Chapter 23
When Xander regained consciousness, he was in the medical facility of the pack. His shoulder was
bandaged heavily to help set the bones but being were, his healing abilities had already kicked in and
were able to repair most of the damage. He looked around the room.
A few of his pack warriors along with his parents were in the room with him. His parents wore a worried
expression, their posture screamed exhaustion.
"Maya?" Xander questioned with a single word. That word was enough to convey his meaning.
"She is handling the pack matters with the Council." his mother replied.
"Want to meet." Xander groaned.
"Sweetheart, I don''t think she wants to meet you or any of us." she replied.
Marina came in just as she finished talking. "Excuse me guys, Councilman Dn wants to meet with
the Lockhart family. He is waiting for you in the conference room." The Lockhart parents nodded to
Marina and left the room.
"Marina..." Xander called out to the leaving Marina, "I... I want to meet Maya."
"She is busy with the back up and medic team. I think you should meet with Councilman Dn first and
foremost. We may have a way to stop the natural dissolution of the pack." she replied tersely.
Xander nodded and pushed himself off the bed. He stood up with help of a pack warrior and slowly
made his way to the conference room. The warriors left after ensuring he could walk to the conference
room.
-------------------Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.
In the conference room, the Forrester family was already present with Dn in the presiding chair and
the Lockhart family joined them. Marina entered and closed the door, after which she spelled the room
against eavesdroppers.
"I believe we may have a solution to prevent natural dissolution of the pack." Dn began without
exchanging any pleasantries.
"Please tell us. We are ready to do anything to help." Ken Forrester replied.
"Please understand, the Moon Goddess Luna wants to dissolve the pack and that will happen. We
cannot avoid it or stop it. However, we may be able to keep the remaining pack members together
under another Alpha. We don''t want them to turn out like the Desmond pack moving from one ce to
another because no one will ept them." Dn exined.
"What do you suggest?" Justin asked.
"Revival of Lockhart pack." Dn stated calmly. Everyone in the room was shocked by his words and
Xander, whose attention was wandering, suddenly looked at Dn in surprise.
"What are you talking about?" Xander asked him.
"Well basically once the connection of the packpletely breaks with Alpha Ken, you can take over
as the new Alpha. The pack might be smaller in size but you would be able to lead them legitimately.
Other Alphas'' would have to ept your power and acknowledge your aura but we can easily arrange
that." Dn continued calmly.
"I thought that in a natural dissolution, everyone in the pack loses their power, aura and their strength
diminishes. Wouldn''t Xander be affected by the same?" Marcus Lockhart questioned.
"Actually, Xander is an Alpha blood and would have been a true Alpha of the pack, if the attack hadn''t
happened. Technically he is not directly linked with Forrester pack and his Alpha powers never
diminished. He is just so used to keeping them leashed that no one would have expected him to be a
true Alpha. Also, we have his records on strength and speed. When wepared them with his
previous records, we found that he was spared from the natural dissolution." Dn continued to ay
their doubts calmly.
"We can stay together. I will be the Alpha''s sister and you guys will be the Alpha''s parents. We don''t
have to separate." ire eximed.
"Actually Luna Forrester, you and Alpha Forrester will be taken in custody to face a trial for staging a
coup, kidnapping, misleading the pack and non-human trafficking." Dn''s harsh words cut in ire''s
daydream.
"But... But why... I mean... Maya never ced an officialint with the Council. She didn''t want to
hurt her brother and her family. Was that just a lie?" ire spoke her voice trembling at the thought of
harsh punishment.
"I ced the officialint. I have surrendered to the Council and I am ready for any punishment
the Council metes out." Ken replied, conviction ringing in his voice.
"Have you lost your mind Ken? Why did you do that?" ire screamed at him.
"It is the right thing to do. It is what I should have done the moment Maya was rescued. Instead we just
spread salt on her wounds. I have made my decision and this is my final act as the Alpha of Forrester
pack." Ken said calmly, ignoring ire''s re.
"What about Sam? What will people say once they find out that his parents are in jail?" ire yelled as
a final resort to change Ken''s mind.
"You should have thought about that before you decided tomit the crime." Ken replied levelling his
gaze on ire. His words deted ire and she sat in a corner quietly.
"She is right. What about Sam? You have to think about him." Mary Ann Lockhart chimed in.
"My parents will take care of him." Ken replied his words neither courteous nor discourteous. Ken had
never spoken to his inws in such a manner. He had always been perfectly polite to them and his
manners impable.
For him to be so distressed, that he forgets their rtionship was a first. The elder Lockhart couple was
aggrieved but couldn''t say anything. ire looked at him in shock.
"Will you take the responsibility of an Alpha, Xander? Will you lead the pack?" Dn asked him
interrupting others before a fight broke out.
"Will she... Will Maya stand by me to rule the pack?" Xander asked Dn.
"No. She is returning to the Council headquarters to take charge of the new position. It was her
suggestion to make you the Alpha so that innocent pack members do not suffer through the dissolution
process." Dn replied him.
"Then my answer is ''No''. I don''t want to rule the pack. You can make different arrangements for them."
Xander replied losing his interest.
"Xander, what are you saying? Think of the pack, what will they do?" Marcus chided his son.
"I have always thought of others; of my sister, of my parents, of the pack. I gave up my mate, my
happiness for their sake. But what did I get in return? My mate was sold off, she was hurt, she was...
raped. I had to constantly subdue my powers and my aura. This time and every other time henceforth, I
choose her. I chose to stand by her side Come What May." Xander replied indignant.
"What makes you think she wants you? She is a Team Leader in the Council. She might even reject
you as her mate." Mary Ann tried to make her son understand.
"When she offered me her love and her trust, I broke it. Now even if I have to give her my life to earn
her love back, I would give it happily." Xander stated his voice unwavering.
"Xander... As you said, you have lived for your sister and your parents till now. You should live the
remainder of your life for yourself. Why do you want to throw that away for your mate? What''s the
guarantee that ten years down the line you wouldn''t regret it?" Dn questioned Xander perplexed.
"I am not throwing away my life for her. She is my life. Thest four years, I have been dying without
her, barely going through the motions. I have heard a man once say - I would give up the world to
spend a day with my beloved. Dn, I would give up my life to spend a moment in her presence." he
replied.
"What if she chooses to be with another man? What would you do then?" Dn continued to probe.
"I would stay besides her as a friend, as a supporting character, whatever she needs." Xander said.
"Are you sure about your decision?" Marina asked, speaking for the first time since she sealed the
room.
"Yes." Xander replied turning his head. Marina could see his conviction reflected in his eyes.
"I am not the one who needs to hear these words. Go, you can do whatever you want. Don''t worry
about the pack. I had a contingency n drawn up already." she said.
As if waiting for those words, Xander got up and left the conference room without saying a word to
anyone. He went in search of Maya. He wanted to bare his heart in front of her and grovel for
forgiveness. He was uncertain of her reply but certain of his actions.