Ronin

The alarm clock's blare jolted me awake, and I hastily turned it off. As my eyes fluttered open, I noticed a presence in my bed. Casting the covers aside, I recognized the person from last night. Once I was ready for the day, a meeting with my father, his beta, my beta, and the pack elders awaited to address the recent rogue attacks. Returning from the bathroom to dress, I found the girl still there. I informed her that while last night was enjoyable, it had to end there. She left in a huff, hurling a few choice words behind. Preparing myself, I couldn't help but feel a twinge of nostalgia for the night before.

I traversed the lengthy corridor and descended four flights of stairs to the kitchen. Clara was bustling about the stove, preparing eggs, bacon, pancakes, sausage, and homemade grits. She had been my caretaker since infancy. I cherished her as though she were my own mother.

"Good morning, young alpha. How are you today?" she greeted.

I responded with a broad smile and a peck on her cheek.

"I'm doing quite well, and you?"

I sneakily snatched a sausage link and savored it.

"I'm fine. Your father and beta went to the office. Eat some breakfast before you join them; it seems today will be eventful." She passed me a heaping plate. Gratefully, I sat down at the counter and began to eat.

I finished eating and left the kitchen, heading for my father's office and the impending meeting.

"You should've waited for your mate, dude," Jax shouted after me, but I kept walking, ignoring him as I headed to the office.

I saw my dad sitting at his desk with his Beta across from him.

"Son," he greeted me, and I nodded.

It was just after 3 p.m. when we started wrapping things up. We spent five hours reviewing new patrol routes due to increased rogue activity. We also have new plans to strengthen the alarm systems and training. Jax will oversee building a new training schedule that will be stronger, longer, and more intense.

I will be doing more patrols with the warriors and the Beta and Alpha. I will be taking over Alpha of the pack soon, so I must be involved in every detail of the pack. Unfortunately, I still have much to learn, but I have a good handle on things.

I left the office with Jax and headed to the kitchen to get something to drink. As I opened the fridge to grab a bottle of water, soft hands wrapped around my waist.

"Hey Ronin,” I smiled at the sultry voice and slowly spun to find Missy, a small blond-headed wolf I occasionally spend time with. She’s one of my favorites, but that's my secret.

"Hey, Missy,” I wrap my arms around her waist and lean down to kiss her when Gina enters the room.

"You are such a fucking pig!" I rolled my eyes, released my arms from around Missy, and pushed her behind me.

"What do you want, Gina?" I squared off and stared at her.

"I can't believe I trusted you, believed you. You're such a f**king man whore!" She screamed and turned to leave.

I wasted no time in grabbing her arm with anger and authority.

"You wanna try that again? You have no right to speak to me that way!" I gruffly said as she whipped her head around and stared at me.

"Let me slow it down for you… Alpha," She spat out the last word. "You. Are. A. Man. Whore! You disgust me!" She yanked her arm free and spat at my feet. My eyes widened in surprise that she dared to speak to me like that. My wolf was on edge at her disrespect, pushing to come through. My eyes went black with my wolf and my anger.

"You know that is no way to speak to your Alpha!" I yelled in my Alpha tone, but she stood still, seething in anger. This confused me, but I hid my expression.

"You are not my Alpha!" She annunciated each word through gritted teeth. Her face flushed red with anger and humiliation. "You used me and threw me away like trash. Then I find you here with another woman." She turned to Missy, who now had stepped to the side to watch the exchange. "Do you know he spent last night with me? In his bed?" Missy covered her expression of shock and anger but kept quiet.

"What's going on here?" Alpha Damon demanded as he appeared in the doorway.

Missy bowed and kept her eyes down as I stared at my father while Gina glared.

"Just a misunderstanding, Alpha," I explained as I stared at Gina, giving her a silent order to keep quiet. She glared at me and then turned away.

"I was just leaving,” Gina answered and left the kitchen. My dad looked at Missy, me, and the doorway where Gina had just left.

"Ronin,” I shifted my eyes to him and waited for the lecture to begin. "My office now,” I angrily sighed and ran my hand through my hair. Jax snuck out the back of the kitchen and was gone. Missy gave me a pathetic smile and bowed before leaving.

I followed my dad up the stairs to his office and sat back in the seat I had just sat in for five hours.

"Dad..." I started, but he cut me off.

"Right now, it's Alpha to you". Wow, he was pissed. He never gets like this unless I majorly screw up or piss him off. I shut my eyes to try and calm myself and my wolf down before saying something I regret.

"Alpha, it was all a misunderstanding. Gina was under the impression that we were...."

"I understand the confusion you seem to have with the female members of our pack. Such behavior is not fitting for a future Alpha. What will you do when you meet your mate? What will you tell her? How will you justify your actions when every female in the pack is familiar with you?" His anger was palpable; he had to pace the room to dissipate some of his rage. I had never seen him this furious with me. He wouldn't even make eye contact.

"Dad, it's not a big deal..." At my words, he halted and turned to glare at me.

"Silence, pup!" he snarled. "You disappoint me greatly. An Alpha should not behave this way. Your mother and I raised you better than this. When you meet your mate..." He shot a fierce look at me for interrupting.

"I'm not ready to find my mate," I countered but instantly regretted it. In an instant, he was upon me, his hand clenching my throat.

