Chapter 6
"We need to do something, Peyton. We do to do something now." I paced back and forth on my four legs.
"What should we do, Bree?"
"I don't know." I sat on the ground by the river. The water flowed smoothly; nothing disturbed the light blue current. "All I know is, I need to protect him."
"Bree, Alpha's pack will protect him. You know that." Her eyes were locked on mine.
"I know, but there's something inside me that's telling me to be by him." I looked in the river to see my reflection.
"You like him, don't you?" She accused. No, I can't! my mind yelled again. My heart felt as though it would fall out of my chest at any moment.
"No. He's been my friend since we were young. You know that." I raised my voice, getting frustrated with myself.
"So, what were you doing with him?" Peyton snapped back.
"He was camping! I ran into him, that's all!"
"Now that I think about it, he seems to be around you a lot lately. The mall, here. I think that's interesting." She said, keeping her accusing tone.
I bared my teeth. "Peyton, you're pushing it. I don't like him!"
"Right. And fish can't swim."
"Beta, round up other two and meet me on the edge of Alpha's territory. I'm gonna get a head start," I ordered, done with her.
"But, Bree –"
"It's an order!" I cut her off. Peyton could tell I wasn't putting up with her and her finger-pointing. I had other things to worry about. Peyton and I went our own ways.
As I approached Alpha's territory, a wave of relief washed over me when didn't get a scent of the wolf that attacked me. Thank god. Don't worry, Xavier, I'll do whatever I have to. I let out a howl and within seconds Alpha was at the border.
"Alpha, I know I'm on trial, but there was an attack." I sounded just like an actual Alpha.
"So I've heard. It was the Sons of Ebony, wasn't it?" His voice was concerned.
"Yes, father."
"Hmm. I – think it's time to call upon the Oswego clan." He practically choked on his words.
I just stood there, staring at him. I knew Father hated calling for help, but he knew that his clan could be in great danger. "My clan and I will go talk to the Oswego's Alpha," I suggested.
"I think that's a great idea, Aubrey." Now he's calling me by my name? Things are definitely changing.
"Father, I ask of you, May Xavier take the journey with us? " I sounded helpless.
"I don't know, I think that's quite risky." Alpha looked in my eyes.
"Alpha, the Sons of Ebony are expecting him to either be here on your territory, or at his campsite. They wouldn't guess he's with us, and if they do, we will have our clan to back us up." I tried to make a crappy excuse off the top of my head. Alpha didn't answer right away. He just looked at the ground.
"Alpha?"
"That's a good plan, Aubrey. You will lead this clan well, when your time comes." Tears were falling from his eyes. "When you reach the Oswego clan, ask to speak with Ren."
"Thank you, father. I'll go and grab Xavier, and then we'll be on our way." As soon as I finished my sentence, Alpha disappeared. My own clan appeared from the brush, looking more confused than ever.
"We are going to seek help from the Oswego clan," I clarified.
"No!" Eric growled angrily.
"Eric, it's the Alpha's order," Shay said shyly.
Eric snapped at her, and Shay's ears went back and her tail tucked between her legs. "I will not be part of this!" he asserted.
"STOP IT!" I barked. "I don't care what you want to be a part of. You're a part of this clan, so whatever I say goes, and from now on, whoever has a problem with that will face the consequences. Understood?!"
"Yes, Alpha." Every wolf bowed their head.
"Good. Beta, you and Eric are staying here. Watch out for the Sons of Ebony. Shay, you're coming with me. We need to go get something before we leave." Peyton turned her back on me and sat down. I knew she was mad at me; there was no doubt about that. Maybe I'd been a little hard on everyone. I mean, really, I'm stressed out more than usual. I sighed. What am I to do?
"Let's go, Shay." The little light red wolf was right behind me. I knew I would let Shay into the new pack. She's very loyal and I got the feeling she's extremely smart but just too shy to show it sometimes.
