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"Alpha, where is Luna Scarlet? We thought she would be by your side," a bereaved pack member inquired.

Alpha Tristan had no choice but to face the pack members and warriors alone since Scarlet had refused to face the angry crowd with him.

Disappointed, he was grossly saddened but could only blame himself for everything. Unknown to him, Scarlet hid behind the door, listening to the complaints.

"Yes, she is supposed to be, but truth be told, she has been greatly traumatized by the incident and needs a while to come around," Alpha Tristan covered up for Scarlet, but unfortunately, the pack members did not believe it or were rather skeptical.

"Alpha, does it mean our Luna is weak? After a terrible attack, Luna Valerie, even if she sustained injuries or fought through the war, would still address us before taking a rest," a female warrior, Tatiana, voiced out, and everyone nodded their heads in agreement.

Luna Valerie had created a void no one could fill. Alpha Tristan was already sweating due to the comparison. Scarlet’s weaknesses were already being exposed.

"People are different, and Scarlet has the same blood as Valerie running through her veins."

The look on the faces of the pack members and warriors showed their disapproval, but there were more pressing matters to deal with at the moment.

"Alpha, are we getting any compensation for our losses?" a bereaved woman, Tanya, asked. The other bereaved men and women added their voices in support.

"Yes, Alpha, are we getting any compensations for our losses?"

Alpha Tristan was having a headache as he was unaware of such arrangements. Perhaps he should have waited for Valerie to take him through the pack matters before setting her up.

Now, the responsibilities hooked him hard on the neck, and he couldn’t see a way out of it. "You all understand that I am yet to check the financial standing of the pack. I can’t make any promises until I consult the relevant departments."

Disappointed gazes held that of Alpha Tristan as Beta Hugo stood behind him. His expression was neutral, not giving his stance away.

Tanya’s eyes were glassy. "I feel ashamed. I should have stood with Luna Valerie. After every war, compensation for bereaved families was always a must in her reign. How can a kind-hearted woman like that cheat? Even if she did, I guess it’s because you don’t deserve her.

" Bitterness laced her voice as she boldly accused Alpha Tristan.

The fact that he was just a common warrior before gaining the title of an Alpha made it easy for him to be addressed as such.

However, he could not allow himself to be humiliated. Worse, they were already singing the praises of Luna Valerie, not caring about the reason why she was almost sentenced to death.

Fear lingered in Alpha Tristan’s heart, and he realized one thing. He could never rule like Valerie and had to quickly develop his own leadership skills. But with all the shortfalls thrown at him, there was just one way of putting fear into these pack members, and that was tyranny.

"Did you forget who I am?" He raged, hoping that would scare them into submission, but Tanya was wounded due to the loss of her mate, and nothing could press her down.

"You can threaten only your pack members.

If you were so strong, then why did you not protect our warriors?

Even when we lose people during a war, it was never this much because Luna Valerie was always selfless and would first protect her warriors," she said seriously, earning the cheers of the pack members.

"Luna Valerie. We should beg Alpha Denzel to release her as she must be suffering for nothing," one of the warriors suggested, in support of Tanya’s words. Secretly, he had been envious of Alpha Tristan’s position, so this was his opportunity to feel good about himself.

"Yes, we want Luna Valerie," the pack members began to chant. Behind the door, Scarlet was already in tears. Even after all the sleepless nights spent planning her sister’s downfall, the pack members could still not forget about her.

"Enough!" Alpha Tristan yelled in an Alpha tone, earning their silence. "I didn’t say that compensations would not be paid. I just have to check the accounts to know how much."

"That isn’t how you termed it before," another bereaved pack member voiced out. Alpha Tristan shook his head.

"I have done that now."

His promise calmed half of the raging people as some of them still had other concerns. "Alpha, if an attack like this happens again, how do we defend ourselves?" A warrior asked, and Alpha Tristan had no plan at the moment and replied,

"It won’t happen again."

"How can you be sure? You and Luna Scarlet were the only survivors," another warrior pointed out, his expression showing his lack of trust for his Alpha.

"You have my word. It will never happen again. Training starts at 4 am tomorrow. The safety and prosperity of the pack are in all of our hands," Alpha Tristan recalled the saying of the murdered Alpha who was Valerie’s father.

Usually, this statement would earn the applause and support of the pack members, but it was different when being said by Alpha Tristan.

"Alpha, there are more reasons why we called for this meeting. I say it to my shame that I didn’t stand by Luna Valerie.

Even if she did what we accused her of, I think we should have handed the issue over to the council and given her time to prove her innocence," a warrior stepped forward and spoke with remorse.

He was one of Alpha Tristan’s close friends when they were all in the same rank, but now, he equally lost trust in Alpha Tristan.

"What are you driving at?" Alpha Tristan frowned, knowing it wasn’t going to be good. The warrior, Jade, did not relent, saying,

"I just want to suggest that we beg Alpha Denzel to release Luna Valerie for us. Ever since that coronation day, my wolf has never been at peace."

"Same here," a few other pack members agreed with the suggestion. Their stance was divided at the moment, some standing with Alpha Tristan and others taking a stance with Luna Valerie.

"What do you want her to do in this pack?" Alpha Tristan tested the waters, wanting to know if they wanted to strip him of his authority.

The pack went quiet as Jade suggested once more, "Well, she could still manage the business."

Indirectly, Alpha Tristan was not doing a good job. Beta Hugo’s expression was calm, still not exposing his stance, but Alpha Tristan was mad. "You think I’m not capable?" He asked Jade directly, the latter stood tall.

"Alpha, that is not what I’m saying. I’m just saying that Luna Val..."

"Enough!" Alpha Tristan unleashed his anger, asking, "who else wants her released?"

Hands shot up as Alpha Tristan’s heart sank. He was already afraid that very soon, the whole pack would turn against him.

There was only one way to show them who the Alpha was as he commanded the warriors. "Send them all to the dungeon and leave them there until they come to their senses."

"Alpha Tristan, you can’t do this," Jade yelled angrily, taking steps close to Alpha Tristan before he and the others who had raised their hands were all apprehended.

Alpha Tristan spoke with his head lifted up.

"I am the Alpha. It’s my responsibility to ensure peace and justice.

What you are doing is sparking a fight. From today onwards, Valerie’s name is banned from the lips of every pack member.

Anyone who mentions it would spend the rest of their lives in the dungeon. "