"Couldn't catch?" he said, looking straight into the eyes of his beta.
'Theo, come to my office, right now!' he called through his mind link, and then he relaxed on his chair and closed his eyes.
"Alpha, you asked for me?" Theo came and stood like a piece of wood unmoving, waiting for his orders.
Orson said, "Explain to me about the incident days ago."
"Alpha, one man trespassed our territory two nights ago, Kay and I followed him, but he ran away and couldn't seize him even at our speed," he responded. His hands were behind his back.
"The two of you couldn't catch one man?" Orson said, tapping his finger on the desk.
"We suspected he entered from the forbidden side of the forest because we found him on the outskirt near where the Luna lived. The intruder concealed his scent, and we couldn't identify if he was a shapeshifter or not."
"Excuses, huh?" he said. Running from his high-ranked patrolling guards meant the invader wasn't an easy opponent. However, he could conceal his scent and play his guards!
"Alpha—"
"You order all the warriors to gather in the packhouse's yard and wait there for my order," Orson said, seeing his subordinate paled, but he nodded and ran to do what he told him.
How could something like that happen? Maybe because he was too lenient in his training!
Who would be so daring to enter his territory? He was curious to know! If they found him around his cottage, then the intruder was looking for something or… someone.
He smiled coldly and went to the yard. Over five hundred warriors stood in several lines. All his warriors were here, from the recruits to the higher ranks.
'Theo, Kay, step over,' he mind-linked them. And they did as he ordered.
"Two nights ago, an intruder trespassed our pack and who knows if he stopped by a café shop and sipped his cappuccino leisurely. He made fun of my highly ranked guards and went out without a scratch," he said with his trebled voice to reach all the present, the coldness in the air with the coldness in his voice. He could sense they were holding their breath.
"What do you call that?" he asked them, but no one answered.
"What do you call it, answer!" Orson commanded under the heavy rain.
Theo said with rather a steady voice. "Sorry, we failed in our job."
"Sorry! If the intruder kills or kidnaps someone, what could you do right then? Say sorry! But for who? To yourself or for the victim's family? How could you make such a grave mistake and allow someone to enter the pack!" Orson strode between the lines. "How could you call yourself warriors if you failed in a risky mission?"
"Do you think it was an easy task to guard the borders after the peace union? Our pack members slept without worry every night because they felt safe because of you. Because of the faith they had in you to guard them and to protect them."
"If you failed to protect your parents, your mates and your pups, what's the meaning of having the title of warrior?" Orson said, making all of them look down.
"If you die doing your duties, then you will die with honour. Because of you, the rest of the pack is living without worry. Now if any of you saw himself or herself unfit for this job, step down. Because if you stay, you will experience a hellish training and no one will escape," Orson said, letting his pack members think thoroughly.
Seeing no one was retreating, he smiled. If someone withdrew, he would be unfit to live in his pack.
"Now, it's time for your punishment. Everyone will exercise ten times more than their previous training. I will supervise the result every two weeks," he said, looking at the dismay on his warrior's face. They didn't have a say on the matter, so he dismissed all of them and went to his office followed by his beta.
"Alpha, isn't the punishment too heavy for them?" Jordan said,
"Are you questioning my order?" he asked, but his beta shook his head. "You too, train with them when you don't have any work," he added, getting into his office.
Jordan followed with him. They discussed the contract. He was the alpha, and he should ensure the good life of all his pack members.
Starting his company, he never considered it his own. All the pack profited from it. Although it wasn't grand, the company was doing well, and its funds were enough for the pack.
"Is there anything I need to know Jordan?" he asked. From the second his beta got in his office, he kept fidgeting and sneaking glares at him.
"No," Jordan replied.
Orson stared at him. "Are you sure?"
Pam, one of the Omegas, got in. "Alpha, your coffee." he thanked her. "Alpha, shall I prepare breakfast for you?"
"No, I already had my breakfast," he answered.
"OK then, oh I wanted to thank you," she said, and he eyed her.
"For what?" he asked.
"For allowing the spring festival to be done here," she said.
"What?" Orson said, staring at his beta, who signalled Pam to go and stood there froze without looking at him.
"Explain!" Orson said. It was for this reason, that the beta behaved guiltily.
"It's the Luna's wish," Jordan answered, and he laughed.
What a lame excuse! now he knew why she got close to his beta's mate.
Orson stood and went near his beta. "And you didn't even notify me. Maybe you forgot who I AM?" he said, and then Jordan dropped to his knee.
"Y-you are the alpha," he said.
Orson passed him and went out. He would deal with his beta later.
He jogged to the house. No wonder she made him breakfast and looked all gentle with him because she knew what she did behind his back. Was she trying to pacify him and gain him over a meal?
She even got his beta's knowledge. Jordan said it was Luna's wish. How outrageous calling herself like that. He put her there far away to avoid trouble, but she was creating commotion for him!
Orson went with his speed. He banged on the door as soon as he arrived.
And she was there behaving as if she did nothing!