章 8: Chapter 8: A History Lesson
Blessed by the Moon Goddess, the Ganymede pack, led proudly by the Thomas family, was chosen to rule and protect all shifters.
The shifters were led under iron fists.
However, all things must come to an end.
The Alpha King succumbed to illness and his Beta rose up to rule.
The Richards family ruled under the guiding light of the Moon Goddess and brought prosperity to the shifters.
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I look up from my book to find Kline sipping tea with his pinky out. How pretentious. But then I wonder if I had been raised in luxury, would I be the same way? I can’t really blame Kline for the way he is. It’s obvious he’s just a product of his upbringing.
But, I don’t know, when I drink tea, my pinky stays with the rest of my fingers. And to prove my point, I take a sip from my cup that Kline offered me before we started. Yep, all my fingers stick together.
“Have you finished the passage?” he asks without looking my way.
I look back down at the book. Everyone knows this history. Kline’s family was the original monarch of shifters, but Maverick’s family just did a better job of it. At some point, there was a majority vote to keep them in power after the first Alpha passed away from sickness.
Maverick’s right to the throne is as legitimate as they come. That’s evident by the Mark of the King, something only the chosen king can give.
It was hard to see the point that Kline was trying to make with this history lesson.
“Yeah.”
“It’s important to know the history of the Beta position. Only from knowing where you came from, can you know where you’re going.”
I’m not sure what I’m supposed to say to that, so I say nothing at all. It makes sense, sure. I suppose there is a point here about being humble. With all the opulence and flourish that comes with the job, clear just by being put up in Maverick’s guestroom, it’s probably easy for all that to get in someone’s head.
“I suppose,” I say, “but what does that have to do with me?”
Kline places his teacup on his saucer with a clatter and his eyes are fierce, “it has everything to do with you. You are part of the elite now, a level above the rest. You are who all packs will look toward. You are their leader.”
“No, that’s Maverick.”
Kline scoffs, “Maverick is untouchable. He is king. You are his connection to the people. You will rule them with his word, but they are ants. They are nothing without someone in control.”
“No.”
“No?”
“I’m Beta of this pack. I don’t need to control them. Everything I do is for them.”
“You don’t get it,” he says, turning away from me.
Except, I’m not sure that he is the one who gets it.
There is a clamorous ringing that comes from Kline. He reaches into his blazer and pulls out his phone.
“Our time here is done. I have another appointment.”
He leaves me in the library and I’m left trying to decipher what the hell just happened. Kline’s idea of what a Beta should be doesn’t seem right. I’m not better than my pack mates, I’m their equal—someone they can trust. Not someone looking to control their lives.
Maverick chose me for a reason. Maybe it’s this?
“What are you still doing sitting there?” I turn and find Angela in the doorway, “let’s go.”
“Yeah…yeah.”
She turns to leave and I can’t help but look down at the history book one more time. By knowing where I came from, I can know where I’m going, Kline had said.
But where lies the path before me?
I hear footsteps outside the door and rush out with a feeling that if I drag my feet any longer, Angela will lose it. I nearly run into Kline with his hands all over a guy I’ve seen around. He stops to look at me with a smirk. “Take a picture,” he says.
The guy chuckles as he’s pulled away and I’ve decided that I need to learn time management. I did NOT need to see Kline and his booty call pre-call.
Outside seems a good place to shake off the heebie-jeebies but I only find Angela leaning against a sleek black car, fingers flying over her tablet.
“What’s this?”
Without looking up, she opens the door for me, “Alpha Horace has requested a meeting with you at your earliest convenience.”
“I thought there were other meetings I had to attend today?”
“Beta Cayden, if I may…when the previous Alpha King asks you to jump, you don’t ask how high. You should already be in the air before he speaks. It doesn’t matter if Alpha Horace wants you to pick up his dry-cleaning, you drop everything.”
“Right.”
I climb into the back of the car, but it feels a little bit like I’m heading for a storm. I wonder what he could possibly want with me that his son can’t handle. But I guess if Maverick is busy, then I’m the go-to person. Or maybe Maverick is too high profile to pick up his suits. Either way, there is a sinking feeling in my gut and I decline the bottle of water Angela silently offers me.
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