The Alpha King's Mistress Chapter 85: The Werewolf Council

**Layla's POV**

Nicholas took a deep breath and the smiling aura he had earlier transformed into a serious demeanor. Even I felt that shiver of fear on my skin. He was really intimidating when he wore his alpha king crown.

"Ladies and gentlemen, it has come to my attention that some packs within the council have been abusing their power and displaying irresponsible behavior."

His words caused a collective gasp and shocked expressions across the room. Before anyone could fully process what was happening, a member interrupted.

"Wait a minute! That wasn't what we planned to discuss today!"

Nicholas raised an eyebrow, "I never announced a specific agenda for today's meeting. As Council members, we should prioritize matters crucial for our unity and strength. If there are issues, they need to be addressed first," his eyes scanned the room.

A hushed silence settled in the room as Nicholas continued, "We're here not just as separate entities but as a unified community. We need to ensure that our time together is worthwhile, discussing matters that truly impact us. This is the time for transparency and collaboration."

Another member spoke up, "This isn't the time to discuss different pack issues. We should address the incident in the Swiftmane Pack first."

"Are you suggesting that the incident in Swiftmane is more important than the well-being of your own pack members?" he challenged, his gaze piercing through the room.

A heavy silence settled in response to his question. The member who had spoken earlier hesitated, head hung low.

A woman bravely raised her voice, "No, our pack members come first. Their safety and well-being should be our priority." A few heads nodded in agreement.

Nicholas acknowledged the response with a nod. He shot me a glance. I initiated the mindlink with the person who was tasked to handle the LED screen. Soon after, the large LED screen at the front of the room came to life, revealing the first report.

Nicholas, sitting at the head of the table, leaned with quiet confidence in his chair.

"Let's discuss the matters within our respective packs first. The safety and integrity of our members are more important than the incident in the Swiftmane Pack. All of us here have our packs to lead," he gave each council member a look before revealing, "First, let’s talk about how the Moonshadow Pack has been abusing its power, imposing higher taxes on its members, affecting their livelihoods."

The Alpha of the pack who was sitting in the far corner quickly retorted, "That's not true!"

"Take a look at the screen and the papers in your folder. I've conducted my investigations, and the evidence speaks for itself." The room fell into a tense hush as the accused pack member reluctantly turned their attention to the screen and documents before them.

The LED screen displayed financial records and testimonies, laying bare the exploitation within the Moonshadow Pack. The accused member fell silent.

Another member, pointing at the records on the screen, exclaimed, "The records match! Why would you impose higher taxes on your pack members?"

The room erupted into a series of questions and shouts, while the accused member, now under intense scrutiny, struggled to find words.

Nicholas‘s voice cut through the murmurs, "Let him speak. We need to hear his side of the story."

The room fell into a reluctant silence in an instant.

The accused member, beads of sweat forming on his forehead, finally spoke up, "I... I thought it was necessary for the pack's prosperity. We needed extra funds for certain projects, and I believed the pack could handle it."

"Prosperity? You call burdening your own pack members prosperity?!" a member from another pack shouted.

Nicholas, maintaining his calm yet authoritative tone, asked, "What projects specifically required such drastic measures? Did you consider the well-being of your pack members before making this decision?"

The accused member stumbled through his explanations.

"I was planning to invest in a promising company, Alpha. It was for the long-term prosperity of our pack," Nicholas raised an eyebrow, his gaze piercing. "Investing, you say? Let's take a closer look at the submitted funds. It appears you labeled your gambling habits and trips to casinos as 'investments' in the report."

The accused member shifted uncomfortably, unable to meet Nicholas's stern gaze.

"You should return the additional taxes you collected, even if it's in installments. Let your Luna manage the budget. She graduated in Management Accounting, right?" Nicholas suggested.

“She's a woman! How could she handle that?!"

"Education and capability know no gender. If she's qualified and capable, she should be allowed to manage the pack's finances"

A murmur of agreement rippled through the room.

