Chapter 82 The New High Elder

(Alexander POV)

The news of Arthur Leventhal's death shocked the nation. Without an heir, many speculations were thrown left and right. The uncertainty of the High Elder's company hurt his business and the value of the its stocks took a nose dive. His lawyers were all in a scramble to remedy this and had publicly announced that Hope was Arthur Leventhal's Personal Representative. This provided a positive outcome and we saw Leventhal stocks rise anew.

Amelie and Alarick arrived in Seattle after Amelie heard the news of Arthur's death on social media. She was distraught and no amount of comforting from Alarick gave her solace.

Amelie took charge of the High Elder's funeral. Hope offered to help her, but she patted Hope on the shoulder. "Ma cherie, let me do this for Arthur and also, for Adella. Adella was never given a proper funeral. I will find a picture of her and place it beside Arthur's." Hope also offered to give her some peace, however Amelie wanted to feel the pain. "This pain I feel in my heart," she rubbed her chest with her hands, "is the amount of love I have for my two greatest friends." When the casket of the High Elder arrived at the venue, Amelie threw herself on top of it and gave a sorrowful howl. Hope excused herself and ran out. She couldn't bear to hear the pain of Amelie's loss.

Alarick tried to pull Amelie off the casket, but she pushed him away and hugged the casket. "Leave me be with Arthur. These are my last moments with him. Let me spend it with him before I have to say goodbye for good." Amelie hugged Arthur's casket the whole night. She relunctantly let go when we told her she had to take a shower and have breakfast because it was time to lay Arthur to rest. She kissed Arthur's casket before she left to fix herself for his burial.

It had been raining since Amelie arrived, a clear reflection of her mood. Hope tried to clear the weather a couple of times, but the dark clouds would come back and the rain would resume. Hope gave up and told me, 'There is someone here conjuring the rain."

"The High Elder's Mage must be in attendance." I speculated. No one knew who the High Elder's mage was. The flash drive Max had, the High Elder took and his computer was wiped clean according to the detectives.

"Well, we might find out at the reading of the will later. Right now, we'll just bring umbrellas."

When we arrived at the High Elder's final resting place, Amelie was already there, standing in the rain, her head bent down, sobbing. Hope immediately went to her, embraced her, caressing Amelie's back. They both stood like that for a moment, hugging each other in the rain. Amelie suddenly looked up at Hope, her eyes wide with surprise first then she started to laugh. Hope winked at her and started to laugh with her. Alarick looked at me with a confused smile on his face and I patted him on the back. "I guess it's a private joke." I told him.

The rain suddenly stopped and the dark clouds that hovered above the city yesterday finally started to disperse. "Whatever it was, Amelie seems to be in good spirits again." Alarick whispered to me and took Amelie's hands as Hope guided her to him. Hope took my arm and rested her head on my shoulder. "Let's say goodbye to Arthur underneath the beautiful light of the sun, shall we." The sun's rays shone on Arthur's casket, the drops of water twinkling like little diamonds. It was a solemn ceremony and we all said our goodbyes, throwing flowers unto the casket at it was brought down to the earth.

After the funeral, we all went back to the High Elder's building for the reading of his will. The media was already there to announce what will happen with Arthur Leventhal's empire and fortune.

We took our seats at the long table and the lawyers looked at all of us to see if the beneficiaries of Arthur's will were all present before they started.

"The High Elder's will was done and signed last month. The High Elder was of sound mind without duress when he made his will with the presence of his attorneys."

"I, Arthur Leventhal, being of sound mind, not acting under duress or undue influence, and fully understanding the extent of all my property and of this disposition thereof, do hereby make, publish and declare this document to be my Last Will and Testament and revoke any other will and codicils heretofore made by me."

"I appoint, Hope Ulrich as my Personal Representative of my estate. If my personal representative fails or ceases to so serve, I then appoint, Amelie Heinrich."

"I devise and bequeath my property, both real and personal and wherever situated as follows."

"To Hope and Alexander Ulrich, The Leventhal Banking Company as well its properties."

"To Amelie Heinrich, The Blue Waterfall Resort in the Bahamas, The L and W Building in New York, my house in the Hamptons, as well as my house in California."

