his mate, was standing before him. Simple, you must look into the true eyes of your mate to realise who they were. But as of yesterday I was wearing coloured contacts so that he wouldn't realise. Also, they can tell by the scent that they have, but I had learned when I was training my powers that I could mask my scent from people. It was a handy trick when you wanted to be a ninja werewolf. But since we had already known that we were mates it would be slightly easier for me to hide from him, because I knew what to hide.