Chapter 3: Sweet Vengeance

***Bryan***

Alpha Westby just concluded an emergency meeting in the Mo packhouse. He's concerned about the killings that have been taking place in Silvercrest Range. The two recent bodies found were from the Foss pack.

"Bryan, wait behind," he ordered. "I'd like a word with you."

I nodded and maintained my seat. I wondered what he wanted to talk about.

Perhaps it was about the succession ritual.

He rubbed my shoulder from behind giving me a gentle squeeze. "Hope you're warming up."

"Do I need to warm up?" A raspy laugh escape my throat.

"Well, I think you need to." He sat down to face me. "Silvercrest Range is currently going through some shit. Someone is out to get everyone. At first I thought it's just the Andersons. Now the Foss are being hit too."

"I've told you many times not to worry, Westby. We are the Mo pack," I whispered. "Nobody will dare touch us."

Westby's eyebrow furrowed. He's surprised by my words obviously. "Why are you so confident that we aren't the next pack to be hit? We are the third most relevant pack in the range. The Andersons and Foss who are larger than us are being attacked. How will a pack like ours survive it?"

"Sorry, but have you been drinking lately? You sound scared. Shouldn't an Alpha be courageous in moments like this?"

Westby looked at me like he was about to punch me. " I know what you did there. You think I'm scared. And who said one can only obtain courage in the absence of fear. I fear for the men, women and kids in my pack. Keeping them safe is all I'm concerned about. If you need a reminder, don't forget the Foss' greatest rival at the Mos. So I am not scared of anyone in the whole of Silvercrest Range, rather it worries me that whoever is coming after the other packs might come for us too."

I patted his arm. "Trust me when I tell you that nothing will happen to us. Not when I'm here. I'm so confident that whatever or whoever has got the Andersons and Foss will not get to us."

Westby glances at me before folding his arms. "I'm proud and happy that you agreed to succeed me as the next Alpha after I step down. You are the strongest man I know. You've being through so many terrible things and you're still standing in one piece. Come what may, you are the best choice to become next alpha. But I need to ask you something. And please tell me the truth."

Westby's questions aren't usually nice questions. I'm used to that by now. So I prepared myself. "Truth about what?"

He began, "Bryan I've asked you this before. I'll ask you again. Are you responsible for what's going on? I know you have a grudge against them for what they did to you years back."

I pretend to be shocked and answered, "No! Why would you say that? You keep suspecting me, Westby. Do you think I don't have better things to do than seeking vengeance? You told me to let it go twelve years ago, and I did."

"I want to believe you but all this started shortly after you got back to town," His eyes were filled with worry.

I shook my head. "I've told you the Andersons and Foss might have stepped on someone's toes and I think it's someone who is not only dangerous, but crazy and angry enough to go after them."

Westby didn't blink for like five seconds then he shrugged. "Okay. If you say so. What's confusing is that Alpha Ashley made his daughter marry Evans Foss so they could get protected from—"

"That marriage is a sham. Look how it's going." I blurted out, interrupting Westby in the process. "The bastard failed. It's been two weeks since the marriage and Evans hasn't protected the Andersons in any way. It's funny his own pack members are beginning to get killed too." I fight back from laughing.

"I heard from a reliable source that the reason Evans agreed to that marriage was for his own gain. I'm not sure but I think Evans is planning something big. They say he wants all the other packs to be under his control. He already has access to the Andersons treasury and allegiance by marriage. It's remaining us, the Mo pack, the Bergs and the Ruuds. He'll get to us soon."

I growled. "For his sake. I hope that's just a rumor. Who the fuck does he want to control? He better stop fucking around and stay in his lane."

Dead men don't lead or control other packs. Evans Foss is going to die by my hands. Also that pretty ass wife of his, Scarlett. He better do himself a favor and cease dreaming big.

Anyone who knows what I've been up to would call me a psychopath or worse. I'm enjoying this and I'm not stopping anytime soon.

Alpha Westby suspects me. I can feel it. Even though I've been denying it, he suspects that I have something to do with this. Left to me, I won't consider myself a Haaland if I do not fight back.