Rejected By My Mate; Claimed By Lycan Quadruplets Chapter 39

Alpha Baron’s POV

The meeting had been scheduled for over a month. A coalition of four neighboring packs had requested a sit-down, and although I usually found these gatherings tedious and full of self-important posturing, this one felt necessary. Our pack had suffered enough embarrassments lately, and if we didn’t align ourselves with the right allies, we would be left out in the cold when the next rogue uprising hit.

I arrived at the meeting hall precisely on time, flanked by two of my most trusted guards. The scent of old wood and burning cedar lingered in the air, a mark of tradition in these walls. The other alphas were already seated—Alpha Rowan of the Steel Ridge pack, Alpha Malrik from Moonclaw, and Alpha Vane from the Blood Tundra. They were formidable men in their own rights, some older, some younger, but all sharp and dangerous in their ways.

“Baron,” Rowan greeted me with a curt nod. “Glad you could finally spare some time.”

I smirked as I took my seat at the large, round oak table. “If I knew you missed me that much, I’d have sent flowers.”

Malrik chuckled under his breath while Vane raised an eyebrow, unimpressed. Politics was just another battleground to me, and I never entered it without armor—even if that armor came in the form of sarcasm.

Once the pleasantries were over, Rowan steered the conversation into the reason we were all gathered: regional unity.

“The rogues have grown bolder,” Rowan said, leaning forward. “Our scouts captured a few last week. They’re better trained. Organized.”

“More like someone’s backing them,” Malrik added. “They’re not scavengers anymore. They’re soldiers.”

“Which is why this council is needed,” I said firmly. “We cannot fight alone anymore. Our enemies are working together. It’s time we do the same.”

“Agreed,” Vane spoke for the first time. “But cooperation means transparency. And mutual benefit. What are you offering, Baron?”

I straightened. “Resources. My pack controls three of the largest trading routes through the southern forest. I can give access to supply chains—food, herbs, medicine.”

“In exchange for?”

“Military support and border patrol reinforcement,” I said without hesitation. “And when the time comes, you back me in the Alpha Summit next quarter. I want a seat on the council.”

Silence followed. They were all calculating, weighing options.

“You’ve had issues lately,” Rowan said slowly. “Internal strife. Rumors of rebellion. Weak leadership from your heir.”

I clenched my jaw but kept my voice level. “Bryan is young. He will rise. As for the internal matters, they are being handled.”

Vane leaned back. “Handled, or buried?”

“Handled,” I repeated coldly.

Malrik poured himself a drink. “The alliance only works if we can rely on each other. Your pack's stability matters to us.”

“Then rest assured,” I said. “There will be no more surprises from my end.”

We spent the next hour hammering out finer details. Patrol routes, troop exchanges, communication channels, and a shared intelligence network. I suggested a rotational training camp for elite warriors, hosted by each pack every three months to unify tactics.

“Our enemies rely on the fact that we are isolated,” I said. “They won’t expect a united force.”

Rowan nodded. “Fine. Let’s test this alliance. We’ll begin with joint patrols along the Western Ridge. That’s where rogue activity has spiked most.”

“Agreed,” I replied.

We broke for lunch, and the servants brought in roasted meat, honeyed vegetables, and freshly baked bread. I ate quietly, my mind still turning.

After the meal, the alphas drifted into smaller conversations. I took a moment to step out to the balcony, looking out over the dense forest that divided our territories.

Bryan’s face flickered in my mind.

He was a problem. My son had potential, but he lacked discipline. And the recent spectacle with that cursed omega girl only worsened public perception. My hand would be forced soon. Either he matured, or I would have to take more drastic steps to secure the future of the pack.

My thoughts were interrupted when Rowan joined me.

“You’re planning something bigger, aren’t you?” he asked.

I didn’t look at him. “I always am.”

He nodded thoughtfully. “Just make sure you know who your enemies are. And who your allies truly are.”

“That’s always the gamble,” I said.

