TWELVE
SAM
CHECKMATE
"We've got a problem, Chief," I say to Billy as we sit in his lounge for a private meeting.
"What's happened?"
"Well, you know that your son just left for Paris."
The old man nods and smiles. "Yes, I've heard. He's finally doing what is expected of him."
I grimace and shake my head. "It's not what you think, Billy. He said he's planning to go looking for Leah after he checks in on the girl."
"What!" The chief practically growls.
"Yes. Apparently the Volturi are sniffing around, so he's going to make sure she's alright. He has no plans to stay or complete the bond. He's still insistent on being with Leah."
"What the hell is wrong with that boy! Did you challenge him? Maybe your wolf could force him to submit if you could beat him." I school my face not to give a reaction of surprise, but I really am shocked that the Chief would think that I actually have a shot at subduing the True Alpha. No, it couldn't be that. As much as the old man works with me to set things right, his plan for the tribe and mine are two different visions. I don't see his son running shit. So obviously, his suggestion truly lies in the fact that he thinks his son is that weak, not that I'm that strong. Humph, after seeing Jacob today, I'd never make a fool of myself in front of the packs, so Billy can keep on wishing.
I can beat Jacob Black by manipulation but not by Alpha combat or command, and that suits me fine. I know my strengths, they've gotten me this far.
"He told me to go ahead and take his place, Chief. I'm sorry. Jacob doesn't want to step up as chief or to be True Alpha, all he can think about is Leah." It's a little stretch of the truth, but no one needs to know. I am sorry that Billy is disappointed, but I'm not sorry that the traitor is finally gone. Now the packs can unite under me, like it should have been all this time.
"No Sam, this…this cannot be!" Billy shrinks back in the sofa, his face wrinkling and aging right before my eyes.
"Look, Billy, I understand how upsetting this is for you, but we will be fine. You have Rachel to carry on your lineage, and you have me to depend on. I will take care of everything with the packs and the tribe. I'm more of a son to you than Jacob has been for a long time, you can trust me to do what needs to be done on your behalf."
Billy sighs deeply and clasps his hands. Silently I will him to agree with me. If he does, I'll be one step closer to have everything I want.
"We will call a meeting and update the Council and the packs. Set it up for tomorrow, Sam."
"Sure thing Billy." I nod readily. "One more thing before I go," I pause, capturing his full attention.
"What?"
"I spoke with Old Quil about some disturbing things Jacob said."
"What things?"
"He claims Leah is the Alpha Female of his pack, that their bond is as strong as the imprint."
Billy scoffs. "And what did Quil say?"
"That their union is much like the gray wolf. How their packs are run by an alpha male and female pair. He said Leah exhibits more control over their pack than Jared does as Beta, because she is an Alpha wolf too. He thinks there is merit to their bonding."
"That old coot, looking to stir up trouble with his nonsense as usual. The older he gets the more unreasonable he seems to be. He knows our traditions! He knows that it is the Council's duty to enforce them!"
"He said that traditions must evolve, that this generation is different to any other so we can't treat it like the old packs. He believes Leah is important to the future of the pack as the True Alpha's mate."
"Well, I don't agree! That girl has been nothing but trouble for you and my son! Look where she's landed him now! He's left his place here to go find her!"
"Quil also said you are acting like a father not part of a Council."
If Billy's head could blow off steam it would be puffing like a train. "Look Sam, don't go spouting his nonsense to anyone. I will deal with him myself!"
"Sure thing Billy, you can always count on me. Quil seems to be a little senile if you ask me, I wonder just how capable he is of being on the Council if that's the kind of thing he would say." I stand and smooth out my pants. Well played Sammy.
"You've certainly given me something to think about, Samuel. And thank you, for everything. You've made your great-grandfather proud in the Great Beyond, I'm sure."
I bend over and reach out my hand for Billy to shake, flashing him a comforting smile. "Thank you Chief. Anything you need from me before I go?"
"No, I'll be fine on my own. I have to get used it again anyway." He's the epitome of a man defeated, and it's sad, truly. Poor thing. I couldn't imagine how it would feel if my own son betrayed me this way.
As I head out to my truck, I can't help but chuckle to myself. Everything is working out perfectly.
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When I get home I am pleased to see Emily putting dinner on the table. I am starved after a day of work and planning.
"Good evening Sam," she greets me gently, resting a kiss on my cheek as I wash up at the kitchen sink.
