MATED TO THE SECRET ALPHA-Chapter 233: Risky Strategy

The weight of her words settled into every ribcage.

Even the oldest Alphas looked shaken.

Alpha Dren, for once, didn’t sneer. Alpha Dennis was still. Alpha Rhys’s fingers twitched, his eyes darting as though trying to recall old stories.

Even the younger Alpha, barely into his first decade of rule, whispered, "If there is a path... even the chance of one..."

"...then it’s worth everything," another murmured.

Silence followed again, but this time, it wasn’t to attack Luna Reana. Instead, it was reverence. She was like a flicker of light in a dark tunnel. The same Alphas who hated and devalued her, now fekt respect for her.

She had done what no one else had. She’d stirred the ancient hunger for home, and given it a direction.

Even Alpha Drago, the most stone-hearted among them, was no longer scowling. His gaze was unreadable, but it was focused. Listening. Considering.

Reana remained still, letting the silence stretch. Not smug. Not smiling. Just steady.

"So, what does that have to do with you expanding your pack? I’m sure what you want can be achieved without your pack merging with the West Wood Pack?"

Reana turned slowly, her eyes landing on the speaker — Alpha Verek, a wiry man with sharp eyes and a voice always laced with suspicion.

She didn’t answer right away.

Instead, leaned forward, placing both palms on the council table. "Because the West Wood Pack lacks the strength to defeat the monsters that roamed their territories, further endangering the Crystal mine."

Malric’s head snapped towards her, "Luna, if your pack teaches us how to, we would be able to hold them off ourselves," Malric said, his voice bordering on defensive but tinged with hope. "We don’t need a merger nor taking the Alpha from the ruling family. All we need is your pack’s guidance and we—"

Reana tilted her head slightly, studying him. "Guidance?" she cut him off, almost mockingly. "Tell me, Malric, how many of your warriors returned from fighting the Nightwings? What capability do you have to lead your pack?"

Malric’s jaw clenched, but he said nothing.

"I’ll tell you," she continued, voice calm but sharp. "None. The Nightwings snatch your warriors from your midst and toss them into the air, tearing them into shreds."

Gasps rippled around the table.

But she wasn’t done. "Have you seen a Nightwing monster?" Malric gritted his teeth, fist curling his cloak but said nothing.

He didn’t. He only heard the description from Beta Theon.

"Of course, you’ve not. And that’s because you lie inside the four walls of your chambers with girls sprawling around you like clothes, sipping the most expensive wine your pack could afford, while the pack warriors dwindle with each passing minute!" she growled. "I’d be damned if I allow my pack warriors to lose their lives for cowards like you who’ve never set foot on the frontlines!"

Her words cracked through the council like a whip.

Malric’s face turned red—whether from shame, fury, or both, no one could tell. He opened his mouth, then closed it again. What could he say? Everyone knew it was true.

Reana didn’t flinch. Her voice dropped lower, colder. "I have no interest in flattering fragile egos. I came here to speak of survival. If that offends you, Malric, perhaps you should step aside and let someone with a spine take your place."

The room remained deathly still, the tension thick as fog.

Alpha Verek was the next to speak, but this time his tone had lost its bite. "If what we hear about the Nightwings is true, then even our own warriors may not survive a fight with them... and if they are targeting the Crystal Mine, then we can’t afford to argue over pride or titles."

Reana looked at him, meeting his gaze squarely. "Then you understand why the merger must happen. The West Wood Pack needs leadership that understands war—real war. Not skirmishes over borders or trade."

Alpha Dennis spoke again, his gravel-like voice cutting through. "And what of the Alpha family? They have blood rights. We can’t just shift the spectrum of leadership to another family. Beta Theon should remain a beta and guide Malric to become a better Alpha. Merging with your pack, I don’t see a need. However, the West Wood Pack can be trained under your leadership without giving you control."

Reana didn’t blink. Her gaze swept across the table, landing hard on Alpha Dennis.

"I see," she said, voice soft and edged with frost. "So it’s not about survival. It’s about bloodlines. About your maternal family’s pride."

Alpha Dennis frowned. "It’s about structure. Order. You break the line of succession and the council collapses into chaos."

"And what has that sacred line of succession given us, Alpha Dennis?" Julius’s calm voice sounded, drawing attention. "A generation of weak-willed heirs with no scars on their hands and no blood under their nails? Tell us, when was the last time any Alpha of the West Wood actually fought for their people?"

Before Dennis could open his mouth, Alexander beat him to it.

