Calliope's Wolf - Book 1
Chapter 15

Upon his return home, Ezra called a meeting of the Alphas and Lunas in his region. All except for Calliope's parents. He wanted to reveal Calliope to everyone and present her as a fraudulent Great Luna.

Even as an alpha, Ezra always came across as a loyal servant to the Greats. He would be the first to volunteer, donate to charities, or help run meetings. But in reality, he always sought to exploit whatever he touched.

The Moon Valley pack is wealthy, and he made it this way under his leadership. In reality, he turned his human villages into slave camps. They mined for ore in the valleys under the mountains: he and his profit off those who are weaker.

He established trades within the region and even in the outer territories. This wasn't necessarily frowned upon; some humans live there, but there are also sun wolves.

On paper, he seemed clean, though. The humans in his pack lands are supposedly paid a handsome wage. And the paperwork for his trade seemed legit. All to human villages and all impure metals. But it needed to appear this way. Neither his pack nor his region borders the outer territories. So, all of his trades needed to look legit.

But now, Ezra saw an opportunity to garner distrust in the Great Alpha. His goal wasn't to get rid of Theo. No, Ezra wanted more. Always more... power, money, whatever it may be. Ezra wanted the elder council to have more power. The ultimate authority and decision-making lie in the Greats. But what good does that do him when he wants to alter the laws to suit him?

Since being elected to the council, Ezra has voiced to like minds that he thought the council should be the ruling party. The Greats would be there for protection, sure, but not lead. For years, Ezra has wanted the council to elect a head elder. A position he wants, of course.

This distrust that he wants to put into his region might just be the seed he needs to start his coup. A small seed, but seeds grow, and with the right push, it might become a tree.

The Alpha and Luna of the nearby Crimson pack came down the main road of the Riverbed pack. Wyatt and Evelyn, out of curiosity, went out to greet them.

"Hello there, you two!" Wyatt greets warmly. "What do we owe the pleasure of your visit?

"We are actually just passing through," the Crimson Alpha said after he shifted to his human form. "I'm actually surprised to see you here."

"This is my pack? How does that surprise you?" Wyatt questioned with confusion.

"Elder Ezra called us to the Moon Valley pack house," the Alpha answered. "You are the closest pack to them. I figured you would have been there already."

"We weren't summoned," Evelyn interjected with a frown. "Was everyone else?"

"That's what we were told," he responded. "Maybe the messenger just bypassed you guys on accident? Why don't you just come with us?"

Wyatt and Evelyn looked at one another. They knew the elder council would have just met. Perhaps there was something elder Ezra needed to pass along...

Calliope, they mind link to one another.

Wyatt nodded to the Crimson Alpha. They all shifted to their wolf forms and began their trek to the Moon Valley pack.

It took a few hours, and they arrived in the late evening. Wyatt and Evelyn made sure to stay a few steps behind. They wanted to try and blend into the shadows. Once in the main hall where all the others were gathered, they stood in the back in a corner.

Ezra stood in front of the small crowd. Once everyone was silent, he cleared his throat.

"Everyone!" he started. "I have attended the council meeting with the other elders and the Great Alpha. But! The Great Alpha was not alone! He had with him the one he called his Great Luna."

A gasp came from those in the room. Questions were being yelled out to Ezra to the point all the words seemed to blur together into an incoherent mess. Ezra raised both hands, asking for silence. Once the noise died down, he continued.

"The girl is none other than Calliope, daughter of Alpha Wyatt and Luna Evelyn from the Riverbed pack! She is from our region, and I just found out days ago."

There was some excitement in the room. The Great Luna being from their region would mean favorite advantages. Better trade offers and better gifts from the Greats. It was seen as a good sign. But Ezra frowned.

"But here is the thing. The Great Alpha refused to tell us what her gifts were. He even refused to let us see her wolf. If you ask me, I think she is a fraud. A fraud sold by her parents!" Ezra yelled out as he pointed to the back at Wyatt and Evelyn.

"I didn't sell my daughter!" Wyatt replied with anger. "She is the Great Luna."

"Then indulge us," Ezra smirked. "Tell you what makes her the Great Luna."

Wyatt was leaning against the wall. He crossed his arms. "If the Great Alpha didn't tell you, then I suppose I shouldn't either. They have their reasons. All I will tell you is that we have known for some time."

"If you've known for some time, why are we just finding out now?"

"To keep her safe from the sun wolves," Wyatt answered. He was glaring at Ezra. This was a man he looked up to and respected. But now, this line of questioning was making Wyatt angry.

"To make her safe? From sun wolves?" Ezra mocked. "You don't live anywhere near the outer territories. For the sun wolves to reach her, they'd have to go through so many pack lands. Do you trust your fellow Alphas that little? Or was it the Great Alpha who didn't trust anyone?"

"I won't be a part of this conversation any longer," Wyatt said as he took Evelyn's hand. "You should watch your words. They sound like treason from here."

Before anyone could respond, Wyatt and Evelyn left and hurried back home. While in wolf form, he mind-linked Asher to contact Theo. He needed to be made aware of what was going on.

When they left, Ezra frowned. "You see! They fled because we knew the truth! Their daughter is a fraud. We should not stand for this! Unless she can be proven otherwise, we shouldn't treat her as the Great Luna! And the Great Alpha needs to answer for his lies!"

Some people cheered and agreed. Others were uncomfortable. Challenging the Great Alpha could lead to death. But also, some felt that it wasn't their place to question Theo. Whether it was out of fear or loyalty to the Greats, some of the people walked out. All that remained was a handful of people.

"Those of you who aren't cowards, we must get the word out! When the girl is 18 and officially named Great Luna, we need to make sure she is challenged by one of our strongest! Someone who has the strength to be called Great Luna." Ezra said as he looked at those who remained. His son and daughter-in-law were there, as was Jaxson. "At the Moon Festival, when she can first be challenged, that's when it happens!"

Jaxson was upset, pouting in his seat. Somewhere in his mind, he still felt she was his mate. Why would he, a boy born to be an alpha, not be fated to be with a girl born to be a Luna? Wyatt would need a successor. Jaxson wanted to be the Alpha there. Those pack lands were rich in timber and crops. It would be the perfect pack to add to his family's pack and wealth.

As everyone left began to clear out, Ezra took notice of his grandson. He walked over and sat by him.

"You shouldn't be upset over that whore," he said to Jaxson as he placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Don't call her that," Jaxson growled as he moved from Ezra's touch.

"But that is what she is, right? You sell a girl to get favors from someone. What else do you call her? I know you liked her, but Jaxson, she isn't the bigger picture."

"I know," Jaxson said with a sigh. "I just, it made sense in my head, you know?"

"I get it," Ezra nodded. "But don't let her be a roadblock to what you want. Got it?"

Jaxson nodded and leaned against Ezra. Ezra gave him a few pats on the back before standing. He made his way to his office. There were letters he needed to write and plans he needed to make.

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