###>>>
1

KESKA: "James, Jessie, Lissa, Liam! Come on let’s go! we're going to be late!" mom yelled. Leaving me out of the mix again. My name is Keska, I'm the middle child in the Alpha family, stuck between two sets of twins.
Today is our cousin Adrian's swearing-in ceremony, as he has found his mate, he will be taking over Moon Rise pack from Uncle Asa and Aunt Gina.
I learned rather quickly after Lissa and Liam turned five that I needed to pay attention, or I would get left behind and left out of family functions. Sometimes I wouldn't mind, but not today, so when mom yelled for them, I made sure I was ready to go. I was not going to miss Adrian's ceremony.
I was the first one downstairs, while the other four took their sweet time, I used it to grab snacks and water for the trip. It was a two-and-a-half-hour drive from our pack, Blue Crescent, to Moon Rise. I headed out the door, there were three big black SUVs in front of the pack house. They all had dark-tinted windows and were the ones that had three rows of seats.
Heading to the last one in line, I got in the very back and waited for the rest of the family to get loaded. Why the last one? because none of the twins wanted to sit with me, so it was just easier and less time consuming if I just was in a different vehicle all together, and taking the last one they wouldn't see me and complain "How come she gets to be first!" so the last one, it is.
The first SUV was all warriors, eight in the first SUV, then two warriors and the family, Father, Lissa, Mom, James, Liam, Jessie. So, no room for me anyway. In the last, seven more warriors and me.
It was close to 9:0'clock by the time we drove out of the pack's gates. I linked my only friend, Mackie, to remind her about what today was. Mackie, short for Mackenzie. *"Mackie, remember I have Adrian's ceremony today, so I won't be around till late."*
MACKIE: *"Shit I did forget, now what am I going to do all day? I was hoping that we could get some practice time in on the range."* She linked me back.
KESKA: *"Sorry, girlfriend, I promise we will get some time tomorrow for the range, and maybe get in some Aikido work in as well. I just can't miss Adrian's ceremony."* I linked back.
MACKIE: *"Yeah, I know, hope you at least have some fun."* she sent.
KESKA: *"Thanks, hey maybe you could go bake cookies with Nana Lilly, she is always up for company, and just think of all the cookies you will be able to eat."*
I sent her. *"Just save me some."*
MACKIE: *"You know, I might just do that, and I’ll think about saving you some.”*
She shot back to me.
KESKA: *“Hey, not fair, I really do need to be there.”* I replied, I closed the link after we went through the gates, and just sat back and watched the scenery go by. Most of it was forest, and there was a small lake, there were pines, birch, and oaks that surrounded our pack, and we used it to hunt and run in. Our pack had about fifteen hundred pack members, so not the smallest, nor the biggest, but we were one of the strongest.
KESKA: About an hour or so into the trip, I passed out the snacks and water I had brought to the guys I was riding with. "Anyone want water or a granola bar?" I had just asked when my phone pinged.
KESKA: It was odd, as no one but Mackie called or texted me, and as I had linked her as we were leaving, she already knew, so thinking it was a wrong number I ignored it. But it pinged again, so I checked it.
From Jessie: (x2) Will You!! Tell your friend Seth to leave me alone!!! (angry emoji)
KESKA: After reading her text, I chuckled. So, she either forgot to tell him or just didn't tell him that we were going to be gone today. Ha!
From Keska: I'm sorry, I don't know who you're talking about. (confused emoji) I sent back to her. But I knew exactly who she meant, Seth Harpper, right forward guard for our hockey team, the Blue Howlers, which was the mascot for all our sports teams. and my second X best friend. Ha! My phone pinged again.
From Jessie: YOU know exactly who I mean (angry emoji) he's your stupid friend!!!
KESKA: I couldn't help but laugh out loud at that. wonder what Seth would say if he knew that’s what she really thought of him.
"What’s so funny?" Frank the warrior, driving us, asked.
KESKA: "Jessie," I say, "She thinks that I have control over her boy toy flavor of the quarter, just because we used to talk." That got a chuckle out of the guys I was riding with. (Did that sound mean? Sorry- not!)
From Keska: Oh... You... Mean... Seth Harpper... Sorry, I haven't spoken to Seth in over a month. Last time I tried calling him, I got the message: “The wireless number you are trying to reach is no longer in service." Sorry, Jessie, guess you’re on your own with this one. I was speaking out loud as I was texting Jessie back.
The guys were getting a good chuckle out of all of it.
My phone pinged again
From Jessie: Well, can't YOU just go tell him to leave me alone!!?
KESKA: Typical Jessie, she thinks I got left behind again. That's the way it usually goes in my family, if I am not standing right in front of their faces, I don't exist. I let out a frustrated sigh.
