Fighting Instincts

Chapter Nine - Alpha's Compromise

There was a broad smile of approval as Xena moved to the long table against a side walk with a half dozen chairs along the three open sides. The table was very thick and as I looked at it, I noticed terrain built under the glass surface. There was a small mountain range, tiny rivers and brooks, a couple of ponds, a house, and a few other outer buildings. I stared, taking in all the small details. Such a piece of work had to take hours, weeks, maybe months. Everything was carved, painted and carefully placed.

“This is the pack territory,” Xena said. “It's the original pack territory, we have since expanded. The maps on the walls have all the up-to-date borderlines and terrain. This was something the first Luna built for her mate. A means to visualize his territory to protect it from threats."

“When you, or your alpha, said you found me on your territory, I don't think I envisioned it being so vast,” I said, forgetting to whisper. I would have apologized, but Gun didn't seem to be the kind of guy who cared which way the ball went unless it was the way he wanted it to go.

“Things are always changing too. You negotiate, or find a mate to create alliances, give land away to settle a dispute or claim land from a challenge. However, this piece of territory has belonged to the Alpha's line for many generations.”

I nodded but found I was curious what was happening outside. Gun was clicking and clacking away again. He didn't seem to register us as he moved around the screens, getting a visual and slowly muttering the same phrase with different numbers. “Five clear, ten clear. Reset cameras in twelve." A long pause before - "No further activity to report,” he said at last. "Someone better fix my sensors in the upper quarter. Next time you think it is funny to delay repairs, you can find someone else to monitor your backs, you selfish asses.”

There was a large beeping and a flash of green from the hall. I turned to Xena, but she didn't seem phased. My wide eyes gave me away, and she patted the seat now vacant. “It's likely the alpha, if it was an intruder the alarms would be blaring. Plus, code remember?”

I didn't sit though. I heard the steps echoing, they didn't seem to echo as much with Xena and I. Could it be my anxiety? Fear? I hadn't prepared to meet anyone. I was supposed to be sleeping. Only I couldn't sleep. Since we were awake now, perhaps I would be expected to move our meeting up. What was this attack just now? If the intruders were here for me would I be kicked out for endangering the pack?

“Hello Sylvaline,” the alpha spoke, his eyes landing on me with a mask in place. I couldn't see any malicious intent in his face, but if he was an alpha he had to be able to play the game well.

“Good evening,” I said calmly, with a voice steadier than I imagined possible with all the flurry of activity in my head.

“Gun, you can debrief with Zen. He will give the next orders."

“Yes, sir,” the smaller male said lacking the angry tones he had shown earlier. He dashed out of the room, not in a rush to be out of there, just a man on a mission, who had a better place to be. I wanted to go too.

Xena had a flat piece of metal, a nail cleaner and was picking under her nails without another thought. “You can go too,” the alpha directed to her.

“Can she stay with me?” I asked, trying to push away feelings of fright, “No disrespect, but my parents always said I shouldn't be in a room alone with a male,” I said feeling the ramble come on again. “I am not accusing you of ill thoughts... or actions. " I cleared my throat. An action to help me resituation. Restart. "I would prefer her here even if you were a woman.” There were times I had been alone with men and though I could feel intimidated by them, I was most fearful I might misunderstand something. At least having Xena meant I would have some moral support and she might help clarify things if needed.

“Very well,” he said. He gestured for me to take a seat and role Gun's more padded seat over to sit in it before both of us. “I believe we need to discuss your point of origin,” he began with a careful selection of words. “Do you know where you were found?”

“Not exactly, but I know it was reported in the newspapers,” I said, I counted my heartbeats, took slow breaths, I didn't need to panic and faint because I feared where the discussion would end. I know it wasn't in this county. We moved when I was five, almost six, a short time after the adoption was legalized.”

“But the humans found you as baby?”

“Yes, they fostered me for a time, because we had to see if my family would reach out or I would be linked to a family through DNA. No one came forward and the adoption proceeded.” I felt more monotone then usual. I loved telling stories. I gave life to characters and painted scenes. This was matter of fact. I wasn't telling a story I was laying out facts. This man wouldn't need a fairy tail, he needed details to determine was I lying, telling the truth, friend or foe.