"To Hope Ulrich, my holdings in the Stella Foundation as well as my position and all the responsibilities it entails. A $200M donation from my estate will be given to Stella Foundation to fund the different charities I believe in.

"My money, after the deduction of estate tax and all my liabilities, amounting to $700M, is to be divided among all packs included in the Clan of Wolves."

"Additionally, The Clan of Wolves and Council of Elders bylaws states I am allowed to appoint a successor. Without one, succession will be reserved to the most senior of elders. I, Arthur Leventhal, hereby appoint Amelie Heinrich as my successor. Duly Signed, Arthur Leventhal."

We all look to Amelie, her mouth open in shock, and bow our heads. "Your Excellency."

----

(Amelie POV)

I am not the High Elder. When I embraced Hope a while ago, I saw her thoughts and knew Arthur to be alive. However, the death of Arthur had to be convincing thus, I am to play the role as the newly appointed High Elder.

All of the wolves seated at the table bowed their heads to me in respect. The lawyer announced there was to be a ceremony anointing me as High Elder tonight. Arthur explicitly told his lawyers that his will be executory immediately. We were just a few days away from the biggest fight of our lives and now Arthur has opted to make an exit without telling me of his plans, his mage, who has been loyal to him for decades.

It is true Adella found me, however I wasn't entirely truthful on why she found me so "enchanting". When she touched me the first time we met, she knew of my powers and why I had left my pack in France. I was tasked by the Alpha of my pack to steal and deceive for him and when I did not obey, I was abused. I look at my wrist and I can still see the burn marks of the silver chains my former Alpha hung me with when he whipped me for disobedience. Adella, herself a Priestess, was happy to have found someone with magic. I could not heal as most Priestesses do, however I could conjure a secret chamber, disguise myself, read thoughts and control the elements when needed. It was enough for Arthur, as he needed someone to conjure secret chambers for the Clan of Wolves as well be a secretary. I have the minutes of all the meetings inside my head.

Yes, it hurt me not to know Arthur's plans, yet all my crying had everyone convinced he was truly gone. I actually sensed an outsider during his wake. I moved my head to look at him, my eyes swollen from all my crying, and I saw him take out his phone to call someone. I wanted to follow him and touch him so I can see his thoughts, but I couldn't leave Arthur. One moment away from him was one moment too long so, I shrugged the idea away and laid my head again on top of the casket, singing Arthur's favorite song, "Fly Me to the Moon."

When the lawyers took their leave, I ordered Alarick to stand guard at the door. I needed answers and I needed them now.

"Hope, Alexander, I need answers."

"Of course, Your Excellency. What do you need to know?" Alexander asks me.

"Stop using "Your Excellency". I know Arthur is still alive. Why has he done this?"

"It was so ordered by The Rogue Lord." Hope answered.

"And who is this Maximus I saw in your thoughts?"

"He is The Rogue Lord's Beta. You will meet him in a while and you will find all the answers you want, Your Excellency." Hope rubbed my arm. "Arthur knew you would be devastated the most upon hearing of his death and he is right. You convinced everyone it was true. If I didn't know, I would be convinced myself." She pauses. "Maximus is here. Alarick, can you please show him in." Alarick opens the door and his eyes widen. The man was so tall and big, he had to enter the door sideways at an angle. Alarick looked tiny beside him. When Alarick closed the door, a shimmer of light appeared and there stood before us was Arthur. I ran into his arms to give him a hug, but abruptly pushed him away. He was wearing Wet Dog with a dash of Decaying Corpse.

"Mon ami, you scared me. I thought it to be true. However, your scent makes me want to believe it is true." Arthur laughed at my joke.

"I had to mix scents to create the scent of Maximus. I beginning to get use to it."

Alarick laughed and shook his head. " So Amelie here cried for show? You have one sick sense of humor, Your Excellency."

"Arthur. I am no longer High Elder. My will, it stands. Amelie, I need you to instruct all the wolves to The Rogue Lord's fortress. I will be bringing Hope to The Rogue Lord as Maximus and I will aide her inside. You remember those dark nightmare's when you were still a teenager?" Arthur was the only one I had told about my nightmares. In my dreams, a black entity would siphon out my powers until I was lifeless. I started having those nightmares when I started showing signs of magic. It stopped when I reached my 20's.

"Yes, Arthur. Why?

"The being, it exists."