Chapter 6

I threw on a tank top and some sweats. Going down to the indoor gym, I started through my routine. Running, weight lifting, and today was specifically abs, back, and pecks. My home gym had more equipment than you found at the local gym. I preferred to work out alone. I would even help Liam out sometimes but I wouldn’t even work out with him.

“Show no weakness.” I inhaled as I hung from the bar upside down, doing crunches while holding 50lbs. Breathing in and out, I counted out.

“One. Two. Three. Four.”

My mind wandered off, thinking about the Summer Festival that we would be throwing this year. We brought in a lot of money last year and we were wholly unprepared for just how many people wanted to come to our little town. This year we had ramped up our preparedness but we also were thinking about running some ad campaigns for the daily activities that people could join if they were in the area. We also set up a specific summer camping area.

“Fifty one. Fifty two. Fifty three. Fifty four.”

I breathed on pace as I thought through the pack business. As much as I had finished the paperwork yesterday that Ricky had given me, a few of them were only half finished. There was a fey family asking for refuge in the territory after being thrown around by one of the packs to the east. They didn’t specify which pack but I didn’t really want to throw more of a wrench into things. If they were already out of the pack though, it didn’t matter but I wouldn’t risk anyone by doing a rescue mission.

“Ninety nine. Hundred. Hundred One. Hundred two.”

“Goddess Alpha, can you not even chill on your birthday?”

I dropped the weight that I held at my chest and quickly flipped around. Ricky was standing in the doorway. He was wearing a t-shirt and jeans. I raised my eyebrow.

“A little casual for work don’t you think?”

He shrugged. “I’ve got some phone calls but nothing that requires me in person. Not all of us act like business attire is casual. Wearing some jeans would not kill you or turn you into a cowboy.”

I shook my head. “Why are you here?”

“May is leaving.” He gave a conflicted look and I eyed him.

Grabbing my towel, I rubbed the sweat off my face and head. “What do you mean May is leaving?”

“She found her destined mate two days ago. She told me last night. They are leaving together, so I wanted to tell you so you knew that she was going to come into the pack house to submit the documentation for it.”

I growled. “Are you okay with that?”

May had been Ricky’s chosen mate for the past twelve years. They had been together even longer as high school sweethearts. It broke them that they weren’t destined mates but as soon as the two of them turned eighteen they chose each other. They have been happily together ever since. I looked at him, surprised that he was holding it together so well.

“I can’t keep her, Desmond. What kind of monster would I be if I asked her to reject him? I just have to let her go.” He leaned up against the doorway and his eyes filled with tears but he looked up at the ceiling, refusing to show his own weakness.

My heart broke for my Gamma. “I could…”

He shook his head. “It’s better this way. If she leaves the pack at least I don’t have to worry about seeing her every day with him. Seeing them happier than we would ever be.”

I put a hand on his shoulder. He was fighting back a frown on his face. “I’ll take care of it. I’m sorry Ricky, really. You don’t deserve that from her. Not after twelve years.”

He chuckled. “I’m just glad we didn’t have kids. That would have been a nightmare.”

I shook my head. “Well, you can ask the new human on a date now.”

Ricky chuckled and shook his head. “Shit, it’s so fucked up.” The tears he had been holding back started to fall and pulled him into a hug. “Fuck.” His shoulders shook and I just held him tight.

I had known Ricky his whole life. Same with Scott. While our age difference meant that we weren’t in school together, it didn’t mean we weren’t in each other’s lives at a young age. Our fathers were just as close and made sure that we held the same respect and, really, love as our fathers did. We were brothers and that would never change.

He took a deep breath and stood away from me. “You smell Desmond, go shower.”

I laughed. “That is what is supposed to happen when you work out. It’s why both you and Scott will never beat me.”

“One day, one day we will.”

I smiled and threw the towel around my neck. “That’s the day I will retire.”

Ricky laughed, wiping his eyes with his palm. “Sorry, didn’t mean to break down on your birthday.”

“Hey, I would have rather you told me what you wanted before. I would have absolutely denied it otherwise.”

He nodded and gave me a slight smile. “Thanks.”

I clapped his shoulder before heading up the stairs to shower.

“I’m going to head off. Clear my head for a bit.”

“Whatever you need. The east side could use a once-over if you’re looking for an excuse to kill a few hours.”

He nodded. “Thanks Desmond.”

I nodded. “Just stay away from the north. I don’t need any more peeping toms today.”

Ricky laughed. “I heard about that. I’m a little jealous.”

“Is she really that hot?”

Ricky smirked and winked. “You will just have to see her to understand.”

-

I sat at my desk, my right foot resting on my left knee. My elbows rested on the arms of my office chair. Scott was on my right and Ricky was on the left, holding a pile of papers he had picked up off my desk before we were interrupted. I had five angry looking werewolves on the other side of my solid wood desk. A small smile played on my lips as I looked at them. Each one looked like they were fighting for control over their wolves.

“Alpha James, to what do I owe this surprise visit?”

“Surprise? You think this would be a surprise after what you did?” Alpha James had decided to grace our pack with his presence personally. Frankly, I was surprised it took him so long. His eyes were flashing between two colors.

“You are on our territory, Alpha James, shifting out of control is not tolerated here.” Scott pointed out, also noticing the flickering colors.

