-Luke's POV-

The Normal Life
By Didi

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters that are recognizable and I certainly don't own the show. Don't sue me cause all you're going to get is lent, and not much of that either.

Summery: Life is hard enough as a teen without in the problems of being wolf. Sequel to "Eyes of Brown... or is it Green," kind of.

Timeline: This story picks up some where after the first five episode on the show.

Note: For those of you that read my first Wolf Lake fan fic, this story will follow a similar but slightly altered format, you're get it when you read it. And for those of you that have not read my first, it's pretty easy to pick up once you start.

Rating: R for restricted under 17.
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I wish Sophia were here. Just having her around would make this a whole lot easier to bear. She could always seem to make things better just by being. It was strange how I've come to need that in the past few days. They say that death changes you, they weren't kidding.

Poor Sophia, look at all the trouble I have caused in your life. I really do have to wonder why I was so stupid to have placed her in harms way like this. Of course, as long as she doesn't flip, she's still got a chance to making through this with all her limbs attached. Then again, Ruby did just marry a human.

Man, that is just like a trip and a half. I part of me is still shocked that Ruby went through with it. Don't get me wrong; I don't doubt her love for Kanin. But the kind of risk she's taking to be with this guy.... I wonder if I can be that strong.

"Don't slouch, Lucas." My mother was frowning at me with displeasure. That's nothing new. But there was something glowing in her eyes tonight. Just because I'm the Alpha's kid, they think I don't know what they say about my mom behind my back. Ice Queen, that's what they call her when they think I'm not listening. I can see the absolute fear in her eyes, fear for me. Yeah, I know she loves me, every kid knows that their parents love them, but you really don't 'know' until you look in their eyes and see that they are willing to do anything, and I do mean 'anything,' to protect you. "This is not the time fo ryou to show that you are a mere boy."

Normally, I would probably have a snappy comeback. But tonight, with her eyes dark shielded from everyone but me, I couldn't. "Yes, Madam."

"And don't let them rattle," she advised her, head high, eyes straight ahead. "Never let the enemy know you are afraid."

"Are you?" I had to ask.

"Never more so than now," she murmured before touching my arm. "Luke, if this doesn't work, I want you to run."

"What?" that certainly startled me. Running had never been an option before. No one leaves Wolf Lake, no one.

"You wouldn't be the first," she smiled ironically. "And I'm sure you won't be the last either, no matter what the others tell you. You and Ruby get out if this fails, you understand me? Don't look back, just run."

"What about you, Mom?"

"Don't worry about me, just run." She turned and walked away, playing nice with the salivating dogs that hunt the banquet hall tonight.

I stood there unable to move. It wasn't what she said or the way she said, so causal and unconcerned; it was what she didn't say that bothered me. She didn't say a damn thing. Without being a mind reader, I knew that my mom would do anything to let me escape. What that would entail is anyone's guess.

"If one more guy tries to pretend that they're not interested in an alliance, I think I'll hurl," Ruby picked up the champagne and down it with a tip of her hand. "I want to go home."

"Me too," I answered, picking up the bottle to refill her glass. "How are you holding up?"

"Better than you, I'm guessing." She grinned at me.

"Anyone guessed yet?"

"No," she rolled her big gray eyes and laughed, almost cruelly. "Everyone has been painfully successful in avoiding the subject of my wedding ring. They just don't want to see it."

"Isn't that a good thing at the moment?" I asked, hoping that she understood my delight in that no one has yet to figure things out completely. They're probably all wondering which of the contenders managed to snag themselves the white wolf while the others weren't looking.

"For the moment," she conceded and looked around. "Luke?"

"Yeah?" watching Tyler Creed make friendly with his opponent. Man, I could almost see their thoughts of tearing each other's throats out. "Ruby?" She was watching group of Creed's groupies by the doors.

"If this goes south on us, you get to John and Sophia and get the hell out of town."

Okay, why is it that both women in my family feel the need to protect me? With dad gone, aren't I the man of the house? "I'm not leaving you and Mom here while I turn tail and hide."

"I'm not asking you to," she turned to me, her eyes filled with knowledge. "I'm asking you to get my husband and your girlfriend out of town before someone decides to do them in. I do not want John used as a weapon against me when the fighting starts."

It was logical; Ruby loves John Kanin more than anything else in this world. "And what will happen to you and Mom?"

"V and I know what needs to be done here." She sled her eyes toward me and nodded her head toward Donner. "The Sheriff knows that if anything happens to him, you'd take care of Sophia."

"Does he?" I almost laugh at that. The ironies of life never cease to amaze me. "A month ago he couldn't wait to lock his fair daughter away in a tower, as far from me as he could."

She grinned and raised her glass at me. "Desperate times call for desperate measures."

"Thanks a lot," I'm glad to see she could at least retain some of her sense of humor, even though the others were just dying to break us.

