Mated To The Beastly Alpha
Chapter 11

"How are things going?" Liam asked James, who was directing the warriors and scouts.

"With the Alpha of Crimson? Nothing. He retreated to his private quarters and he is definitely licking his wounds. His pack members are enraged though because you're taking their Luna." "She's not their Luna," Liam hissed, not understanding why it grated his nerves anytime Nicole was referred to as Luna of Crimson. It felt wrong. James shrugged,

"Anyways, they cannot do anything because they're afraid. The stakeholders have been in a closed-door meeting since then. There are a lot of things for them to deliberate on. There's the matter of Shane's lies and deceit, then that of the allies we killed, and finally their combative response to what happened today.

Although they haven't mobilized their warriors, they are still in a dicey situation. We killed representatives of their allies and those packs expect that you will not leave Crimson alive as retribution.

Although Crimson is scared of going to war with us, yet if they turn a blind eye to what happened here today, they still have to contend with their allies who will now go to war with them," Liam chuckled,

"Sucks to be Crimson right now,"

"There is also the matter of Nicole running through the forest."

Liam paused, his jaw tightened as he looked at James,

"Yeah, at first we were alarmed because we thought she was running away, but then it seemed like she was just trying to process what happened. There is nothing to be worried about because our scouts have marked and are following her." Liam raised an eyebrow and folded his arms.

He couldn't explain the emotions surging through him. The moment James mentioned that Nicole was running, it almost drove him off balance. It didn't look good on him that he was afraid of something like that, so he sought to hide it.

"I see, keep up the good work." He said, before stepping away. He needed to be away from James before he picked up his discomfort. James always had a way of replaceing out what he was hiding. And he didn't think he wanted James to replace out what his deal with Nicole was.

'Damn, the stupid mark!' He pondered, he had been very okay before that marking.

Another thing was Nicole. Nothing angered him more than the way Nicole was taking in the news. He thought that she should be dancing with joy and gratitude because she had been lied to and deceived all the while.

Couldn't she see that she was never regarded as anything but an instrument? It must have been so cruel for her to replace out that her supposed mate was a liar.

Not that he cared, his attraction to her was not that deep. He only wanted to bury his c**k in her until he became disgusted with her and then he would toss her aside and come for Crimson fully.

Did Shane think that he was appeased because he had asked for a blood oath?

Liam chuckled darkly.

The blood oath was to ensure that Crimson did not come after the Dark Moon. When the pull of his mark on Nicole had vanished and he was done with her, he would come for them.

By now he had gotten to the forest where Nicole was supposedly running. He jerked back, stunned that he was there in the first place. Her delicious scent filled the air, exciting his wolf, who immediately wanted to shift and join her. It roared excitedly in his head, wanting to see Nicole's wolf.

Liam closed his eyes and curled his hands into fists as he fought his wolf within.

"She's not yours," he raged to his wolf. "She's only temporary and we will be casting her out as soon as we're done with her."

His wolf wasn't having it. As far as it marked Nicole, it was believed that she was his forever.

A sheen of sweat coated his forehead, he ground his teeth as the urge to shift rippled through him.

"You will not be careless with this. The most powerful werewolf will not be shackled to a female because of your l**t. The mark is a weakness! To be the most powerful, you must erase all weaknesses!" Liam roared to his wolf.

It calmed the beast a bit as it remembered that it wanted the utmost power, but as soon as it caught another whiff of Nicole's scent, it began to fight again.

Although Liam felt like basking in Nicole's scent forever, he had to force his feet and body and turn away from the forest. He continued walking until he was far enough from the madding scent, yet his wolf was still hot and bothered. "Alpha?" A young pack member called,

Liam's head snapped in his direction as golden rings appeared in his eyes.

"We... we don't... we don't know if crimson is doing the blood oath today."

Liam snorted,

"They are. Tell them that they are, they are to take the oath before we leave this place. They will not be able to handle the consequences if we leave without that oath," he ordered,

Gulping and trembling in fear, the guy scurried away.

"James!!" Liam said into the mind-link, "You said they were discussing their next line of action, right?"

"Yes, Alpha," James responded,

"Remind them that they are to pledge their allegiance to me with the blood oath, time is short. We need to be out of here immediately. Something tells me that this is a ploy to distract and delay us.

Remember that until they've pledged their allegiance they are still independent. Do not remove the warriors at the borders. Instead, make them visible, and increase the fear Crimson already has," Liam informed him. "Noted Alpha," James responded.