The meeting ended just before dusk. I walked back to the waiting vehicle with purpose in my step. The alliance was forming. The power I needed was within reach.

I would not let anything—not the rogues, not Bryan, not some insignificant omega girl—jeopardize my legacy.

This was just the beginning.

The moment I returned to the packhouse, the familiar scent of pine, iron, and dominance settled on my skin like second nature. Everything still stood in place, just as it should. The guards at the gate straightened with silent bows. The maids scampered past like frightened little mice. Peace, or at least the illusion of it, wrapped around the estate again. But I knew better.

Rogues don’t just crawl out from under rocks with that kind of precision and intel unless someone hands them the map and a red pen.

I didn’t bother heading straight to my study like I usually do after a long day of political wrestling. No, today needed something different. Something quieter. Unexpected, even. So, I sent one of the guards to fetch Bryan. Not to the office. Not for another scolding. Just to take a walk.

Call it an experiment.

I waited in the inner courtyard, the breeze carrying the scent of blooming night thorns and fresh earth. When Bryan showed up, I almost laughed at the disbelief that flashed across his face.

“What?” I grunted. “You look like I asked you to hold my hand and skip.”

His brows pulled together. “You want us to take a walk?”

I nodded. “Just a walk. Unless your legs forgot how to function?”

He scoffed slightly but didn’t argue. Good. We fell into step, the gravel crunching beneath our boots. The lanterns lit up the path along the tall hedges and low-humming water fountains. Peaceful, really. A perfect cover for the storm I was about to stir.

“I trust the maids managed to patch you up after your little riding lesson with Knox,” I muttered without looking at him.

He huffed. “You mean the one where I got rammed off the horse six times while he grinned like a lunatic? Yeah, it was unforgettable.”

“Better be,” I said, allowing myself a tiny smirk. “Embarrassment’s a damn good teacher.”

We walked for a few more seconds in silence. I could feel him tense beside me, probably waiting for the usual verbal assault or belittling commentary. Not today. Today, I wanted to test a different angle.

“Tell me,” I said, stopping at one of the viewing platforms that overlooked the south border woods. “What do you think about the rogue attack?”

He blinked, clearly taken aback. “You're asking for my opinion?”

“No, I’m asking the air.” I shot him a warning glare. “Speak.”

He folded his arms, his posture stiff but thoughtful. “I think… it wasn’t random. It was too clean. They knew the patrol rotation. The gaps in the surveillance. How long the response time would be.”

My brow arched. “You think someone from inside tipped them?”

“I know someone did,” he said, his tone firmer now. “No way they got past the perimeter without help. It was too calculated. Like someone gave them a damn blueprint.”

That wasn’t far from my own thoughts, but hearing it from him—it was refreshing. Maybe the boy did have more than just a temper and a libido.

He continued, pacing slowly now. “We’re sniffing the wrong bushes if we keep checking for rogues at the borders. The real threat is sitting at our table. Wearing uniforms. Bowing in council meetings. I say we start throwing out some fake information and see who runs off to whisper it to their pet rogues.”

I stayed quiet, letting his words settle between us like smoke curling from a cigar. Clever. Dangerous. Strategic. Who knew the idiot I raised had something other than testosterone in his skull?

Bryan shoved his hands into his pockets, finally glancing at me. “But I’m sure you’ve already thought of that. I mean, you always do.”

I exhaled deeply, my lips twitching before I could stop them. “You surprise me, Bryan.”

He frowned. “Because I used my brain?”

“Because for once, you stopped whining long enough to form a decent thought.” I turned to face him fully, clasping my hands behind my back. “What you said… is exactly what I intend to do. But I didn’t expect you to be the one saying it.”

He didn’t grin. He didn’t gloat. He simply nodded, and something about that mature reaction unsettled me more than his usual arrogance.

“I’ve been watching,” he said, voice quieter now. “I know I haven’t always acted right, but that doesn’t mean I don’t see what’s happening.”