Kaelen POV

"Welcome, Alpha King."

A young aide rushed forward the moment Darius and I stepped out of the SUV. He bowed his head respectfully before straightening.

"The Alphas are all assembled in the main conference room, Your Majesty. If you’ll follow me."

I gave a curt nod and followed him through the building.

We passed through multiple security checkpoints. Floor-to-ceiling windows overlooked the sprawling capital city below, and groups of representatives scattered throughout the hallways immediately stepped aside as I walked by.

Every one of them bowed.

Every one of them lowered their eyes while their whispers followed me like shadows.

The main chamber was a massive circular room built from glass and chrome, with a long conference table capable of seating thirty people.

Every seat was occupied with an Alpha or their emissary sat in each one.

Beyond the towering windows, the city’s skyline stretched into the distance. The ceiling rose high overhead, while the lighting remained soft yet cold, giving the entire room a sterile atmosphere.

The last time I had been here was two years ago.

Now, all I could think about was how quickly I could get this over with.

The moment I entered, everyone rose to their feet.

"Your Majesty," they greeted in unison.

I walked to the head of the table and sat down without acknowledging them.

Beside me, Darius moved to his usual position against the wall, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Each of you has thirty minutes to present your case," I said. "Start talking."

"Thirty minutes?" Disbelief rippled through the room as several of them had traveled across the country just to be here.

"Start talking," I repeated, my voice colder this time and the murmuring immediately died.

An Alpha seated near the middle of the table slowly rose to his feet.

He was a portly, middle-aged man dressed in an expensive but poorly fitted suit.

"Your Majesty, I’m Alpha Thorn of the Crimson Valley Pack. I wanted to discuss the trade route through the eastern mountains. Our shipments have been delayed by—"

As he spoke, I began tapping my fingers against the tabletop.

Tap.

Tap.

Tap.

Alpha Thorn hesitated and his eyes flickered toward my hand before quickly returning to my face.

"As I was saying..."

Tap.

Tap.

Tap.

"Our shipments..."

Tap.

Tap.

Tap.

His voice faltered again, this time a sheen of sweat had already begun forming on his forehead.

"The rogue activity along the border has made it impossible for our caravans to—"

"Rogue activity." I cut him off but my fingers never stopped tapping.

Tap.

Tap.

Tap.

"Every pack that comes before me claims rogue activity. It’s the easiest excuse for incompetence."

The Alpha visibly stiffened. "Your Majesty, if you would just allow me to show you the data..."

His voice sounded far less confident than it had thirty seconds ago.

Good.

At least someone in this room was having a worse day than I was.

"I don’t need data. I need results." I stopped tapping my fingers against the table and leaned forward. "Handle your own border, Alpha Thorn, or I’ll find someone who can."

His face instantly turned pale, and he quickly sat back down.

"Next."

Another Alpha stood up, probably in his thirties as well.

"Your Majesty, I’m Alpha Dominic of the Stone Ridge Pack. We have a dispute with a neighboring territory over logging rights in the western forest."

"Logging rights?" My voice dripped with disdain. "You flew here to talk about trees?"

Alpha Dominic’s jaw tightened, but he didn’t sit down.

"With respect, Your Majesty, the western forest is the primary source of timber for three territories. Without a clear agreement, my pack will face a shortage by winter."

"And?"

"And I have a solution."

He pulled a tablet from his briefcase and placed it on the table, bringing up a satellite map.

"The forest is large enough to sustain both packs if we divide it properly. I’ve drafted a proposal with new boundaries, shared access to the main river, and a joint patrol system to prevent rogue activity in the area."

The tablet was then passed to me by an aide, and although I had been fully prepared to dismantle his proposal, I found myself quietly impressed as I reviewed it.

"Your proposal has merit," I said. "I’ll have my advisors review it. If it holds up, the new boundaries will be enforced by the end of the month."

Alpha Dominic nodded, barely hiding his relief. "Thank you, Your Majesty." He said and took his seat.

I gestured to the next Alpha. "Continue."

One by one, they presented their cases.

Some I dismissed. Some I approved. Some I left hanging, letting their fear fester while they waited for an answer.

Two hours passed, and by then my patience had already reached its limit. Without warning, I suddenly rose to my feet, the heavy wooden chair scraping loudly against the stone floor.

"That’s enough for today. You’re all dismissed."

A collective gasp filled the room. The sudden announcement sent a ripple of panic through the crowd, especially among those who hadn’t gotten a chance to speak yet. I ignored every single one of them, refusing to give them another second of my time as I turned sharply toward the exit.

Darius pushed himself off the wall where he’d been lounging, his sharp gray eyes tracking my movement as he immediately fell into step beside me.

But just as I reached the heavy double doors, a young man suddenly stepped directly into my path, blocking it.

I frowned, a dark, lethal growl rumbling low in my chest.

He looked young, maybe in his early twenties, with dark hair and striking blue eyes. He was dressed in a sharp navy suit but his hands trembled slightly at his sides.

Nervous. Desperate. And incredibly stupid.

"Your Majesty," he said, extending his hand toward me in a formal greeting. "I’m Alpha Jaxen Reed of the Silver Fang Pack. I was hoping to..."

I stared down at his outstretched hand like it had personally offended me. My gaze dropped to his fingers before snapping back up to lock onto his face. The air around the doorway grew suffocatingly heavy as my aura flared.

"Did you not hear me say this meeting is dismissed?"

His hand remained suspended in the air for a painfully awkward second before he slowly lowered it to his side, his knuckles whitening.

"I... yes, Your Majesty, I heard," he stammered, the scent of his anxiety spiking sharply. "But I really need to speak with you. It’s important."

His voice cracked slightly on the last word, betraying just how terrified he was to be standing in front of me.

I was about to snap, to remind this pup exactly who he was standing in front of, when an older man suddenly appeared beside him, placing a firm hand on his shoulder.

"Alpha King, please forgive my son’s manners."