"Your mate, pack, and offspring are your life's greatest priorities. You must not neglect them!" He released his grip and shoved me back. Years ago, during a rogue attack, my mother was gravely injured while carrying me. The incident left a lasting impact on my father, and after learning they could have no more children, his protectiveness intensified. He has been preparing me to be a good Alpha throughout my life. But somewhere along the line, I became more enamored with the power and prestige of the title, particularly the attention from the pack's females.

My father exhaled a deep sigh and closed his eyes. I reclined in my chair, reflecting on his words.

Long ago, when my mother was pregnant with me, there was a rogue attack where she was injured so severely that she almost lost her life and mine. My dad never fully recovered from that, and after finding out that they could not have any more pups, he became even more protective over us. My entire life, he has been guiding me and teaching me how to be a good Alpha.

Somewhere along the way, I lost interest in the good part of it and only saw the power and title that came with it—especially all the attention I received from the she-wolves of the pack.

My father closed his eyes and sighed heavily. I leaned back in my chair and stared at him, hoping this lecture was over.

"Son, I will be handing over the Alpha title to you as soon as you come of age... But..." he said the last bit with a bit of anger. "Only if you find your mate."

My eyes went wide, and I shot out of my chair. "What!?" I shouted. "You can't do that!"

"I am the Alpha! I can do whatever I deem necessary and appropriate for MY pack! If you are not ready to step up, I will not be handing it over!" My father walked over to the large floor-to-ceiling windows that lined the office wall. Staring out at the training grounds, he sighed heavily.

"Son, I will be handing over the Alpha title to you as soon as you come of age... But..." he said the last bit with a bit of anger." Only if you find your mate." My eyes went wide, and I shot out of my chair.

"What!?" I shouted. "You can't do that!"

"I am the Alpha! I can do whatever I consider necessary and appropriate for MY pack! I won't hand it over if you're not ready to step up!" My father walked to the large floor-to-ceiling windows lining the office wall. Gazing out at the training grounds, he sighed deeply.

"One day, you will be Alpha, and I need to know the pack is in capable hands. I need to know you'll sacrifice everything to keep them safe. You'll have your destined Luna to help lead the pack. I won't compromise on this, Ronin. Your mother and I have dedicated everything to this pack. It's our blood, sweat, and tears. We forwent having more children to ensure their safety and freedom," he concluded, his voice breaking slightly.

Damn it! I despise it when he plays the 'sacrificed future children' card. It's one of the few things that genuinely affects me. I feel an immense guilt for being their sole child and heir, even though it was beyond my control. They wanted a large family, but I'm an only child because of their sacrifice, and the pack became paramount in their lives. They may not be blood, but they are all family.

I lowered my head and sighed, "Yes, Alpha. I understand." He turned, his expression softening, eyes brimming with sadness.

"Dad," he said softly after a pause, struggling with his emotions. Meeting his gaze, I saw the anguish and hardship he and Mom endured to achieve our current state—a complete, robust, flourishing pack, one of the largest in the southern US. I smiled and nodded in acknowledgment.

"Dad... I'm..." Before I could finish, the piercing sound of the air horn echoed across the pack lands. We exchanged a brief look, then turned and dashed out of the office. Descending the stairs hurriedly, we burst through the front door to see pack members scattering chaotically through the streets.

"What is going on?" I yelled to a passing warrior.

"Alpha. There is a fire in the rec center," he answered quickly, bowing before running off.

I wheeled around to face the rec center, where plumes of dark gray smoke rose into the sky. In a panic, I scanned the area, trying to devise a plan. "Ronin! Alert the fire department; I'll evacuate the teens while there's still time!" My father's thoughts reached me through our mental link as I watched him dash away. "All firefighters, go to the rec center immediately! The number of people inside is unknown," I broadcasted through the pack's mental link and sprinted towards the center. Upon arrival, I was met with the sight of the building consumed by flames and several teens fleeing through the front door. "How many are still inside?" I shouted at them. They approached me, coughing and struggling for air. "Alpha, Jackie, and Tommy made it out, but we haven't seen Katy or Brent!" I acknowledged their report and directed them to the medical tent across the street. Then, I saw my father emerge, carrying a young woman to safety.

"Dad! There's still one missing inside! I'll go..." Before I could finish, he passed her to me and returned to the inferno.

"Get her to the medical tent. I'm going back for the boy!"

"No! Dad, don't! Wait for the firefighters!" But my plea went unheard as he vanished into the blaze. At that moment, a thunderous crack and a roar filled the air as the front door burst into flames, and I watched in horror as half the building collapsed into a fiery heap.

"Dad! Nooooo!" I dashed towards the building, but the heat's intensity repelled me.

Disbelief gripped me as I watched my father dash back into the blaze to rescue a young boy. Then, I understood the true meaning of being an Alpha and dove into the flames to help. Amidst the smoke and fire, I found my father trying to save the boy. Driven by the strength of my inner wolf, I hurried to the boy and grabbed him. "Get out, Dad! Now!" I tried to yell, but the smoke made me choke and cough. Silence enveloped us as we approached the window; not even a whisper could be heard. I couldn't tell if the smoke had overcome me; Brent lay motionless, likely unconscious. Suddenly, a loud snap and a blast of hot air knocked me down. My instinct was to protect the boy as the second floor gave way above us. Agonizing pain erupted on my left side, face, and neck. I screamed, desperately seeking a mental link for help, but my energy was gone. A bright white light burst before my eyes, then a wave of coolness and voices calling out to me and the Alpha. Hope sparked as I felt someone pulling us, but my vision and hearing faded. Thoughts of my father's safety lingered before darkness took me, and I became numb.