"What does she want now?" Frank asked
KESKA: “Typical family shit, they all seem to forget about me unless they want me to do something for them, and right now Jessie thinks I'm back home and can just run over to Seth's place and tell him to back off." I told him.
KESKA: I sent a quick text to Mackie to give her a heads up on what was happening with Jessie just in case Seth tried to come cry on her shoulder. Seth didn't give her his new number either, so I don't, for see her being too sympathetic to him right now either.
KESKA: "Do any of you have Seth's number?" I asked, Pete, one of the warriors, answered, "My little brother David has it, I think, they are on the hockey team together." "I hate to ask this, Pete, but will you call your brother? and see if he can go and distract Seth, maybe get him out on the ice or something?" I really did hate to ask him, but since I was here and not at home, it was all I could do. I know what you’re thinking hockey practice in the spring, we have an indoor rink, and the coach took a page from the football coach, senior class practices year-round and it's not like it’s constant maybe 3 days a week, 3-4 hours a day to help the next year’s team be at their best for the start of the season.
Pete was riding shotgun next to Frank, and he turned slightly in his seat to look back at me. "Aren't you and Seth friends?" he asked "I haven't spoken to Seth in over a month. I think he got a new number and hasn’t bothered giving it to me or Mackie.” Pete pulled out his phone to call his little brother.
"Hello," Dave answers. "Hey little Bro, how are you doing?" Seeing as all of us are wolves, we can hear both sides of the conversation, especially being in such close quarters.
Even me, and I technically don’t get my wolf for another two and a half years, but then again, if anyone actually paid attention, they would know things were different with me, other than just my looks.

###>>>
2

DAVE: “Hey Pete, what’s up? I thought you had guard duty today.” David said. “I do, I am on my way to Moon Rise Pack with the Alpha family as we speak.” Pete told him. “Why the call then? Is everything ok? Was there an attack or something?” Dave sounded a bit panicked. “No, no. Calm down, Dave, nothing like that. Does the team have practice today?” Pete asked. “Not until Noon, why?” Dave asked. “I need you to do us a favor, ok? I promise I will make it up to you.” Pete responded. “What do you need me to do? And us?” Dave actually sounded happy to help his big brother out. KESKA: (That is what it must feel like when you have a family that actually cares about you.) I thought.
PETE: “Yeah, Keska is riding with us in the last SUV, and apparently Jessie is under the impression that she didn’t make the trip, and is blowing up her phone about Seth, so can you go distract him? Maybe try to get him out on the ice early before practice? It would be an immense help.” Pete told him. “I will try Pete, but ever since he hooked up with Jessie, he has been a pain in the ass to deal with.” Dave replied. “Sorry to hear that, Dave. I wouldn’t ask, but if Seth isn’t distracted somehow, Jessie is going to make this trip miserable for everyone.” Pete told his little brother. “I will get a couple of the guys to help, coach was wanting us to get more skate time in anyway.” Dave replied. “Thanks, Dave, I will take you to that movie that you’ve been wanting to see, on me, when I get home, ok?” Pete said. “Deal,” and the call was ended.
KESKA: “Thanks, Pete,” I said to him. “I really am sorry to have had you do that, but you were right about one thing, Jessie would have been a holy terror if something wasn’t done about Seth, let’s just hope Dave can pull it off.” It left a bitter taste in the back of my throat to use people like that, I will have to come up with a way to thank them. My phone pinged a couple more times, but I ignored it. But then, after another five minutes or so, it went silent. I guess Dave was successful in distracting Seth.
MACKIE: I was looking forward to getting some time in on the mat or out on the archery range to let off a little steam. I, like Keska, was a middle child, but there were only three in my family. My older brother Wyatt played football with James, Keska’s older brother, and my little sister Demi was the little princess, who could do no wrong in my parents’ eyes. She was the same age as Lissa and Liam, Keska’s youngest twin siblings, and me in the middle, also like Keska, if I wasn’t standing right in front of their noses, I didn’t exist, but I am only Gamma blooded. I jumped on my bike and headed for Nana Lilly’s house. She is Keska's grandmother on her mother’s side. I kind of liked the idea of baking cookies with her. We had just taken the first batch of cookies out of the oven when my phone pinged. I just took a glance at it, to see who was texting me, and saw it was from Keska.