"Alpha Nicholas is right! Our pack members deserve transparency”

“True leadership isn't about gender; it's about competence. If Luna is qualified, she should take charge," another chimed in.

"I won't accept that!”

Nicholas's eyes narrowed, his tone taking on a warning edge, "Your attitude won't help your case. It's not a suggestion; it's a directive. You and your Luna have the same power in your pack. And your Luna is more than capable of handling your pack's finances more than you. If you don't comply, I'll send some of my men to recover the funds in three months."

The room went silent as the accused Alpha begrudgingly sat back, head hung low in shame.

"I think that issue was settled. Now, let's talk about the reports we have on another matter," Nicholas stated, his gaze sweeping across the room. "We received a complaint and report that another pack has been forcing their young warriors into excessively harsh training regimens, to the point where some have ended up in the hospital, dangerously close to death,"

A member from a neighboring pack angrily questioned, "How could you do that to your own warriors?"

Council members exchanged heated remarks.

"To the pack forcing young warriors into dangerous training, this is unacceptable. You will immediately cease these practices, and I suggest implementing a more balanced training program. If necessary, I'll send trainers from our pack to assist,"

Some members nodded in agreement, while others exchanged uneasy glances.

After almost an hour, Nicholas's expression turned serious once again as he delved into another report.

"Bluemoon pack has been reported for allowing the bullying of an Omega woman to persist. This is a clear violation of our principles"

The Alpha of the accused pack angrily shouted, "She's of no use to us! Why should we care?"

Nicholas looked at the Alpha with a cold gaze. "If you cannot uphold the basic principles of respect and protection for all members of your pack, then perhaps it's time for new leadership. Step down and pass the Alpha title to your son."

A collective gasp echoed through the room.

“WHAT?! WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE TO MAKE ME STEP DOWN?!” the Alpha growled.

Nicholas sighed, clasping his hands and placing them on the table. “Then should I challenge you to a fight, as is tradition for the Bluemoon Pack, to be under my supervision? If that’s the case, I would gladly do that and banish you.”

“How dare you?!”

"The report about the treatment of the Omega woman is the last straw for me. Despite any past deeds, the actions of the last ten years don't excuse the present disregard for the well-being of your pack members. You've been an irresponsible leader for the past years, Alpha Amos."

The room tensed up as the accused Alpha tried to stand up, growling dangerously, his eyes flashing to black and gold. However, Nicholas seemed unfazed and just gave the man a cold gaze. One of our warriors in a sharp suit strides over and, with a firm hand, pushes the growling Alpha back into his seat.

These people are too dumb if they think we would allow our own Alpha to be disrespected in our own territory. If this alpha tried anything, his head would be flying across the room by now. Our warriors are bloodthirsty, even more so with our Lycan beast. They are more primal and deadly, seeing nothing but loyalty to our pack and pack members.

"Now, now, let's all take a deep breath," Nicholas says, giving a slight nod to our warrior, "I respect your leadership, but rules are rules. And as Alphas, our main priority is taking care of our pack members. And omegas are our own."

The room, previously buzzing with tension, goes dead silent. I discreetly smile. Nicholas made it clear that pack members come first, with no exceptions. You can almost feel the weight of that truth settling in every council member in the room. It's not just about power plays; it's about the well-being of the packs.

The discussions continued with Nicholas addressing all the serious issues such as disputes in territories and neglect of some pack members.

Nicholas shifted the mood by praising the packs with clean records. "I want to commend the several packs for maintaining a stellar record. Your commitment to the principles of unity and strength does not go unnoticed,"

A representative beamed, "We appreciate the guidance and support from you, Your Highness, and of course from the council. It's an honor to contribute to the well-being of our pack members."

Nicholas nodded and added, "And to the pack that received assistance in training from our skilled warriors, your dedication to improvement is commendable"

"Alpha Nicholas, your warriors have made a significant impact on our training program. We're thankful for them and for the joint training”

I smiled, looking at Nicholas—our Alpha King. I am proud that he was our alpha who genuinely cared for every shifter.