"Respect is earned, Lisa.", Damon said. "You can't expect others to respect you if you are not giving them the same in return. Everyone is doing their best to contribute. I know that you just returned and are still adjusting. Things here are different compared to the Lightclaw pack. I am glad to hear that you are helping Stephanie in the kitchen. Do your best and you might take over her responsibilities."

Lisa couldn't believe this. Telling Omegas what to do in the packhouse is one thing, but who the hell wants to work in the kitchen?

Suddenly, an invisible lightbulb lit up above Lisa's head.

"I was thinking about it. Contributing."

"You did?", Damon asked, surprised by Lisa's enthusiasm.

Lisa nodded. "I know you have a lot of work. That's why you hired Talia. I can help you."

Damon was not sure where this was going. "You can?"

"Absolutely!", Lisa exclaimed. "I have a Beta bloodline. I am fit for that role."

"Are you offering to be my Beta?", Damon wanted to clarify. Did Lisa just volunteer to be Damon's second in command?

"I know that I'm inexperienced, but if Talia can learn, so can I.", Lisa said confidently.

Damon poked his cheek with his tongue while trying to wrap his head around this sudden turn of events. Damon wondered if he ever gave any hints to Lisa that he trusts her or her abilities, or if she was overreaching.

"I never said that you can't learn, Lisa but… I already have a Beta. Caden and I spent many years together and he earned his right to watch my back. He is loyal and reliable and when I'm facing rogues who want to sink their fangs into my throat, there is no one else I would trust to be by my side."

Lisa looked at Damon stubbornly. "Caden is only one man. Yes, there is Maya, but everyone knows that she became Beta only thanks to Caden, while I have Beta blood…"

"That's enough!", Stephanie interrupted Lisa and turned to Damon. "I apologize, Alpha. Lisa crossed the line."

"No. No.", Damon said quickly. "Don't apologize in her stead. Lisa is not a child. She can speak for herself and bear the consequences." He turned to Lisa. "Do you know what are duties of a Beta? Beta is not a job opening anyone can fill, and just a bloodline is not enough. To be a high-ranking member, you need to act like one and train like one. Show me you are made for that role. I expect perfection and consistency, and then I will consider giving you a position that will fit your performance. Is that clear?"

Lisa didn't like that Damon asked her to prove things in advance. They know each other since they were kids, and her father was a Beta to his father. Shouldn't that be enough? "Does all that apply to Talia also?"

"Yes.", Damon responded without missing a beat, and Lisa's temper flared.

"And what did the wolf-less she-wolf without any background do to deserve your consideration other than warming your bed?"

Stephanie stood up abruptly, but Damon raised his hand, indicating to her to sit back down, his stern gaze not leaving Lisa who spoke with an inflated sense of importance.

Damon couldn't believe that Lisa said that about Talia. He suppressed his rage and responded.

"You are right. Talia is a wolf-less she-wolf without any background who came here only a few weeks ago. However, during that time, Talia managed to make the whole soccer team of the Dark Howlers pack kneel in front of her, she was the MVP of the tournament, she made friends with high-ranking members of other packs, and everyone in the packhouse admires her spirit to learn and improve. What's less known is that Talia contributed to our warriors and secured us a tribute from the Steelbite pack. She did all those on her own, without her wolf, without any background, and without warming my bed. Talia didn't rely on a man to achieve a fake status that would dissolve the moment I step out of the picture."

Lisa frowned at Damon's words. Did he just throw a jab at her?

Damon's expression turned icy. "Talia is selfless and resourceful, and I guarantee that she will have my support for retaliating against people who treat her like trash. Is that understood?"

Lisa pressed her lips into a line.

"Good.", Damon said without waiting for Lisa's response. "If you want to be a high-ranking member of my pack, show me you can do it. Make people respect you by using your own strength. I don't care what bloodline you have. I want to know what you are made of, and unless you can stand out on your own, you will be an Omega. Talia is working as my assistant, but she doesn't shy from working in the kitchen or setting up beds, and she is not looking down on anyone. Talia gives the same treatment to an Omega and to an Alpha. Instead of thinking about Talia as inferior, you should learn from her. Don't mistake Talia's lack of action for weakness because you will regret underestimating her."

