Chapter 2: Duty

Duty makes us do things well. But love makes us do them beautifully. - Phillips Brooks

Greyson’s POV

I sat up slowly on my bed with a groan. I ran a hand over my face to wipe the tiredness from my eyes. I was mentally and physically exhausted. As was expected, running a pack was never meant to be easy.

Especially not when there were so many of those out there who opposed the idea of having me as Alpha. But there was no other option. If I hadn't stepped up, the pack would have fallen into chaos.

I made my way into the bathroom as I started on my morning routine. I didn't know why but I felt like it would be a long day. I heard a sharp knock on the door and groaned, feeling dread wash over me as I stepped out of the shower and wrapped a towel around my waist.

I came into the bedroom and raised my eyebrow in concern when I found my Beta Adam standing by the door. "Sir. Your father wishes to see you." He said on trembling feet, not meeting my eyes.

I rolled my eyes at Adam's behavior. No matter how many times I told him just to call me Greyson and reminded him that he didn't have to be so formal, he never seemed to listen.

We had grown up together and went to the same high school, I was the popular kid in high school, and he was considered a bit of a nerd, so we barely interacted. He was bullied a lot by the other students, and at the time, I didn’t care enough to stand up for him. Okay. I was a bit of a jerk in high school.

He was always the scrawny kid that was picked on for being too tall and wearing weird glasses. And although I never directly bullied him, I didn't try to befriend him either.

He had bulked up the summer before we started senior year. He had had enough of the torment, and he began to train extremely hard. I began to take notice of him then. I saw his capabilities, and besides his strengths, he was also a great strategist.

He was an essential part of the pack, and I was honored to have him by my side. And as we grew older and I was forced to embrace the Alpha mantra, I knew I had to choose a Beta, and Adam was as good a bet as any.

Multiple pack members had been upset and had protested against the decision, but I wasn't one to back down when my mind was made up. I stood my ground and stuck firmly to my decision. And now, almost fifteen years later, Adam was still the same shy kid in the body of an adult.

"Why so early in the morning?" I whined loudly.

Adam fidgeted as he shifted his weight from one foot to another. "He said he just wanted to see you, Sir." He said to me simply.

I ignored him as I made my way into the closet and slipped on some clothes. My head was pounding loudly, and all I wanted was for it to stop. I made my way back to Adam, who, not to my surprise, still stood in the same position that I had left him.

I grabbed onto his shoulders, startling him. "I have a really bad headache today, so can you do me a huge favor by not calling me sir and mister or Alpha just for today? Call me Greyson, or don't call me at all." I said to him, shrugging my shoulders.

Adam nodded his head at me and sighed in relief when I finally let go of his shoulders. I walked out of the room and was met by the numerous voices of my pack members. They all smiled when they saw me as they bowed their heads at me. I nodded my head at them in response.

I made my way downstairs to the kitchen, knowing that whatever my father had to tell me, I had to be at least physically prepared to hear the news.

"But Alph- I mean Grey?" Adam asked unsurely. I waved him off as I rummaged through the fridge and pulled out ingredients to make a sandwich.

"Your father wants to see you. He said it's urgent." He said as I nodded my head as made myself my BLT sandwich.

"Is he dying?" I asked as I took a big bite out of it. He stared at me pointedly in response.

"You know what I mean," I said with a sigh, rolling my eyes. From the look on Adam's face, I knew that he didn't actually know what I meant.

"Is he dying faster?" I asked more clearly.

"No. His vitals are fine,” said Adam. "Good. That means I have time to finish my sandwich." I said as I took another bite.

"Hello, boys." A voice called out from the door, causing them both to groan.

"Hello, Lilly." We both said in unison. But my words came out as mumble as I had a mouth full of my sandwich.

"Adam, lovely to see you." She said as she leaned in and placed a kiss on Adam's cheek.

"Grey, don’t you have somewhere to be?" Lily asked me pointedly with a raised eyebrow.

"I just wanted to finish my sandwich," I grumbled at her.

"Fine, finish it and leave my kitchen." She said in defeat. I grinned as I came to place a kiss on her cheek.

Lily rolled her eyes at me before shooing me away, before asking, "Whatever. This isn't very future Alpha behavior."

I shrugged my shoulders as I said to her, "Well, it is a learning process."

I rushed to finish my sandwich as Lilly practically chased me out of the door. She was like a mother to everyone in the pack and was always a warm shoulder to lean on.

I made my way further out of the pack house as I noticed that the sun was just starting to illuminate the sky. It was a beautiful sight to be seen. I had to admit that. I heard grunting sounds from the training ground and nodded my head in approval knowing the wolves were training well.

I made my way towards the pack hospital, wondering what it possibly was that my father wanted to say to me. Knowing the man, I was certain that it wouldn't be anything good.

I pulled the doors open as I greeted Maggie at the reception desk and made my way toward the elevators. I went up to the last floor, which was the presidential suite, and walked into the place my father now called home.

I knocked on his door lightly and heard no response, but I could hear my father's heartbeat rapidly on the other side. I knocked louder and continued to do so until he answered. "I will not stop until you answer me and let me in.” I said to him in threat.

"Come in." I heard the voice call out from the other end. I walked into the room slowly as I ignored my father's glare that was trained on me. I made my way to the seat beside him and sat down.

I looked at his frail, weakened form before taking his bony hand into my palm. "You are going to kill me one day." He said with a mutter.

"Well, you are already dying," I said with a shrug. When my father did not answer, I looked at him with a bright smile before saying, "Good morning, father. Did you miss me?" I asked sarcastically.

"No," Alexander said flatly. "Well... I think you did because why else would you come looking for me at 6 in the morning." I muttered.

Alexander sighed as he said, "I need you to be serious for once in your life."

I straightened up as I noticed the seriousness in his tone. I nodded his head at him firmly, encouraging him to continue. "Okay. What is it?" I asked him.

Alexander sighed before saying, "I can feel myself fading away. And I know that I will be gone soon. I need to trust that you will take care of the pack when that happens."

I nodded my head with a hardened expression as I said, "I will."

My father nodded with a smile. "I saw your mother yesterday. She wanted to tell you she is happy for you and wants to see you become alpha." He said. I clenched my teeth as I pulled away from him.

"But to do that, you need a mate, and Greyson, you are already Thirty-Five. You aren't getting any younger. What I am trying to say is I think it is time you chose one of the she-wolves as your mate." He said, and I growled at him in response.

"I am not dishonoring my mate like that," I said to him flatly.

"I just want you to be happy." He confessed.

"The only way that will happen is if I find my mate. I want what you had with mum." I fired back.

"See how that turned out." My father said bitterly.

"It will be worth it in the end," I said to him firmly. I knew father wouldn't budge and so I stood up and made my way to exit the room. I didn't have it in me to continue the conversation.

It was so like my father to pressure me into this. And I was no stranger to the looks that he received from the pack members. They had begun to doubt that I even had a mate. But I wouldn't lose hope. I knew that she was somewhere out there, and I would find her no matter how long it would take to do so.

I trained with the pack for the day, but my mind was elsewhere. As the Sun began to set, I made my way back to my office to do some paperwork. I had a few packs that wanted to form alliances to solve their rogue problem and some transfer pack members.

By the time I was done, it was late into the night, and I sat back in my chair contemplating my father's words. I pulled open the bottom drawer of my desk and pulled out the amber necklace. I couldn't help but wonder if my father was right and if it was time to choose.

But when I looked at the necklace, I knew that I would see her again. And I wouldn't let her slip away from me this time.