Becoming the Alpha Read Free Page B

dangerous.
    Doc Walden made his way to the center of the arena. He planted his feet and put his hands on his hips. The look on his face was stormy. I was having a hard time remembering the kindly visage that he presented to the people of Greyelf. He raised his hands then, and all voices around the arena fell silent.
    “Now, we all know what we’re doing here this morning. We’ve got ourselves a bit of dilemma that needs to be resolved. I was hoping that we’d be able to do so without having to draw all of you into the mess, but, unfortunately, we’re here instead.” He glared in Lukas’s direction. I felt a bolt of indignation on Lukas’s behalf. “This is unprecedented, but we had a plan for it. Markus made sure of that.” He paused and bowed his head.
    I heard an uproar of wails, soft moans and sniffles at the mention of Markus’s name. In my mind in the most logical sense, I understood their loss. But here inside the walls of White Oaks, I felt the morose sadness of the people of the clan more keenly, and it was oppressive. Tears welled in my eyes. I had only known Markus from a distance, but his impact on the world had been profound. It deserved the outpouring of respect and reverence that I saw on display.
    The tightening of the corners of Lukas’s mouth was the only indication he gave of any semblance of emotion. He only had eyes for the sheriff. He was fully zeroed in on his prey, and I shivered.
    Doc Walden continued, “No matter what the outcome this morning, the council remains intact and will continue to advise the new alpha as we move into the shifter summit that starts tonight with the full moon. The Greyelf Grizzly clan is strong, and the other clans won’t have any reason to doubt that.”
    There was a gathering of the alphas of the different shifter clans every five years. It was called the Summit, and it was held just outside the Greyelf city limits. I wasn’t all that surprised to hear that there was a pecking order when it came to the clans. That was the way of the animal world. Someone was always at the top. I frowned as I wondered where the clans ranked us so called ‘full-blooded humans’. It was another question to add to my growing list.
    “Markus Kasper was the alpha of this clan for eighteen years. Anyone stepping into his shoes will have a tough, it not impossible, act to follow. The Kasper bloodline extends to Markus’s younger brother, Lukas.” Doc Walden nodded his head in Lukas’s direction. “Normally, the alpha claim would pass to the next male blood relative of the alpha family.” Murmurs rose from the crowd. I wasn’t sure if it was in agreement or disapproval; most likely it was a little of both. Doc Walden’s hands returned to his hips. His face twisted up in an expression of chagrin. “In this instance, there are concerns from many of the members of the clan as well as Sheriff Monroe about Lukas Kasper’s capabilities to be our alpha.”
    A growl erupted into the air, and the hair on the back of my neck rose. The sound emanated from Lukas’s direction.
    It didn’t seem to faze Doc Walden one bit. His head swung toward Lukas. “Lukas, you have the ability to rescind the alpha claim. If you do so, the council will appoint an alpha in your place.”
    “The alpha claim is mine by rights,” Lukas’s voice, while clear and articulate, held a note of pure menace in it. “I am not rescinding it now or ever.”
    Doc Walden sighed and shook his head. “So be it.” He returned his attention to the crowd. “Given that Lukas has been absent from White Oaks for the better part of the last decade, the council felt we have no choice but to give Sheriff Monroe an opportunity to state his case.”
    Sheriff Monroe stepped forward. He smiled grimly at the crowd. “I look into the faces of all of you here, and I see friends who are also my family. You’ve been my family since the day that I arrived in Greyelf. I served Markus faithfully, and I was proud to stand by his