All I could do was stare at him. How could someone so young be so wise and self-possessed? Swallowing a lump in my throat, I brushed my fingers over his cheek. "You humble me, Elisha. I can see already you're going to make me a better alpha. Okay. I'll let you take care of your business while I go tend to mine. We can fill each other in later on anything important."
"I like your idea. I'm going to have to think about it, but I'll find a time in our schedules for us to have private conversation about pack matters and anything else that might come up." He waggled his brows with the word up, and his cheeks flushed pink, my sole clue he intended it as innuendo. Hot damn, I really did win the lottery in the mate department. Elisha giggled to himself and rushed off to the kitchen doors, leaving me alone with Jared.
Jared looked befuddled before getting back to business. He tilted his chin toward a hallway veering off to the right. "True mates, huh? Now I'm doubly glad about calling you home. Let's get to the war room. The Gamma Council meets in the conference room across from your father's old office. Horace didn't like the lighting in there, so he kept a desk in the war room. Personally, I think he was afraid the gammas might secretly meet and vote to overthrow him. There's always another alpha to be found if a pack is desperate enough."
"It sounds like my uncle didn't trust anyone. Based on what's left of our town, I can see why. You don’t get to treat your people like shit and then expect them to respect you. Fear you, sure. But true respect comes from trust, and it has to be earned." Jerking my head from side to side, I stretched my neck and took a deep breath as we approached the door to the war room. "Okay, Jared. Here goes nothing. Let's see if the gammas are willing to give me a chance to show them I can be a better alpha than my father and uncle."
"Don't worry about it, Matt. Anyone who spends three minutes with you will see you are nothing like our two former alphas." He patted my shoulder, then opened the door and led me into the room. I recognized every last one of the four gamma wolves sitting around the table. If I hadn't gone to school with them, I knew of them through one of their younger siblings or from town. Jared was right; the pack was much younger now, and our generation had stepped up to the plate.
Although, since two of these men had bullied me when we were kids, my immediate acceptance of alpha wasn't guaranteed. Especially since I hadn't challenged Monty yet. This was gonna be fun. Straightening my shoulders, I held myself to my full height and let them feel the weight of my alpha pheromones while Jared introduced me.
"Sorry to keep you waiting, gentlemen. As a newly mated alpha, I'm sure you will understand Alpha Matthias wasn't available as early as we'd hoped. He's here now, and I formally petition as pack beta for the immediate acceptance of Matthias Longclaw as the new alpha of the Lucerne Valley pack. Do I hear a second to my petition?"
Marcus Favre, another old friend from childhood, rose to his feet. "I second the petition."
As officious as I'd ever seen him, Jared nodded and looked around the table. "Do I have a third, or does someone have another petition they wish to nominate for consideration?"
I was surprised when Bradley Shaw, a guy who'd kicked my ass more times than I cared to remember, was the next to stand. "I'm happy to back you up as third. Matty Longclaw is one of us, and I know he will do what's right by Lucerne Valley."
"We have the two support votes needed to secure my petition. Are there any objections? Bear in mind our pack was Matthias' birthright. He left to escape the same brutish behavior we all witnessed with our last two alphas. Not only did he come back to a pack who failed to support him as a pup living in an abusive home, but he has already claimed our Alpha Mate Elisha. Furthermore, Elisha is his true mate, which means the fates have had a hand in bringing both of them here."
While they digested his statement, everyone was quiet. Jared opened his mouth as if to move on, but a nerdy guy with thick glasses and a shapeless mop of hair slowly raised a trembling hand. "I think I want to raise an objection."
More than one person in the room rolled their eyes. Jared looked mildly irritated but managed to sound patient. "You think you want to object? I'm sorry, Fredo. I'm going to need more information before I can accept. Especially since you're uncertain whether you even want to make it in the first place."
Fredo sat up straighter. "Forgive me, but I have to question why someone who would run away rather than accept his birthright of alpha heir should automatically be up for petition. Also, the previous Longclaw alphas put their own needs ahead of the pack. How do we know this one will be any different?"
When Jared looked ready to jump to my defense, I touched him on the arm. "Jared, if I might be given a chance to speak on my own behalf, I think I can answer Fredo's concerns."
Nodding, Jared motioned for me to speak. The little sneak made sure to toss in what he already considered my official title. "Very well, Alpha Matthias. You may have the floor."
Glancing around at the two seated men and the two standing, I stepped forward and pulled out a chair. "First, can we please be less formal? Come on, guys, it's me. We don't need to stand on ceremony to have this discussion and vote."
Grinning, Marcus sat down first. "I accept. Informal for the win."
Bradley took a seat and gestured toward my chair. "By all means, sit down, and let's talk this out, Matty."
I pulled out a second chair, waiting for Jared to reluctantly accept informality, though it was obviously rubbing him wrong, based on his gritted teeth and pinched expression. "Good man. Thank you." I patted Jared on the shoulder and finally took my own seat.
Looking around the long table, I took a deep breath while gathering my thoughts. "First off, I don't know what happened during my own uncle's time as your alpha. Based on what I saw when I rode through town, it wasn't anything good. As for my father? He did put the pack first, so I'll beg to differ with you, Fredo."
Chuckling humorlessly, I drummed my fingers on the table top. "My father put the pack first at all times. When I was growing up, we lacked for nothing. The only one he didn't make time for was me, unless it was to beat, belittle, or berate me for one imagined flaw or another. You want to know why I left? I didn't want to be like my father or with a pack who accepted his kind of toxicity as acceptable behavior."
Fredo winced apologetically. "Forgive me. I was unaware of your personal history. May I ask why you returned? We know what Jared has reported, but I'd like to hear it from you. No offense, but we don't know where you've been for the past ten years."
"Fair," I said agreeably, holding my palms up for good measure. "I knocked around a little at first, staying with my grandparents off and on after they moved, but mostly spending my time traveling and exploring the wider world. Along the way, I met four displaced alpha sons who quickly became like family to me. The five of us eventually formed a motorcycle club, basically a small alpha-only pack. We call ourselves the West Coast Wolves and spend our days traveling the roads and helping anyone we find in need."
Shawn Elderberry—a guy I remembered as both outgoing and argumentative as hell—looked fascinated as he leaned forward with his forearms resting on the table. "Seriously? Five alphas formed a pack and didn't kill each other? And the Supreme Council allowed it?"