After one long wistful look at the forest, Liam continued his walk back into the urban area of Crimson.

"Alpha," James said, panting as he ran up to him, "They said that they cannot replace their Alpha,.

Liam gave him an incredulous look,

"Oh really," he muttered, "Where are they? No, it doesn't matter. Let the warriors begin to march into Crimson. Capture their old Luna and hold her captive. Direct the warriors to their children's playgrounds or nurseries and seal them off with the threat of burning them to the ground. That will bring him out of hiding." James nodded and hurried off, immediately mind-linking the warriors at the borders.

All at once, Liam's warriors released a war cry and began to march in, with most of them heading towards the nursery and playground.

In less than 30 minutes, they had taken siege of all the places where the youngest pack members of Crimson were gathered.

Chaos and terror reigned in Crimson. Everyone knew that apart from the Alpha and his Luna, the puppies were the next most important pack members because they ensured the continuity of the pack.

Parents were huddled in clusters crying and praying.

Some tried to attack Liam's men but were easily thrown back.

Crimson's warriors had also gathered but they dared not make a move because they knew what was at stake.

Everyone had heard stories of the Dark Moon and they knew how cold-blooded the alpha was.

"W-w-what is going on?" Crimson's Beta asked as he jumped out of the conference room.

Alpha Liam, who had been idling as he waited for them, he let out a smirk.

"Finally, they decided to join us. No more hiding within your conference room and whispering. There's nothing for you, Beta. At least not until you've pledged allegiance."

"B-but, those are kids, innocent creatures,"

Liam's jaw tightened and a glint of anger flashed in his eyes.

"They are also the future of Crimson. Imagine what will happen if you lose each and every one of them. That automatically translates to the death of your pack, doesn't it? Do you think I do not know what you are planning? Where is your Alpha and why has he suddenly disappeared?"

"He's grieving! You took his Luna and embarrassed him,"

Liam snarled,

"His Luna? A woman he lied to and used? A woman he would have cast out when he found his true mate? How dare he grieve, when he sought my head, last night? Bring your alpha or within the next 1 minute, the future of Crimson will be erased from the surface of the Earth. One!"

The Beta's nostrils widened and his eyes flitted around.

"We don't know where he is..."

"Two!"

"W-w-we need more time to..."

"Ten!"

Gasping, the Beta ran back into the conference room.

"Twenty!"

The doors to the conference flung open a second later and Shane stormed out, growling.

"Oh, there you are," Liam mused, raising his hands in the air and staring at his fingernails for some seconds before folding his arms behind his back and stepping around the fuming Shane.

Shane's face was seconds away from bursting, spittle dripped from his fangs as he bent and roared. His claws slashed in the air and his rage saturated the air.

Pack members quivered, cried, and whimpered.

"Aww, are you mad?" Liam chuckled,

Shane's head snapped towards him and he snarled,

Liam smirked,

Shane's eyes flitted to gold and back. The muscles on his back cricked and he reeled back.

"He's seconds away from shifting, is he going rogue?" Liam asked disinterestedly, "Hey, I'm talking to you... What's going on with your Alpha? We are mere seconds from igniting your pups."

He said to the awestruck Beta, ignoring Shane's snarls.

The Beta snapped out of his trance and looked from Shane back to the smirking Alpha and swallowed, probably regretting his existence.

At that moment, Nicole walked in, flanked by two of Liam's warriors. All gazes turned to her.

On seeing Shane, she stumbled back, fear flashing in her eyes.

"Oh great," Liam commented, still circling the raging Shane, "She's your Luna but she can't stand up to you, wonderful."

Shane huffed and growled at him. His wolf was obviously in control.

"A-alpha," the Beta started,

Shane snarled at him, making him jump back with his eyes shining like a torchlight as he swallowed and struggled for breath.

"Fifty, Fifty-one, Fifty-two..." Liam continued counting down.

"Fifty-ni-"

"Stop!" Shane gasped suddenly, his rage immediately subsiding.

Liam smirked, then made a subtle sign to James so that the warriors stood down.

Two priests of Crimson immediately peeked their heads out of the conference room and then stepped forward.

Together they processed out of the pack's house with Shane's head bent in shame.

At the pack square, they proceeded with the ritual. Shane stood on an elevated platform with his arms outstretched and the priests made him recite the plea of allegiance as they slit his wrist and allowed his blood to spill onto the ground, while they hummed prayers to the moon goddess.