Damon saw that Lisa was staring at him blankly and he snapped his fingers in front of her face. "Did you get this?"

Lisa involuntarily lowered her head, even though Damon didn't use his Alpha aura to suppress her. His tone was enough for Lisa to get a glimpse of the greatness she will never reach.

"Yes, Alpha.", Lisa said.

"If I get a whiff about you giving a hard time to Talia or anyone else in the packhouse, I won't hesitate in punishing you because disrespecting people who are close to me is equal to disrespecting me. You should thank your mother that this ended with only a verbal warning, but there is a limit to how much that protection will stretch. I am well aware that Tony found his mate and left you hanging, but shit happens, and you need to deal with it. Bullying is not the qualification a high-ranking member of my pack should have, and I won't tolerate malicious people in my packhouse."

With that, Damon left Lisa's room and Stephanie scurried after him.

Lisa jolted when the door closed behind Damon and Stephanie, leaving Lisa on her own.

Lisa pressed her lips into a line so firmly that they hurt, and bitter tears started rolling down her cheeks.

Why did Damon reprimand her?

Why was everyone against her?

She plopped on her bed, face first, and the fluffy pillow muffled her angry screams.

…

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...

Damon walked down the hallway with Stephanie two steps behind him.

Yes, he heard Lisa's screams, which started a second after the door closed, but Damon didn't care about it. Damon had no pity for hysterical women who are throwing tantrums and venting their anger on others… others like Talia.

"Alpha Damon, I'm sorry…"

"Don't!", Damon cut her off.

He didn't want to lash out at Stephanie, but he didn't want to leave it at this either.

Damon wanted Stephanie to understand that Lisa touched his bottom line and if Lisa doesn't retreat, it won't end well. Actually, if not for Stephanie, Damon would send Lisa packing, just how he sent Cassie.

Damon turned to look at Stephanie. "I know that this morning Lisa and Talia clashed and because of that Talia ran into the forest and ended up bumping into rogues. What Lisa said that happened was not the truth. You know Talia, she would never be rude or disrespectful. If I was ten seconds later, Talia would be captured or dead, yet Lisa doesn't feel a bit of regret for what she did."

Seeing Stephanie's confused expression, Damon patted her shoulder. "I'm not blaming you, Steph. But I want you to know that Lisa is walking a fine line. She needs to scale down her diva attitude. I don't approve that she has an issue with Talia, and I can't force them to be friends, but I won't tolerate hostility either. You know why I removed everyone from the packhouse a decade ago. The pack is watching and the discord in the packhouse sends ripples in every direction. I am not insisting that Lisa moves to live with other Omegas only because of you and as long as she doesn't cause trouble, she can enjoy the privileges this packhouse provides. However, if Lisa makes a scene, especially in front of our guests, I will be forced to take action and use her to set an example."

Stephanie lowered her head. "I understand."

"As for Talia…", Damon paused. "You know in what state Talia was when she arrived here. She made great progress in healing physically and mentally and I won't allow anyone to pull her backward. If Lisa gets on Talia's case again, I will ask Talia to decide on Lisa's punishment, and considering Talia's kind nature, I will add to it. No one gets to bully my people, and Lisa is not an exception."

The truth was that Damon didn't know what happened in front of the study that morning, but he knew Lisa lied and that was enough for him to be angry. Yes, he could use his Alpha aura to make Lisa spill out everything, but he didn't need to hear the details in order to know that Lisa bullied Talia. And he also knew that Talia didn't tell him in order not to upset him. In a way, she was protecting him.

Damon felt like a loser.

So much for a mighty Alpha.

He was supposed to protect Talia, yet she ended up being bullied under his watch. Again.

How can he face her now?

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