Chapter Two

Kurt

Five years before…

Pack alpha is not a job for the fainthearted. In most cases, it involves a challenge, often to the death between two wolves who actually want the job. I’d heard of this many times growing up when packs got together for a gathering. Legends told of battles where multiple alphas showed up to fight for the leadership of a group, and one as big as ours might have drawn many and led to a bloodbath of historic proportions. But we lived in peace, my whole life had been a serene and

There was a big difference between sitting by the campfire and listening to tales of yore or even of packs far far away and being an adult standing at my dying father’s bedside. My dying pack alpha father’s bedside.

Although his body was worn out, his limbs failing him, and his big, strong heart beating an erratic thump, his mind remained strong. His faded blue eyes studied me with a keen stare. “You must pick up the reins.”

“I don’t—”

He lifted a blue-veined hand. My father had been older when I was born; how much, no one seemed to know. But he’d been pack alpha for decades. And even lying in bed, his breathing irregular, his command held strong.

I closed my lips around the words I’d been about to utter. He knew what I was about to say anyway. It wasn’t the first time I’d protested what I’d hoped would never happen.

“You’ve heard about how other packs have chosen their alphas. In blood and trauma.”

“But not us. It has never been our way.” Of that I was certain.

He cleared his throat, painfully, before speaking. “Not true.”

“What, no! We are an example of peaceful transition.” I couldn’t think of us any other way. “In pack history, we were taught about all of the alphas who led us. We studied back almost two hundred years.”

“But not to our origins. Did you never wonder why?” Father moved to sit up then sank back down, and I hurried to help him higher against the pillows. “Thank you, Son. Now, answer my question.”

“I guess I didn’t think of us as having a beginning. It just felt like we were always the same. Or that maybe we just didn’t have time to get to ancient history.”

“As the new pack alpha, you need to think deeper into things. And you need to know our full history, ancient or otherwise.”

“Father…why are you so insistent that I take on this role? My brother would love to assume the alpha seat.”

“For a number of reasons. Now, I need you to listen and not interrupt because my strength is not limitless and by the time the sun rises, I will be gone.”

It was all too much. I had never wanted to be alpha, and there were only a few hours of night left before morning. If my father said he’d be gone, he would be gone, but I had to do whatever it took to set his mind at ease before he passed. So, I did the only thing I could. I pulled a chair up to his bedside and sat down, prepared to listen.

“Long ago, this pack did not exist. We were part of another, one that had grown large and was under an alpha who did not have good control either of his pack or of his wolf. Unrest simmered under the surface. And the betas were quick to punish, not always in the most civilized ways.”

“As in physical punishment?”

“As in executions. And everything up to that point as well for minor infractions of rules that were never made clear.”

What a mess. Father was not huge on rules, preferring a few that made sense to many that infringed on people’s free will. “I see.”

“Things got so bad that when the old alpha sickened and people were lining up to challenge him, a few of the other alphas and betas who had no real pack positions got together and decided to use the chaos of the transition to leave.”

“Wait…they couldn’t just go?” Because anyone in our pack could do that.

Instead of replying, he gave me a level look that I’d had directed at me too many times growing up not to recognize. Of course, they couldn’t just go. I’d heard of others saying that abandoning their birth group without permission in the past would make them rogue. In the worst situations, that gave others permission to hunt them. But that really wouldn’t happen in modern times. Would it?

“They took nothing with them, waiting until the pack lands filled with challengers, alphas from far and wide who sought to take over the leadership. As now, not all alphas had their own packs, and many wanted them. The old one was still breathing”—he chuckled, shaking his head—“probably very much as I am now, but all knew he had only hours, days at most. They could have challenged him, of course, but to do so would have been cowardice at this stage, so they waited for him to name a successor or simply die.”

