Page 152 of An Omega for the Lycan Prince

My father nods his agreement. As Lycans and royals in particular, we not only swear to protect our own pack but also those who are in dire need of help.

“Red Claw is a danger to many of us,” Jace continues. “Maybe not to Silverlake and my pack, but it doesn’t sit well with me to what lengths that crazy idiot is going. An Alpha who is so cruel and so beyond any reasoning that he will kill his own pack members, threaten them, and blackmail them? Do we really want him to continue to lead such a big pack?”

Most other Alphas nod their approval.

One of the younger ones who leads a small pack looks up. “I’m ready to help in any way. I’m not going to lie. A small pack like mine can’t stand up against Alpha Marcus and his followers alone.”

“We need a few bases anyways,” my father points out, clearly content that one of the smaller packs’ Alphas was brave enough to speak up and offer help. Some others join swiftly. It’s always like that. The moment one finally dares to agree and shows his courage, others follow.

“There shouldn’t be many casualties with a direct attack,” some point out.

“Yeah, a direct attack would be best.”

“We shouldn’t waste too much time. Strategically, it’s an easy attack.”

I listen to their words, allowing them to sink in before forming my own opinion. I don’t like to be responsible for the deaths of innocents, especially considering why some of the wolves there will defend their pack.

Next to me, I can see how my lovely mate has stilled completely. Normally, when she talks and listens to others, she moves slightly, nods, and shows them she is listening. She is attentive and always has her attention on others. But now, she seems to be lost in her own little world.

I take her hand. “What do you think?” I ask. “I can almost hear your mind working next to me.”

“It’s…” Annalise pauses, looking through the room. “The thing is, you are all thinking like Alphas.”

“And that’s wrong?” Elden asks.

“Not necessarily. Just…” she pauses. “Alphas are strong by nature. Strong-willed, well-built fighters. But the men you are going against are not. I mean… what would you do if someone held your mate hostage and pointed a gun at you?”

“Rip it out of his hand and then behead him,” one of the guys answers.

“My Lycan is so fast. He wouldn’t even blink before I killed him,” Jace points out.

“Alpha aura might also work,” another one says.

She nods tentatively. “But these guys… They don’t think like Alphas. Most of them are not even warriors. They are men whose mates and children are being taken from them and then being forced to fight to save them. They have been brainwashed into thinking they couldn’t succeed in killing their Alpha themselves… although they easily could. They just don’t know it because a psychopath rules them.”

“But would they really believe that their Alpha would go through with their threat?” Jace asks.

“What if he already did? If he already killed someone’s kid and raped someone’s mate, would the next person not be terrified?” Annalise suggests. Some of the Betas who are accompanying their Alphas today nod, Dante and Ella too. They seem to understand Annalise’s trail of thoughts. “When I was abducted, all the wolves from Red Claw killed themselves before Alpha Elden and Alpha Liam were even close. These people are desperate. Death is the better option for them. It won’t just end with a few casualties.”

“Alpha Marcus isn’t even particularly strong,” Ella points out thoughtfully. “He is weaker than regular Alphas. I would say he can’t even take up against the Betas here. You will be surprised once you see him.”

“I’m not surprised,” Annalise points out. “One doesn’t need to be the strongest in the room to become a tyrant and dictator. Look through history. It’s not necessarily always a strong alpha male who suppresses their people,” Annalise states. “He is a psychopath and his pack knows what he is capable of.”

*ANNALISE*

I never thought any of the Alphas there would listen to me. Well, aside from Liam and Elden, obviously. But to my surprise, most of them did… I realized some of the older Alphas, especially the Lycans, didn’t mind me being an Omega and a she-wolf. Seems like I’m also still caught in my own prejudice.

From now on, I will give everyone a fair chance before making up my mind. I can still hate someone after I talk to them. Well… aside from that douchebag who insulted me when I came to the meeting. But while some of the others were surprised by my presence at first, he was the only one to insult me.

The meeting settles with them still planning to attack, but before ripping through them, they will first offer everyone involved a way out, promising them to keep them safe and save their families too. They will save the imprisoned children and women first if they get enough information beforehand.

It seems like Red Claw has been ruled pretty archaically for a very long time, considering there are hardly any women who fight. I would love to change that once they are freed, but I don’t know how to achieve that. Well, one step at a time.

The plan to attack still doesn’t look like the best scenario to me because of all the unforeseeable variables. Like…what if they don’t trust us to save their families… What if they fear that their kids and mates will be killed by Marcus’ allies when they join us?

I know what you are thinking,Liam links me.It’s not the best option we are going for. But the Alphas here are impatient. Red Claw poses a threat to them now and the longer they wait, the more dangerous it will become for them.

I’m just worried everything will escalate fast,I point out.