"Hey, you're looking at the girl that almost married Tyler Creed to protect the man she loves. If that's not desperation, I don't know what is."

I had to grant her that.

The wolves were dressed in some pretty fancy sheepskin tonight. Everyone was out in his or her finest, each hoping to catch the glory of what is to come. The women were cooing and mewing, hoping to keep their stations in life comfortable and well connected. The men were busy allying themselves to those they think will be coming into power now that my father was gone. And for those few individuals that have chances of becoming the next leader of the pack, they were here to pull the votes.

Yes, you heard right, Donner and Blackstone's idea. We're going to be civilized this time around and choose the democratic way. There were plenty of grumbling over it but hey, everyone figures that we could always go back to battle to the death ways if this doesn't work out.

Too many eyes on me, makes me want to throw my head back and howl before running out of here. But no, I'm needed here tonight, among my enemies, any one of whom could have killed my father.

Wish Sophia was here. At least then, I wouldn't feel so alone.

"Settle down, people. Settle down!" Blackstone is going to play the mediator tonight. Being the Keeper, he is considered neutral. I have to wonder about that though. He seems pretty chummy with the sheriff. Some would say too friendly, may sway the votes. But then, since this would definitely work to our advantage, I'm certainly not going to say anything.

"Sit by me, Luke," Ruby pulled the chair out and folded herself into the seat, ignoring the stares she was receiving. This is the first pack meeting she's been to in over three years now, and now at the eve of the most important meeting this century, she shows up in full regalia. The sight of her probably gave many of the women pause.

I pulled a chair out for my mom first - I was raised to be a gentleman - and then took a seat between the two women in my life that would do anything for me. They were going to play tonight and I was going to be the reason why. And as much as I wish Sophia were here, where I can keep an eye on her, I knew that she was safer with Kanin. At least my sister's human husband can't do much more than talk her to death.

"Okay people," Blackstone looked astonishingly calm for a man that was about to conduct the biggest game of his life. "Let's get this show on the road. We're all here for a purpose, so lets hop to it so I can go home and jump in the Jacuzzi." He rubbed his hands together, gleefully. "Okay, the floor is open for nominations. And remember, seconds are needed for a nominee to make it to the ballot box."

"I nominate, Tyler Creed," Matthew Juscur yelled out loud, his eyes bright on the verge of a change. He was going to the edge with excitement making me wonder what drugs he was on.

Ruby rolled her eyed discreetly. "Like that's a big surprise."

"I second it," Franklin Curser murmured. He looked none too happy.

"Okay now," Mr. Blackstone was grinning ear to year, no doubt from some private joke only he knows. The man has so many secrets. The Keeper isn't just the Keeper of the Lore, but of all the secrets that have threaded through this pack for centuries now. I wondered what he knew about me. "Mr. Tyler Creed is on the ballot. Anyone else?"

And the nomination began in earnest with every which person pulling their connections. As it commotion continued, I watched Donner. The man looked darkly disappointed as each name was added to the growing list of candidates. He knew as well, if not better, than anyone else in the room what is going to happen if any of these bozos end up as Alpha of the clan. If they didn't drive the whole pack into hiding with their pointless games, they were going to ruin us by going to war with other packs for territory rights. My dad had ways been careful to balance the growth of the pack with the safety of it. Donner's got another point he's got to be careful of, his daughter. Any one of these guys would do Sophia in at first chance. I can only imagine what was going through his mind.

"Okay, okay..." Where Mr. Blackstone for the gavel from is anyone's guess. But he was currently pounding the things hard on the podium. "Settle down, settle down. You all the nice list of names up here. So now, I'm going to ask if there is any last minute entry that needs to come in before I close the floor for nominations." Was it me or did he look pointedly at my mother? "Going once, going twice..."

"I have a nomination," my mother finally piped up, calm as cucumber. I glanced at my sister, she didn't look even the least bit worried, as if she expected my mother to pull this on the last possible minute. And maybe she did.

"I think your boy is a little too young for this," Daniel Rainbird laughed, his eyes on me. There was nothing amusing about the way he was daring me to react. I merely smiled at him.

My mother, cold bitch that they call her, turned her eyes toward the man in that glacier manner she employed when annoyed. She dismissed him without a slight tilt of her chin. "I nominate Matthew Donner."

The collective gasp was followed by the utter silence. I don't think anyone was quite a shocked at Sheriff Donner. With his not having flipped in over sixteen years, no one expected him to run.

Ruby smiled, I think she secretly enjoyed the reaction, even if her future with Kanin wasn't depending on it. "I second the nomination."

The White Wolf has shown her hand and picked a side. Now let the chips fall where they may. The show was just getting started.

TBC....
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Is any one buying this story or is it so far out there that you are just all laughing your ass off?