Page 55 of Escalating Alpha

“We don’t want the deal anymore,” someone had the balls sneer. “We don’t want you as our Alpha or—”

My mouth dropped open when Ashley threw a side punch and knocked the guy on his ass. She looked down at him with disgust. “No one fucking asked you, tiny dick. You don’t have a choice. That’s how packs work. They’re the boss.”

“How dare you speak to an elder like this, child? Were you raised by actual animals or—” he snapped as he went to stand.

Ashley kicked him under his chin and he went right back down. “You’re old? That’s your whole excuse of why I have to treat you with respect? Bitch, please. What do you do for the pack? Why do you deserve that respect? My whole education is being adapted so I’ll be able to help my pack andfamilythe most.

“I train diligently so I’m strong and an asset to Chicago. I’ve helped take down wolves older and bigger than me when they stupidly tried to invade us. And you do… What? Undermine your Alpha and cause trouble? Clearly, you’re lazy as fuck because we both know you can’t take me. So you’re not even able to protect your pack. You arenothingand don’t fucking count.”

“Jessica is so going to blame you for this,” Freddie said under his breath, several from our party trying not to laugh.

Ashley went on, pointing to a few of the ancients saying they were old and the wolf was just an inflated ego of stupid. It was honestly great and snapped Virgil out of some of his upset.

She dipped her head to me. “Sorry, Alpha. I will accept whatever punishment you think fitting for speaking out of turn and embarrassing you. I just hit my limit for…” She growled and scrubbed her hands over her head. “Bullshit. My limit for bullshit.”

“I hit it all the fucking time, kid,” I chuckled darkly. “I’m proud of you, and the fact you pulled back on that punch at the last second when you were so upset—well done.”

“I saw that too,” Freddie agreed, looking like a proud dad.

While all the Memphis wolves seemed shocked or didn’t believe us.

I shrugged. “Show them.”

Ashley walked right up to that other elder I’d bit and threw a quick punch… Knocking his ass out.

Easily.

“Yes, we train in Chicago because we’re not lazy and we know it takes work to keep what we have as wolves and we have to fight for it,” I told everyone there. “You make one more crack or comment and I will lose my temper. So fucking behave for once.” I held out my hand to Virgil. “Say yes. Don’t let them do this to you anymore. Let me help you, Virg.”

He swallowed loudly and stared up at me, still on the ground sitting on his feet. “It was better when Ross was here. He would tell them to knock it off and I wasn’t a fucking kid anymore. He would push back, but since he’s been gone… They just—I’m so tired, Sera. All they do is chip away at me.”

“I know,” I rasped. “So let me help. Let me fix this because I can.”

“Don’t do it, Alpha,” someone yelled, others jumping in.

“Now you call him Alpha and try to act like you respect him while still challenging him?” Reagan snapped. “This pissed me off before, but it’s… Elder my asshole. You’re not on the fuckingcouncil. Elder of what? A hundred and fifty wolves atmost?Oh yeah, big talk.”

“Do it, Virg,” someone said firmly and stepped out from the group. “It’s been enough and we support you. We can’t get this pack back on track and you deserve better.”

A different man stepped forward, one I recognized as a Beta. “Sorry we failed you, Alpha. I thought we were doing better, but—I get swallowed by my grief some days. I didn’t see how bad it was until tonight. Let them help you so you can take the role you really want to help wolves, not these selfish assholes.”

A few more men echoed the same, stunning Virgil’s mom and the others there. They were clearly all his Betas and friends.

I glanced over at them. “Be honest—do any of you want to be Alpha? It might change who I bring in.” Most immediately said no, but one said he would like a day to think about it.

Fair enough. It wasn’t something to decide lightly or quickly.

Virgil took my offered hand. “Yes. Please take over the pack and—please.”

I pulled him up to stand and hugged him. “I got you. I won’t let you fall into the darkness, just like you saved us.”

14

There wasn’t much we could do right away since everyone was asleep in Greece. I did let Eva know and she said it was the right move after all the help Virgil had given us. That she would visit there and handle whichever cousin took over temporarily while we figured out a permanent solution. She accepted my assessment that it had to happen now before Virgil broke.

Or we beat up their whole pack.

Reagan almost snapped someone’s neck after Virgil agreed and the other guy had the audacity to demand to know how much money I would be putting into the pack now. Seriously, these greedy fuckers were too much and needed their heads pulled out of their asses.

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