His first year as alpha had been pretty smooth. The hardest thing to deal with were the nonstop meetings that the elders insisted upon. It was hard to be cooped up for hours with a bunch of old men who insisted that they do things exactly the same way that they had been done for centuries. For the most part, Zac didn’t mind that mindset. After all, if it wasn’t broken, then there was no need to fix it. However, he was going to insist on updating everything to the latest technology. That would likely upset the whole group, most of whom still thought that manual typewriters were good enough.
“I think that I’m going to make a rule that there can only be two meetings a week. Everything else is going to be handled through email.”
“Do you think that is going to work?” Ian laughed.
“Well, it had better, because I’m not going to show up to more than two,” Zac said. “What are they going to do, kidnap me?”
Ian laughed. “If anyone can change things, it’s you.”
As expected, the elders wanted to argue with him about bringing in technology for the wolf pack.
He let everyone have their say, and then said, “I have listened to you, and we are going to upgrade. We are going to bring in computers to make sure that the young people are trained on the up-to-date programs and other technology. We are going to get at least one 3D printer so that the parents who home school can do STEM projects.”
Zac listed several other technological changes that were going to be implemented, and then he held up his hand and said, “I have made my decision as alpha. This is how it will be.”
He almost laughed as everyone’s mouth snapped shut, almost in unison. Zac didn’t often pull the alpha card and let the elders have their say most of the time, but this was too important of an issue.
“How did it go?” Ian said.
“I told them what was going to happen and that I basically didn’t want to hear any arguments.”
“Way to go. Did you tell them about the new meeting policy you’re planning on implementing?”
Zac grinned widely and said, “No. I didn’t want to give them heart attacks. One radical change at a time.”
A few minutes after Zac settled in at his desk, his father knocked on the door.
“Hello, Dad. How’s it going?”
“Going well,” his father, John, said. “Nice job today. You heard everyone’s position and then did what you planned to do all along.”
“Thanks. It had to be done.”
“I agree,” John said. “To be honest, updating technology had never crossed my mind until you brought it up, or I would have done the same thing.”
“Thanks,” Zac said, waiting for his father to get to the real reason he was in Zac’s office.
He knew that his father didn’t come in there just to praise his job as an alpha.
“Your year anniversary of being the alpha was today,” John said.
“I know. I was hoping that someone would bring cake,” Zac remarked with a smirk.
John laughed and said, “Your mother mentioned it. She knows how much you love your cake.”
“It’s a good thing I work out so much or I would be extremely fat,” Zac said. After a brief silence he said, “I know that you didn’t come in here to talk about anniversaries or cake.”
“You’re right, Son. You’ve been doing a great job. You seemed to have figured out your role and everything it entails. Now is the time for the next step. You need to take a mate. It is time that you find someone to add as a luna to the pack.”
The luna was the alpha’s mate.
“I will take a mate when I find the right woman,” Zac said. “I’m not going to spend the rest of my life tied to someone that I only like or tolerate.”
“It is your duty,” John argued.
“When I’m ready and when I find the right woman,” Zac replied firmly, staring into his father’s eyes.
His father stared back for a minute and then looked away. John knew that it was useless to argue with Zac. Besides, Zac was the alpha, and John had to honor and respect him, even if John was his father.