Chapter 123

Dylan POV.

"You're G... I get it, G for Gilliard... you helped me to make and distribute the counterfeit milk tokens." His eyes widened drastically as he looked me up and down in disbelief.

"You're R?" He was very confused by this point not that I blamed him of course. "But what does the R stand for?"

"R for Riley as in Dylan Riley... It's nice to Finally meet you... Gilliard." I smiled genuinely at the man in front of me. I had no idea that the alpha that was in charge of this pack, and heading the rebellion itself would be the one stood in front of me currently.

"Why not use the initial D?" His mate asked with an amused smile as the alpha gently took the cell out of my hand and placed it on the desk once more.

"Well, people tend to get the wrong impression when an unknown number is saved in someones phone as D... it could mean anything couldn't it?" I chuckled at the insinuation and instantly was met with looks of understanding. "I learned quickly that it was easier to be known as R or Riley. It's a good job I did really, because if I hadn't, everything would have come to light as soon as I was claimed by his grace, and then my life would have been far worse than it already was."

"Hang on... If you were my contact, then that would mean that I was speaking with a thirteen, possibly fourteen year old about executions and public punishments. I assumed I was talking to an adult, especially given the knowledge you had on equipment made long before your time. How is it you knew how to work the old electricals?" So he thought that I was older than I was when we were in contact together? That makes sense, we did only speak to each other on extremely rare occurrences, everything else was communicated through text or messages. Besides, I had no idea I was speaking to a fully fledged adult, and I certainly didn't assume that he was a Lycan, never mind an alpha.

"Well my dads job was to build and restore old equipment, before it was outlawed, he would bring everything home, and show me the inner workings of it all. I might be young but i was practically raised taking apart and reassembling old fashioned appliances. I probably know how they work much more than I know how the latest technology does." I shrugged as if it was the most obvious answer in the world.

I didn't talk about my dad much, but whenever I did it was usually to chastise certain members of the lycan species and hold them accountable for everything that had spiraled in my life, since the new world took effect. Only this time I was actually talking about him in a positive light, I was finally remembering the good times we had instead of only his death at my own hands.

"You never told me thats what your father did.” Lewis interjected as he gently placed a reassuring hand on my shoulder, silently asking me if I was alright to be talking about this stuff.

"Well, it's not exactly something I could have casually bought up in conversation. Is it?” It wasn't something he had asked me before so I had no idea how I was meant to approach the subject with him, hell, I wasn't even sure if he wanted to talk about that stuff.

"What did your mom do?" I smiled at how he was actively going out of his way, at a time like that no less, to try and get to know me a little bit better. It made my stomach flutter once again and a small blush crept up on my cheeks as I thought about how Lewis always did manage to break my walls down.

"She was a worker in the local bakery... that's how she managed to get placed on inventory when the new world began. Her new world job made my tasks much easier as I was able to get hold of all the relevant data." Deep down, I knew that if I hadn't have started things up, then someone else most likely would have in my stead.

Although, I admit seeing peoples baffled yet impressed faces when they found out about just how much shit I actually used to get up to, always made me feel conflicted about everything, I really had only acted out of self interest at the start, and I was treated like a savior.

"Are you considered a genius? You know, naturally gifted at things." Now the Luna was referring to me as a genius. It did feel great in honesty, however their pride felt somewhat misplaced, I hadn't done anything completely worthy of their honor.

"Not by a long shot." It was easy to admit that I was subpar at everything in my life except organizing and creating. "I honestly think I'm just resourceful, and know how to adapt. Plus at the time that I forged the milk tokens, I had reached a whole new level of desperation. I think it's amazing the lengths a person can go to when their situation has forced them.”

"Speaking of age, has anyone ever told you that you're wise beyond your years?" I personally felt like when someone goes through events that induce trauma, it definitely makes you see things in different ways. I also think it forces you to age yourself mentally so that you have the capacity to regulate yourself.

"Are you asking me about before, or after I became the kings personal punching bag?" I chuckled only to be met with three different stares, one which came from Lewis, that screamed nothing but guilt and regret, the lunas showed only horror and the alpha simply looked impressed by my nonchalance. "Sorry, I tend to tackle things using sarcasm." It wasn't the first time I had admitted what my default setting was. "Anyway, onto more pressing matters. I need to run something by you, the issue is, I haven't exactly told the council about it yet."

