#5

Ryan’s POV:

I observed the rookies as they practiced. I had taken it upon myself to participate in the training of our future pack soldiers after several months of unprovoked attacks from other werewolves.

"Is that what you call running?" I bellowed. "I want you to sprint from one end of the gym to the other in under 5 seconds."

The rookies hastened their pace, but they still fell short. My mood was foul, and I found myself venting my frustration on them.

One of them stumbled and tumbled to the ground. I strode over to him, gripping the collar of his uniform, and forced him to face me.

"What's your name?" I growled.

"Cody, Alpha," he replied, his voice trembling.

"Can you explain to me why you keep tripping over your own feet, Cody?" I questioned, my tone deceptively calm but laced with an unmistakable threat.

"I'm sorry, sir," he stammered.

"I don't want your apology; I want an explanation," I snapped.

"I'll try harder..." he murmurs.

Without warning, I shoved him down and slammed his head onto the floor. Then, I yanked his hair, repeating my demand.

"I want an explanation. Why do you keep stumbling over your own feet?"

"I didn't mean to," he cried.

I delivered another blow, this one even harder.

"I'll rephrase it since you seem to have trouble understanding me. What's causing you to fail to reach your maximum speed and maintain your balance?"

This time, my question was met with silence. It used to infuriate me when they stopped trying to respond.

I smashed his head into the unforgiving floor a few more times until blood streamed from his nose.

"I pushed my body too far ahead..." the boy gasped.

A smile crept across my face as I rose from him and released my grip.

"And where does that lead?"

"Loss of balance. I couldn't control my body; I hadn't tightened all my limbs, and I lost my balance."

At last some progress.

"Return to the others and restart your training from the beginning," I ordered curtly.

Cody dashed back to the ranks without looking at me, immediately getting back to work.

"You know, no matter how harsh your methods may seem, they yield results," I heard my Beta say beside me.

I turned to him and noticed how Cody, his face still streaked with blood, was overtaking the other werewolves. He still hadn't quite reached the sub-5-second mark, but he was moving more deftly than the others.

"What brings you here?" I turned to James.

"Ryan, we need to address Old Gamma's request about Cari becoming the new Luna. He insists on meeting," James ventured, trying to remain composed.

"Damn it, James!" I hissed through gritted teeth, my fists clenched at my sides. "I've told Old Gamma a hundred times. Cari will never be the Luna. Never!"

James, startled by the intensity of my anger, tried to calm me. "I know, Ryan, I know. But he's relentless. He thinks it's the right move for the pack's future."

I slammed my fist against a nearby wall. "The pack's future? What does he know about pack management? "

James wisely took a step back, giving me space to vent my frustration. The thought of Old Gamma's interference infuriated me beyond measure, and I couldn't help but let it show.

"Tell Old Gamma we won't entertain a meeting about this. I've given Cari enough compensation, and she's well taken care of. But she won't be our Luna, and I won't let her manage our business either."

James nodded in understanding. "I'll relay the message. But you know this won't be the end of it, right? Old Gamma can be quite persistent."

A sense of determination washed over me. "I'll handle Old Gamma. He might be the former Gamma, but this is my pack, and I'll make the decisions that are best for us."

"Alright, I'll tell him what you said." James added.''And as you mentioned business. Ryan, you haven't been in town in two years. We can't afford to neglect the city business for much longer. It's not just about profits; it's about maintaining our influence and presence there," James argued.

I stopped abruptly and turned to face him. "I said I'll handle it, James, but in my own time."

He raised an eyebrow, unflinching in his determination. "Is this about Eve, Alpha?"

My eyes flashed with anger. "I told you not to mention her name."

James held his ground. "I understand your pain, Alpha, but you can't let it control your life. The city business needs your attention, whether you like it or not."

While we were talking, Cari came over. Her red eyes from crying took me by surprise, but instead of showing concern, I couldn't help but feel a twinge of annoyance. She was always coming to me with problems, and I was growing tired of it.

"What's wrong now, Cari?" I asked, my tone laced with indifference.

She hesitated for a moment, seemingly struggling to find the right words. "Alpha, there's a problem with the Pack's business."

I sighed audibly, irritated that she was once again bringing me bad news. "Spit it out, Cari. I don't have all day."

Tears welled up in her eyes as she continued, "Someone is building a new mall right next to ours, Alpha. It's a direct competition, and it's from the Grim Claw Pack."

My patience was wearing thin, and I couldn't hide my frustration. "And why am I hearing about this now, Cari? You should have reported it immediately."

She lowered her head, unable to meet my gaze. "I... I didn't know how to bring it up, Alpha. I thought I could handle it on my own."

I had hired Cari as my secretary to apologize to her father for the incident two years ago, but she was doing terribly. She was always crying next to me, flirting, and acting anything but professional.

"Handle it on your own? This is not something you handle on your own, Cari! The Grim Claw Pack is our sworn enemy, and you should have known better."

Cari flinched at my outburst, but I didn't care. She needed to understand the gravity of the situation.

"You've been nothing but a disappointment lately, Cari. Now, tell me everything you know about this new mall."

James interjected. "Alpha, Grim Claw Pack has been harassing us for years, and now they're moving into the city to grab a share of our business. We should take this very seriously."

My face darkened as I considered the implications. Grim Claw Pack had always been a persistent adversary, and their sudden expansion was deeply concerning.

"Who's managing their business in the city?" I asked, my voice hard.

Cari replied tentatively, "I'm not entirely sure, Alpha, but there have been rumors that it's the Alpha's youngest son."

My jaw clenched at the revelation. If the rumors were accurate, this situation had become significantly more complex. Grim Claw Pack's Alpha was a cunning opponent, and his son was no exception.

Walking towards the door, I made a swift decision. "I'm going into the city, Cari. I need to personally assess the situation and find out who's leading their business efforts. Beta, prepare everything for my departure."

Beta nodded, his expression grave. "Of course, Alpha. I'll make the necessary arrangements."