FROM KESKA: Hey, just a heads up, Jessie didn’t tell Seth we were going to be gone for the day, and per typical Jessie style, she thinks I’m at home. I know he has practice at noon, but wanted to give you a heads up just in case he wanted a shoulder to cry on (cry face emoji). I just started to laugh after reading Keska’s text. “What’s so funny, dear?” Nana Lilly asked. “Seth-Jessie drama, Nana.” I told her, “Oh,” was her response, which made me laugh even harder. “Well, we best check those cookies, don’t want them burning.” Nana stated matter-of-factly. I spent the late morning and into the later afternoon with Nana Lilly. She is the only one who seemed to notice both Keska and me.
KESKA: We pulled up to the gates at Moon Rise Pack, and the lead SUV stopped to give the guard our invitation. We were directed on where to park, the first SUV had to go to park with the other pack’s security, the family SUV got to park closer to the pack house because we were family, the pack house was big four stories high with two wings coming from either side at a slight angel upwards, think of the shape of a Y but the stem is turned sideways and they were two stories each, the outside was a mix of medium red, light red, and cream bricks. The last SUV again had to park with the rest of the security. Even though I was in it, as a result, I was not with the rest of the family when everyone was greeted. I watched as we were driving away to go park, and I saw the look on Adrian’s face; he seemed a little upset.
ADRIAN: I was so excited waiting for my aunt and uncle to arrive with my cousins. After today, I will be taking over from my father as Alpha of Moon Rise pack, and my mate and I have some changes we are going to make. I know that some of them won’t be too popular with the pack, but I really don’t care. I will be the one to make the call on what direction the pack will go in. I watch as they unload in front of the house, but I don’t see Keska with them! “Didn’t Keska come?” I asked, and in one voice they all said “NO.” That’s when I knew that they forgot her again, and I was not happy with them, but I had to play nice. I just introduced my mate to them. “Kina, this is my Uncle Alpha Drake, and his mate Luna Carla.” I said to my mate and Luna, “and these are their children, twins James, Jessie, Lissa, and Liam. Kina shook hands with all of them as I introduced them to her.
KESKA: I walked back to the pack house from the security parking lot and got in line to greet my cousin and his mate. The minute Adrian saw me, he made a beeline right for me, picked me up, and swung me around. “Put me down, Adrian, before your mate decides to take a bite out of me!” I laughed at him. “Kina, Kina,” he called his mate. “This is my cousin Keska, she is also one of Drake and Carla’s, she is in

###>>>
3

ADRIAN: the middle of both sets of twins.” Adrian introduced me to his mate. “Shh you’re not supposed to tell anyone that.” I shushed him playfully knowing we were being watched by my uncle and aunt. Kina looked confused “I thought they said you didn’t come.” “Yeah, my family, a bunch of jokesters.” I said with a fake chuckle. I then moved on to greet Uncle Asa and Aunt Gina, with a hug to each, and only got it returned halfheartedly. I then moved to greet my grandparents. “Mimi, Papa Sutter” I moved to give both of them hugs, when I felt the sting of a hard slap that whipped my head to the side. “How dare you! Call me that, Mimi is reserved for my grandchildren! You are not my grandchild!” Mimi screamed at me. I was reeling and completely in shock! Was I just rejected by my grandparents? Well, my grandmother anyway. I thought that grandparents were supposed to love you, except you. Guess I was wrong. Mimi’s rejection cut me deeply. Everyone that was within ear shot, and that was a lot considering we were wolves was staring at me. I just hung my head and blinked back the tears that threatened to fall. Hearing the commotion that my grandmother had caused had me angry, I knew she was not fond of Keska but to reject her outright in front of everyone and on this day of all days had me seeing red. I stormed over to where they were standing! “What is the meaning of this” I bellowed, and a bit of my alpha aura slipped through I was so enraged. Everyone near me except other alpha’s bowed their heads and bared their necks to me. My mother and father both tried to calm me to no avail. It was my sweet mate that finally got through to me. “Adrian, darling, calm down” she soothed me. “You need to release the pack dear, ok?” again her soft voice was like soft music, tinkling in my ear. It was enough to calm mine and my wolf’s anger, I pulled back my aura. Turning to Keska to check on her, she was signing to me not to make a fuss over her. I then turned back to my grandmother “Why?!” I asked her between clenched teeth. “She is not one of my grandchildren! She has no right to call me Mimi.” My grandmother said very loudly. “She doesn’t look like any of you, just look at her! No black hair, no blue eyes, she doesn’t even have blond hair like her supposed mother” again she spoke loud enough for others to hear everything. I was livid with her! “So just because she called you Mimi, you have to cause a scene on my day!!” I growled at her. Even my wolf Coros was angry and prowling in my head.
