*Chapter:2 - The Elders' Plea & The East Mountain House*
"Beta Ashton, can we have a little of your time?" Elder Patrick said, his lined face earnest.
"Yes, sure. This way, please," Ashton replied, leading them to a quiet alcove of the stronghold.
"Is there something you want to say?" Ashton asked, his tone inviting.
"Yes," Elder Patrick began. "It's about the rule of not allowing witches in our land. We understand the reason... but that was ten years ago."
"What are you trying to say?" Ashton prompted, attentive.
Elder Liam spoke up, "What we're saying is, Alpha Kiel should also think about our people. The ones who are mated to witches."
"And why are you guys telling me?" Ashton asked, a hint of puzzled respect. "Weren't you supposed to discuss it with the Alpha? I'm not the one who makes the rules, am I?"
"I talked to him about it," Elder Patrick said, voice lowering. "But Alpha Kiel wasn't concerned. He dismissed it, said I shouldn't bring it up ever again. You know how Alpha Kiel can be."
"We all know what happened ten years ago," Liam said gravely. "We will never forget it. But if we're dwelling on the past we won't move on. And not all witches are bad. There are good ones too... and we should think about our people."
"Yes, Elder Liam," Patrick added with sorrow. "Some days ago, my son saw his mate. He was so happy... but he discovered she's a witch. His mood crashed because he knows witches aren't allowed here. That he'd have to leave his family, move out of town... leave his house, his job... to a place he's not familiar with. And there are so many more like him. To deracinate themselves, join another pack and start from scratch? Seeing that disheartens us."
Beta Ashton inhaled slowly. "I understand your concern, elders. But... my hands are tied. You know we always follow Alpha Kiel's rules... without question."
Elder Patrick's eyes held a mix of hope and resignation. "We know, Beta Ash... but we're telling you this because we think... maybe you can sway Alpha Kiel's heart. You and he... were childhood friends, weren't you?"
Ashton's expression turned reflective. "We grew up together, yes. Kiel was always intense. But ten years ago something changed him. Made him blade-sharp about witches."
Elder Liam leaned in softly. "Ash, if anyone can reach Kiel, it's you. We're not asking you to defy him, just remind him of our pack's people. The lycans caught between... love and... his decree."
Ashton's gaze drifted, weighing the elders' plea. "I'll... speak with Alpha Kiel. I won't promise it'll change anything... but I'll try. For our pack's sake."
Elder Patrick nodded slowly, gratitude mingling with doubt. "Thank you, Ash. We trust your judgment. But be careful. Kiel's patience is thin these days."
Liam added low, "And... what about Rina? Does she factor into any of this?"
Ashton's eyes narrowed slightly. "Rina is a complication. One Alpha Kiel would rather overlook."
Elder Patrick shifted the topic abruptly. "Beta Ash. Have you gone to see the east side of our lands? People say it's awe-inspiring."
"What do you mean, Elder Patrick?" Ashton asked, intrigued.
"It seems you've been so occupied with your duties that you don't know what's going on in town," Patrick said with a hint of playful reprimand. "People have been talking about the modern mountain house that was built on the eastern mountains. They say it's eye-catching."
Ashton's expression turned curious. "A modern house on the east mountains? I hadn't heard. Who built it?"
Liam leaned in. "Rumors say... outsiders. Not from our pack or allied clans. Some whisper it might be connected to a very powerful, rich person."
Ashton's eyes narrowed thoughtfully. "A very powerful rich person... Do the locals sense threat or curiosity about this house?"
Patrick nodded low. "Curiosity, definitely. Some lycans speculate about who'd dare build there."
Ashton's gaze grew pensive. "I'll look into it."
Elder Patrick then said, "Oh, I recall a discreet man purchased the land 2 years back. But me and Alpha Kiel wondered what they were going to do with it... because it's an ancestral rock that we could've used for expanding pack holdings. We just sold it because the humans paid a hefty sum."
Ashton's expression turned calculating. "A hefty sum... outsiders' motives rarely align with ours. I wonder if Alpha Kiel knows about developments there."
Liam murmured, "If Alpha Kiel doesn't, it could escalate tensions. Especially if witches factor into it."
"I'm not surprised you don't know about it, Beta Ash," Elder Patrick said with a chuckle. "People have been saying they don't even know when they started building the house. People say it's like they put a spell there so they wouldn't know what they've been doing there in the past 2 years. And they just lifted the spell. If I didn't know about the rules in our pack, I would've believed it too."
Ashton's expression turned skeptical. "Sounds like wild rumors. Because I've never thought of going to the east... it's like the mountain doesn't even exist in the first place. And weird."
Liam answered, "What were you gonna do there in the first place? The east part is mountainous and barren. There's nothing there to see. I guess that's why people don't notice, because they don't go to that side. There's no witchcraft anywhere."
Elder Patrick nodded. "Exactly. It's isolated. But now with this modern house people are talking, wondering who'd build in such a forsaken place unless they have ulterior motives."
Ashton mused low, "Ulterior motives..."
Liam lowered his voice. "Beta Ash, do you think Alpha Kiel would see this as pack territory infringement?"
Ashton's gaze grew sharp. "Kiel's decrees are clear. Outsiders... especially with witch ties... he won't tolerate."
"He won't see it as territory infringement and you don't have to worry, Beta Ash. He won't think of it as an infringement because he sold it to the outsiders and he sanctioned the deal," Elder Patrick said reassuringly.
"You're right, Elder Patrick," Liam agreed softly. "Alpha Kiel approved the sale. So on paper it's their land now."
Ashton's expression turned contemplative. "Approved... yes. What about rumors of a spell masking the house's construction? Do you think that's tied to witches?"
Patrick shook his head. "You don't have to worry about that. The person's completely human. Even all the people who followed him that day are all human. I guess he's probably a rich guy from a faraway place. Maybe he just wants a retreat for scenery and it's even a good thing for us. Having that kind of rich person around us, it'll maybe help us progress our town."
Beta Ashton's expression turned measured. "A rich human... motives can be complex. We shouldn't assume it's purely about scenery. What if he has connections we don't see?"
Liam spoke cautiously. "Ash... if he's human and rich it might mean he's looking for investments or influence. Doesn't necessarily mean threat to pack but Alpha Kiel's perceptions matter."
Elder Patrick added thoughtfully. "Progress for our town could be beneficial. Tourism, business could bring opportunities. But Kiel's got to be comfortable with it."
Ashton mused low. "Comfortable... Kiel's got sharp edges about outsiders. If he senses anything off about the house or buyer, he'll act decisively. And I'm so surprised that I'm just hearing about this now. I don't even know when the person purchased the land and the mountain."
Elder Patrick nodded. "When the person purchased the land you weren't around. Remember 2 years ago when Alpha Kiel sent you to the Blue Moon pack as an envoy when they were being attacked by vampires? You were there for a good six months. When you were back... Alpha Kiel must've forgot to tell you about it."
Liam chimed in softly. "Beta Ash, you were dealing with critical pack business then, protecting allies. Alpha Kiel probably didn't want to distract you with land sale details at the time."
Ashton's expression turned reflective. "Blue Moon pack... vampire threat was intense. I recall Kiel's trust in me sending me on that mission. So he didn't mention the sale, maybe he saw it as a routine business deal with humans."
Elder Patrick said gravely. "Routine maybe. But now with rumors about the house and whispers, Kiel might see it differently."
Ashton's gaze grew sharp, his wolf stirring.
"I'll dig into it. Find out what's really going on with that east mountain house before Alpha Kiel's instincts kick in hard.