06. Confused & Depressed

Ethan P.O.V

I was swinging the chair back and forth, playing my hand. My thoughts were a bit hazy; so much was going on that it felt overwhelming, like I couldn't catch my breath.

"Alpha, how much longer are we going to hang out here? We wrapped up our deal last night, and Alonso in Rome is already on the move. They've got hundreds of millions ready for a contract with Sir Chen Lien."

"Come on, Danny, give it a rest! Can't you see I'm deep in thought?" I replied without looking at him, but I caught him shaking his head out of the corner of my eye.

Danny shook his head. "Nah, all I notice is you fiddling with your chair."

I shot him a glare, stood up, and faced him. "I was reflecting on that woman we spotted last night at the deal. Can't you get that this goes beyond just cash?"

"What are you saying, Alpha? She's not your Mate, so why are you even thinking about her over money?"

"Yes, she is."

"W—what?"

"I didn't invite you over just to make fun of me messing around with my chair. But hey, I guess I need you to confirm that I've totally lost it."

"Yep, you have."

I narrowed my eyes, catching a glimpse of Danny out of the corner of my vision. Great. But honestly, I couldn't argue with him; deep down, I knew he was right. No matter how I saw myself, everyone else thought I was a bit off, especially with the job I had and the dark stuff I'd been dealing with for years.

"Thanks, I'll take that as a compliment," I replied to Danny.

Danny walked over, plopped down in one of the chairs across the table, grabbed my cigar, snipped the end off, and lit it up before finally handing it to me.

"Before I got here, I had a chat with Sir Chen Lien. He mentioned you might be interested in the cannabis farm in Cambodia and some other contracts that could bring in a ton of cash. But he wants to meet with you in the next couple of months."

"I'll snag all that without breaking a sweat," I shot back.

"Yeah, you might, but if you keep messing around like this, you're just wasting time."

"Danny, my dear Beta. Do you really think I'm some kid still in diapers?" I grinned at him. Instead of giving me a look of annoyance, he turned his head away. It was hilarious and made me want to chuckle.

"I totally get not wanting to waste time. It feels like I'm just throwing away a ton of money for no good reason. But honestly, Danny, I'm really frustrated with this meeting. It feels like I'm stuck having to make a decision."

"A decision?"

"Yes! A decision."

Danny kept staring at me, not saying a word. He's my reliable Beta, a solid seven years older than me, but sometimes he acts way more immature than I do. Still, he's the one I can always rely on for anything. He's also great at managing Pack issues when I'm not around. If I had to label him a guardian angel, that would be him.

"I'm sorry, I didn't quite catch that. But the Moon goddess is always right. Just remember who she is and what your goals are with her."

"Goals... do I really need to tell her what I want?"

"If it helps you, then sure, why not?"

I just looked at Danny, not saying anything back. Then, there was a knock on my door, and one of my guys walked in, holding a folder. Danny snatched the folder without missing a beat, skimmed through it briefly, and nodded like he was already familiar with what it contained.

"Sir Callgaus' ship is set to arrive tonight, and they're planning to host an auction on board. One of the main attractions is a statue from before Christ, valued at a whopping fifteen billion dollars. Plus, they've also brought a massive stash of marijuana and some diamonds that—"

"Alright, that's enough. I get the picture. Tell Callgaus that if he hooks me up with one of his top women, I might just be interested in joining his auction," I said.

"What's so great about a woman?" Danny chimed in, clearly not on board.

I couldn't help but chuckle. "Come on, Danny! A woman is everything. All the sweet and toxic stuff in the world means nothing without a woman. Drugs and stimulants are pointless if they can't help you experience true pleasure."

Danny disagrees with what I just said. "They're just things you use when they're not useful, recycle them, and then sell them off for a pittance. You still think that way, Alpha."

"At least I see the upside in everything I think about."

Danny rolled his eyes. "Sure, keep dreaming, Sir Callgaus. Just think about how you could bring something way more valuable than the cash you find around here."

"Are you making fun of me?"

"Wouldn't all the drugs and stimulants be pointless without women? Why not think of her the same way as that parable you just mentioned?" Danny was messing with me. It bugged me a bit, but I couldn't come up with a comeback to what she said.

Danny disagrees with what I just said. "They're just things you use when they're not useful, recycle them, and then sell them off for a pittance. You still think that way, Alpha."

"At least I see the upside in everything I think about."

Danny rolled his eyes. "Sure, keep dreaming, Sir Callgaus. Just think about how you could bring something way more valuable than the cash you find around here."

"Are you making fun of me?"

"Wouldn't all the drugs and stimulants be pointless without women? Why not think of her the same way you just described?" Danny was messing with me. It bugged me a bit, but I couldn't come up with a comeback.

I wouldn't be able to think straight if I were in that room, to be honest. What would I even do in there at this time?