Chapter 174: Pup No More

"Welcome home, son," Andreas opened his arms wide in greeting as Graeme walked into the office. "At last you are who you were born to be."

Even just the presence of Graeme in the same room had its effect. Andreas could feel the way his own body was attempting to betray him by bowing in submission, and all Graeme was doing was watching him cautiously.

"Have a seat. We have much to discuss," Andreas gestured toward the chair on the opposite side of the desk.

Instead of sitting, Graeme remained there standing and staring at him silently. The look in his eyes held a challenge, and Andreas maintained a steady gaze until finally, after what felt like an eternity of ego-filled moments strung together one after another, Andreas looked away and stood back from the desk.

After this silent exchange, Graeme stalked around the side of the desk and took the seat behind it as Andreas moved to the opposite side, taking the seat he had offered to Graeme.

"This was to be my office," Graeme stated, examining the desk with Andreas' glasses and cigar and the stack of papers.

"And it still shall," Andreas responded. "At last you were provoked into taking your place."

"Was that the motivation behind it? To have me take my place?" Graeme growled, attempting to control the rage that was still brewing close to the surface.

"No, there was no motivation," Andreas quickly replied. "Miss Cady had harmed members of this pack. She was being escorted to the council just as any other pack member would have been in the same circumstance."

"My mate was in a position to exercise self-defense," Graeme stated through clenched teeth.

"Forgive me, but that self-defense was in a very unusual and quite honestly terrifying manner. She is capable of depriving others of the very air that they rely on to breathe," Andreas replied, his expression one of the most genuine concern he could manage.

"She was attacked. Twice while I was away, Andreas," Graeme replied.

"Yes—that was all very bizarre indeed. Thankfully the pups she has taken to teaching were not harmed. And I was told she has received your healing ability thanks to the mate mark, which is fortunate," Andreas replied.

Graeme tilted his head, studying Andreas from across the desk. The elder had plenty of experience in twisting events to his benefit.

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"How do you explain the condition I found my sister in when I went to retrieve her from the dungeon?" he asked. "She was unconscious. She may have not survived."

Deep lines formed on Andreas' forehead. "Zosime…" he shook his head. "She has been given a great deal of freedom in her research, and I fear I have not kept her accountable like I should. But don't worry, she is being held accountable for this. She will not be conducting any experiments or doing any research for the foreseeable future. I intend to keep her imprisoned until it can be determined…"

"I intend to keep her imprisoned," Graeme corrected.

Andreas paused with his mouth still agape before he promptly snapped it shut and clasped his hands together. "Yes, of course."

"We need to discuss how to execute the transition of power in the pack from council-led to Alpha-led," Graeme stated, watching as a vein in Andreas' forehead threatened to pop. "I want to meet with the council first thing tomorrow. I will be evaluating everyone and making changes as I see necessary. And there will be a pack-wide gathering to follow in the coming weeks. Every member of this pack deserves to be on the same page."

"Of course," Andreas said. "Perhaps the Samhain festival is the most opportune time for this gathering and announcement of official transition, as it is already planned and highly anticipated. It is also a full moon this year," he added.

Graeme nodded. "Where are Pearce and Auden? Should they not be here?"

"Typically they spend Sundays relaxing at home, and I thought whatever discussion we had could be communicated to them tomorrow when everyone returns. But I wanted a chance to meet with you before then. These have been extraordinary circumstances, and I was still quite honestly trying to sort out the events of everything that had occurred. With you having returned with your mate in an unofficial position of power within the pack, it was really only a matter of time before something explosive like this happened, don't you agree? It is… confusing for pack members when there is the Alpha present without his official status not to mention an Alpha's mate who is not of our kind," Andreas was rambling, his eyes following the narrative he had painted for himself around the room.

"It will be good for them—for all of us—to have these confusions sorted out. I am sure the transition of power will be a smooth one, so long as your mate does not give anyone reason to fear her unique abilities. You know there has never in the history of lycan-kind been a Luna that is not lycan. What is she, even? Is she alyko?" Andreas asked, his final question posed as if with an innocent curiosity.

"Why is it that labels are so important to you?" Graeme growled.

"Well they are not only important to me. They are important to everyone. It is how we form our basis of understanding… everything, really. Labels are the structure upon which we build our reality," he replied.

"And what reality has been built on the alyko label? One that reflects events as they have actually unfolded or a collection of fictitious stories meant to malign the alyko and frighten everyone else?" Graeme asked.

"We have gathered stories as they were reported," Andreas stated. "They plotted to kill your parents, Graeme."

"No," Graeme protested, his voice low and threatening. "It was not the truth. It was a convenient story. Such ignorance will never be repeated on our ancestors' land. I was but a pup then and could not object to how the respected elders of our council responded, but I am a pup no more, Andreas.. No alyko will be presumed guilty in this pack based on that label alone."

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