Running Through the Ranks

16 - Ranking Agreement

I find my dad in is study asleep again. I shake my head and tap his shoulder.

He leans up and fixes his glasses. “Oh, sorry Tiff. I guess I dozed off again. So any news?”

I sit in one of the chairs and shake my head. “Cole is back with us and Liz is still fighting for her life. We have one child left out of the entire pack. I haven’t seen Dante since this morning but I’ll worry about him later. We need to work on moving the pack or at least getting our pack back into health. To do that I need to know our account balances to see what we can do.”

My dad swallows sheepishly. “Well uh. The pack accounts? They aren’t in the best shape and neither is our personal accounts…”

I huff. “I need numbers Kyle.”

My dad sighs. “Out of the three pack accounts only one is still open. The others were closed from lack of funds. And the hospital is draining the last one as we speak. I checked it earlier and we only have a few thousand left. It will pay for any other medical stuff we need but it will result in the lost or overdraw in that account. As for the Alpha accounts, Matthew ruined mine and your mother’s so ours are over drawn and yours only has what you left in it.”

I curse and run my hand through my hair. “Mine only has a few hundred left because I have been living off of it since I left. I really think we need help. But only ones we can ask are too far away. What do we do? Help our sick and fight the rouges or move the pack and risk losing what’s left of it?”

Suddenly a voice behind me speaks up. “Money issues? Did you think to ask anyone else or just to handle the problems yourself?”

I turn around to see Dante standing in the doorway of the study.

I huff and roll my eyes. “Well since you were a rogue I figured you’d be broke like Tomas and Nime. And I doubt that Willshay or Wulfric would loan it to us. And I sure as hell know that Wiley is broke being he is an Omega.”

Dante shakes his head. “Well Princess, you’re wrong. Some of us do have money but we don’t just wave it around some people. And others are smart enough to hide it for emergencies. But you know that there is a price for my money. And trust me there will be enough money to help move the pack and keep the hospital running at full capacity. You just have to pay the right price.”

I growl. “What is the price this time? First it was a trade, then a trick, and now a price. What is it you want me to do?”

Dante smirks. “What’s the worst thing that could happen to you and no one else?”

I raise an eyebrow. “What does that have to do with the price of your money to help our pack?”

Dante shakes his head. “Princess, it’s not my pack yet. And just answer the question. We will come back to the price.”

I sigh and think for a moment. “Well, I’m not sure. Losing my rank and my family and friends would suck. But so would death.”

Dante sighs. “That’s it? Just some people and a job? No material items?”

I shake my head and look at Dante confused.

He laughs a little. “Well then there is the price. Your rank as Alpha will be stripped and you must go through every rank. You have to earn the next step up. You are at step one, Rouge. And you have to work yourself back up to Alpha. But I won’t force you to start the payment yet.”

I tilt my head and look at Dante like he is crazy. “You can’t do that and what will that do for you?”

Dante shrugs and as he walks out he yells over his shoulder. “I can do it. And it’s not about me Princess.”