The Lycan Kingpin's Captive: A Baby For The Beast novel Chapter 11

These massive gunmetal gray forged iron gates always make me roll my eyes - the Elders don’t even try to be covert with their wealth. Scoffing, I think about how this gate alone could finance a small pack for three years.

The four old wolves who serve as our pack advisors are supposed to be just that, but they’ve taken it upon themselves to govern us alone. They had my grandfather under their thumb, as well as my father, but I have refused to bend to their will.

I think it’s why they don’t like me and Bastien - while I continue to run my pack as I please, Bastien left to establish one in Sin City. We’re the only Ioannides heirs left, so they can only complain so much.

However, their recent barrage of complaints has me worried; A Luna of their choosing or an Heir. Knowing my revulsion of both, they played on it, thinking I would crumble, but I have come here with news.

Grinning, I walk into the so-called pack house that’s actually a mansion and make my way to their conference room. Seated at the head of the room as if royalty, sat the four Elders.

Evalina, Marcos, Dimitrios, and Mairi Karras - sibling mates and as old as they come. The fact that their offspring didn’t die because of their incestuous lineage will always be left to speculation.

They look at me with old crimson eyes, sizing me up and no doubt wondering why I am smiling. These cunts should have been dead long ago; white hair and skin the same consistency as parchment.

“Nikolaos!” Demetrios cries out when he sees me, as if he was anything but annoyed by my presence alone.

“Karras Elders, it is always a pleasure to be called to see you,” I say with the same fake pleasantry as they’ve shown me.

Mairi, the cruelest of the Elders, bristles in her seat. “It has been over a year and we’ve seen no Luna nor heard of an heir. Do you have any news for us, or are we to take matters into our own hands, Nikolaos?”

I place my hands in the pockets of my slacks and chuckle. “I come bearing good news; I have acquired a surrogate for my heir. She’s about three months along now.”

The shock on their faces brings me nothing but happiness and their gasps are like music to my ears. Mairi’s wide eyes are the highlight of my day since I cannot stand the prissy old bitch.

“This is outrageous!” Marcos shouts. “Why keep us in the dark for so long? Who is this surrogate?!”

I show them my palms. “She is someone of Alpha blood who will disappear as soon as she has done her duty. I have done what you’ve asked of me, tripled our income by going legit, and now I have an heir on the way. Why are you still so unhappy even when I yield results?”

This seems to shut them up; they turn to look at each other, then Mairi sighs and pinches the bridge of her nose. “This is just… all so sudden. Will we meet her?”

“No, there is no reason to. But in a few months’ time, you’ll meet the child who will become the next Alpha as you requested,” I say with finality.

They don’t need to meet Mia; they’ll attempt to look into her past to find out who she truly is and no one can know that but me. There’s something she’s hiding, and I will find out what it is before she leaves my property. The naïve look is a smokescreen, that’s for sure.

Evalina nods, then she turns to her siblings. “It is true. He has done what we’ve asked of him. So let us leave him to bring us the heir we requested; it’s one step closer to ensuring the pack’s future success.” She says.

Evalina is the only one I like, well, the only one I tolerate. She has her head on straight and speaks without prejudice. Being the oldest of them, she’s the leader. Although she was also the one who suggested the Luna or heir option, I know Mairi was the one who came up with it.

“Very well,” Demetrios says, leaning back in his chair. “We will converge when this heir is brought to us. Until then, we wish you well.”

I bow my head to hide my grin. “Thank you, Karras Elders; I will not disappoint you,” I say, before turning on my heel and walking out of that mansion-cum-museum.

Being here always pisses me off, so the second I am in my vehicle, I call up the one person who I know hates them as much as I do.

“To what do I owe the fucking pleasure?” my brother, Bastien, says in a voice dripping with boredom.

He’s older than I am and by right he should have claimed the Alpha title. But after what happened with his wife and mate, he decided to leave and start his own pack in a city he could run single-handedly.

I’ll always resent him for making that decision and leaving the pack, but I understand his reasoning.

“I’m about an hour out. Are you free for drinks?”

He chuckles. “An hour out means you went to those fossils, didn’t you? Sure, I’ll be in my office soon and the bar is always stocked.”