Chapter 152: No Authority
Irving’s POV:
The moment I made my decision public, swarms of reporters descended upon the Southwell Tower. Afraid of missing breaking news, they surged forward as soon as they saw me stepping out with the employees who had chosen to leave with me. Cameras flashed, and microphones were thrust in my face as they bombarded me with questions.
“Mr. Irving, is it true that you’ve officially severed ties with the Southwell Group? Are you planning to strike out on your own and completely cut yourself off from the Southwells?”
“Mr. Irving, you’ve taken key personnel from the Southwell Group’s technical division, causing potentially devastating losses for the company. Don’t you think this move is a bit excessive?”
“The Southwells are, after all, the ruling family of the Midnight Pack. As a family member, are there deeper reasons behind your actions to destabilize your own family’s foundation? Can you shed light on this?”
“Mr. Irving, aren’t you afraid that Benjamin might declare your expulsion from the Midnight Pack after this?”
At that last question, I couldn’t help but laugh. Benjamin might be the Alpha of the Midnight Pack now, but even he doesn’t have the authority to exile me. That’s simply not how the Southwells operate.
But I wasn’t about to waste my time addressing their ridiculous questions. Facing the cameras, I gave only one statement: “The grievances between me and the Southwells end today. Effective immediately, I am resigning from the Southwell Group board of directors and will no longer hold any position within the company. Furthermore, I am announcing the official launch of VistaGlobal Group. I look forward to working with you all.”
With that, I strode out through the front gates, leading my team in an impressive departure.
Benjamin’s POV:
Irving’s actions threw not just the Southwell Group, but the entire Midnight Pack, into a state of turmoil. I watched the live coverage of his announcement, delivered to me by my deputy, Tyrone Bowman.
“Alpha, Irving has taken the key personnel from our technical division, as well as several top talents from sales. Other departments have lost nearly half their core staff. It’s clear this was all meticulously premeditated,” my deputy reported angrily.
We’d been wary of Irving for a while, but none of us expected him to strike so suddenly.
“Alpha, morale across the company is plummeting. If you don’t step in soon, things could spiral out of control,” Tyrone warned.
I stayed calm and replied, “No need to panic. Consider this a necessary purge. I want to see how many people Irving has been cultivating under our noses all these years. Compile a detailed report of everyone…”
“And one more thing—assign a sharp, high-ranking Bea to keep tabs on him. Make sure he doesn’t try to ally with another pack and compromise the interests of the Midnight Pack.”
“Understood, Alpha. I’ll get on it right away.”
Despite Tyrone’s swift response, the news frenzy was unstoppable, with coverage of Irving’s defection and the fallout dominating headlines and climbing rapidly in popularity. The Southwell Group’s stock price, along with the authority of the Midnight Pack, took a significant hit in the wake of recent events.
When George saw the news, he was furious, his temper flaring uncontrollably. Leonard called me in a panic. “Alpha, you need to come back right away! Old Mr. Southwell is livid. Irving has gone too far this time.”
Grabbing my car keys, I got up immediately. “Keep Grandpa calm. I’ll be home soon.”
After ending the call, I strode out of the office, only to be swarmed by reporters the moment I stepped outside. No matter how persistently they bombarded me with questions, I remained silent, refusing to say a word. My authority as Alpha weighed heavily on them, and none dared to push too hard. It wasn’t long before I managed to shake them off and head home.
By the time I arrived, my three brothers were already there. Henry, being the youngest, had never involved himself in family affairs before. But given the gravity of what Irving had done—an act that struck at the very heart of the family—he was visibly agitated.
“Grandpa, Irving’s actions are outrageous! If Benjamin can’t expel him from the pack because of family rules, then the three of us should shift into wolf form and tear him apart ourselves!”
Hearing that, I frowned deeply and was about to speak when Tanner interjected with a sharp reprimand. “Henry!”
“That’s out of line. No matter what, he’s still our brother.”
Henry shot back indignantly. “But does he see us as brothers? If he did, he wouldn’t have done something like this.”
Tanner’s expression hardened as his brow furrowed deeply. “Regardless, let Benjamin and Grandpa decide how to handle this.”
Henry seemed ready to argue further, but one warning look from me was enough to silence him. After a moment of thought, I approached George. “Grandpa.”
He looked up at me with a piercing gaze. “Did you have any prior knowledge of what Irving was planning?”
I answered truthfully. “It happened so suddenly—I had no idea.”
George’s expression remained stern. “This has brought significant repercussions to our family. Do you have a plan to address it?”
I nodded firmly. “Please rest assured, there will be no losses. Additionally, there are some matters I need to discuss with you privately.”
Before George could respond, Tanner, perceptive as always, gently tugged Henry along and left the room. In an instant, the grand hall became eerily quiet, leaving only George and me. Without a word, I pulled out two files and handed them to him. “Grandpa, these are findings from an earlier investigation conducted by my people.”
As George glanced over the documents, his expression shifted dramatically. His face turned severe, his gaze snapping at me in astonishment.