                                                                                                                   
KESKA: I couldn’t let Adrian continue down this path, I knew that if he did, there would be more trouble and I would get the blame, so I did what I needed to do. “Excuse me Alpha Adrian” I said rather quietly I then turned to my grandmother “I am deeply sorry to have caused you such distress Mrs. Sutter.” “I will remember and know my place.” Again, I spoke very quietly. I then turned and walked away. I felt like I was just ripped in half from the deep soul wrenching pain that tore through me, it felt like there was a deep gaping hole inside of me. No, I didn’t look like my siblings, James and Jessie were mirror images of our father, with raven black hair and blue eyes, like the color you get when you shine a bright light through a blue sapphire. Lissa and Liam were mirror images of our mother, Honey gold blond hair and blue eyes, the color of a clear summer sky. Then there is me, I am my mother’s mother, auburn hair, and hazel eyes, that go from a light peridot to a creamy caramel in color depending on what I am wearing. I am a weird throwback in genetics, because two blue eyed parents don’t produce a hazel eyed child, but I think it has something to do with mom’s dad. He had platinum hair and almost silver eyes. There were whispers of him being some sort of hybrid, or possibly a special wolf or something, but he died when I was four, and the only people that would know for sure about Papa don’t talk about him. They always change the subject when he is brought up. 
ADRIAN: I cannot believe my grandmother, I knew she always needed to be in the spotlight, but I thought just once she would relent and let someone else be in the fore front, but she couldn’t, not for one day, and not even for me. I leave her standing there with everyone staring and just walk away from her, if she wants to continue with this shit then she can do it without me there to make it a legitimate issue. I go to find Keska, and bring my mate with me so that my grandmother doesn’t poison her against my cousin. I enter the pack house through the front door which opens into the foyer, to the left is the formal dining and ballroom with French doors that open to the outside, where the ceremony will be held, there are stairs just outside the room that go up to the second floor, and an elevator that goes to all the floors, to the right is the pack dining area and a game room, there are another set of stairs just outside the kitchen area that also lead up to the second floor, and another elevator and the kitchen takes up about half of the back of the West wall, the other half is storage and freezer space. Our pack house faces East, we have a pool out the back behind the kitchen for the pack to use. I found Keska in the kitchen helping the omegas with the food prep for after the ceremony. The minute she sees me her tears start. “I am So! So! sorry Adrian, I runed your day, if I knew she was going to do that I wouldn’t have gone up to her!” She speaks so softly that I must use my wolf’s hearing. “Shh, shh, you didn’t rune my day, she did, we both know how grandma is, she isn’t happy unless she’s the one in the spotlight, I just thought that today of all days she would behave.” I tell her. “Now let’s get some ice on your face before it bruises” She just shakes her head no at me. “No, why not?” I ask her. “I will wear it as a badge of honor, and if anyone asks me, I will tell them this is what you get when the former Luna, and elder Mrs. Sutter rejects family.” She says shrugging her shoulders. I just stepped into her and hugged her. I have no words to help soothe her hurt. When I step back from her, I sign to her I love you. She signs it back.

###>>>
4

KINA: My name is pronounced like Tina but with a K. Honestly, I cannot believe Adrian’s grandmother, how she could just cause a scene like that and not bat an eye, it’s not just Adrian’s day, it’s also mine. I guess I will just have to make sure that I create a grand entrance for my Luna ceremony and make everyone forget about that narcissistic bitch. “Keska?” I call to her. “Would you like to help me get ready?” I ask her, I know how important she is to Adrian, so I want to get to know her better myself. “Are you sure you want me?” she asks. “I wouldn’t want you to get backlash from the family because you are being nice to me.” She says. “Well, dear, I wouldn’t have asked you if I didn’t want you, and I think I can handle your grandmother.” It’s already a bit after noon, so I do need to hurry the ceremony starts in a little over an hour. “Ok, if you’re sure.” She says. “I am,” I assure her. I take her by the hand and lead her up the stairs to my suite, where my mother and best friend are waiting for me. “Keska, this is my mother, Connstance, and my best friend, Gracie. Mom, Gracie, this Keska, she is Adrian’s cousin from Blue Crescent Pack.” They both have confused looks on their faces. “I thought that there were only twins in that family?” my mom says. “Yeah, I get that a lot.” Keska answers her. “There might as well be, for all the attention they give me.” She says, like it’s no big deal, and mine and my mom’s hearts break for her.