“I’m not talking to you, Beta.” Alpha James spat out.

I put my hand up and stopped Scott from stepping forward. “Not all packs are like ours, Scott. They don’t understand the meaning of working on equal terms in the pack.”

“You couldn’t even call this a pack anymore. You’ve abandoned all the pack ideals!” His Beta, Luis if I remembered correctly, spoke up this time.

“On the contrary, we’ve just abandoned the old idiotic ideals that were implemented by narrow-minded asshats who think a throne gives them the right to order everyone around.” I smiled wider as I saw the veins pop out in their necks.

“You dare speak against our King?”

I laughed. “King? I don’t remember ever acknowledging an Alpha who has done nothing but been bottle fed by the previous generations. A werewolf who has done nothing but sit on his throne and tell people they are wrong or right for actions he has never actually taken himself.”

“Alpha Desmond, you’ve crossed the line!” Luis growled.

“I crossed the line? I crossed the line when I heard innocent blood was going to be spilled because you feel threatened by the existence of beings that might actually be stronger than you.” I looked directly at Alpha James. “How is Jude? I hope he managed to find his way home alright.”

Alpha James growled. “They are not innocent. They are a…”

“…a what, James?” I stood up, towering over the man. “The fey have done nothing to you or your pack. You can’t dredge up history because if you do, they would be happy to use our own to wipe us off the planet.” I placed my hands on the desk, leaning against it and glaring at each one of them. “Get off my territory or I will do far worse next time I hear you are attacking anyone unprovoked.”

Alpha James growled and went to swipe at me but I took hold of his wrist. Everyone froze as I held onto his wrist. He growled again and I squeezed, feeling the bones in his wrist snap.

“Fuck off, James. I don’t have time to deal with your petty unfounded prejudices.”

I stood up and watched as the group stomped out of my office, Alpha James holding his wrist. I shook my head and sighed.

“Kids these days.”

The fact that the man had the audacity to show up unannounced to my office with no reason other to throw a tantrum in front of me. Alpha James had rubbed me the wrong way when we first met. His father was actually quite agreeable. The man wasn’t quick to judge and knew when to keep his mouth shut. His son, however, had a fire that was misplaced and volatile. He fought everything except when he kissed the Alpha King’s feet.

I growled. The Alpha King pissed me off even more. He was 25 years old and took over for his father when his father died. I wasn’t a fan of the Alpha King title in general. I don’t do well with authority to begin with but I didn’t actively act against the Alpha King. When his son took over I could smell the weakness and sense of entitlement wafting off of him from miles away. Still, I tried not to actively poke him. I just poked around everywhere else. Alpha James being one of my favorite spots to poke.

I knew the history between the races. We all were to blame over the years for mistreatment and prejudices. That didn’t mean we needed to continue the cycle. I choose not to continue that cycle just as my father taught me. I was just more…active in stopping it than my father was. I didn’t mind breaking a few bones on the way there.

My pack was strong and part of the reason for that was the fey, witches, and vampires who all worked to make our lives better. Our medicine was mixed between the new ways and the old potions. We used magic and technology to better move our town forward into a more modern society. Even the high school was mixed races, though because I didn’t allow humans to purchase land on the territory, our school lacked humans.

Honestly, I didn’t have anything against humans. They were our biggest source of income into the town and they were the ones that really kept the whole town afloat. My worry was if the supernatural beings felt like they couldn’t be themselves in the younger years, they would grow to resent each other for one reason or another. We all knew how to act and be outside amongst humans but at school it was a safe space where a vampire could drink a bottle of blood, a fey didn’t have to disguise the color of their skin, or the new school nurse could use her potions to heal the students. It just worked better and it was hard to find humans who already knew of our world. Babysitting newly initiated humans into our world was not something I had the time to do.

Scott chuckled. “I don’t know why he bothered to come all way over. Did he think this was going to go any differently than last time we had a meeting?”

“It did.” We looked up at Ricky who smiled. “Alpha fucked up his other wrist last time.”

I chortled and Scott snorted.

“He’s lucky he didn’t run into Victor. There would be more than a wrist broken. Victor has no sense of control after being alive for so many years.”

“Is Victor in town?” Scott leaned against the bookshelf as Ricky started to head out of the room with the pile of paperwork that was finished.

I nodded. “Yeah, for the party. If anything, I was saving James the trouble.”

“Well, here is my birthday present to you. No more paperwork for the rest of the weekend.” Ricky lifted up his arms. “Fly free, Alpha. This is the only time I’m ever going to give you a couple days off.”

“I’m glad I have authorization from my Gamma that I get to take some time off.” I glared at him as he flashed me a smile before leaving.

Scott waited for Ricky to leave before standing up and coming over to me. “May is going to stop by tomorrow before the party. She’s going to submit the documentation to leave.”

I shook my head. “I should deny it, both for Ricky and for the fact that she’s trying to do it on my birthday.”

“Well, that’s up to you. I just wanted to tell you. I figured you would be pissed if I told you they were here before the party.”

“I’m pissed now.”

Scott shrugged and headed out of the office. He looked back. “Try not to kill them. We would end up with the paperwork on the weekend when Ricky finally gave us a few days off.”

I chuckled. “No promises.”