"Good evening Em, dinner smells good."
"Thank you, take a seat, I'll get Levi."
I watch as she walks down the hall to our son's room, and in no time I hear his little footsteps thumping down the hall.
"DADDY!" Levi throws himself into my arms and I welcome him with a crushing hug and kiss.
"Hello Levi, how was your day with Mommy? Were you a good boy?"
"Yes! We went to the bakery and I helped make muffins!"
"Oh, did you save some for Dad?"
Levi nods his head and I deposit him into his chair next to me at the table.
"How was the bakery today, Em? Busy?"
Emily smiles and nods and she begins to serve Levi's plate with green beans. "The usual. I started training the new girl. She seems to be a good fit."
"Good, just keep an eye on her for now though, make sure she isn't a gossip or a thief."
"Of course, Sam. I know. She's really quite shy and doesn't speak much, so I'm optimistic that she'll work out."
"We never know who to trust these days, poor Billy is learning that the hard way."
"Did you tell him about Jacob?"
"Yes, poor man is heartbroken," but I can't help but smirk.
"You seem rather pleased?" Emily observes, her brow wrinkled at my reaction.
"Oh come on Em, you know my aspirations. All of this drama will only serve to put me on top, where I belong. Me being chief and the only Alpha of one united pack, will be the best way forward."
My construction business has been doing so well, that I now have the backing of influential men in Forks and Tacoma. I can make La Push better than it's ever been if I can finally take control. I can get them to invest, modernize the place, bring it up to a standard that I can be proud of.
"Just be careful Sam, I wouldn't want people to think you have bad intentions towards anyone."
I snort in derision. "Emily, everyone loves me, they know I am strong and capable of doing a good job. With Jacob gone, a lot of tension will be eased. He's the one running around here disrespecting his father and the Council, I haven't done a thing." I will be like a savior to the tribe.
"So what about the other pack?"
"What about them? They'll submit to my authority." Emily pauses in serving out the lamb chops and I cock an eyebrow at her reaction. "What else did you expect to happen?"
I watch as my wife carefully schools her features and shakes her head. "Nothing, of course. I just hope they won't resist like the last time."
"Well their Beta isn't here to defend them, now is she? They have no one to lead them, so it's only natural that they will become part of my pack again. It's what the Council will want. And you will help me deal with your cousins. Quil will be easy enough because we have Claire."
Emily nods and turns to our son, silently cutting his lamb into bit sized pieces. She seems to remember that it is not her place to question my decisions as Alpha, so now I can finally enjoy my dinner.
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Luckily for me, the Council is fairly small: Old Quil Ateara, Sue Clearwater, Billy Black, Peter Ravenwood and Feather Rock are its only members currently, though Sue was asking for Billy's sister Connie to be considered, as her son is a wolf and another woman would be "nice." But there's already a Black member of the Council so it was deemed unnecessary. When I'm made official, I shall represent the Uley line and there will be no need for Sue, especially since her daughter is gone.
When the packs arrive, I watch them file in. Paul, Jared, Colin and Brady take their seats along with the seven younger boys who joined us when we prepared for the Volturi's arrival. They've all graduated from high school now and the plan is that they will stop phasing within the next couple of years. We really don't need such a large pack anymore, and quite frankly, I'm tired of wrangling their adolescent personalities. They're too distracted and childish to be proper warriors anyway.
The Black Pack - Seth, Embry and Quil - arrive last, and sit in the second row of the chairs in the community center. None of them seem too happy to be here, as to be expected. I know they hate feeling outnumbered. They hate to feel my authority. But they will soon get used to it.
Feather Rock leads us in a short Quileute prayer to our ancestors and then Billy hits the gavel on the table, calling the meeting to order. I have to hold back my urge to smile as he informs everyone on the new shift in pack leadership.
"Jacob Black has chosen to neglect his duties to uphold tribal and pack law. He will no longer be my heir or Alpha of his pack, and effective immediately, his pack will integrate with Samuel's."
"What?" Embry calls out while Seth raises his hand.
"Yes Seth," Billy answers.
"Jake said we could continue to patrol on our usual schedule, and that if we want, we could stop phasing."
I snort and shake my head. The nerve.
"That was not Jacob's decision to make, Seth. You will continue your duties, but as part of Samuel's pack. The only wolves we discussed for release at this time, are the younger seven."
