Chapter 21: Mavros

"A-alpha?" one of the men stuttered, arms wrapped around himself.

Dante breathed out.

"Nobody speaks in this room, unless I allow it," and as he said, black mist began to rise from his feet, boiling up until it coiled around him and left him a shadow of pitch black. A frightening picture.

"Do you understand?" he demanded.

Selene stared at him, stunned. She watched the mist, burning and spilling off him, masking him as if a shadow. All she could think was, supreme alphas truly were terrifying beings.

Regular alphas could not compare in any way.

They lowered their heads. They gave in and completely submitted to him.

"Of course!"

"Of course, Alpha."

Every one of them had no choice but to agree. After all, what could even a fifty of them possibly do against a supreme alpha?

The room was deadly quiet for a long while before someone finally raised his hand.

"Speak," Dante ordered.

"Alpha, if we actually go to war with them, our winning rate is very much higher. If we beat them, we could assimilate and expand our pack. Why are we making negotiations?"

Selen furrowed her brows.

Amusement danced in her eyes. Despite her presence within the room, these bastards didn’t at all hold back on plotting on how to eliminate her pack to further expand.

Unbelievable!

"There will be no war," Dante stated. There was no room for arguments. "A simple peace negotiation is what our pack needs, not to spill unnecessary blood. And if any of you disagree, you are free to come to me directly and express your disappointment. Would any of you like to?"

The threat is his tone was in no way hidden.

Set aside that he was a supreme alpha, Dante Baris was not a man to blink twice to kill if he felt it necessary. Many of them found his desire for no war ironic.

Yet, the disagreement could be seen from their grunts, the growls, the cracks of their heavily balled fists, and the stump of feet from many.

"This is..." one of them couldn’t help talking. "This is just unacceptable."

And just before Dante could address him, someone spoke, interrupting, "Everybody needs to calm down."

Selene lifted her gaze. The face she met with was almost familiar because this face was a bit similar to...

Dante!

Blue eyes, unlike Dante’s gray ones. Brown-haired, but very much the same body size as Dante. He was just as tall as well and so, even though they had different visible features, one could easily tell they were brothers.

She blinked. He’s just a regular alpha though...

"My brother is right," the man said. "We don’t need unnecessary bloodshed. I think the negotiation was the best thing for our pack. Tobias is a supreme alpha. His pack is just as strong as our pack and going to war with such a man... It is already good enough that he was willing to give his daughter to my brother as a trust deal. Let us embrace peace for once, ladies and gentlemen. Shall we?"

Selene looked at Dante. Her brow rose.

The expression on Dante’s face was unreadable.

Surely he had to be upset that his own brother stood up in the middle of his meeting and interrupted him.

She folded her hand beneath her jaw, thinking, I wonder what the relationship between these two is like.

"Mavros has a point," one of the council members said.

She lifted her head, taken aback.

Mavros? She frowned. Where have I...heard that name before? Mavros... Mavros... I’ve heard this name before. But where...?

She couldn’t recall.

"The alpha already did what he had to do," a female member at the table joined in. "Any more protests wouldn’t result in anything."

They all came to an agreement. And as they did, with his head slightly tilted, Dante stared at Mavros. His gaze was empty, so it was near impossible to read what was going on in his head.

And as if feeling his attention on him, Mavros glanced over and locked eyes with him. He smiled.

"Though I agree with my little brother, this woman still shouldn’t be here. Allowing an outsider into our pack is just unreasonable!"

The expression on Dante’s face still didn’t flicker nor change. And that was the only thing Selene found truly bravo about Dante. The man had such control over his emotion, he was not easy to move.

Or maybe...

He just can’t stand up to his older brother even though he knows he’s being bitten. But why?

Selene shook her head.

He’s a supreme alpha. His brother is not. In a fight, he would tear his brother apart and—

"She stays," Dante spoke so suddenly in such a terrifyingly calm tone.

The room dropped dead quiet.

"Everyone keeps their mouth shut," he added. "However, if you really still feel displeasure, take it up with me, then. I dare you. As a matter of fact, no one else within this room is to talk."

They all looked at him.

Their faces showed their indignance. Yet none of them had the courage to speak up. They were all as mute as a mouse.

"This meeting is over. Everyone is dismissed."

Many of them quickly frowned at Dante, parting their lips to voice their unwillingness. But one single look from him, they hurriedly changed their minds and stood up to their feet.

They bowed at the waist and quietly took their leave. Eventually, he and Selene were the only ones left in the office.

She carried her cheek with her palm. "So, should I tell my father your pack is planning an attack, or?"

"There will be no war."

She shrugged. "I’d say it’s a good choice. My father is not any weaker than you are. He may be kind, but he is no pushover. It won’t end well."

Dante shot her a provoked look. He got to his feet, picked up his briefcase and walked toward the door, saying, "Follow me to my office."

Selene cracked a smirk. "Aren’t I supposed to go back to the manor now?"

"I have company work to do. I can’t take you back yet."

"But your chauffeur can."

"Just keep quiet and come with me."

"Or you could just admit you enjoy my presence." She cackled. "It’s alright, I know I’m a very fun person to be around, so I won’t judge you—"

"I don’t enjoy your aggravating presence!" Dante roughly turned around, spatting through gritted teeth. "You stay with me because if you walk out there, they will kill you. Don’t be stupid. They agreed to be quiet, that doesn’t mean they won’t eliminate you and frame it as an accident. Answering to your damn father is the last thing I need. Got it?"

"I was just joking!" Selene’s eyes narrowed at him. "Do you also think I’m stupid to be careless in an enemy’s territory? You’re not the only smarty pants out here, Mr. All Suits. You think my papa was stupid when he sent me with you? No, I’m just the only one who can handle you bastards, not my naive older sister."

She approached him, tilted her head back, and stared directly into his eyes.

"And mind your tone when you talk to me. Got it?"

Dante held eye contact with her for a long while, and as if he didn’t know what to do with her, he shoved her forehead with his index finger, causing her to stagger back.

"Spoiled brat." He left.

She followed behind him. They went to his office.

Dante opened the door and went inside, only to pause. "What are you doing here?"

Selene stopped at the door and went on her toes, tilting her head over his broad shoulder to see who he was talking to.

It was Mavros. The older brother.