Chapter Two- Pack Order

Yusei kept growling softly as he followed Goodwin to a house that had a gold star on the door. The alpha went through a dog door and Yusei followed several seconds later. He stepped through and blinked. Two aqua-colored pups pranced around Goodwin, yipping and barking.

"All right, you two," Goodwin said, sounding amused.

"What happened, alpha?" asked one in a boy's voice. "Why did you leave?"

Obvious, isn't it?" said the other in a girl's voice. "The alarm went off. A human trespassed." She looked past Goodwin to Yusei and she reacted as the guards did. The male pup looked from the girl pup to Yusei before following her example. "Beta," they chorused.

This show of respect irritated Yusei. "What is a beta?" he demanded angrily. The pups whined in fear. "Oh, stop it!" he snapped.

"Yes, beta," was the meek response.

"And you will stop taking your anger out on others," Goodwin snapped. "It is your fault you chose to trespass."

The iron in Goodwin's voice made Yusei drop down and tuck his tail. "Yes, alpha," he said softly.

"Better. Now to The Den everyone." He led the way to a room of armchairs and a couch. The pups laid on the couch while the others took the chairs. Yusei saw the furniture was designed to be comfortable whether wolf or human.

"You mentioned hoping I would be turned either way."

"Yes. You see, I was bitten by a werewolf while my older brother became a vampire. Both of us lead our respective races but do stay in touch. I was told by other wolves of you sleeping on the streets and it saddened me to hear of it."

"I was happy that way."

"Were you, Yusei?"

The skeptic tone in Goodwin's voice made Yusei's conviction wilt. "Well, I did occasionally wish to live in a house and have a family like my friends do. But I was happy being human and having fights."

"Believe me, I understand the human part."

Yusei looked at the pups. "Why bite kids, though?"

"We weren't bitten," the boy said.

Yusei blinked. "What?"

"Some are bitten," Goodwin admitted. "Most are born. Leo and Luna here are the latter. Their parents were killed three years ago when they were five."

"Killed?" Yusei repeated in soft horror. It was horrible to think of kids being orphans.

Goodwin nodded. "They were shot by a werewolf hunter while in human form. He had brushed them with a silver charm hanging from his pants. Their reaction to it told him they were werewolves and killed them with silver bullets."

"We're allergic to silver, then."

"Oh, yes as are the vampires who are our enemies as well. Despite being brother to the vampire king, our races cannot resist attacking one another. It is an apathy that won't disappear even though we co-exist with humans and share that side with both races."

"So we're not really afraid of them?"

"No." Goodwin smiled. "Is that what humans believe? Interesting."

"I never believed it. I suspected we were more wary of them and that was why I saw wolves in groups."

"Very perceptive. Yes, it is better to travel together for protection, especially at night as that is the only time that vampires can roam." Goodwin saw Yusei's eyes beginning to droop as well as the twins. "I believe I'll stop here for tonight. I've given you much to take in and we all need rest. Allow me to show you to a guest room." He leaped down and led the three young wolves upstairs. He showed Yusei a guest room and followed the twins to their room.

"Well, what do you think of him?" he asked as they got into bed.

"I like him," Leo said.

"He seems a bit scary," Luna said.

"I image he's more scared than scary and covers it with his tough guy act which I believe helped him survive on the streets."

"Oh, that's awful," Luna whined.

"It is. I wanted your impressions because I'm thinking of having you as part of his unit."

"Really?" Leo barked. "For good?"

"Hopefully longer than a year at least. It's rough for pups to be shuffled around when the adults mate and break off from the unit. I was considering having you stay with me."

"Could we form a unit with Yusei?" Leo begged. "Please, alpha?"

"Please?" Luna chimed in. "He's probably real nice once he's not scared or angry."

"He probably is. All right. You three will be a unit and I think Akiza will join too. Her personality may complement Yusei's and I don't mean as mates."

Leo yawned. "Great," he mumbled as he curled up and fell asleep. His sister too slipped off to sleep. He left the room and climbed to the roof. He stood there, admiring the view he had of the territory. He had led for over a hundred years, watching people get bitten, witnessing the birth of pups, and experiencing sorrow when members moved away or died. One day, I will be unable to lead and hopefully my replacement will be born or bitten. Who knows, a beta's mate may birth a pup with the alpha scent and I may ask to raise him or her for his or her future role. I doubt the parents would refuse. But that's in the future; for now I have to announce Yusei's inclusion to our pack. He threw back his head and howled loudly. His howl was, "We have a new beta and his name is Yusei Fudo. Akiza, your presence is requested after breakfast tomorrow." Satisfied, Goodwin headed inside to sleep.

Yusei laid curled up in bed and softly growled. He was still angry about being bitten and he doubted he would ever get over it. He had been happy being human and hadn't asked to be a werewolf. I should never have taken that dumb dare. Now I'm a werewolf and must live on this side of the city. Crow. Kalin. Will they still want to be my friends when I tell them what happened? I will need others in order to go to my friends as wolves have to travel in groups, day or night. Surely, they'll understand that it's important to me.

Goodwin's role as alpha is clear and I actually responded to it. I acted like a lower wolf would to a leader; must be instincts. He sighed. I'll be acting more like a wolf at night…wait. The full moon's in two days! What will I be like during that time? There is so much left to learn. How will the full moon affect me? Will there be physical signs of it? Will I show physical everyday signs of my new race?

He heard a howl above him and suspected it was Goodwin. Is he telling all that I'm one of them now? Wait. If I'm a werewolf, how come I can't understand his howl? What has he not told me? Yusei growled a little more loudly. He felt frustrated at having so little information about his new life; a life he didn't want and now had to accept and adapt to it.

He slowly exhaled and began to take stock of what he learned. He would stay with Goodwin and be taught what he needed to know. He would be placed in a unit with others who had either been bitten or born. He had to avoid silver, werewolf hunters, and vampires. Wolves moved in groups day or night while in the human side of the city.

I will be asking Goodwin a lot of questions in the morning, including the one I asked, but didn't get an answer: Just what the hell is a beta and why did the guards and the twins show me respect the way they did?