"The Crystal Mine is more important to us now than any Alpha dispute. That should be our priority. My pack does not know the Nightwing monsters, but we’ve heard disturbing stories. If the Black Moon Pack can contain them, then, my pack supports their take over."

Reana scoffed inwardly. Of course, they would support her now. When fear entered the room, loyalty to bloodlines evaporated like dew in sunlight.

She straightened, turning slightly to glance at Alpha Alexander, but didn’t thank him. Gratitude wasn’t needed. This wasn’t a favor—they were simply taking advantage and using her pack as a defense line.

Alpha Ronan narrowed his eyes. "So you want to claim the West Wood Pack... for their land?"

Reana didn’t blink. "For their safety. For ours. And for the mine. If it falls, we all lose more than territory. We lose our last chance at Eldrida."

She’d realized that some of these Alphas were stupid and needed multiple explanations to understand what she meant.

The room was still. The weight of her words pressed on every chest like a storm cloud.

"And what do the rest of you say?" she asked, her voice resonating with quiet steel. "Will you cling to your traditions until the monsters tear down your gates, or will you make a stand now, while there’s still something left to protect?"

Alpha Rhys rubbed his temples. "If the Black Moon Pack has the strength to face the Nightwing or whatever they’re called, and if Luna Reana is willing to lead not as a conqueror, but as a guardian... then my vote stands with the merge."

A few more murmurs of reluctant agreement followed.

But Alpha Dennis still wouldn’t let go. No, this was his maternal pack. His cousins relied on him to save them. His Aunt, Ruth, pleaded with him. "You ask us to forfeit centuries of rule, Luna."

Reana finally gave him a smile. It was a faint, pitiful smile.

"No, Alpha Dennis. I ask you to do what your ancestors failed to do—choose survival over pride."

She looked to Beta Theon next, the one man whose opinion still hung in the balance.

"Theon," she said softly. "You know your Alpha and his brother best. You’ve protected them for years. But if you believe even for a second that Malric can guide your people through this storm... speak now."

Theon stood still for a long moment. Then, with pain creasing his brow, he slowly shook his head.

"I don’t," he whispered. "Malric is not ready."

That was it.

The silence that followed was no longer heavy with resistance.

It was the silence before the changing of tides.

Alpha Dren, quiet until now, spoke slowly. "If you take leadership of West Wood... what happens to the Alpha family?"

Reana didn’t hesitate. "They step down. Peacefully. They will be protected, they’ll be honored, they’ll have positions of power. But they will not rule. Their time is done."

Alpha Dren asked. "Let’s say we do this. And what if it’s just another dead end and we fail like our ancestors failed?"

Reana gave a small shrug. "Then we return. Smarter. Wiser. United. And with one less excuse to sit on our hands while our world rots."

The council stirred. They didn’t like the sound of that, but none protested.

Because deep down, they all knew—

She was right.

Alpha Drago finally leaned forward, "You’ll lead the merged pack?"

"I will."

"And you’ll take responsibility for defending the mine... but will keep nothing from the council, and must report on the progress?"

"I will," she answered simply.

Another long pause.

Then Alpha Rhys exhaled deeply. "The council will vote."

"This is not—" Dennis began but more than half of the Alphas hissed and some barred their teeth at him.

"That’s enough, Dennis!" Hargan growled.

This was a matter of returning home to Eldrida, so their friendship with Dennis was fragile against their longing for freedom. Not to mention, the Alpha seemed to have offended the Dark Snow Pack. It was best they cut ties now before they suffered along with the South Wood Pack.

Dennis was stunned at how his friends who’d been supporting him, his friends who promised to put Reana in her place and make sure his cousins came out victorious had switched sides.

But then, the Alpha couldn’t care to fight anymore. There was something about Reana’s confidence that pulled at something in his chest.

Each Alpha carried a carved token from their pack (bone, stone, or metal). During voting, they drop it into one of two bowls:

Black bowl for "No"

White bowl for "Yes"

Markkus watched as the Alphas approached the twin stone bowls –some firm, others hesitant– dropping their tokens into either of the bowls on the table.

He didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. She’d beaten around the bush and killed animals for dinner –she used their deepest desire against them and in the end, if the attempt about going to Eldrida failed, no one would hold her accountable. What a cunning strategist. He thought.

But unfortunately, none of them knew why Reana dared to take such a risk. She knew that winter would soon become monstrous. Most packs would be destroyed. By then, who would care about Eldrida, Crystal Mine, or her conquest of the West Wood Pack? They had to survive the great winter fury first.