Raring to Go

The boys were under more strict observation, now that they competed for the position of heir. Bast had heard every word his favoured competitor had uttered, and relayed it to the Warlord. By the time the Alpha appeared, the fight was at its end, and he caught the tail-end of Azure’s rant, and Mal’s reply. atta girl he thought quietly to himself. He wasn’t training his warriors to take that kind of shit.

“A leader doesn't whine to their members, and then throw a fit when they can’t push their weight around.” he said, announcing his presence with his words. “Hello, Malalia” he said more politely, before turning his words back to his son, and the lesson he was delivering. “If a leader doesn't have the respect of their wolves, then they have no reason to stay. You can have a pack of members that don’t want to be there, that will fight you at every turn, and wear you down - assuming you can do anything to make them stay” he nodded his head towards Malalia, that had just kicked the boys ass. “Or you can earn their respect, and they will fight for you and with you. Your mother taught me that - the importance of the respect of your wolves. If you can't earn that in the duration of this competition, then you don’t deserve to lead.”

If the rolls had been reversed, and Malalia had instigated the fight and spoken to his son that way, he would have fought her himself. Instead, she had stayed steady despite Azure being the heir, and apparently a bit of a bastard. This wasn’t the first time he had caught wind of Azure disrespecting the wolves of the pack. He needed to learn that ruling wasn’t just being an alpha, it was having a pack to lead.