Alpha's Chosen

7

Cole's POV

“What do you mean the alpha of the Northern river pack called?” I ask after turning the phone on loud speaker to hold between Hugo and I as soon as the pack house doors close behind us.

"Apparently he has been tracking their movements down through the packs” Petra replies and I can hear the slight fear in her voice.

Her answering their call would also have told them that I’m not there.

I look over at Hugo to see him wearing the matching expression. “I’m sure it’s nothing to worry about, but I am going to send Hugo back to you, probably get more work done without him dragging his feet anyways”, I say, trying to lighten the mood.

“What about the supply drop to Red lake?” Hugo asks.

“Luckily, I’m not afraid of little fairies” I smirk before adding more seriously, “I’ll take Trent too, maybe even Callum or Scott also”.

My beta now appeased, I turn my attention back to the phone as I ask Petra “what did you say when he asked?”.

“I lied, told him we hadn’t seen them, but then he said to inform him if we do” she replies, her voice still nervous.

“Of course he did” I sigh before trying to calm my gamma further “It’s not next door Petra. I’ll be back before he even gets halfway to us”.

“Thanks Cole” she sighs and I can hear her trying to force a more relieved voice.

“I’ll be home by tonight” Hugo adds firmly before I cut the line.

“Fuuuuuuck” I groan as I turn, walking back towards the packhouse with Hugo beside me.

“Agreed” Hugo sighs “what do you want me to do if he calls again?”.

“Deny” I reply plainly “they are no longer his pack members, nor have they actually done anything against him. He has no claim on them”.

“I bet he thought calling would make you out them. Shows how little he knows you. You’ll probably help them now just to spite him” Hugo smiles as we pause at the bottom of the stairs.

“No I won’t” I reply as Hugo looks at me knowingly, “okay, well not just to spite him” I return his smile before slapping his shoulder “safe journey, I’ll send Nathan back with you. Goddess knows that man is already dying to go home”.

“You too” Hugo smiles, grinning a little wider as he adds “remember to sleep”.

I roll my eyes turning away as I reply “yeah yeah”.

I make my way back into the dining room but notice Hugo’s and my plates now gone, only a few of my warriors remaining.

Luckily, one of them is Nathan.

"Hey" I start as I sit down beside him, deciding to scare him a little as I cross my arms in front of me.

"Yes Alpha?" he asks worryingly, looking me up and down.

"You really don't want to be here, do you?" I ask, keeping my face expressionless.

"Ummmmm... well" he mutters trying to decide which is best a lie or the truth.

My face breaks into a smile as I nudge his side "Stress less, you're going home. Hugo is needed back there and someone has to make sure he doesn't get lost".

"Really?" he asks automatically, his face lighting up.

"Yeah" I nod "now go pack...... Oh, and after you're done smothering your little girl, start plans on her kinship ceremony. Trust me, you'll want her a pack member before she starts walking".

"Yes Alpha" Nathan replies quickly before near bolting from the room, plate still on the table.

"What's a kinship ceremony?" I hear a voice ask. I look up to see Meredith looking curiously at me before she seems to catch herself, quickly covering her mouth.

"I'm so sorry" she whispers through her fingers.

I continue to look at her as she fumbles through her words "I wasn't... I mean I didn't mean to... I... I'm sorry Alpha" she says finishing in a deep bow.

I can't help but smile, getting up to place Nathan's plate on the nearby dishes trolley before going to sit down beside her, "If I had needed the conversation private I would have linked him now wouldn't I?".

"Still" she whispers, not yet forgiving herself.

"A kinship ceremony, in my pack at least, is the joining of new wolves into the pack.

By the end, each new member wears the Hunter's moon's scent, as well as marking theirs in my memory.

Usually Alphas wait till their wolves come of age, you know, since after the ceremony not only can I find them but they can find me" I explain as she looks up at me.

I can see she wants to know more, but after her last question she's nervous to ask the next.

"What are you thinking?" I prompt her as I recline to lean back in my chair.

Meredith smiles slightly before asking the question that is playing on her, "Isn't it annoying having little kids able to find you all the time?".

"Mmmm" I hum, "Annoying no, inconvenient sometimes yes".

My eyes draw back to her as I smile "I had a little wolf recently, three days after his ceremony, come bouncing into my office yelling 'I found you! I found you!'.... let's just say the visiting council members weren't quite as excited as he was".

Meredith laughs softly beside me as I continue, "It's more the me being able to find them part. They are just pups, and being pups it's in their nature to seek out nature, but to them every tree looks the same. Dad tried giving them a set area, but when I took over I just brought the ceremony forward".

Meredith listens closely and seeing her concentration I decide to tell her the rest, "it's also good for if they meet any stranger wolves. Even if the wolves don't know it's the scent of Hunter's Moon they are able to identify the pups belong to a pack. Which I like to think makes them a little safer".

"But... but if you're connected to them before they get their wolves, wouldn't you feel that too? You know, since you know when one of your members is in pain" she asks quietly, still a little tentative.

"Yeah, sometimes I know before they do what's happening, but after some practice, it's turned into a little annoyance now. Oh, and it also means I can help them through the transition, should they need it. Cause sometimes as wolves transition they lose their hearing, but I can still link them, so I can talk them through it".

Meredith nods thoughtfully, but I can see in her eyes that there is more.

I scoff a smile before again prompting "Just ask".

"Really?" she asks "You sure I'm not taking up your time?".

I pull my phone out, quickly checking the time before placing it down on the table "Nah, don't have to head out for a while yet".

Meredith looks around at the few remaining wolves before leaning in closer as she asks "Will you tell me about it?".

"About what?" I ask, leaning closer and speaking softly as she had.

"Shifting" she says, eyes light with curiousity "I live a life full of wolves, but no one will tell me about what it's like. They think it would be like rubbing salt in the wound, but instead it just feels like being excluded even further".

I nod, thinking carefully about how to answer, since it's a little different for each wolf.

"Well" I begin "For some it's slow, for others it feels like the blink of an eye, but for all it's f*cking painful.

No other word to describe it.

You feel like your skin is tearing from the inside out.

Your senses come and go but the pain... the pain remains.

Others say it's like they are on fire, but I'm guessing that's because your blood also transitions to that of a wolf, warmer to inhabit our faster healing".

I pause as Meredith rubs her wrist.

I don't think, taking her hand in mine and pulling it closer to examine as I ask "what happened?".

Meredith scoffs, followed by a shrug as she replies "Bella, she didn't mean to, of course, but she just forgot for a second and... well that's what happens when people forget just how fragile I am".

My thumb rubs softly over the bluish bruise, "she needs to restrain herself better".

Meredith quickly shakes her head, attempting to take her wrist back "No… no, she didn't mean to, it's my fault..".

"No it's not" I interrupt firmly, gently holding her hand in place.

"She hurt you, not the other way around, and it isn't just as simple as 'she forgot', she shouldn't be grabbing anyone with such a grip... just think what if it's a child next time?".

I sigh, ashamed I have just compared her to a child, "I'm sorry I didn't mean to...".

"Don't" Meredith says, offering me a soft smile, "Please don't apologize... you're right actually" she says looking down at her wrist still in my hand, "I never thought of it like that before. I mean, of course, I'm not a child but vulnerable all the same......How do you learn that kind of control?".

I scoff as a few of the many memories fill my mind "It isn't easy" I sigh.

Meredith looks at me curiously before I release her hand, leaning back again as I retell one of the memories.