Shay was taking in the surroundings of the place she would one day live in and be part of. She spoke quietly, "Alpha, what exactly are we doing? I-if you don't mind me asking." Her voice was low.
"We're going to grab Xavier. My father and I decided it would be best for him if he came with us." I smiled at her.
"I have another question." She seemed a little hesitant. "Why can't people like us fall in love with regular people?" I could tell Shay was afraid of asking because she knew I loved Xavier. She also knew the situation, the rules: we couldn't be together.
Sighing, I answered, "Well, Shay, half-bloods like us are prohibited to fall in love with humans because we lead such different lifestyles. We focus our lives on protecting people, guarding our territory, and keeping the balance between people and nature. Compared to humans, most of them want the newest cell phones or the hottest clothes, or they worry about getting the highest grade in school or paying their next bill.
"The majority of humans don't care about what's going on around them, and how their choices affect the world. It's not only that, though. Just imagine, being out on patrol half the time, or having meetings with the pack, or even fighting off other wolves, while your human mate is left just sitting at home, waiting, hoping you're ok. What if you get wounded in battle, so badly that you don't know if you'll make it? Your mate wouldn't be able to do anything to help. I wouldn't wish that upon anyone." My eyes started watering.
"That's understandable, but if you're in love with someone, you shouldn't be paired or forced to be with anyone else. I believe love is what makes a pack strong. If you truly love someone, you will do anything for them, and protect them no matter what. I'm not saying you wouldn't do your best to keep a person you're paired with alive, but you wouldn't have that feeling of protectiveness or happiness." Realizing that her voice had been steadily raising, she quieted again. "I'm not disrespecting your ways either, Alpha. I'm just stating my opinion."
I felt a lump in my throat. She was right. If I'm paired with Eric, it's not like I wouldn't try to protect him, but I just wouldn't have that bond like I do with Xavier, whom I love. I could feel my heart pound.
"Alpha, I mean no disrespect. I can tell you love Xavier, I can tell that you would do anything for him. I think you should follow your heart." Shay wisely suggested.
"I wish I could, but it's prohibited. I can't disobey the pack. If I do, then I would be exiled," I cried softly.
"That's horrible." Anger was in her voice.
"It's just how it is. There's nothing I can do." We reached his house and I phased back to my human form. I rubbed my eyes clean, walked up to his door, and knocked. He answered the door and hugged me.
"Bree! I was so worried about you! Are you alright?!" he asked, scanning my body for any obvious injuries.
"No. I mean, yeah, I'm fine. But you're in danger. You need to come with us." I sounded happier then I probably should have.
He just looked at me, more confused than ever.
"We need to leave ASAP. The more time we spend here, the more time the Sons of Ebony will have to find us."
"The Sons of Ebony?" Xavier questioned. Shay started barking.
"No time to explain, Xavier! Please, come with us. You're not safe here, and were running out of time." My eyes locked on his.
Nodding his head, he said "I trust you. What do I need?"
"Water, that's it. Find a huge jug. Oh, and you'll need a hoodie in case it gets cold." I smiled at him. Xavier went into his house and I phased back into my wolf form.
"What's going on, Shay?" I asked, trying to cover up my worry.
"Your father said we need to get moving now."
"Alright." I barked twice, and Xavier appeared right next to me holding the items I'd requested. He got up on my back and grabbed my shoulder hair as I took off running with Shay right behind me.
"He is adorable." Shay started panting.
"Shush." I smiled at her.
We reached the spot were Peyton and Eric were waiting. They both rose defensively to their feet as soon as they saw Xavier. Oh god, here we go. I started baring my teeth.
"What is he doing here? Do you want to kill us?" Eric exploded.
"You forget what we're here for." Alpha's voice was behind me, and all eyes landed on him. "Aubrey and I have made our decision. This is what we decided to be the safest plan for Xavier. Eric, you will treat your Alpha with respect if you want to be in this pack." Clearly, Alpha wasn't going to put up any wolf who second-guessed my decision.
