Chapter 220 - Getting Schooled (1/2)
Current day
Poseidon pushed up from the desk opposite his son and the shocked silent man-boy beside him. The last of Joslyn's trials had just played out before them all in full HD. ”It could have gone worse...” He shrugged. ”Could have gone better as well, but we'll take what we can. I'll do what I can for her when we review sentencing here in an hour or so. As for you,” He held Russ's dazed stare. ”Just be glad she didn't decide to press charges on your punk ass for all the hell you've put her through. I have half a mind to leave you the Pomeranian form for a few hundred years.” He shook his head in disappointment. ”You know, as a god, I went through my own phase of entitlement; but the best thing you'll ever learn as a ruler is this: The people around you don't owe you shit... It is you that owe them.” He pointed his finger at Russ causing the kid to swallow hard. ”You need to respect them to gain respect, you need to protect them to gain their protection, you need to support them if you want their support.” When Russ only nodded, his face still pale from the trials that had just ended, Poseidon clamped a hand over his shoulder. ”You have some growing to do, kid, but I believe in the end you'll be worth the investment.” He moved his gaze over to Ry. ”I'm off to the Embassy. See that he stays occupied and away from the office. If you head up to the fourth floor toward the back there is a sizeable selection on the history of Skinwalkers, lycanthropes, werewolves, and a few on the associated gods. As soon as everything is final, I'll find you and we'll head to the boy's island.” With that said, Poseidon disappeared in a snap.
Ry let out a groan as he looked away from the spot his father had been standing, to the monitor that showed the courtroom with people filing out now. ”The worst part's over, it's time to get to the shit we need to get done.” He stood and walked toward the door leading out of the office. Turning at the door, he arched a brow. ”You heard him, come on kid. You gotta get your ass out of this room before they return. Jos doesn't need your horse shit right now, get your ass moving.”
Russ met Ry's glare; a confused, shocked expression still spread across his face. He shook his head. ”I don't get it... so many years! Even after everything Shelly said... everything she went through? How could they not see it was all justified? Humans wouldn't have gotten such a long sentence for killing sc.u.m of the earth. Hell, most of the ones she killed were doing the world a favor! But no... they gave her nearly 400 years!!! That's nearly my entire lifespan!” His troubled eyes held Ry's begging for an explanation. ”Why?!”
Ry let out a long sigh. ”Follow me to the library. You don't want to make things harder for her, do you?”
Russ finally pushed up from the chair he was sitting in and ambled toward the door still shaking his head. ”I just don't understand...”
Ry frowned as he studied the boy's expression. ”Our world isn't fair. No matter how hard you fight against it that fact never changes. All you can do is choose a side and hope it's the right one. Dad will do all he can for Jos... just as he will for you if you cooperate.”
Russ frowned as he walked through the heavy wooden door. ”How am I supposed to cooperate if I don't even know what he wants yet? He hasn't said shit past 'You and your people will have my protection and finance as well your sister'. What does his protection and finance actually entail? What does he want out of me in return?” He followed Ry through the doors of the second-story level of the library. ”And why the hell does he want me to read books during a time like this? Shouldn't I be practicing my physical skills or something?”
Ry shook his head as he led Russ toward the stairs leading to the upper floors. ”What do you know of wolf hierarchy?”
Russ shrugged. ”I know I'm alpha so that automatically makes me the leader of my pack.”
Ry sent Russ a questioning look over his shoulder. ”And that's all you know?” He chuckled in disbelief as he rounded the final corner of the fourth floor. Stepping into an out cove he pointed around. ”The things you don't know could literally fill a small library. Have a seat we have a lot to cover before we leave here today.” He didn't wait for Russ as he began reading over the spines of the books lining the many shelves. Pulling several out and tossing them onto the table center the seating area, he began the lesson. ”It doesn't matter if we're talking about your ordinary run of the mill grey wolf or some version of lycanthrope the hierarchies are all the same. All large wolf packs consist of two alphas, a beta, senior warrior, warriors, guardians, signals, and Omega. All of these positions can be found... well as of fifty years ago could be found within your palace walls.”
Russ's brows furrowed in confusion. ”Wait, what do you mean TWO alphas?”
Finally finding the book he was looking for, he set in one of the chairs surrounding the table. Flipping through the book, he finally stopped on a page and pushed the book across the table to Russ. He tapped his finger against the page. ”Yes, two alphas... a male and a female. Typically chosen by an alpha that has already fully come into his power, the female alpha will have superior genetics which the alpha will be able to detect. In most cases, a.d.u.l.t alphas will choose these females from their own packs or from packs they are trying to work out alliances with and have that female betrothed to their own firstborn sons... or in your father and mother's case whichever son presents the alpha traits. In addition to superior traits, she alone carries the DNA to pass on male alpha genes. She can shift at will into the wolf form but cannot take on a mutant form like the males. If something happens to the male alpha and their son is not of age or they didn't have an alpha son, she can rule the pack as alpha.” He moved his attention from the book up to meet Russ's gaze. ”This is why the council will not accept a relationship between you and anyone who isn't capable of being an alpha female... and why your pack will not want to accept Shelly and her mixed child. As a potential alpha female, her genes have been tainted.”
Russ's brain raced to put all the information together. ”So... then Gigi is...”