Page 53 of Escalating Alpha

“This is the reason you might lose your Alpha, not Sera,” Reagan said firmly, focused on the people there. He gestured among the gathered group, mostly between the man who spoke and Virgil’s mom. “Who are you to—”

“I’m Alpha here, Reagan,” Virgil cut in.

“Dotheyknow that?” Reagan pushed back, sighing when Virgil got pissed. “No, enough with this shit, Virg. You’re a good guy, and it’s time to show them that they are the problem.”

I cleared my throat when Virgil went to open his mouth, giving a half shrug when he glanced at me. “Your mom gets to shit on me, but the man I’ve sirened and permanently bonded with can’t call them on their bullshit? Yeah, that sounds like something I’d allow. Especially when I agree with him and they don’t deserve you. They are the problem.”

“I get you’re new to being a wolf, but this is—” that man started to say.

Reagan was across the room and his hand wrapped around the man’s neck in a flash. “She is Alpha ofmultiplepacks. She’s been a wolf for years now. She’s learned etiquette and more from the Dorcuses.Youare the one who is living in their fucked-up corner of Memphis and disrespecting Alpha land.”

“Hear, hear,” Freddie and Ashley both said.

Gods, they were so related. I loved it.

Reagan tossed the guy to the floor. “Every time any of you behave this way you embarrass Virgil. You undermine him.No onein our pack pulls this when we have guests. You’re asking for help—you’re not even a Beta. Who the fuck are you to speak for your pack—speak over your Alpha and take control of the conversation?”

“None of you show Virgil any respect, and it’s annoyed a lot of us who deal with your pack,” Freddie added. “I’ve heard several refer to you as ‘the kid.’ Yeah, I get it, you knew him in diapers. So? So fucking what?”

“It’s a hard gear to change out of,” someone defended lamely.

“And yet, a chunk of the pack knew Hagan and Reagan when they were in diapers and I’ve neveronceheard or seen them be treated the way you disrespect Virgil,” I said firmly, noddingwhen Virgil glanced at me. “Never. No one’s ever interjected or talked over them because they knew them as kids. And they weren’t the Alpha’sson.”

“They left for a while and came back,” Virgil said quietly.

“You’re enabling them, Virg,” I replied gently. “Because you love them. You’re in an abusive relationship with this pack and it breaks our hearts. It really does.”

He sighed and looked so defeated. “I know. It’s part of why I can’t stand the idea of being Alpha any longer.”

The shock from his wolves was so thick I could almost reach out and touch it… And yet Virgil looked lighter.

“You were the one who kept pushing me to get things off my chest even if it would be hard for others to hear. It was time for me to return that favor,” I told him gently, rubbing his shoulder. I waited until he nodded. “Why am I here?”

“I made it clear that I will step down as Alpha in the next year no matter what, so it was time for this pack to start seriously considering options. And I was pretty sure this option would go away if I wasn’t Alpha anymore, so the elders were willing to openly discuss it,” he answered. “I want to do the deal and name one of my Betas as Alpha.” He frowned when I winced.

“You don’t get to name the Alpha, Virg. I do. It’s my ass and name on the line. I pick.” I nodded when he swallowed. “I don’t know your Betas but…” I looked to Reagan for help.

“We’d have to test all of them to see if they’re up for it and I don’t think they would be,” he said with a sigh.

“We didn’t call you here to judge our pack or—” someone snarled.

“But you did,” I chuckled darkly, staring down the man and letting out my power. They all bared their necks to me and I gave them just the basic, not even cranking it up or anything. “This isn’t just some open offer or a buy-in. I take over the pack. It’smy pack, and I basically instill my Alpha here to keep it running.

“Yes, for Des Moines that was the Alpha. But I know him. He has the right support. They’re on thesame pageas us. Fuck, you assholes would work to undermine it at every turn and be the problem.” I gave Virg a look I wasn’t kidding. “There wouldn’t be any of this forgiving them or standing in the way of your mom. I don’t allow this dissension in my packs. I don’t.”

He let out a slow breath and moved his hands to his hips. “I get that, and I knew how it really worked, but I thought we had enough trust that you would value my assessment and opinion.”

“Absolutely.” I turned him to look at me. “Absolutely I would. He would be my top choice, but he’s not you. I don’t know him. I can’t just—I worked closely with Linus for a while before making the call on him. This isn’t just buying in for your pack, Virg. Yeah, we put a lot in, but you will become a biggertargetas people will see this as a step to get to Chicago.”

“Des Moines has stepped up everything. Their Alpha and Betastrainnow,” Reagan took back over. “You’re already on the radar of problems and people who hate us—hate how you thrived after what happened here and churches went down. So yeah, you get Sera’s protection and a lot of good comes from that, but you have to work for it.”

“What did you think we got out of the deal for this ‘buy-in’ bullshit?” Freddie asked that first guy. “You thought she gave you a bunch of money to say you were under her umbrella like that’s… Fun for her? She gives you everything and getswhatin return?”

“Virgil,” someone muttered.

I think a piece of Virgil’s soul died at that moment. He went for the back door, stepping around any of us who tried to reach for him. I glanced at Freddie when he was gone. “What is this new bullshit that I’m buying men for my bed or whatever? Is this really because of St. Louis running his mouth? I mean—no one thinks Des Moines and I hooked up, right?”

“Sera, you’re looking for logic from stupid,” he sighed. “Two of your Alphas are women—one, your sister. You’ve never touched Linus even if he threw himself at you originally.” He gestured to the group. “This is a level of stupid you cannot try to explain with any intelligence.”

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