KINA: I jump in the shower, I wash my hair, and quickly wash my body and get out. My mom has my dress and undergarments ready for me when I get out. Keska was helping Gracie set out my makeup. I have long hair, the color of wheat in the sunlight, so it’s a little darker than the others in Adrian’s family, and I have Hazel eyes that are just a bit darker than Keska’s. My dress is a flowy Grecian style, with the drape off the right shoulder, fully beaded, the color of ocean glass, that watery green that’s got a hint of blue and is a slight shade darker green than mint, it sets my eyes off, and compliments my hair, which is in soft curls, also pined to the right side to show my mark from Adrian on the left. I’m not one for a lot of make-up, but I understand the importance of looking my absolute best today and with what happened earlier I was determined to make a grand entrance and take the spotlight from Adrian’s grandmother, so with a sage brown eyeliner, and ombre shades of green eye shadow, done in a cat eye affect, and blush that highlights my high cheek bones, and a soft coral lip, I feel like a Greek goddess. As I am getting ready, I ask Keska about her and Adrian signing. “Why do you and Adrian sign to each other? Are you hard of hearing? And is that why they are so mean to you?” “No, I am not hard of hearing, we do it so we can talk to each other, without them knowing what we are talking about, since we can’t use the mind link due to being in different packs.” She tells me, “They are mean to me because, as you heard the former Luna, and **elder Mrs. Sutter,** I don’t look like any of them, I look like my mom’s mother, Nana Lilly.” She replies. “No, Adrian’s Gamma has a cousin who is deaf, and he taught us to sign. Adrian wanted to learn, so if they ever came to visit, he would be able to communicate with her as a gracious host should.” I had heard about the Gamma’s cousin, and I, too, am learning to sign for that reason. “I feel sorry for Mom.” Keska softly states. “The way dad’s mother talked, it was like she had an affair with someone, or they adopted, and nobody spoke up for her!!!” “I am sure someone spoke to her; I don’t think your dad would let her disrespect your mother like that.” I replied to her. “Let’s hope.” She says.
DRAKE: I was furious with my mother for making people think that my mate cheated on me! I stormed over to where she was standing, **“MOTHER!!!”** I practically roared at her, “Carla did not, nor never has, cheated on me!! I believe you owe her an apology **NOW!!!”** I was SEETHING, but I didn’t want to cause more of a scene than she already had, but she needed to apologize to my mate. I took her by the arm and dragged her over to where my mate was standing. “Now apologize!” My voice was ice cold to her. “Drake, dear, I never said she did, you took my words out of context.” mother cooed at me. “Do not patronize me, mother! You made it sound as if Carla either cheated, or Keska was adopted, (Supposed Mother!), those were your exact words. Now apologize to my Mate!!!” I seethe at her through clenched teeth. Mother never liked to admit when she was wrong, but this time I was going to make her admit it, and in front of witnesses. “Drake, darling, don’t cause a scene.” she said rather quietly. “**Apologize NOW!!!**” I practically roared at her. “Fine.” She let out an exasperated sigh. She turned to my mate. “Carla, I do apologize, but I did not say you cheated.” “No, Amanda, you just inferred it, and in so doing, you have put not just my reputation on the line but that of our Pack. I hope you are happy now!!” My mate and I turned our backs on her and walked away to take our place for the ceremony.
The music starts as a signal to the start of the ceremony.
KINA: I take a quick look at the clock, it’s almost 1:30. There’s a soft knock on the door, and my mother answers it. I hear my dad on the other side. “It’s time, are you ladies ready?” he asks in his rich baritone voice. My mother opens the door for him to come in. “Oh, you are beautiful! My darling daughter.” He says to me as he comes to kiss my cheek. Then he turns to my mother and kisses her. Turning back to me, he offers his arm. “Ladies, please go take your places. I will escort Kina down.” Keska is the first one out the door, followed by Gracie, I happen to catch a glimpse of Adrian as he has come to escort my mother down and then take his place on the stage that was erected for today’s events. “Who was in the room with you, Gracie, and your mother?” my dad asked in a hushed voice. I whisper back, “That was Adrian’s cousin Keska.” “The one the old bat made a fuss about earlier?” “Yes, daddy one and the same.” I reply with a smile playing at my lips. My father made no secret about not liking Adrian’s grandmother.

###>>>
5

KINA: It’s a good thing that we were not Alpha blood, we are Beta, I don’t think that there would be a peace treaty between our packs if we were, all because of Adrian’s grandmother.
KESKA: Kina looked like a Greek goddess in her dress. I hugged my cousin in the hallway as I left Kina’s room. He was there to escort Connstance down for the ceremony and then take his place to wait for her. When I got downstairs, I ran into Rex, he is Adrian’s Gamma. “Hey Keska, what happened to you? Who hit you?!!” I signed to him “Shh, the elder Mrs. Sutter slapped me” “That bitch! Does Adrian know?” he signed back “Yes, he knows, he was furious with her for causing a scene before the ceremony and for hitting me.” “Is there anything I can do?” he signed back. “No, I just want this day to continue without any more drama for Adrian’s sake.” I signed back to him. “Me to Kes. Me too.” He signed and gave me a quick hug. We both went to take our places for the ceremony, I noticed Adrian looking around, I just waved to him in case it was me he was looking for. He seemed to settle down when he saw that I was there. Then the Luna music started, and we all stood and turned to the French doors of the grand hall. Kina was there with her father. He kissed her cheek and then went to take his place next to his mate, leaving Kina to walk the aisle and the few steps up to Adrian’s side.