"But why can't we stop?" Embry asks. "It's been years, I want to move on with my life. With all due respect Chief, all we do is run circles around the land. There are no more threats. Haven't been for years."
"I understand Embry, but now is not the time. The Council will consider your wishes and make a decision in the future."
"How many of you would like to stop phasing?" Old Quil asks. In shock, my head snaps to the side to watch him. Had he really just asked that?
Billy looks over at him too, disdain wrinkling his brow. Disbanding the pack was never on the table for discussion. Certainly not for me.
Embry raises his hand quickly, the young seven follow and then, much to my surprise, Colin, Brady and Jared raise their hands too. I shift in my seat, my eyes sending a heated glare towards my Beta. We'd already discussed this! No mention of stopping until AFTER I'd secured my place.
"I'd like to stop too, but I'm not sure when as yet," Seth pipes out.
That just leaves me, Paul and Quil – Quil because he's got to wait on Claire to grow up before he can age physically.
"Actually, me too, I'm the same as Seth. Rachel and I want to move to Seattle when Lotus gets a little older." Paul does not look at me, and lowers his head after he speaks.
Traitors! My two most trusted brothers!
"Well, that's certainly something then, isn't it?" Old Quil remarks with delight.
"It's certainly a surprise," Peter adds. "But maybe there is no harm in it."
"It definitely is something that we should consider soon, Chief," Sue chimes in happily. "Clearly the warriors of the tribe want to lead domestic lives without the interference of their wolves. They are all still relatively young men, and should be granted the freedom, shouldn't they? They've paid their dues for years."
Billy grumbles under this breath, looking at the Council members and myself. "Yes, they should. But I had hoped that at least some of you still wanted to carry on your sacred duty."
"I'm fine with carrying on, Chief," Quil answers happily, to which Billy nods.
As if he even counts.
"We want the chance to leave, Sir. Being wolves we're not allowed to go anywhere." Young Matthew says. He has just graduated from the Tribe High School, and I am not surprised. The boy is horny. He simply wants to get out there and sow his seed all over Forks.
"Yeah, I want to leave like Jacob and Leah," Ron speaks out, with a pout.
Billy's expression immediately darkens but before he can speak, another wolf pays his two cents.
"We can't make friends either," says Jonah. And the others readily agree.
"And we want to get jobs outside of the Res," Colin speaks next, gesturing to himself and Brady.
"So you do not wish to wait to stop?" Old Quil asks, as if egging them all on.
"No sir, we'd like to start trying now," Brady answers with a firm nod of his head.
"We should definitely take a vote on that. I quite like the idea of voting, it is our custom you know, Billy." The old man smirks over at his cousin.
"That was NOT on the agenda for today, Old Quil." I interject. "I certainly have NOT spoken to MY pack about disbanding so soon, regardless of what Jacob has said to his. Only the younger seven will be granted permission by me to stop now." I look over the group with piercing eyes, letting them all know that they will pay for their outspoken demands.
"Sam, you know I just want to settle down with my family. Kim's having twins in a few months. She needs me to help her with the kids, I can't put it off any longer," Jared complains. I know they will have their hands full with four small children, but still, this was NOT the plan!
"And with work, it's just too much on our plates," Paul agrees.
"I have the same lifestyle and I manage just fine," I snap.
"Well, they're not you, Sam," Embry interjects, and I can't help but bare my teeth at him.
Billy slams the gavel and calls us to order. "We cannot have everyone stopping at the same time, we have to think of our safety. And no wolf leaves the Reservation without our permission. Doing so would result in punishment." He warns.
"Jacob and Leah aside, Chief, a matter which STILL has not properly discussed - WE should really consider their request, it is only fair," Sue urges, as she hurriedly writes the minutes of the meeting.
"The warriors have been good to us, we must maintain harmony with them," Feather Rock adds quietly, with his hoarse gravelly voice. He rarely speaks at our meetings, but his presence is warranted because he is the oldest person on our land and his father knew the last pack. He and Old Quil are friends, which I realize now, could turn out to be a problem for me if I'm not careful.
Billy takes a deep breath and I can see his reluctance to give in to these unexpected demands on the spot. There's no way that we can get out of this now, especially with so many of them in agreement. "I propose the young seven stop first, with Jared. Colin and Brady can stop, but once they find gainful employment. Then Paul, Embry and Seth can follow after a year has passed. Samuel will remain Alpha and all must adhere to his rules. Does the Council agree?"
