Chapter 42 Cormac's Response
POV: Cormac Brennan
Location: Brennan Townhouse
Time: Morning After Alliance
The spy's report arrives at breakfast. I'm eating alone in Father's dining room when Marcus brings the document.
"Alpha. Report from the Rookeries. About your brother."
I take the report and read it while my food gets cold.
Callum met with Isla Reid. The nurse I ordered turned eighteen months ago. They talked for an hour. Then she took him to her shelter. Showed him the packless wolves she's helping. They shook hands afterward. Alliance formed.
Callum is now providing security for Isla's network. Three shelters. Seventy-four wolves. Growing organization of packless creatures.
My brother is organizing the outcasts. Building something in the wasteland where he was supposed to disappear.
Rage builds in my chest. Pure, overwhelming rage.
"He was supposed to disappear," I say out loud. "He was supposed to break. Die. Go feral. Anything except this."
Marcus stays silent. Omegas don't speak unless spoken to.
I read the report again. Looking for details I missed. Looking for ways this could be less threatening than it appears.
But it's not less threatening. It's exactly as bad as it looks.
Callum survived prison. Survived his first month in the Rookeries. And now he's building alliances. Creating structure. Becoming something other than broken exile.
This is the nightmare I've been afraid of since his release. Callum rising again. Becoming relevant. Threatening my position.
"What are pack members saying?" I ask Marcus.
"Some are asking questions. If Callum can lead packless wolves in the Rookeries, maybe the trial was wrong. Maybe he wasn't guilty."
My hands clench. This is how it starts. One question. One doubt. Then more questions. More doubts. Until the whole pack is questioning my legitimacy.
"Who's asking these questions?"
Marcus hesitates. He knows answering this puts wolves at risk.
"Tell me. Now."
"Thomas Whitmore. Sarah Chen. Elena Frost. Three others whose names I can get if you want them."
Six wolves questioning me. That's six too many.
"Bring me their files. I want to know everything about them. Vulnerabilities. Leverage points. Ways to silence them."
"Yes, Alpha."
Marcus leaves. I'm alone with my rage and my paranoia.
Callum's doing this deliberately. Building in the Rookeries where I can see. Making alliances that threaten my control. Proving he's still capable of leadership.
It's a challenge. Subtle but clear. My broken brother telling me he's not broken anymore.
I won't tolerate it.
Beta Declan enters the dining room without knocking. He does that more often lately. Treating my space like it's still shared authority.
"We need to talk about your brother."
"I'm handling it."
"Are you? Because from what I'm hearing, he's organizing packless wolves. Building networks. Creating alternative power structure in the Rookeries." Declan sits uninvited. "That's not something you handle. That's something that grows until it threatens you."
"What do you suggest?"
"Talk to him. Negotiate. Find compromise. You're brothers. There has to be way to coexist without destroying each other."
"Coexistence isn't possible. Callum's existence threatens my legitimacy. Every day he survives, every alliance he makes, every wolf he helps makes pack members question my authority."
"So what's your plan? Kill him? Attack packless wolves in the Rookeries? That'll make you look paranoid and tyrannical."
"I look strong. Decisive. Willing to eliminate threats." I stand. "Callum made his choice. He's building something that challenges me. I respond appropriately."
"What does that mean?"
"It means I'm sending a message. To Callum and to the packless wolves who think they can organize under my brother's protection." I make the decision. "I'm sending five enforcers to Isla's shelter. They trash the place. Hurt some wolves. Make Callum watch what happens when you challenge me."
"You're attacking newly turned wolves? Children?" Declan's voice is horrified. "That's not strength. That's cruelty."
"That's consequence. Callum allied with Isla's network. That network suffers for it. Callum learns that his alliances bring destruction, not protection."
"This is wrong. Even for you, this is wrong."
"Your objection is noted. Dismissed." I call for Marcus. "Get five of our best enforcers. I have a job for them."
Declan leaves without another word. I don't care about his disapproval. Don't care about morality or ethics. I care about maintaining power.
Callum's organizing packless wolves. That threatens my authority. So I destroy what he's trying to protect. Force him to choose between continuing his resistance or watching innocents suffer.
It's harsh. Brutal. Exactly what's necessary.
The five enforcers arrive within the hour. All experienced wolves. All loyal. All capable of violence without hesitation.
"There's a shelter network in the Rookeries. Woman named Isla Reid runs it. Three locations. Newest one is in Whitechapel." I show them the address. "Go there tonight. Trash the place. Hurt people. Don't kill anyone unless absolutely necessary. But make sure they understand the cost of allying with my brother."
The lead enforcer, a wolf named Vincent, nods. "How much damage?"
"Enough to send a message. Broken bones. Destroyed supplies. Fear. Make them remember what happens when packless wolves organize under Callum's protection."
"What about Callum himself?"
"If he's there, hurt him. Don't kill him. But make sure he understands that his alliances bring suffering to those he's trying to protect."
The enforcers leave to prepare. I'm alone with my decision.
Part of me knows this is wrong. Knows that attacking innocent wolves makes me exactly what my enemies claim I am. Tyrant. Monster. Corrupt Alpha who maintains power through fear.
But the larger part doesn't care. Power requires ruthlessness. Requires willingness to do what others won't.
Callum thought he could build something in the Rookeries. Thought he could organize packless wolves without consequences.
Tonight, he learns otherwise.
Tonight, he watches what happens to people who ally with him. Watches wolves get hurt because they believed in his protection.
Tonight, my brother learns that challenging me costs more than just his own suffering.
It costs everyone around him.