The alpha let out a deep chuckle and walked back over to his desk, before sitting down at it. "The council have nothing to do with the rebellion, they just know about us and aid us with the smuggling. They only really deal with the sanctuary." What? What exactly was the sanctuary and why had I been placed there for so long then. It was almost as if the alpha had read my mind because he was quick to answer my unspoken question. "The sanctuary that you've been living in, is simply there for families and people that possess great assets that will be used in the months to come, so they are kept safe and out of the main line of fire, should our operations become compromised."

"So why the fuck was I sent there then? I could have come straight to this pack, and gotten on with things that needed attention. Like, I don't know, the looming inevitable war that is about to hit us." The alpha seemed a little perplexed at how to word his next sentence, however after a slight pause to gather his thoughts he proceeded.

"It was deemed too dangerous for you to come here, taking into account what your mental state was like then." My mental state was no better now than it was then, in fact I was more vengeful back then, more out for blood. Not that I wasn’t now, it's just I've also found some form of solace in Lewis.

"Too dangerous for who? What did you think I was going to do?!" The luna quickly interjected with her own explanation she once again performed an unexpected low bow to me out of respect the way I have come to realize most lycans do.

"Your grace, you are who we will turn to for peace once the king has been subdued. It was simply too dangerous for you to join us until you were ready. We needed to keep you safe which is why, we decided to take you..." I cut her off. Once again my future remains in the hands of people who only care about me being a figure head.

"You, an alpha and Luna who I don't know and who doesn't know me, simply decided my role for me." I took a step forward and instantly had the alpha meet my eyes, I felt the orbs of every single Lycan in the room, not that I paid any mind to it, I had started my well known word vomit, and once I'd started everyone knows I couldn't stop. "That is what you did. You helped me escape one prison only to throw me into another one." Not that it really mattered now anyway. I was in the pack, and ready to start whatever I had to in order to drive the king out of his shadows.

"Your grace, I assure you, that wasn't our intention it's just..." I shook my head, the past couldn't be changed. The only thing I could do was prove my abilities were vital to the cause.

"It doesn't matter..." Now would have been the perfect time to bring my plan to the alpha and see if it was at all possible to complete. "There is no point anyway in planning a fight that we obviously can't win yet. We genuinely haven't got the numbers, and we don't have the right attitude. The king would wipe us out in a heartbeat." My abrupt subject change caused heads to start spinning with possibilities. Deep down however they knew my words were right. If we fought tomorrow, then we would be slaughtered.

"You’re right, but we have doubled in numbers since you were claimed." Doubling wasn't good enough. It was like I had said to V, we needed to be smart and what we really needed were allies from each species.

"It isn't good enough and you know it, otherwise you would have made a move by now. What we need is more lycans. We need his own loyal subjects to turn away from him, the more people he looses the more unhinged he will become." I had lived with him for long enough to realize what would really be his undoing. He craved power and he wasn't afraid to do anything to maintain the control he had with his title alone.

"Ok, but how do you expect to do that." I shrugged, I still hadn't thought of my plan entirely. Besides, that wasn’t the most pressing issue.

“Well, non of that really matters anyway if we only take back equality for America and nowhere else… there are rebellions popping up all across the world, Lewis can even vouch that king josh had to travel to Australia in order to subdue the rebels that had gotten the upper hand. Before we think about growing our numbers, we need to find a way to contact other countries and devise a plan alongside them.” I watched as the alphas hand joined together in front of his face in deep concentration at my words. My plan was radical and impulsive, but we needed to do something, I think everybody had spent more than enough time twiddling their thumbs to last a life time.

“Ok, it’s a sound idea… but how exactly do you plan on doing that.” What was my plan exactly? Maybe I hadn’t thought it through enough.

“I think…” Again I was cut off… by a young woman who burst into the office, panic sweeping over her feature as she looked from one person to another, before settling her eyes on me…

“Your grace, Beta Oliver has just entered the sectors borders… Alpha, my brother said that he has picked up queen Dylan’s scent.”

That could only mean one thing…

King Josh knows where I am.