THE ALPHA'S MARRIAGE OF DECEPTION

Chapter 1.

James POV.

I watched with excitement as I sat next to my father, the king and alpha of Crescent pack. It was elders meetings, the most important gathering in Alpha Crescent pack.This takes place once in every five years.

It's an event only for the elites. People who take strategic positions in the crescent moon pack. where diverse issues from economy, to welfare and other sectors are raised.

This alone prides Crescent packs far above every other pack.

Wines and different delicacies were served. Likewise the best musicians and dancers were hired to do their own justice to this memorable occasion.

As I pay keen attention to how diverse issues were raised and how my father used his knowledgeable position to bring up solutions to some of these issues, others were thrown into the gatherings for the elders to add their inputs.

Then someone yelled from the gathering.

"Long live our king!"

Head turned.

I frowned.

It was Elder Cedric.

He wobbled up his tired feet towards the stage. A wine glass swinging in one hand and his other hand were reaching out as if the walls were moving. The stench of alcohol overwhelmed him like a dark cloud.

"Long live the king." The congregation replied. Some with a loud voice, others with tired sighs.

My father is not the type that is snubbing,regardless of how stupid or great your idea is.

He always warned us severally saying 'give the stupidest person his chance to speak,the greatest things in life sometimes come from stupidest ideas or people.'

Father instructed the MC to hand-over the mic to him,at least to magnify his voice.I could hear hysterical laughter from a section of the crowd making jest of what he was about to say.

"Not again, Cedric. Please not again this afternoon." This was the mockery low-tone voice from a robust woman in a reddish gown to another slim lady sitting besides her.

I caught her eye-roll. Likewise, few people in the room.

Everybody knew he was drunk and hardly will there be anything worthwhile or sensible coming from him.

"My name is Elder Cedric,and I am the minister of the transportation sector." He stated as he belched out gasses of alcohol into the air. He staggered at the same spot trying to gain balance.

"My Lord, I may be partly intoxicated but am not stupid." He voiced out shamelessly.

The whole room exploded into laughter. While a section of the audience were Bronx-cheering him.

I could hear a lady quietly saying, "He always makes a mess of himself when he drinks, I hope the king wouldn't give him an audience."

"Decorum please!" One of the guards ordered.

"My lord, we have seen astronomical progress made in our pack from your father's reign to yours, in the area of science and technology, education, and other aspects of life that can add value to human existence."He stated.

"Hardly in the past has anything worth cherishing associated with Crescent pack. But thanks to the immense intelligence that had been bestowed on you by the divine goddess."

As silence reigned in the room, I re-adjusted my chair.

It seemed Elder Cedric's utterances, for once, were tilting from sheer stupidity to something worth pondering on for the first in a long while, maybe his alcohol consumption has not hit the threshold of stupidity in him, I guess while he is still talking with sense.

"I can boldly say we favorably compete and out beat other packs based on our recent achievement in the sectors I have earlier mentioned," he continued.

"So what is your input in all of these? It seems we don't have much time in our hands before we move to other items on the menu," my father interjected, while intermittently gazing at his wristwatch to check the time.

"However, here is my suggestion, my lord. We need to start planning for the future.

The Crescent pack needs a worthy successor to your throne left behind by your ancestors."

Everybody knows the worthy successor, your son, Alpha James, we have seen him grow up with uncommon knowledge and understanding, and without sugar-coating it, you have really raised him well." He added.

"But he is mateless!" A baritone voice from the crowd countered.

I furrowed my brow, my eyes opened in bewilderment from where I sat, contemplating the next action from these people, these filthy old rags called elders.Their thoughts and actions totally negates my perspective,aspirations and plans for the future.

Who told them I am mateless? The love of my life is Sophia. They all will be shocked when we announce our baby.

We have been together for quite some time. I used to constantly promise her, the only thing that can bring separation to us in this life of sin is death.

Not even these filthy old rags deliberating on our future. My demeanor changes from friendly to threat and hate.

In one instance, I felt like charging towards elder Cedric In rage, thrust a sword into his protruding belly and severed his bald head from the rest of his body.

"I know he is mateless, peradventure if there is any, I personally am not aware of it. This is the area we need to be very careful of. If truly we are deliberate in taking the right steps that will make our tomorrow better than today." He suggested.

"So what are your suggestions for the future?" My father inquired.

I turned sharply towards him.

Seriously Father?

Why would you have to pitch a tent with these people in a sensitive matter of this nature?

The magnitude of respect I have for you in tackling fragile issues like this, is out of this world, but you are condescending to this drunkard level.

Why can't you instruct him to go and have his seat, and inform him that these sensitive issues will be revisited in the next subsequent meeting of the elders, after due consultation with the subject-which is myself- have been duly conducted?

"Thank you my Lord," Elder Cedric uttered with a bow, "may your days be long, may the goddess of our land continue to bestow upon you the knowledge and requisite you need to govern us right for uncommon growth, prosperity and progress in this pack..." He replied this time pacing to and fro on the podium.

"Elder Cedric, please be kind enough to go straight to the point,we have limited time at hand to address other pertinent issues, but I believe the point you are trying to raise is very germaine." My father countered.

"Sorry my Lord, I am suggesting Elder Alexander's daughter, Evren, is the perfect person."