Chương 168: SINCE WE HAVE KNOWN EACH OTHER FOR SO LONG

When I got out of the lift, Ben was waiting for me at the lobby. He was reading my CAGE CROWN magazine. I supposed Killion told him to bring it for the meeting tonight. For some reason, Ben didn't look embarrassed at all to be holding or reading the magazine. I know I would have been if our positions were reversed. I wondered if it were because he was a guy. Or because he was wearing a dark shirt and leather jacket—was that new? He looked older, taller even... wait, jackets didn't do that, right?

Did Ben have another growth spurt? Or maybe it was because it was just between the two of us, the two of us who had grown up together since we were pups. So close that I hadn't even known his given name was Benedict until today. He had always been just Ben, and I had always been just Sam.

"Killion and Bell will join us in a bit," I told Ben. Ben raised a brow.

"You know we're meeting Alpha Lorent, right?" I nodded and grinned.

"Yeah." Ben laughed softly.

"I'm glad. I'm running with you."

"You don't think it's a bad idea?" I asked.

"I don't think it's a boring idea," Ben clarified.

"So you think it's going to be a bad idea too?" I asked.

"I'm not sure if 'bad' could describe this, Sam," Ben said.

"Remember the time we turned the pack dining hall fan on at full speed and threw mashed potatoes at it?" I asked.

"Uh huh," Ben said.

"Yeah. I'm expecting something like that," I admitted. Ben shrugged.

"Okay." We were standing outside the conference room. To my surprise, I could hear everything being said inside it very clearly. It was like the opposite of my dad's office. This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author's work.

"We should soundproof this room more," I whispered to Ben. Ben nodded. If Harvey or Killion nodded, it would mean it would be done in a few days. I wondered what it meant since it was Ben.

"Thank you for coming all this way," Dad said.

"Well, you didn't leave me much of a choice, since my men are in your dungeons," Alpha James replied. That didn't sound like a good start.

"Yes, well, Sam should be here any moment. We will wait for her," Dad continued anyway.

"So it's true then—you are passing on the pack to your daughter," Alpha James said.

"Yes," Dad said.

"Sam will be the next Alpha."

"I'm afraid I cannot support that," Alpha James told Dad.

"Your daughter is beautiful and strong. She would make a wonderful Luna. I suggest you wait for her mate to show up," Alpha James said. At this moment, my mate (and Killion) did show up. I signaled them to be quiet. Killion raised a brow. Rebel crossed his arms. He didn't look pleased in the least. Poor mate, always dragged into one thing after another by me. I remembered the jokes Henry liked to crack about my poor mate and betas and pack... he was probably right. I grinned at the guys with me.

But like Ben said, it was fun too. Okay, fine. Ben never said anything about it being fun to run with me. He just said it wasn't boring.

"I have already decided," my dad said.

"I don't expect to change your mind, but since we have known each other for so long, I will speak my mind."

"Please," Dad allowed.

"Thank you. Your daughter is a good girl. I know she is precious to you, but exactly because of that, you need to protect her. Her heart is brave and strong and true, but this world only looks at outward appearances. You and your beta are well respected and no one would oppose your decision outright, but we will not always be around to support her. On top of this, she is still young and innocent and trusting. I cannot see how you intend to safeguard her or your pack this way."

"No one can guarantee the future. But I've known Sam all her life," Dad said.

"And she never fails to surprise me." That's our cue. My wolf was rearing to go. I had no idea what I was about to start, but the worst thing that could happen would be for Dad to withdraw my Alpha title. It's not a life-and-death issue. Okay, I'm going to bite someone's head off if my Alpha title gets withdrawn. So there would be one death. I straightened my shoulders, knocked on the door twice, and pushed it open.

"Good evening," I said with the biggest smile I owned. I heard the footsteps of mate and two betas behind me. In slow motion, Alpha James' eyes widened and his jaw dropped open. He half stood up. Beta Lucas was also in the room. He had been leaning silently on the sideboard just next to Dad's desk. Now he straightened in alarm.

"Alpha Sam is here," Ben deadpanned, with a nod. He's got my back.

"Sorry to keep you waiting," I bowed politely. The mashed potato incident was a mess. And looking back, it might have been a mistake. But it was fun. I wouldn't say this was going to be fun, but at least I'm quite certain it wasn't going to be boring. And even as I smiled at the wolves in the room, I knew I was doing the right thing.