Chapter Seven Thor

I t was going to be another long night. Loki hadn't been joking when he said there were things that needed my attention. Apparently, he wasn't the only one upset about Tyr wandering onto Hati territory the night before. Baldr had kept his mouth shut, but the info still spread through the pack like wildfire. By the time I got to my office, there was already a line forming at my door.

Most of the wolves that came to me wanted to know what I was going to do. A few of them demanded to know why I hadn't made a move in retaliation yet. Instead of hearing them all one by one, I ordered everyone to one of the larger meeting rooms and addressed them as a group.

The first order of business was to assure them I was taking the matter seriously. The second was to explain to them that an all-out werewolf war was not the answer to our problems. In the old days something like that might've worked. But now we were in a modern world and that required a more delicate touch. The Skoll pack might be separated from all the rest of humanity on purpose, but that didn't mean nobody would notice if we just marched over there and killed them all. Besides that, their pack was strong and taught to fight since they were pups. The Hati pack, by comparison, was a bunch of pampered dogs. But that was a hard thing to say politely, so I tried to avoid it.

In the end, the pack filtered out, grumbling under their breaths about me, the situation, and anything else they could think of. I wasn't a fool. I knew the pack wasn't exactly thrilled with my leadership. But while a fair few of them were ready to go to war, they knew little in the ways of actual combat. Most of them had watched a few videos online and thought they could take another wolf on, relying on their supernatural strength to save them. But that wouldn't be enough. I'd already gone face to face with a couple of the Skoll wolves and they were scrappy. I had the scar on my left thigh to prove it.

So, all that was left was Loki, Baldr, and myself sitting around a large table. Loki had his arms crossed, a look of dissatisfaction as always on his face. Baldr looked like he was somewhere else entirely, thinking about wherever it was he went on his wanderings. And me… well, I was looking for someone to throw me a fucking bone because I didn't know what the hell I should do.

"We need to make a stand," Loki said at last. "This fake peace you're trying to keep was broken the moment Tyr killed our father."

" Stop saying his name," I growled. "I can't stand the sound of it."

"Then fucking do something about it," Loki snapped back. "You wouldn't have to hear his name if you put his ass in the ground for good!"

"Violence is not the answer," Baldr added, finally coming back down to earth. "An eye for an eye leads to nothing but blindness. We need to find a different way to handle this conflict."

"And what way is that all-seeing one ?" Loki sneered. "Come on! Whip up one of your stupid visions so we can try to decipher your bad attempts at poetry."

"I know you don't believe in my gifts," Baldr shot back. "But that doesn't mean you have to be an asshole about it either."

"I wouldn't have to be an asshole if you weren't so fucking useless !"

"I'm useless? Who's the one that let Dad get killed while he was out on patrol?!"

"STOP!" I roared, pushing myself up from the table. Loki was on his feet already. "Sit down, Loki!"

"I'm not going to–"

"YES, YOU ARE!"

To my surprise, he sat down.

"Baldr, you and I have been over this. Both Loki and I let Dad go on his patrol alone. He said he had personal matters to attend to and I stopped Loki from following him. If you're going to blame anyone, blame me ." Before he could answer I turned to Loki. "And you! Stop being so fucking insufferable! We're all doing our best to figure this out. If you're going to be the Beta of this pack, you need to learn to work with others. And Baldr's gifts have saved your life and mine many times."

A heavy silence hung in the room, tension filling every square inch of the place. I took a deep breath and blew it out slowly, trying to remain calm. That was one thing my father always taught me. An Alpha is calm in the face of adversity. He doesn't make rash emotional decisions.

"Now, since retaliation is not an option," I said, shooting Loki a dirty look. "We need to be defensive. Security will be increased starting tonight. We'll have full patrols around our borders to keep the mountain and the pack safe. Those in the pack who live down in Fenris will also need some security. Any who don't feel safe in their homes are welcome to stay here in the resort until things calm down."

"Can the resort afford that?" Baldr asked.

"It doesn't matter if it can," I replied with a shake of my head. "We have to protect our own. And besides, the resort isn't doing that well, anyway. I'm not sure either of you have noticed, but clients have been dwindling over the years. The resort has remained afloat thanks to long-term investments, but it is no longer profitable. However, the pack comes first."

"What if that asshole comes back?" Loki asked, still not looking at either of us. "Do we just let him onto our land or let him kill the patrollers?"

I reached out, placing a hand on his shoulder. "If the Skoll Alpha sets food on Hati land, he will die."

Loki finally turned to look at me.

"There are natural caves all over these mountains. It wouldn't take much to make sure he was never found again." I gave his shoulder a squeeze. "I'm just as eager as you to avenge our father, but the pack has to come first. I can't put them in danger because of my own personal feelings. But, should… Tyr step in our territory, you have my permission to tear his throat out."

"I like the sound of that."

"I know you do, brother. And I understand."

"Are you sure that's wise?" Baldr asked softly. "Won't his pack hunt us down?"