"Like it or not," he continued, "this is going to be your new Alpha one day and she will be doing what she thinks is right for the pack. I have all of my faith in her that she will do what's right for us all." He found Shay. "Hello. What's your name?"
"Shay, sir."
"Nice to meet you. I'm Aubrey's father." He smiled.
"Nice to you too, sir." Shay's tail wagged a little.
Alpha's eyes went back on me, "Ask to speak to Ren. You'll do fine, I know you will."
"Thank you, Alpha. Pack, let's go, and keep your senses sharp."
"Yes, Alpha," my pack-mates responded.
We walked for about 5 hours. I couldn't help but feel better, knowing that Xavier was safe and that everybody knew their place. Peyton still hasn't talked to me whatsoever, though. That's something I need to fix, and quick.
Xavier was getting really tired. I could feel his body start to drift off occasionally, before his hands would tighten around my fur and his body would jerk back into wakefulness. It was 3:45 a.m. on a Tuesday morning. The rest of the pack was sluggishly trying to keep up. It looked like Eric and Shay were OK; they were leaning on each other as they walked. Peyton was walking right behind me, however, and I could tell that she was trying to hide how tired she was.
Finally, I took it easy on them all. "Alright. I think we should rest for a couple of hours. We'll get up at 9 and start walking at 9:15." I let out a yawn. "Peyton, please walk with me."
"Yes, Alpha." Peyton's voice was flat and cold. I let Xavier off my back and lead Peyton away.
After quite a bit of silence between us, I made my attempt to melt the ice. "I'm sorry I snapped at you, OK?"
Peyton licked the side of my face. "Sorry I pushed your buttons."
"It's alright. Let's catch some Z's before 9." I wagged my tail.
"You said it, Bree."
Waking up to the chirping of the birds beat any alarm clock in the world.
Focusing my eyesight, I looked around. Shay, Eric, Peyton. Where's Xavier? Jumping up on my four paws I started sniffing the ground for any scent of him. Nothing. I ran through the bushes and brush to a small wooded area. Where are you? My mind raced. I heard a small branch break to my right and my eyes darted that way. Xavier walked out from behind the tree.
"I scared yah, didn't I?" He chuckled.
Anger filled me, and I let out a low growl. We're trying to protect you and you go running off. Great.
"Aubrey, I was seeing if I could cover my scent if needed. I think I did a good job, if I don't say so myself." I could totally tell he felt accomplished.
Peyton appeared right next to him. "Alpha, everyone's up."
"Thanks, Beta." Looking at Xavier, I barked, and the three of us found our way back to the two remaining wolves. "Shay, carry Xavier. Eric, Peyton, walk on either side of Shay." The wolves did as asked and we were on our way.
Some time later, Peyton spoke up. "Gah." Peyton's stomach rumbled. "Bree, I'm hungry."
"Me too, Alpha," Shay chimed in, as well as her stomach.
"We've only been walking for three hours, guys. You can't go at least another hour?" Eric objected.
Between Eric and Peyton bickering, Xavier spoke. "Aubrey, I don't know if you're in a conversation at this moment, and I'm sorry if you are, but the human boy's hungry."
"Great," Eric added.
"Guys, keep a look out for food. We walk until then." I made the final decision.
Eating the last piece of flesh from the deer's leg filled my stomach. I felt so energized and just ready to go. My pack and I hadn't eaten since we met Shay, and that deer hit the spot. Xavier ate about a whole bush of berries.
"Damn, human boy can eat," Eric said, licking the blood off of his upper lip. "Good thing he's not a wolf, or he would probably eat half a buck."
"Eric, stop calling him 'human boy'. He has a name, and it's Xavier." I tried not to snap at him.
Eric mumbled under his breath, but I was just not in the mood to deal with him. Ignoring his attitude, I asked him, "What can you tell us about the Oswego clan?"
"Nothing," Eric said, showing his teeth.
"Why not, Eric?" Peyton asked. "This is important. You know, if we knew how many wolves are in their pack, then we would know if we're out numbered or something."
