Page 32 of Her Grumpy Alpha

Whoa, was that how everyone felt? That wolves should rule? I knew from stories that there were wars a long time ago that there were wars and that humans once hunted wolves–and maybe still did a little bit–but things were supposed to be good now. Everyone was supposed to be on equal footing. This was messed up. James didn’t ever seem to act that way, he didn’t seem to think that, but this still knocked me off kilter a bit.

But I didn’t have much time to worry about it. Because everything shifted all over again.

Seconds later, a deafening roar filled the room as James and his pack stormed into the scene. At last! My hero had come to save me. The atmosphere crackled with their power and unity, and their determination to rescue us all was palpable. Relief flooded me. I was so exhausted from trying to fight this alone, and now I didn’t have to.

The sudden entrance of James and his pack members shifted the balance of power in an instant. Brian’s influence over the room, the sinister ring’s dark magic, and the fear that had once held us all captive were shattered. It was as if a gust of fresh air had swept through the room, dispelling the malevolent forces that had threatened to consume us.

I tried to catch James’ eyes. But his attention was fixed solely on Brian, his gaze unwavering, and his teeth bared in a display of fierce determination. Not that I blamed him. This was his chance to hopefully put an end to this in the best possible way. With no one else hurt, especially not the pack members of Brian’s pack, who looked like they wanted to do the right thing in the end.

The sight of James and his pack storming into the daycare gave me a surge of hope. This was the moment we had all been waiting for, the moment when we would confront Brian and his malevolent influence. I knew that James was ready to put an end to this once and for all, to protect our clan, and to ensure the safety of our loved ones at last.

EIGHTEEN

JAMES

As I stormed into the room, my pack at my side, my heart pounded with a mixture of anger, relief, and determination. The scene before me was a whirlwind of chaos, with Brian’s hold over the pack members crumbling, Charlene unconscious but freed from the Ring of Rasputin’s dark influence by the look of it thanks to Helena, and the children safely escorted away. I wasn’t sure when they were sent off, but it was a relief to know that none of the young children were going to get caught up in this mess.

I got right up in Brian’s face as it was time to end this. My fury burned like a wildfire. “What the fuck are you playing at, Brian? Setting fire to the sawmill again. Trying to harm Sadie and the children, trying to undermine me? When will you see that it isn’t working?”

Brian, his face filled with a mix of anger and uncertainty, attempted to regain control of the situation. “James, you have no idea what’s really going on here. I was doing what was necessary for the pack’s survival and strength.”

“No. this is all for yourself. Everyone can see that.”

He turned around in a circle to see my pack and his own all standing against him. He was growing increasingly desperate, but the only issue with that was that no one could trust a desperate man with nothing to lose.

“You need to back down, James,” he snapped, shaking his head with an intense nervous energy. “You need to leave the clan to me. I keep telling you why you haven’t got shit under control. You’re a nepo baby without a mate…”

“So, what is Sadie to me then?” I snapped angrily. He had to stop saying this shit, it was stupid. “Why are you here at the daycare with her, trying to make her act like she wants you? It’s because you know she’s my mate. So, stop saying shit like that.”

Brian rolled his eyes. “You don’t get to call her your mate until there’s an offspring.”

Much as that wasn’t the truth, I knew I could one-up him here. So, I stepped right up in his face and growled, “Gregory is my child. So, there is a child in the mix.”

“But… but Gregory is five years old. Sadie hasn’t been here for that long…”

My lip curled up into a smirk. “I have known Sadie for a very long time. We actually met in Cancun a long time ago, so why don’t you shut your mouth about things you don’t understand? Why don’t you do your research about things before you talk.”

This was the first time I had admitted this publicly, but like I said to Sadie, I was going to stand up and be a father to our son, and this was the first step. I expected there to be hushed whispers around the room, but I wasn’t quite sure I was prepared for this much gossiping.

My voice was steely and unwavering as I finally shut Brian down once and for all. “What you’ve done is a betrayal of everything our clan stands for. You threatened one of our own, a child, for your own gain. You’ve violated the very essence of our clan’s laws and principles.”

Brian and I stood face to face, our gazes locked in a tense standoff. The room had grown quiet, the tension between us palpable, as the consequences of his dishonorable actions and betrayal weighed heavily on our surroundings.

I could see the realization dawning in Brian’s eyes that he was in serious trouble. The ring, which had once seemed like an unstoppable source of power, was now nothing more than a double-edged sword, a symbol of the dark path he had chosen. Plus, despite his best efforts to regain control of the situation, Brian soon recognized the harsh reality that none of his own pack members were backing him. The chaos that had erupted within the room had shattered their loyalty, and they now stood divided, their faith in their Alpha waning.

“It’s time to hand over the ring,” I demanded, my eyes locked onto him. “This needs to come to an end. You know that as well as I do. By attacking the daycare and my own mate and child, you have truly backed yourself into a corner. It’s time to end this before anyone else gets hurt. You have caused more than enough damage, don’t you think?”

Brian, his head hanging low, seemed to acquiesce for a brief moment, creating a glimmer of hope. But I knew better than to trust his compliance. Brian was a master of manipulation, and he had more tricks up his sleeve.

As he slowly raised his head, a sly smile played on his lips, and his dark eyes gleamed with malevolence. The sinister aura that surrounded him was a stark reminder that this confrontation was far from over. Brian had no intention of giving up the Ring of Rasputin without a fight, and the final battle was about to begin.

With a swift and calculated motion, he used the ring’s power to force one of his pack members, Nadja, to attack the others. A look of determination and fear crossed her face as she obeyed the sinister command, and chaos once again erupted in the room.

The distraction caused by Nadja’s sudden assault allowed Brian to make a hasty escape, slipping through a side door. The room was thrown into disarray as the pack members tried to defend themselves against the unexpected aggression, and I quickly realized that Brian had managed to slip away under the cover of the ensuing chaos.

I raced to the door, but my heart sank as I watched him disappear from view. He was now on the run, wielding the dark power of the ring, and we needed to act swiftly to stop him before he could cause more harm.

“He’s gone!” I cried out, but I wasn’t sure if anyone else was listening to me. “Come on, we need to get him. Now.”

---