"If you cut off the head of a wolf, it can still bite," I nodded. "That is true. But it can only bite once. I expect that they'll retaliate, but it'll be unorganized and with less fervor than Tyr could muster. But we'll worry about that if it happens." I sighed again, shaking my head. "I just hope his son has more sense than he does when he takes over as Alpha."

" Heimdall ?!" Loki spat. "He's a fucking moron."

"He's a gifted tracker and his senses are top-notch," Baldr retorted. "But I see less anger in him than his father." Baldr faltered for a moment. "He… He might be the bridge between our two packs someday…" He shook his head, snapping out of his light trance. "But I doubt it," he added quickly.

"Baldr," I said, having a thought I'd had a million times before. "Do… Do you know if they're planning on coming into our territory again?"

"I've told you before, they don't discuss things like that with me. In fact, they barely talk to me. I'm still a member of the Hati pack and while they won't harm me thanks to my mother, they don't treat me like an equal. There's only one or two of their ranks that will even speak with me and they're too low in the pecking order to know anything."

"But you could… listen in on their conversations, right?"

"Thor," Baldr sighed. "My existence around them is already tenuous. I don't know the extent of my mother's promise and I'd rather not find out the hard way."

"No… you're right. I don't want you getting hurt."

"I'll go spy on them," Loki offered. "I'd be happy to."

"Both Tyr and Heimdall will smell you coming a mile away," Baldr replied. "You'd be found out before you even stepped foot on the eastern mountain."

"I have my own tricks."

"None that would get past them."

"You don't–"

"Alright!" I barked, interrupting their bickering. "I'm sorry I brought it up. It's a bad idea, anyway. Like I said, we need to stay on the defensive." I turned to Loki. "Gather up security and tell them we're doubling the guard. I want patrols around the clock." Then I turned to Baldr. "I need you to let the pack know that they're welcome at the resort if they feel unsafe in town. We've got plenty of space."

"Right," Baldr nodded.

"And what are you doing then?" Loki sneered back at me. "Helping more of our guests ?!"

Baldr's eyebrows shot up, but he quickly repressed his reaction. I did everything I could to hide my own as I stared Loki down.

"I don't like your insinuations, brother."

"Then let me make myself clear once and for all," he said, pushing himself up from the chair. "I'll follow your lead as Alpha. But the first time you put this pack in danger for your own selfish whims, especially if it involves a human, I will take your place."

That got my hackles up in an instant. I felt the wolf inside me swell, my own body bulging against my clothing as the beast threatened to overtake me. If there was one thing Alphas didn't like, it was being challenged for their position in the pack. That part of our instincts couldn't be repressed.

"I'd like to see you try, brother," I growled back.

"I've beaten you before," he replied confidently. "So maybe it's you that should keep yourself in line."

With that, he stormed out of the room leaving just Baldr and I behind.

"You two are never going to get along, are you?"

I let out a long sigh, forcing the wolf inside me back down. "We've been fighting since we were kids," I replied. "I've tried everything I can think of to be friends with him. But it seems like the crime I committed against him is the only one that I can't undo."

"And what's that?"

"I was born first." I paused. "And I look too much like the mother he never got to meet."

"I still can't believe a Luna of all things died during childbirth," Baldr said softly. "It's such an uncommon thing."

"That's the risk of being mated to an Alpha. Those in charge of the pack rarely live as long as those below them." I glanced over at Baldr. "And I know he's upset father took a witch for a second mate. He holds that against you unfairly."

"It's fine," Baldr shrugged. "I understand his anger. To be denied your own mother then have another, non-werewolf one forced upon you… that's a lot for a child to deal with."

"He's not a child anymore."

"No, he's not. But those wounds still hurt him, nonetheless."

"How can you be so calm about it?"

"Because," Baldr shrugged. "I know the truth."

"Which is?"

"The three of us have a lot more in common than just a father. And I've seen the future. The first vision I ever had was of my last day on this earth."

"You… You what?! "

"Don't ask me any details," Baldr smiled, waving me off. " Just know that I saw the three of us together . So, no matter how fucked up things get around here, I know we'll come back to one another in the end."

I shook my head. "I hope you're right about that."

"My visions are never wrong." He patted me on the shoulder as he got up from his chair. "I'm going to go speak to the pack elders and let them know what's going on. I'll make sure your message is received."

"Thank you, Baldr."

"And," he added, glancing back. "Whatever you do, don't let Loki find out about your new mate . That's the last thing we need with tensions so high."

"I'm not worried about Loki."

"You should be," he insisted. "Out of everyone in this pack, you know he'll make good on his threats. And this pack is upset enough without a regime change. If Loki takes over, you know he'll march us right up to Tyr's front door and declare an all-out war. It's your sense of preservation that will keep our pack from falling. Don't let us down."

"Right," I nodded as he turned back toward the door.

I just had to make sure I never did anything for myself ever again. Any feelings I had were to remain in check and I had to stay logical at all costs, even when facing my fated mate.

No pressure.