The Golden One

An Alpha of Alphas

"Meila, stop." A hand grabs me roughly and spins me around. Hands grab my face and hold it steady so I can't wriggle free.

Michael's sparkling blue eyes pierce my own, his eyebrows crinkled showing his frown lines.

"This isn't you." He speaks calmly, his touch softening as he strokes at my cheeks.

My eyes sting and a lump forms in my throat before tears fill my eyes and fall down my cheeks. I melt into his strong body, bury my face into his chest and inhale his familiar scent. Long sobs escape my mouth as tears fall onto his shirt. He only squeezes me tighter, resting his chin on my head and rubbing my back in soothing circles.

Ayoke is still on the ground behind me, shaking and crying.

"Take her to the cells." Michael directs to Christopher and Carl. Surprisingly, they listen and scoop Ayoke off the ground before guiding her down towards the pack cells. Both Christopher and Carl look devastated as they silently walk Ayoke away from Michael and I, my face still buried in his chest.

"I-it's too m-much pain, Michael. I c-can't do this a-anymore." I sob out, my voice muffled by his chest.

Michael sighs heavily and steps back. He places a finger under my chin, pulling my head up to look him in the eye.

"You are the strongest person I've ever met." He removes his finger from my chin to wipe away the tears that are still falling.

"You can do this. And you are not alone." His voice is soft and loving. He places a light kiss on my forehead while his hands run up and down my arms.

"We have to go and speak to the others. Once we're done I'll send them away and you can shut down. But first, business." His voice is firmer, more professional. My Michael is back.

I nod, knowing he is right, and we both head up to the house to join the other Alphas and Betas.

We enter and the room silences. Eyes are trained on me, all filled with uncertainty and fear.

Minutes pass and the room is still silent. I stand at the top of the table, scanning the room.

"Where do we start?" A quiet voice come from the far side of the room, it's Alpha Caesar's Beta, Toni.

"For starters, anyone associated with traitors should leave." An Alpha speaks from my left, directing it at Toni. The statement is met with nods and whispers.

"No." It slips from my mouth without even realising and everyone looks at me.

"They can't be trusted!" He snaps back at me and my glare falls to him.

"I said no." I growl at him, eyes flickering between red to my normal hazel.

"Your judgment is poor, look at what happened when you trusted that Seer." He talks through gritted teeth and my body tenses at his comment.

"People deserve to be given the benefit of the doubt. If people are met with hostility it only creates and breeds the hostility and retaliation we fear in the first place." I try to regain my composure. Standing tall, I look over the crowd of Alphas and Betas in front of me. Carl has just joined, his eyes filled with sorrow, but Christopher has still not returned.

"We are about to engage in a war for the survival of our species. The Elite want to play god and kill off anyone they see fit. No one should have that power. We must stand together, united, if we have any hope of surviving this fight. If anyone is not entirely sure they are fighting on the right side then you can leave now." I let my words sink in, people fidget and shift thinking about what I have said.