The Alpha's Daughter

Chapter 5: Pack Dinners

My muscles hurt as I descended the stairs, but I had to hide the pain. No way could I walk into the wolves’ den displaying my injuries. The boys would never let me live that down. Shifting my weight to try to hide the fact I was favoring one side I made my way through the packhouse to the dining room. Everyone was already inside when I arrived. My father just looked at me with a slight smile before telling us all to have a seat.

The packhouse was tense at dinner, though we all knew better than to actually let this show. Everyone just sat there quietly eating, except me. I pushed the food around on my plate only taking a bite here and there. Alpha Vincent looked at his Beta and then began his normal rundown on each member present. “Victor, I hear good things about your tracking. It would seem to me however, that Viviana is just getting better at hiding from you.”

“Yes, Alpha,” he replied dryly without looking at anyone.

“How are your recruits doing?” Alpha Vincent asked.

Victor looked up at the Alpha holding his gaze as he answered, “They will be prepared for the tournament.” He spoke confidently.

“What of the new recruit, is he still having trouble shifting.” The alpha asked leaning back in his chair awaiting Victor’s response.”

“Shiloh ability to shift is improving every day. Although he is still having trouble shifting quickly for a fight, but he was able to block Max's hit partly shifted today.” Victor remarked with a smile.

“Only because I was taking it easy on him,” Max laughed.

“Sure,” was all the Alpha said but I could see the slight amusement in my father's face. Max was no Alpha and everyone at the table knew it except for maybe… no, even he knew it even if he did try and deny it. Max might have been given the best warriors for his squad by his father yet for all his advantages he would never measure up to Victor. This thought brought a smile to my face. I knew Victor would make a good Alpha and he was exceptional in his training abilities. I had no doubt under him, Shiloh would become one of the best warriors the pack had. Max might have Blue, and although he is physically strong, he never took his training seriously, and Max never made him because of his size, he just always assumed he would win..

“Zander.” My father's voice pulled me back into the conversation, trying to act like I was paying attention, though I could tell by the amused look on my father’s face he knew I was not.

“Yes, Alpha.” Zander snapped his head up and faced the Alpha.

“How is Ruby's leg healing?” he questioned.

“There's still slight bruising, but she should be back to normal in a day. I have been keeping her training mostly to hand-to-hand combat to help the healing process.” Zander explained.

“Very well, was she able to train today?”

“Yes, Alpha.” Zander smiled, he seemed pleased, and I was glad to hear Ruby was doing better.

“Max, what do you have to report on your crew?” the Alpha asked.

“My crew is good and will be ready for Beta Rex’s challenge tomorrow!” he proclaimed boldly.

“Only because your minions love to fight dirty,” I heard Zander sneer almost under his breath.

“The enemy fights dirty, Zander,” Max countered, but loud enough to be heard by all.

“But we are not your enemies, though, are we?” Zander argued, “We are all your pack, not a bunch of rogues.” He practically spat. His face grew red with anger.

“And how do you think you prepare your warriors to fight rogues?” Max questioned, “Surely you don’t think playing nice will help them develop.” He paused, smirking at me, “No, Zander, you have to teach them to attack with everything they have. A moment of hesitation is the difference between life and death,” defending his actions. “Do you not agree, Alpha?”

My father’s face was stern, and I really did not know how to expect him to respond. “Our warriors should be trained well for battle; on that I agree.” He paused and looked at all of us, “As for your style of training, I expect your skills to advance and for your techniques to improve for the good of the pack. However, for the tournament, your wolves will fight honorably during the challenge, Max. We are not looking to hurt anyone. You are all members of the same pack, and to weaken someone is to make the pack weak to a real attack. Everyone should be safe in this demonstration, is that clear?” The Alpha’s voice sent shivers down my spine in a way only his voice can.

“Yes, Alpha.” All of us answered in unison.

“Gamma Ray, have you determined the matches for the challenge?”

“Yes, Alpha, Victor’s recruits will face Zander’s in wolf form and Viviana’s will face Max's crew in hand-to-hand combat,” Gamma Ray explained.

“Very well,” the Alpha said.

My father looked pleased at this matchup, but my mind was still wandering back to the conversation my father and I had had earlier that day. I was pulled from my thinking when my father spoke again.

“Gamma Ray, who is leading in training?”

“Victor, Alpha, among the men and Viviana among the females,” Gamma Ray declared.

Beta Rex huffed at this.

“Problem, Beta Rex,” Alpha Vincent picked up on his not-so-subtle objection.

“Max has been leading in the hand-to-hand combat, and we all know Zander is ahead in wolf form.” Beta Rex explained, clearly frustrated.

“Yes, it is my understanding, Beta Rex, neither of them has advanced in their tracking skills, though,” the Alpha asserted.

“That is correct, Alpha,” Gamma Ray popped up. “Tacking is not the only thing that puts Victor ahead.”

My father’s eyebrows went up; I know he was not sure what the Gamma was going to say. “Explain then,” he said.

“The warriors are also assessed by how their squad is progressing in training. Victor has shown the ability to train perhaps even better than his father, and his warriors are advancing in ways the other squads are not.”

I looked at Victor, and he seemed surprised that Gamma Ray would stand up for him in front of the Alpha. Unlike the Beta, the Gamma’s position in the pack was not often acknowledged. Gamma Ray held his position only because Victor’s father had been killed in the same attack as my mother.

“What good is training and tracking if you can't fight?” Beta Rex laughed.

Victor was on his feet in an instant. “Are you saying I can't fight?”

I mind linked him, “Calm down, Victor, you know he is just baiting you.”

He answered my link, “He says I can't protect the pack, Viv, surely you understand that.”

“Sit.” The Alpha’s voice shook the walls. “We are here to eat dinner peacefully. If you cannot handle that, you may leave, Victor, and another thing, Beta Rex, if tracking is not important, as you say, then I expect you to start working on something else with your crew. No reason to have them chase Viviana through the woods if it is so pointless.” My father’s face was stern, but I could see the twinkle of amusement in his eyes as Beta Rex backed down.

“Yes, Alpha,” was all Beta Rex said, a disgruntled look marring his face as he looked across the table at Victor.

“My apologies, Alpha,” Victor took his seat in mind linked me, “Sorry, Viv, I just can't help it. He seems determined to make me look bad in front of Alpha Vincent.”

“It's okay,” I reassured him. I reached for his hand under the table and gave it a reassuring squeeze.

“Way to calm down, Victor,” Max linked me.

“I didn't,” I shot back.

“We all know you did. He listens to you like a little pup,” laughed Max in my mind.

“At least, he listens,” cutting the mind link and smiling at myself. I went back to eating my dinner. I had been carelessly pushing food around my plate. These gatherings were so exhausting.