Total pages in book: 134
Estimated words: 126030 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 630(@200wpm)___ 504(@250wpm)___ 420(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 126030 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 630(@200wpm)___ 504(@250wpm)___ 420(@300wpm)
“And that person types out a report?” I asked in confusion.
Austin hesitated. “Not a report, as such, but…”
“Gossip,” Niamh said. “They go and have a gawk, and then they tell everyone.”
“Allowing people in to see the territory is also a way to show off,” Kingsley said. “With established packs, like mine, we would invite other prominent alphas to visit. When they did, we’d pull out all the stops, taking them to our best establishments and showing off our worth in various ways to prove we have a thriving pack.”
“It’s to measure their willies,” Niamh drawled.
“Yes, fantastic. Crass language in the morning.” Mr. Tom sniffed. “Maybe we should go find a dive bar for you to reside in, some place you’d fit in a little better.”
“I already found one,” Niamh replied. “Doesn’t open for another hour.”
Austin ignored them. “It is also to ensure the alpha is providing a safe space for the people. Remember the alpha we had to tear down?”
He was referring to a month or so ago when we’d tried to get Kingsley’s friends on board with the convocation, and they’d had us take out a sad excuse of a man who’d been terrorizing a town. We’d dealt with him and his cohorts in short order, freeing the town of their influence.
Austin nodded, seeing my acknowledgement. “An original alpha who wants to rise in the ranks allows people, or invites people, into his or her territory to prove all of that. Prove he has the safe space, prove his territory is growing, show it thriving, things like that.”
“And this alpha did that,” I surmised.
“Yes,” Austin said. “In the beginning of his pack, he invited people in twice a year, allowing that person or persons free rein to walk around and talk to the residents. For the last few years, it’s been once a year, but his territory is said to be growing. His people are happy. He is a madman.”
I shook my head, thought about leaning back, and caught Mr. Tom’s glare. Best not.
“If he was a madman, his people wouldn’t be happy,” I said. “Obviously he’s just posturing and putting on a show. People thought you were unhinged, Austin, and that’s only because they didn’t know you.”
Kingsley snorted.
“Do ye hear her, like?” Niamh asked no one in particular. “He’s still unhinged, girl. You just don’t care because he’s a big oul teddy bear with you.” She paused for a moment. “But listen, she’s right. He brought people in twice as often in the beginning for checks and balances. He was making sure he was doing things the right way. Not because of alpha ballyhoo, but because he wanted to do right by his people. We can all agree there.”
“Can we?” Tristan asked. “That seems like a leap—”
“And now that he is somewhat established, he doesn’t need as much governing. He’s confident. He’s secure. But he is still opening up his territory for inspection. That seems like a level-headed sort of bloke who’s interested in the wellbeing of his people, that does. Now…” Niamh sucked her teeth for a moment. “Not relaxing the way he is perceived…that’s another thing. Not caring about fitting in…”
Her voice drifted off. She was thinking. Working things out. She did that a lot now.
“There is a reason he has only invited in lesser powered shifters,” Kingsley said. “That speaks of insecurity.”
“I beg to differ, alpha,” Broken Sue said respectfully, turning from the window. “This is possibly the difference in being a successful generational alpha and being an original. I was technically an original alpha. I challenged into my old pack, and I had zero standing or experience. Zero training. The people of the pack welcomed me—wanted me there—and I had lineage connecting me. My biological father had been loved. Even still, I had a great many dick-swinging alphas come in and try to take over.”
“Oh, joy, everyone has descended into crass language,” Mr. Tom muttered. “Well…I guess it fits the establishment.”
“The challenges grew less,” Broken Sue went on, “but they did not stop. Not until we started having mage problems. That pack had a lot of experienced enforcers with a thorough knowledge of the territory. The enforcers were essentially generational pack members. They greatly helped me. If this alpha has started this pack, in a new setting, then he might be trying to cut down the amount of work for him and his enforcers, and the danger to his pack. There is always going to be someone bigger and stronger, someone that might tear the pack away from him and jeopardize the people in it. I’ve seen many examples of it.”
Niamh nodded, her eyes slightly narrowed in thought. “It’s nice to see ya using what’s between yer ears once in a while, boyo. Yes, that is the missing piece. The danger. Sure, Austin Steele, ye know yerself the sort of danger that waltzes into a new territory. Ye saw a lot of it in the early years in O’Briens, and that wasn’t even an established pack. Ye weren’t tryin’ to do feck-all with the place. It was just a bunch of derelict shifters mixed in with Dicks and Janes. Then, after ye made it into something, ye saw all sorts trying to cause a hassle. This alpha is tryin’ to protect his people. He can do that best with the rumors and the posturing and whatever else.” She nodded to herself. “He’s a good sort. We want him on our side.”