POV - Chaos
'Chaos, BOARDROOM.'
This was new.
I gave Miranda's face a lick goodbye as I scrambled toward the packhouse. I was not even sure I knew that place, but I could follow Alpha's scent there.
I cautiously entered the unfamiliar room that had a huge table surrounded by people in it. I located Alpha and went for him, who pointed to a corner.
'Chaos, SIT.'
I sat. In sitting position, I could see over the table. Oh, hey, I knew these people. They were the pack elders. They hung out together a lot. Alpha, Beta, and Gamma were here, too.
Alpha tapped his pen on the table.
"I'm in unfamiliar territory here. I don't know how to handle this or if it even needs to be handled." He said.
"Well," Jasper said, "As with last time, we need to begin at the start of it."
Alpha nodded. "First, I need to block Kyas. We'll unblock him when we need him. There's some elements he doesn't need to see."
'He's asleep anyway, Alpha.' I said.
I felt the block go up. "Chaos, you will be silent unless we need you." He said.
'Yes, Alpha.' I said.
"Well... first, the results of the punishments so far have had the desired effects for Kyas, which may have worked too well. Elias has not engaged. He's spending too much time wallowing in jealousy. Chaos is handling his like a champ." He informed them. I thumped my tail.
"Kyas has blossomed, forming his bonds in person, but along with them comes the Gamma instincts that we're here to discuss." Alpha continued."
"This issue," he said, "started when Elias didn't complete the grocery orders for food stores. It was weeks before it was caught that the order was never sent in. Kyas found out that it had been Elias' job and got angry, but what set him off was when they found the book."
Alpha passed a paper around the table. I remember that one. A low growl rumbled from my throat before a look from Alpha made me stop.
"Oh, wow." Clara said. "If you really want to piss off a Gamma, that's the way to do it."
"Yeah," said Harvey. "Push a pack to the brink of starvation, and then find that. Can't say I wouldn't feel the same."
"Is it reactionary, though?" Basil asked. "Would Kyas have still been set off if that last entry wasn't there? Or if it had been made by someone who is not Elias?"
"A perfect storm scenario that might not have happened without all the right parts." Said Atticus.
"Maybe? In the end, the result is the same. Without the Elias element and without the last entry, there's still the main issue - a pack left to starve through neglect of duty." Darcy said.
"Before we move forward to how Kyas handled it, let's take a quick step to the side and ask - with this information alone, Alpha, if it wasn't Elias, because the relationship element would have brought this to us anyway," Eileen said, "But just this in the basic form, how would you have dealt with it? Say it was a Delta you had put in charge of it."
Alpha tapped his pen, thinking.
"Hmmm, well, honestly, my brain keeps trying to think of a way out of admitting it, but I probably would have done the same. One, uh, seriously, intense warning." He said.
"Pain of death type, you mean." Jasper clarified.
Alpha nodded and gave a small chuckle. "Probably. The well-being of the pack at the heart of it."
Clara spoke up. "So how did he handle it?"
"First," Alpha said, " one more factor. Kyas advised Chris to wait for me to handle Elias, which was good advice, but then Kyas went after him himself. It has a bit of set-up smell to it - keep the Gamma away so you can get to him. If Kyas had let Chris or me handle it... well, Chris would have reported it to me, and we would still be here discussing Elias."
"Ok," said Harvey, "so there's an authority issue to unpack - Kyas went around it."
"That's going to be a circle-back point," Alpha said, "but I think it's an important factor to know."
"If you'll make sure you can see the screen, Chris pulled the video from Elias' room." Alpha said.
The elders shuffled seats around so they could all see. I watched them while the video played. Surprise at the commands working, and a collective shiver at the final tone.
"Wow." Said Clara. The other elders nodded.
Alpha nodded to Beta, who handed out some papers. "This is a transcript of my interview with Kyas about it." He said.
There was silence as the elders read, and just the shuffle papers as they turned pages. I was getting bored. Finally, the last elder finished.
"Kyas isn't aware that his commands worked, he thinks that Elias was playing along at that point. Which is why I blocked him for this part, I'm not sure it's wise for him to know. Putting the power of commands in the hands of a fifteen year old," Alpha lifted his hands and shrugged, "who knows what they could do?"
"On the other hand, that fifteen year old is Kyas, and a natural gamma." Said Basil.
"True, Basil, but Kyas has thrown himself into the pack," Darcy said,"which was definitely something he needed, but still hasn't addressed his personal issues. Only once has he ever really been mad in his own right, so there's still a lot of unknown there. And a lot of separate potential for him to aim for payback from Elias when he does."
Harvey nodded. "Yes, we'd like to think we can trust Kyas, and we probably could the gamma part of him, but the potential for abuse of them personally in a kid his age, well, it's an unknown that we have to consider."
"The last command, the stay, wasn't released when Kyas left his room, and took the full title from me to let him out. Chris wasn't able to counter it at all." Alpha said. "So, before we bring Kyas into this meeting, we need a plan to address this part."
"For caution, I can't see any other solution than a stronger command not to use them. If the only counter is Alpha command now, what happens when he's older and potentially his power gets stronger?" Eileen said.
"Has anyone ever heard of a case where the Alpha can't counter a subordinate command?" Atticus asked.
"Yes," Jasper said, "In cases where the Alpha is weak due to diluted blood, such as only half wolf-shifter, or in case of substance abuse, or if the Alpha has a chosen mate instead of fated."
"What about any cases where Gammas abuse their power?" Clara asked.
"Yes," Jasper said again, "Power can corrupt absolutely, and there's been plenty of cases where the entire pack leadership is abusive. However, there's never been a documented case of a true gamma doing it. The bonds are too strong, the personal connections too deep. For them it's like commanding a beloved family member, they rarely do it without good reason."
"Yet, Kyas did it to Elias, and he's a true gamma." Said Atticus.
"Was there no good reason though? Elias neglected the pack out of jealousy, and Kyas said he was trying to show him there was no cause for it. No reason to be jealous. Kyas also didn't know his commands were working, he may not have used them if he did." Said Clara.
"Should we tell him, and ask if he would have done it differently?" Basil asked.
Alpha tapped his pen.
"Let's do both." He said. "We'll tell him to assess his reaction, but then also command him not to use them. The promise he made me said he would submit to commands I deem necessary. "
"At least until he's older, has more personal development and we know we can trust his judgment." Said Beta Scott.
"Alright, so now to address the threat." Basil said.
Alpha shook his head. "No, the promise. We have to call it what it is. Twice now I've played off words that Chaos has said as being exaggerated, and I've been wrong both times. Chaos told me that Kyas being angry in his own right would be like a thunderstorm raining cactus. When I saw it first hand - it was completely accurate. Chaos also told me that Kyas would rip out my throat without blinking to protect this pack. As you can see in that video, you can fully hear that in his tone. Kyas said he made a promise, which means he completely intends to follow through if needed."
He's right, I have been very honest about Kyas.
"Should there be consequences for it though? You said it yourself that you would have done the same thing." Said Darcy.
"Yes," said Basil, "but he's Alpha, Kyas is not."
"Is it possible that Kyas knew Chris wasn't as strong as he is and so technically it WAS his responsibility, with all other authority gone and Chris being the only one who could fix the food order?" Asked Eileen.
"It looks like we're getting to the point where its time to ask him." Said Atticus.