Chapter 826 - What is there to be ashamed about?

Chapter 826: Chapter 826 - What is there to be ashamed about?

Kael frowned, clearly unimpressed by the older Alpha’s reaction. Rather than allow him to intimidate Killian into abandoning the confession, he addressed him directly, his voice cold and unwavering.

"Alpha Atticus, what is there to be ashamed about? These are your pack members, and if you can’t be honest with them, then who else is deserving of your honesty?"

Atticus clenched his teeth, but the response he had been preparing never came because the pack members were already showing their agreement with Kael. Several nodded, while others looked directly at their Alpha with expressions that made it clear they expected the truth, regardless of how unpleasant it might be.

Realizing that neither his father nor the pack members would allow him to escape the matter, Killian drew a breath and continued, his voice carrying the weight of his shame.

"So, what I mean to say is, I got selfish along the way, transferred half of the pack’s revenue into my personal account. I meant to invest it in a business in the human world, take the profit, and return the principal, but unfortunately, I lost everything."

His admission left the entire gym in stunned silence.

Even his Beta lowered his head, his face paling as he struggled to process what he had just heard. He had worked alongside Killian for years, yet he had never imagined that his Alpha would secretly take such a substantial portion of the pack’s revenue and use it without anyone’s knowledge.

The pack members were equally disappointed, and one of the warriors stepped forward, his expression hard as he demanded an explanation.

"So Alpha, you mean you had no intention of giving the pack part of the profit or increasing our wages?"

Killian lowered his gaze, finding it difficult to meet the man’s eyes as he answered.

"No. But now, I have revised all your wages and presented it to the Alpha King’s Betas, Damon and Kael. We all know that the Grimroot Pack now has new Betas. Beta Augustine, Callum, and Sid."

The mention of Grimroot’s new leadership brought some understanding to the situation. Unlike most packs, Grimroot had an extended Beta structure because several of its leaders were also responsible for managing businesses in the human world.

Having more Betas allowed them to divide their responsibilities efficiently, ensuring that both the pack and its business interests received proper attention. Beta Sid, like Kael, was a pack-born warrior, while Augustine and Callum helped manage the other aspects of the pack’s growing operations.

Knowing that the Alpha King’s Betas had already reviewed the proposed wage adjustments reassured some of the pack members. At least, Killian had not simply made promises without involving the people responsible for overseeing the pack’s recovery.

Still, there was another matter they wanted addressed, and one of them finally asked the question that had been on everyone’s mind.

"So, are you stepping down as Alpha or what?"

Killian froze.

The question struck him harder than he expected because he knew very well that his position was no longer guaranteed. If the pack decided he was unfit to lead them, he would have no right to demand that they keep him.

Everything he had inherited, everything he had worked to maintain, and the legacy he had hoped to leave behind could disappear before his eyes.

He was still struggling with the possibility when Kael spoke up, and what he said surprised him.

"It hasn’t come to that. We have seen that your Alpha has genuinely changed and is willing to make amends. So now, it’s up to you. Do you want him to keep being your leader, or do you want to choose somebody else to replace him?"

Kael deliberately placed the decision in the hands of the people who had suffered because of Killian’s choices. It was their pack, their future, and their trust that had been damaged, so they deserved the opportunity to decide whether their Alpha still had a place at the head of their leadership.

For several seconds, nobody spoke.

The silence was uncomfortable, and Killian stood there with his heart pounding, waiting to discover whether the people he had once taken for granted would give him another chance. His father also remained quiet, perhaps realizing that this was no longer a matter he could settle through family authority.

Finally, one of the warriors stepped forward. "Let’s keep him for another year."

Kael looked at him with interest. "Like a probation?"

The warrior nodded, and before he could say anything else, several pack members began voicing their agreement.

"Yes, we put our Alpha on probation for a year, and if he proves worthy, he continues to rule."

Others quickly joined in, their voices overlapping as more people expressed support for the suggestion. It did not take long for the entire pack to reach an understanding, and even Atticus seemed to accept the decision this time, his earlier anger giving way to a more thoughtful expression.

Perhaps this was exactly what Killian needed. Instead of allowing him to escape the consequences of his actions or removing him from his position without giving him an opportunity to make things right, the pack had chosen to give him one year to prove that he could become the kind of leader they deserved.

"Alright, Alpha Killian remains your Alpha and is on probation for a year. There is also going to be changes in your constitution about the leadership of the pack."

Kael allowed his words to settle before continuing, making sure everyone understood the importance of what was about to change.

"Everyone should work hard because your Alpha’s heir would not automatically become Alpha in the future. If there is someone stronger, wiser, and smarter, that position will go to them."

For a moment, the gym remained quiet as the pack members considered what this meant for their children and the generations that would follow. The old arrangement, where leadership could be passed down simply because someone was born into the Alpha family, was about to become a thing of the past.

Then the realization spread through the crowd, and excitement erupted from every corner of the gym.

"Yes, I’ll train my pups well!" some of the warriors shouted, their pride evident as they imagined their children having an equal opportunity to lead one day.

"I’ll make sure my pups become responsible!" others added, their voices rising above the growing cheers.

The atmosphere was completely different from what it had been when Killian first began his confession.

Instead of resentment and disappointment dominating the gathering, the pack members were now discussing the future with renewed enthusiasm, encouraged by the knowledge that their children could earn positions through their abilities rather than their family names.

Killian watched them quietly, taking in their excitement and the confidence with which they spoke about raising better leaders. He had never seen this kind of enthusiasm among his pack members before, nor had he ever inspired such a strong sense of possibility in them. For years, he had believed that maintaining his authority was enough to make him a good Alpha, yet he was only beginning to understand that leadership meant giving people a reason to believe in the future.

His expression gradually changed as he watched the people he had disappointed celebrate a decision that would give them and their children a fairer chance.

There was something deeply humbling about realizing that the very people he had wronged were willing to give him another opportunity, even after everything he had done.

Then Killian opened his mouth, and his next words stunned everyone.

The cheers died almost instantly, leaving the gym filled with a silence so complete that even those standing at the back could hear him.