Chapter 80 The Message

(Alexander POV)

David, Mark, Hope and I rushed into the helicopter once it landed on the helipad.

"I knew someone had blocked his thoughts," was all I heard from Hope.

I directed the chopper to head to the High Elder's building. Hope was silently praying to the Moon Goddess that we could reach the High Elder in time.

Hope practically jumped out of the helicopter once it landed. She took the stairs and ran towards the High Elder's office a few floors below.

We ran after her even if the elevator doors pinged open. Hope was able to go through security without any problems, unfortunately we were stopped by the High Elder's office. I saw her go into his office and stop. She gasped at what she saw.

"Something has happened to the High Elder," Mark yelled and the bodyguards halted their security check on us and ran towards the office. We followed suit.

There at his desk sat the High Elder while Max stood behind him making sure the High Elder downloaded all the information he needed on his flash drive.

"The Butler told me you were naive. I was actually concluding this to be true, but you are someone I now believe I should not underestimate." Max said to Hope.

"You've already met Hope, Maximus?" The High Elder sounded surprised.

"Yes, before I came to see you. I accompanied someone who has decided to defect and join her pack."

"Don't even think about hurting the High Elder or else." Hope told Max. The threat didn't sound too convincing coming from Hope and Max  chuckled like he was being tickled.

"Daughter of Adella, I don't think you have it in you to kill in cold blood." He takes the flash drive from the High Elders laptop and puts it in his coat pocket. "However, I am not here to kill the High Elder,  I am here to relay a message from The Rogue Lord, aside from obtaining the information on this flash drive." He pats his coat. "Surrender the daughter of Adella now and pledge your allegiance to him and The Rogue Lord will let everyone live. Of course, you will all live according to his terms."

"And if we do not agree to a surrender?" I ask Max.

"You have until the day before the Harvest Moon rises in the night sky to make a decision. If you decide to surrender the daughter of Adella, leave her at the gate of The Rogue Lord's fortress. If you decide against the surrender, prepare for war. You do know there was once over 60 great packs in this country. There are now only around 25. I do urge you to surrender the daughter of Adella and to pledge allegiance to him. For the continuity of wolves around the country and around the world." Max bows to us. The he faces the High Elder and bows at him. "I can not kill the High Elder just yet, for all of you in the Clan of Wolves need to make a decision. Good luck." He chuckles once again.

Max turns to walk out of the office but stops in front of Hope and takes her hands into his. "Daughter of Adella, many lives are at stake. I do hope you do the right thing." He releases Hope's hands and makes his way towards the door of the office.

"I can send your daughter back to The Rogue Lord. I mean it is the right thing to do. After all, you are planning our extermination." Hope said. She walked over to the couch and sat down.

"Yet you have a good heart and will not allow anything to happen to her." Max thought it was a bluff, but Hope took out her phone and started dialing a number.

"I have only known Lucy for a minute. She hasn't contributed anything in my favor nor have you. You think I would just adopt someone when her father wants me to commit suicide?" She laughs. "When I accepted your daughter, I assumed we had an understanding, an unspoken allegiance. Now, you want to do as you please thinking I'd keep my end of the bargain. How stupid do you think I am?" She puts the phone to her ear. "Leia, incapacitate Lucy. We will send her back to The Rogue Lord with a message that his Beta tried to do business with me. Thank you, Leia." She taps her phone to end the call and looks at Max. "By the end of the day, Lucy will be raped and her mother tortured and you will not be able to do anything about it."

Max tried to move, but Hope had already put a hold on him. "Help me!" He screamed.

"My aunt can't help you. She herself can not move either."  Cecilia was here. No wonder they were able to come to the High Elder without any interference.

"Show yourself, Aunt Cecilia or I will do it for you." Suddenly, Cecilia appears standing at a corner of the room.

"Hello Aunt Cecilia! I see you look much better. How is Grandmother?" Hope asks. Cecilia screams in frustration, squirming. Hope laughs and again turns to Max to address him.

"Lucy was suppose to be your spy, yes? To report to you my every movement? Unfortunately, I had the privilege of seeing Council Elder Berkeley who my Aunt here was not able to block his thoughts. I saw everything, even the plan to assassinate the High Elder. Berkeley assumes post of High Elder, orders my surrender to The Rogue Lord, and you, Maximus, become Alpha of my pack. Very convenient." Hope snapped her fingers and the flash drive comes rushing out of his coat pocket. "The information you just took is regarding the Mage of the High Elder as well as the finances of this corporation as well as mine and all the packs across the country."

"You overthrow the wealthiest first. That would mean Midnight Moon, Crescent Moon and Dark Moon Packs. You are well trained by The Rogue Lord, Maximus, and just like The Rogue Lord, you seem to think you can bully everyone to get what you want."

"All packs have one common enemy and that is The Rogue Lord. It is time all packs unite and bring down the Rogue Army. It is time we bring the war to them." Hope waves her hand and places Cecilia and Max in a silver cell she conjured in the middle of the High Elder's office.

"You are right, Hope. It is time we end this, once and for all." The High Elder raises his hand and we hear the sound of bones cracking. And just like that, Cecilia and Max fall on the floor, lifeless.

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(Hope POV)

I didn't know the High Elder possessed magic nor did I ever think him to be ruthless. I decided we keep them as prisoners for information, the High Elder decided they deserved a death sentence. I didn't know he had it in him.

"Don't look so surprised, Alpha Hope. I was planning to kill them anyway before you arrived. I know no one has heard me ever kill anyone nor use my magic. Now all of you know, I,too, possess the gift of invisibility." He walks towards the window of his office and looks out and sighs. "This is why I am thought of as an old man who should retire. I will soon. However, I still have some fight in me left and I would like to see The Rogue Lord in pieces or in flames before I step down." He turns to us and we see his eyes have darkened. His wolf awakened by his conviction.

"Finally, someone has spoken what we all should have done long ago after The Rogue Lord retreated back to his fortress...attack him. Yet, due to the losses, most packs wanted to recover and recuperate rather face him again, head on. Now, after almost 20 years, he also has recovered and now plans to exterminate packs one by one."

"I have to admit this though, I had pushed Berkeley into dealing with The Rogue Lord. The implants were not only of use to The Rogue Lord, but for us as well. I was able to track them and know their numbers and over the years, the fortress of The Rogue Lord has grown to accommodate almost 6000 wolves. Well, minus the ones in the bottom of the ocean as well as The Rogue Lord's Beta. Let us not forget, the new recruits of Crescent Moon."

"I knew Berkeley's dealings went as far as betrayal, however I wanted him to admit it to me. Well, now I know why he betrayed me, us...he wanted to become High Elder." The High Elder shakes his head.

"Your excellency, we have another problem as well. A being from a ..." I was abruptly cut of by the High Elder.

"A being in black stone. I know of it." The High Elder nods his head in acknowledgement. " It haunts my dreams. It will merge with The Rogue Lord and give him powers. The Rogue Lord will then be unstoppable."

"The alignment of the planets of our solar system will coincide with the Autumn Equinox opening the vessel which has served as a prison of this being." The High Elder knows more than we initially thought.

"What if we were to kill The Rogue Lord before the Autumn Equinox? What will happen then, Your Excellency?" Alexander asked.

"It will merge with the next strongest vessel." The High Elder answered. "And once it does, we can defeat it." The High Elder looks at me. "Are you ready, Hope?"

I nod my head. I know what I had to do. "I'm ready, Your Excellency."