The Elder started with the Alpha swearing in first. “Alpha Asa, do you relinquish the title of pack Alpha to your son Adrian?” “I do.” The elder took the ceremonial blade, cut Uncle Asa’s palm, and let the blood drip into the ceremonial cup. “Adrian, do you promise to put the safety of Moon Rise pack above your own?” “I do.” “Do you promise to ensure the necessities of the pack are met before your own?” “I do.” The elder cut Adrian’s hand and let it bleed into the cup. Then he handed the cup to Adrian to drink. “By the power vested in me by our goddess, I pronounce you Alpha Adrian of Moon Rise Pack.”
There were whoops and hollers, cat calls and whistles from the pack and from those assembled. The elder called for attention to settle the crowd. “We are not done yet.” He turned to Kina and motioned her forward. “Do you, Kina, swear allegiance to Moon Rise Pack and to its Alpha, Adrian?” “I Do.” “Do you promise to put the Pack's needs before your own?” “I do.” “Do you promise to put the safety of the Pack before your own?” “I do.” Then the elder cut Kina’s palm and let the blood drip into the cup. “Alpha Adrian, do you accept Kina as your mate and luna?” the elder asked. “I do.” The elder then recut Adrian’s palm and let his blood drip into the cup. He swirled it a couple of times to mix it and then gave it to Kina to drink, and then to Adrian to drink. “By the power vested in me by our goddess, I pronounce you Alph and Luna Sutter of Moon Rise Pack!” Again, more whoops and hollers.’
KESKA: As I got in line to congratulate Adrian and Kina. I felt the cold stares of someone staring at me, looking around, and I saw my siblings. “What?” I mind linked James. “Get to the back of the line, brat!” He sent back. So, in order not to cause any more drama with my family, I stepped out of line and went to the kitchen to help set the food out for the celebration to come, and to pack snacks and water for the trip home. I had just set a tray of deli meats on the table and turned to head back into the kitchen. “What are you doing?” I heard Adrian’s voice behind me. “Helping.” I said. “I saw you get out of line, why?” he asked. “Adrian, please don’t get upset, but the twins were being pissy about me being in front of them, so I just came to the kitchen where I knew I could do some good, and not cause any more “trouble.” I told him with finger quotes. “I swear if we weren’t cousins I’d kick their asses, James had better grow up, and start acting like an Alpha should, or, even if we are cousins there will be no trade agreements between us!” Adrian hissed. “Adrian, don’t cause problems, please! James will graduate in a month and a half and turn eighteen in two months, and then he will have to go to Alpha training. I’m sure he will get better.” I said to him. “We shall see,” he said, “we shall see. Now are you going to congratulate me or what?” he chuckled. I just gave him a big hug. “You need to go mingle with your guests, oh, and I hope you don’t mind, but I packed some sandwiches for the ride home.” I said to him. “Are they for you? Or the rest of the family?” he asked, “Me and the warriors I rode with.” I answered. “Then I don’t mind.” He told me.
\`~~~\`
MACKIE: I was riding my bike home from Nana Lilly’s. I stayed longer than I thought, it was around three thirty in the afternoon, I heard a vehicle start driving behind me. I pulled my bike to the very edge of the street to let it pass, but it slowed down too. I looked behind me to see who it was, and there was Seth and a few of the hockey players. “What is it, Seth?” I sent him a mind link, “Do you know why… Keska isn’t answering any of my texts?” he sent back. “Sorry, no clue.” I sent to him. The other guys with him started to give him shit for stopping and talking to me. “Dude, come on, what would Jessie say if she caught you talking to that loser.” Jerks, but what do you expect from a bunch of jocks, right? idiots. Seth just shook his head and drove off, showering me with dust and pebbles from the side of the street. asshole. I pulled my phone out of my bag and sent Keska a text.
FROM MACKIE: Hey, Kes, have you got any text from Seth? He just caught me on my way home from Nana’s and asked if I knew why you weren’t answering his text. It was weird, he hesitated before he said your name.
FROM KESKA: Mackie, he hasn’t sent me any. He was probably going to say Jessie’s name because he was blowing up her phone on the way here, but he never sent me anything. Just ignore him.