I fold my arms across my chest, disgruntled as I feel my power start to slip through my fingers. It was nice of Billy to try, but being Alpha of only a few wolves just isn't the same as fourteen. In a year's time it would only be Quil and me, and possibly Seth.
What the fuck?
"Agreed," Sue, Peter, Feather Rock and Old Quil reply.
The young seven all cry in elation, but I silence them with the Alpha's growl.
"As for the other matter of discussion, I move to instate Samuel Uley officially on the Council of Tribal Elders. With Jacob gone, we must maintain harmony as Feather said. The pack must be officially represented on the Council."
The other Council members look at one another and me. I can see the reluctance on both Sue's and Quil's faces but it doesn't deter me. It's law. The Alpha must be on the Council. The only reason why it has taken so long for this to happen was because Jacob was always gone with the Cullens and refused to let there be one pack. I've been interim all these years, now it's time to make me legit.
"But what about Jacob, he hasn't come before the Council and renounced his position Billy, it wouldn't be right to move forward without having his words on record." Sue contends.
"The heir of Ephraim must face us," Feather Rock agrees.
"My son has no intention of returning, we don't know when or if he will stand before us. He has made it abundantly clear over the years that he is not mature enough to do what is required of him." We all can tell how much it embarrasses and shames Billy to say this out loud to a room full of people.
"Jake wouldn't want this," Embry speaks up.
"It doesn't matter what he'd want, the Chief is right, he doesn't care about pack law. Why should he lead us?" Quil argues, much to my satisfaction.
"Silence!" Billy slams the gavel down again. "This vote is for Council to make. I say yes to Sam."
Peter shrugs his shoulders and shakes his head. "Makes no sense putting it off, I know Sam has good plans to help the tribe, and I'm ready for us to start making progress. He has my vote." I nod my head once in gratitude to my ally. I knew he'd come through, after all, he has a stake in any gains to be made.
"It is not the way, as Sue said, I'd also prefer to hear from young Black myself. But if Sam is willing to honor the warriors and work for this tribe, then I say yes." Feather Rock nods and I also bow slightly to him in thanks.
The majority has voted, I'm almost there. It is hard to contain my emotions, but I remain calm and expressionless in my seat.
"It's not right to vote without Jacob present," Sue states firmly, casting me a disapproving stare. "I'd rather defer to another time when he can be here."
"Why should we keep waiting around for him? He has been called to face us multiple times and never showed," Peter answers.
"Because he was upset and experiencing his own personal issues."
"Issues your daughter caused," Peter says with disdain.
"My daughter is not the only one to blame, if you all had just left Jacob to make up his own mind about who he wants to be with, none of this would have happened! He'd be here, happy and willing to do what is required of him!"
"That's enough Sue! The voting has already been opened, we have to move on! We cannot keep sitting here going back and forth over what my son should and should not do! He is no longer a factor in this, he has made it clear that this is not what he wants. Cast your vote now!"
Sue shoots Billy a withering glare, and Seth shifts anxiously in his seat. "Fine, I vote yes, but not because I want to." Sue bows her head and continues with her minute taking, recording the votes as they come.
"Quil?" Billy asks next.
Old Quil looks over at me with disapproval. "When Jacob returns, we will be forced to revisit this vote. I vote no."
"The motion to admit Samuel Uley to the Council of Tribal Elders has been passed. Sam will represent the Wolf Pack of La Push, and work with us to improve the infrastructure of the Reservation. Welcome Sam," Billy slams the gavel then holds out his hand proudly, and I get up and walk over to shake his hand.
"Thank you Chief, I won't let you down."
"I know you won't Sam."
In turn I shake hands with each Council member, whether or not they want to, then I turn to face the pack. "Bonfire at my house tonight, all are invited," I smile at the disgruntled bunch.
Checkmate.
AN: Thank you for the reviews on the last chapter! Glad to see you all like where things are going. Some of you brought up very interesting points and I'm sure your theories and questions will be answered as we proceed! Won't want to spoil anything lol. Up next we hear from Leah and you finally get one part you've been waiting for, she gets a little surprise! From here on things will pick up, don't worry, we'll have Blackwater back together in a few chapters, just have more groundwork to lay before that happens.
(JacobLeahFan I couldnt respond to your review in pm since you are a Guest, I did write the chapter before I started posting the story, when you wrote your views on the imprinting issue and Leah I did think to myself "Hey right on point!" We're just in sync on that one lol.)