Chapter 29
"You can take as many men as you want Alpha Damian, the truth is that there is only one thing that matters to me most in the world, even more than my life, and that is my daughter. I told Miranda to excuse us because I wanted to tell you some important things she shouldn't hear, I hope you'll listen and hear me out as a son listens to his father."
Luther watched for his reaction and after Alpha Damian simply nodded, he continued.
"After my wife died during the war, it left my pack and my family broken but the one who suffered it the most was Miranda, who was barely three years old then. She had a rough childhood and had to go through a lot of disappointments and suffering, she didn't even get the pride and respect a normal princess should have, all because of her pack's lowered status. But still, through the years she has grown into a strong, beautiful woman, and I couldn't be prouder of her. My time on this earth will soon come to an end but now more than anything, I wish for nothing more than to see my daughter finally find true happiness and love and that is the only thing that will bring me joy when my body is lowered into the grave."
Then he continued after a pause,"Alpha Damian, I know that Miranda might have entered this marriage as a result of having no choice, but I want you to do one thing for me; please make her happy, give her the life that I couldn't give her as a father. I am eternally grateful to you for sparing her life, even when you were not sure of who she was. There would have been no greater loss this pack would have experienced because Miranda remains the future Queen who will restore the Lotus to its former victory.
"I trust that you will protect her, even as she is about to become your family." He chuckled, "My dear daughter, how I wished for nothing more than for her to end up with the man of her dreams, we all thought it would be Walden, but look where we are now."
"If there is anything I trust, its fate, and I know that fate does not lie, perhaps Miranda coming into the Silver Pack was not a mistake, perhaps the time has come for the Lotus breed to rise again. I simply wanted to give you my blessings, and to let you know that I do not have a say in who Miranda chooses to spend the rest of her life with, so long as she is happy is all I care about. She could have said no and given up her life instead of choosing this marriage, but if she chose to go through with it, it means there is still hope for every single one of us."
"Thank you, Alpha Luther. I have heard all you have said, and I promise to protect Miranda as much as I can."
"I know you are a powerful Alpha, and of course with you, her protection is guaranteed, but please, promise to love and care for her too."
Nodding, "I will do my possible best, Alpha Luther."
The doors to the meeting room suddenly swung open and an angry Valledor stormed inside, yelling at the top of his voice.
"That girl! I can't believe she would do such a thing! How dare she? How dare she trade away the last of our soldiers like that? Has she no concern for what will happen to us if this union doesn't work out? What is wrong with her??"
"Calm your voice down Valledor, what is the matter?"
"Your Majesty, haven't you heard what your daughter is planning on doing?"
"Is this about her planned marriage to Alpha Damian?"
"More than that, Your Majesty, she plans on giving the last of our troops to an Alpha who barely even needs them; look at the swarm of soldiers he brought here simply for an escort."
"Mind the way you speak about him in his presence Valledor, he might be younger than you but he's still an Alpha and you are still a Beta."
Valledor tipped his head slightly, "Sorry Your Majesty, do not mind my anger, but please, consider what your daughter is trying to do; she is trying to ruin us all! She's voluntarily damaging the pack by handing over the best we have ever trained!"
It was now Alpha Damian's turn to speak, "You are mistaken Valledor, I have no intention of snatching away the only troops the Lotus Pack has, I have no intention of keeping them all to myself. I intend to strengthen training with the Lotus Pack to achieve better results, Alpha Luther and I were just discussing before you barged in here, tearing the whole place down with your screams."
"What the..."
"Beta Valledor! I am fully aware of the agreement between my daughter and Alpha Damian, I trust her decision, and if this is the only way forward, then we will push through with it!"
"Alpha Luther, I beg of you to reconsider this decision she is making; can't you see that Miranda will only bring shame and disgrace to us by giving out the last troops that support our territories?"
"As I said before Valledor, I trust my daughter's decision, we are about to enter a season of war, and do not lie to yourself that only those few soldiers will be enough to protect us. If the Silver Pack is offering to help us, then we will give them all they ask for, even if it's the last of my men, and don't you ever speak about my daughter that way! You are not even aware of half the sacrifices that girl has made in favor of this pack."
"But sire..."
"This discussion has ended. If you have nothing better to say, Beta Valledor, you may leave this meeting room now."
Feeling humiliated, he turned and made his way out, burying himself into his thoughts as he did. This is not good for Valledor at all; he's about to lose his men, the same set of men he planned on keeping for himself. This marriage couldn't hold at all, he still needed to try to do something, anything to stop this wedding.