###>>>
6

FROM MACKIE: Yeah, he just sprayed me as he drove off with some of the guys from the team with him, JERKS!! (angry face emoji)
FROM KESKA: Was Dave with them?
FROM MACKIE: Not that I saw, why?”
FORM KESKA: Well, at least we don’t have to put him in the same category as the rest of the knuckle-headed hockey team! (Laughing tear-faced emoji) We will probably be leaving here somewhere around seven, and it will be another two and a half hours to get home. I will call you when we get there.
FROM MACKIE: Can’t wait to hear all about it.
KESKA: I put my phone away and continued to help with the food service and clean up just to stay away from the rest of the family. I did take some of the finger sandwiches to the guards so they could have something to eat before everything was cleaned up and put away. If I had known that they had set up food tables for the guards, I would have just sent them there, but I didn’t know. I heard my father’s voice as I was coming back from feeding our guards. I stopped in my tracks; I did not want to be caught and accused of eavesdropping
DRAKE: “Alpha Camron, good to see you again.” “Alpha Drake, nice seeing you.” “I was hoping you would be here, and we could mix a little business with the festivities.” “What did you have in mind?” Camron asked me. “Nothing much, but maybe setting a date to finalize the trade talks we started last week.”
KESKA: I heard my father say. “Sure, I think we can manage that.” Camron said with a slight chuckle. “Good, how does Wednesday sound?” I asked. “I can make that work. Will your son be joining us?” Camron asked. “I will check with him, but I suspect that he should be able to join us.” I said. “I look forward to the meeting.” I stayed well back from them as they went their separate ways, as I didn’t want to be seen and be accused of eavesdropping. I waited till I saw my father turn a corner out of my sight before I moved and continued my way back to the kitchen.
DRAKE: I made my way back to my mate and Luna. “Well, I was able to finalize the date for the trade talks that were started last week.” I told her. “Well, let’s just hope that your mother didn’t damage our reputation too badly with her stupid outburst.” She hisses back at me. “I’m sure we will be just fine, and if we’re not, then I will take it out of Mother’s hide,” I assured her. “The music has started, let us go dance, and forget about my mother and pack business.” I said to her as I took her hand and led her to the outdoor dance floor.
KESKA: I made it back to the kitchen without too much more hassle. I started to bring in the dishes from the dinner, and started to bring more snack foods out to the serving table, when I was pulled away from behind. I didn’t think I just let my body react, I threw my head back, connecting with the person’s face, then threw my elbow back, catching whoever it was in the upper ribs, then I just let all my weight drop. I was dropped, and I spun around and took a defensive stance, ready to continue to defend myself more if necessary. “Whoa, whoa,” Alpha Camron held up his hands in mock surrender. “Oh my goddess!! I am so sorry! Please forgive me!” “I will think about it, who are you?” he asked me. I knew better than to look him in the eye; he is an alpha after all, so I picked the second button on his shirt to look at to answer him. “I’m Keska, from Blue Crescent pack.” I answered, “Blue Crescent, one of Alpha Drake’s pack? What were you doing eavesdropping on your alpha?” he asked with a bit of anger in his voice. “I’m sorry, Alpha but I was not eavesdropping, I was on my way back from taking food to the warriors that accompanied us, when I heard my father’s voice, I did not wish to be scolded yet again for no reason, so I staid as still and quiet as possible.” “Father? Alpha Drake is your father?” he asked, sounding a bit confused.
DRAKE: I hear Alpha Camron’s voice over by the food table. I hope that an omega has not spilled something on him. “I am going to go investigate what is going on over there with Alpha Camron” I told Carla. I walk over to where I see him standing, and I see Keska with him. “Keska, now what have you done!” I growled at her as I observed the scene in front of me. “You know her?” Camron asked, “Yes, she is my daughter, and a troublemaker.” I told him. “I thought you only had twins.” He says to me. “No, I have five kids,” I say with a slight chuckle. “I hope she hasn’t caused you any trouble,” I say to him with a bit of harshness in my voice towards Keska. Before he could answer, Adrian stepped up to us.
ADRIAN: I see both Uncle Drake and Alpha Camron over by the food table with Keska stuck between them, looking like she was about to be skinned and skewered. “Excuse me, uncle, may I take my cousin and dance with her?” I asked, even though he knew it wasn’t a question but a request I was making. “Of course, Adrian.” He didn’t sound incredibly pleased at my interruption. I held out my hand to her and pulled her away from them.
DRAKE: I turn to look at Alpha Camron. “Are you ok?” I asked him, noticing the bruise starting at his eye. “Yeah, I was quick enough to raise her slightly so I wouldn’t get a broken nose, but I will live with the black eye and slightly bruised ribs.” He tells me. I am shocked that she was able to do that. “Let’s get some ice for you.” I say as I turn and head toward the pack house. He follows behind me. “How come I never knew you had five kids?” He asked me. “I don’t know, Keska was born between the twins,” I tell him.