"She has a point, Eric." I smiled at Peyton, thanking her.
He growled, but conceded. "They're about the same number as Luke's clan," he spoke sharply, trying to end the subject.
"Go on." Peyton shot a cocky smile at Eric.
"The alpha of the Oswego clan is Ren, and his mate's name is Ari. They have 5 pups. The oldest 2 are twins Fang and Comegy. Then there's their daughter Kia. Last but not least they have their youngest pups, another set of twins: Seth and Kyra."
"Are they good warriors?" I stopped to scan my surroundings. This place felt so familiar.
"I would compare Ren to Luke. They're both are very strong. Um, Ari, well – she's not a fighter. The only time she'll fight is if there's someone attacking her younger pups. Fang and Comegy? They're very obedient, and they will get things done. The only downside is, they argue a lot, but when they work together, they're very powerful. Kia – Kia's a work of art. She acts like an Alpha, and she will do anything to prove her strength. On the other hand, she's very nice. Seth and Kyra, they're too young, nothing to say about them," Eric finished.
"Wow." Shay was shocked.
"Our pack will be very interesting," Peyton added.
"Indeed," Eric growled.
I was worried. No doubt, I'm going to be in charge of 7 more wolves, 10 in total. Alpha's pack isn't even as big as this. Ugh, I'm getting stressed again. Major-ly.
Focusing my eyes and mind to my surroundings, it suddenly clicked, and I knew at last where I was! Aurora!
Wagging my tail, I jetted off, my pack following right behind me. Soon, we reached a sea of purple, a lavender field that caressed a gravel driveway leading up to a white house. Reaching the stairs, an elderly lady opened the door and walked out.
"Aubrey. My darling, is that really you?" Her voice was like honey, warm and sweet.
Phasing into human form, I landed in front of her, and opening my arms, I hugged her. "Grandma! I missed you so much!"
"I missed you too, my darling. Is this your pack?" Grandma looked at each of the wolves.
"Yes, Grandma. This is my new pack." I smiled.
"Ah, so Luke has made you Pre-Alpha? Good. You'll make a strong Alpha." Grandma's hand rubbed my back.
"Pack, please meet my grandmother." I looked at each of my wolves. One by one they all phased into their human forms. "Grandma, this is my beta, Peyton. Peyton, this is my grandmother, Aurora." Peyton gave a simple wave and a smile. Pointing to the lean and muscular boy who stood before us, the one whose hair started off black but faded to brown, I made another introduction. "Grandma, this is Eric."
"Nice to meet you, Aurora." Eric bowed his head, casting his brown eyes down to the ground. Grandma gave him a sweet smile.
"And this is our newest member, Shay." Shay's human form was stunning. She was very small and skinny, and her pale skin was dotted with freckles. Most noticeable was her long, curly red hair. It went down to her butt.
"Hello, Aurora," she greeted.
"Hello, Shay." Grandma let out a smile, but soon it disappeared. "Who is this?" She looked at Xavier.
"This is Xavier, Grandma." She studied my face as I spoke.
"He's in danger, isn't he?" Aurora looked at him. Grandma always could guess if there was something wrong. She was really, really good at it.
"Yes, Grandma. He's in trouble with the Sons of Ebony."
"The Sons of Ebony?" Grandma's voice cracked.
"Yes." I looked down.
Grandma looked at my pack. "Relax for a while. I need to talk with your Aubrey." Grandma's eyes returned to me. "Aubrey, my darling, come inside."
Closing the door behind me, Grandma walked into her kitchen, while I followed close behind her.
"My darling, the Sons of Ebony are after you?"
"Yes." I felt a lump start to form in my throat.
"Aubrey, the Sons of Ebony is not a clan to mess with." I saw a tear run down her face. "They killed your Grandfather."mHmhmMSAODSOCAOCSJPASOCJOSJC VPOAVJOASJPVOSskapcjksdnfksn vgsalvm:PvSdfm:DS