“You never had contact with other werewolves?”

“No,” I said carefully. “I knew there were likely others, but I never thought to find a means to locate them. I also wasn't sure how you would, even if I wanted to.”

“It's rare to have a wolf in control at a young age in the city without a guardian of some kind. I often have to bring in lones or young rougues who have been abandoned until they gain the control they need.”

“What happens to them?” I said, a small break in my voice as I imagined the worse of the worse. Would wolves kill their own kind because they couldn't be controlled.

“We train them and let them decided to join a pack or live as a city wolf. Most do not go back to be rogue. Rogues have a hard life. No human interactions, no real pack, and after a while rogues forget they have a human skin and remain wolf.”

I was learning a lot and I wanted to learn more but I also didn't want to ruin the mood and ask the wrong thing. The pause made me think maybe I could get away with another question but the alha spoke again.

“ Sylvaline,” he said cautiously, “I think it would be best for you to stay with us.”

I stared at the stranger and felt the muscles of my brows furrow. “I belong home, I have parents who need me.”

“Yes, I know and I understand this is a lot for you. I wouldn't normally throw so much information at you but circumstances as they are, we don't have much choice. We don't know much about your past. While you were asleep I've had someone investigating your house. Whoever was after you tracked you to our territory. We did manage to get an image of the attackers from your security cameras before they were cut as well. Normally I would think this was a simple rogue attack gone wrong. A chance of wrong time, wrong place. The truth is I have a wolf in interrogation matching your attacker who came back to a dominant pack in an attempt to get to you.”

I swallowed. My head buzzed, a feeling of standing too quickly, only I hadn't stood up. I was sitting. “I don't understand,” I whispered, “I'm not anyone special. I am a normal girl, living a normal life, with my family. What could anyone want with me?”

“I'd like the time to find out. For both you and for my pack. I think it would be best to stay with us. Once we get answers we can make a decision together about what's good for you and the pack.”

My confusion barely settled. I didn't know what questions or responses would be expected. “I... I can't keep hiding from police though,” I finally managed.

“No, we have determined it would be best for them to know you are alive. If only so we can make it clear to other packs you have a tie with us for the time being. I would like to tell the humans you are related to Walker. A niece perhaps.”

“A sister!” Xena exclaimed. “My long lost sister we thought was dead,” she began. “Oh, how fun. Have you told dad yet! I bet he will be all over her. If he spoils me he will spoil you too. It will be just great Sylva. Oh we can share my room. I have a large bed. It's always better sleeping with a packmember, because you can share warmth. Put also it puts us at ease.”

There was a low rumble. The alpha had directed it to Xena who snapped her mouth such immediately. “We can work out other details after,” he sighed and then turned back to me. “Sylvaline, I won't proceed without permission of course but we should go over a story before we get you ready and call police.”

“Get me ready?”

“Yes, we would have to make it look like you have had a rough journey through the woods. They wouldn't appreciate it if we took away evidence to validate your story.”

I would give it to the alpha, he thought of everything. “Only until we find out who is after me and why though right? I am not a prisoner right?”

“No, not a prisoner. I will have firm rules in place naturally. You will need to have permission and someone to guard you if you need to leave the premise. We will provide everything for you while you are here and cover expenses to keep the house safe for your return should you decide to return to it. In exchange you will abide by the ways of the pack. Might I add this will be a great opportunity for you to bond with the wolf within you.”

“I'm not interested in bonding. I want control of it. Preferrably so I can never shift again and live normally. I can't begin to express how frustrating it is to know I will live alone my whole life because I can't bring home someone and expect them to accept me and the beast I become.” There was sorrow in the alpha's eyes. He watched me, the expression of loss all but spoken between us. Clearly we did not see eye to eye about the things living within us. Okay, no worries. A difference of opinion. We can agree to disagree. “Can we go over the rules then?”