Deacon - Nicholas Bella Page 0,100
they have with the dragons cannot be taken lightly,” Akio said.
“Fuck, fine. Have him sign the damn Treaty and take the oath already,” Josef snapped.
Akio looked at me. “Understand, Deacon, this is not an invitation for you to go on a rampage turning any human into a wolf. We’re lifting the ban, but if we feel your motives are questionable, you will be challenged.”
I understood the meaning of his words. I nodded. “I am quite particular with whom I recruit into my pack,” I said, which was true. I had no intention of just turning any old human. Quality stock was most important to me and whatever else the human could bring into the pack.
“That works for me. Any objections?” Akio asked.
It wasn’t lost on me, the fact that the other Alphas seem to allow Akio to take lead, even though we were all supposed to be equal at the table. I could only attribute it to the fact that Akio was the eldest amongst us. Thus, the most powerful with the largest pack. After asking the question, he didn’t get any objections.
“Good, let’s move forward,” Akio said. He conducted the oath and I signed the treaty, sealing my position among them.
“Welcome, Deacon Gables, Alpha of the Forest Grove pack,” Akio said.
“Thank you,” I said, smiling.
The meeting adjourned and I celebrated with my Beta Capos in the back of my limo. We clinked our goblets together, toasting to our pack’s future success.
“Holy shit, I thought we were going to have to start blasting in there, Boss,” Elliot said.
“I was ready if they were,” I said, then took a sip of my whiskey. “That little bastard, Josef, I think he’s going to be a problem.”
“If and when he does become one, you’ll have a loyal pack to back you, Boss,” Hector said.
I nodded. Today was another great day in the life of Deacon Gables. I got home and as soon as I entered, I saw my wives and a few other wolves in the living room. Many were crying while others were standing around looking somber. Charlene was sitting on the sofa, comforting Sanese, who was crying.
I walked over to them. “What’s wrong?”
“Agnes is dead,” Charlene said.
My heart took a plunge into my stomach and I actually stumbled a little before Elliot caught me. “What? How? When?”
Charlene shook her head and licked her lips. “Sometime in the middle of the night. I stayed with her, like you asked. She waited until I was asleep before taking dragon’s venom. I found her body this morning in the bed next to Royce’s suit. The one he was wearing the night he died.”
And just like that, my happy and triumphant moment was gone. Another funeral for a dear friend and their unborn child had to be planned. I had to make sure I was the best Alpha for this pack, because I refused to let their deaths be in vain. I wasn’t a religious man, for God never helped me. Everything I got in life, I had to fight for it one way or another. But if he did exist, I hoped he could forgive me for what I’d done, because I wasn’t sure if I could ever forgive myself. I didn’t think I had enough whiskey or brandy to drown the sorrow I felt at the moment, but I was willing to put it to the test.
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
A Better World
I was looking out of the window of my limo as we headed to a location that I’d never been to before. I had Drake, Charlene, and Horacio with me, leaving Elliot to look after the pack in my absence. If anything were to go wrong at this very special meeting, I needed someone I trusted to be able to take over the reins. To say that I was a little nervous would be an understatement. I’d been an Alpha for thirty years now, with over four hundred wolves in my pack. All of the darkness of the past, I had buried and moved toward the future and we were thriving. I even had more children. Charlene had given me two more sons, Eric and Royce, whom we named after my dear friend. And Nicholette had given me my first daughter and she was a welcomed surprised after six sons. Daddy’s little girl, indeed.
My life was going great, so I was very curious when I received a letter from ambassadors from the vampire King, Ara, and the dragon King, Evander, to meet at this