He went quiet, breaths shallower, eyes closing, and I wondered if he had reached his last moments without finishing his tale, but then they flew open again. “He passed without a word on who he might support to follow him, and within hours, the battles broke out among the strangers and those of the pack, chaos like even our founder could not have foreseen. Blood flowed, soaking into the soil, and the cries of the injured mingled with the howls of those who chose to fight in their fur. You can find the record of it all in our annals in the library, or at least as much as those who left stayed to witness.”

“Was it always like that…then?” I had to know. “Why weren’t we taught this?”

He reached for the cup of tea at his bedside, and I held it to his dry lips, aching for the loss coming very soon. My father was a wise and kind leader. One whose legacy I could never live up to. Why couldn’t he see this?

When he’d sipped enough to go on, he said, “I was remiss. I didn’t realize the tutors were not sharing these things until recently. But no, it was not always that horrific. Depended on the prize at the end of the challenge. A large, wealthy pack with much land would have been like that though.”

“Like us?”

“Then, ‘us’ consisted of a dozen or so alphas and betas and their families who crept away under cover of the mayhem. In their fur, with nothing more than they could carry in that form.”

“Wow.” It was hard to picture, but I did know that over time, we’d welcomed many “rogues” who in truth only wanted a fair leader and secure pack. “Now I understand why we have the system we do for succession.” The one I had spent a lot of time begging my father to employ differently. “They never wanted that for us.”

“Exactly, Son. Now, the pack alpha names his successor early on, and all accept that decision. Oh, there was always the danger that the alpha might make a mistake, but so far, for two centuries, they have been at least acceptable. We have as you know a rule of law, and our people rely on that for their peace and prosperity.”

Dammit. “Father, please.”

“No, Son. I don’t have the strength to argue with you.” His pallor was shifting, a blue tinting the skin around his lips. I was taxing his strength.

“We can talk later.” I moved to stand but he reached for me, resting his hand on mine, his fingernails also blue.

“Son, you’re not that foolish. There is no later, and there is no one else I would trust with my people. You love them and this land, and they will look to you for leadership. Please let me pass in peace, knowing I have done my very best for them right to the end.”

My eyes filled, and a traitorous tear spilled down my cheek. This was so much more than a job discussion. It was a lifetime commitment and a deathbed request. “Father, how can I go on without you?” He’d been stern and strong and kind and loving…the best father for our family and alpha for our pack.

“You can and will. Your brother will not challenge you, even though he probably wishes he could. His actions would be struck down according to our laws. His life forfeit, and he is not brave enough for that. He is not a leader. Not the one our people deserve. Say you will take the role and allow me my rest.”

“I accept.” What choice did I have? My father was gasping, holding on only for me to give my word. “I will never fill your shoes, but I swear I will try as hard as I can and give them everything I have.”

“Save some for yourself and your mate.” His chuckle deteriorated into a hacking cough, and he accepted another sip of water. “Fate has a good one for you, I have no doubt. Now, go join those who are gathered outside, and declare yourself alpha.”

I was about to argue that he was still alive until I realized he was not. His hand slipped off mine, his eyes were open, the blue gazing off into scenes I could only imagine. And I had no time to grieve because the mantle of leadership fell onto my shoulders with a silent thud.

Present day…

“I can’t go away. I have too much to do.” I was still protesting as my lead beta, Marco, closed the truck door after me. “Marco, you know…”

“I know you have not taken a day off since your father’s passing. And I know that everyone needs a break in order to do their job well. You’re wearing yourself out for us. All the betas chipped in for your trip, and we are not taking no for an answer.”

I knew this because they’d been saying it to me over and over since springing the vacation on me. They’d even packed my bags.

“Are you sure? What about all the arrangements for the big gathering in the spring? If we don’t get all the invites out, no one will come.”

“Already done.”

“And the distributions for holiday fixings for those who need them?”

“Done.”

“And—”

Mirth sparked in his eyes, although he was too respectful, too good a beta to actually laugh at me. “And nothing, alpha. Enjoy your trip. We’ll take good care of everything. You’ve trained us well. Go.”

So, I went.