KESKA: “Thank you, Adrian, but you should not have done that, because I will get it worse later, from father.” I tell him as we move to the dance floor. “If he does tell me. I won’t stand for it.” He says. “Adrian, there is nothing you will be able to do; he is my father, you are my cousin.” I tell him. “I know, but I just hate the way they ignore you or belittle you.” He says to me. I changed the subject on him as I don’t want him getting worked up about family matters on his coronation day. “Have you danced with everyone yet?” I asked him. “I have, including your siblings, they were the first ones to get dances with both Kina and I.” he tells me, then proceeds to give me the rundown on every luna, from every pack in attendance. By the time the dance was done, we were both laughing.

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7

CAMRON: I let Alpha Drake lead me to the pack house, where he tells one of the omegas to fetch me some ice. “I feel a bit stupid,” I admit to him. (I am not afraid to admit shit in front of him, I am not one of those vain Alphas that won’t admit when he’s wrong for fear of appearing weak.) “Why is that?” he asks, “Well, not knowing she was your daughter, for one, and letting her take me by surprise for two.” I kind of chuckled at him. “Sorry for that.” He apologizes to me, nodding towards my eye. “Why were you talking to her in the first place?” he asks. “When we were talking and setting the date for our meeting, I caught her scent, I didn’t know who it was, so I went in search of whoever it might have been that was eavesdropping on our conversation.” I tell him, “I should not have just picked her up and startled her the way I did, so in a way, I guess I deserve what I got from her, but I was not expecting it.” Again, I chuckled. I was watching his face as I spoke. He did not seem happy to hear that she had overheard us. “What excuse did she give for eavesdropping?” he asks. “She said that she wasn’t, that she had just gone to give food to the warriors that accompanied you and she was on her way back when she heard your voice, and not wanting to get scolded for no reason again, she stayed quiet and still.” I told him what she said to me. Again, I watched his face. He seemed to be a bit perplexed but did not comment on it. After observing Alpha Drake, I decided to link the men that accompanied me. “Chase, was there someone there just a bit ago?” “Yeah, boss, a female pup about 15 years old.” He links back. “How did the men react to her?” I asked him. “Nothing special, maybe a bit dismissive.” he answers back. “Thanks,” I cut the link. “Problems?” asked Drake. “No, just the guys wondering about getting something to eat.” I tell him. “Oh, have them come to the back of the pack house, there are tables set up for them.” He says. I link Chase back. “Have all the guys, not just you, but all the escorts come to the back of the pack house to get food.” “Ok, I will let them know, boss.” I close the link. “Thanks, Drake, I’m good now. Cereus will heal the rest.” “Again, I am sorry about Keska, are we still on for next week?” he asked, almost pleading. “Yes.” I answered him, I put the ice and towel down, and walked out to the grounds where they were still dancing.
KESKA: “May I have this dance?” I hear from behind me. Turning, I find Alpha Camron. “Umm…” “Come, dance with me, let me show you that there are no hard feelings.” I take the hand that he has held out to me. We move on to the dance area. He takes me in his arms, and right away I feel safe, protected, almost. It was strange. As he held my hand in his, I felt his thumb rub over the scar I have. “What is this from?” he asked. “I and my best friend made a blood promise to each other when we were kids,” I tell him, not looking him in the eye. “You can look at me.” He tells me. “I do not wish to be rude, nor do I want your wolf to feel challenged, I am, after all, alpha-blooded, remember?” I say. “I promise Cereus won’t feel threatened by you, but if it helps, I will let him tell you.” Before I can say anything, I hear a deeper, gravely baritone “Young pup, look up.” The Alpha’s hand comes up to my chin and tilts my head up, so I am looking him right in the eye. “I know you are alpha blood, but you are young, I do not take offence at you, there is no challenge from you.” I heard his wolf say. “Thank you, Cereus, it is nice to meet you.” I say to his wolf. “My pleasure.” I then watch as Camron’s eyes return to their warm chocolate brown with gold flecks. He is a very handsome Alpha with his sandy brown hair, almost the color of wet sand when you’re digging at the beach to make a sandcastle. It has a soft wave to it, a strong square jaw line, and a straight nose.
CAMRON: I wonder how many “friends” Keska has made blood promises with, and does her father know? And does she know what exactly she has done? But before I can ask her, it’s as if she read my mind. “Don’t worry, Alpha, I am not stealing the pack, just my best friend, and yes, we both know what we did, and we would do it again. She is my Gamma, not my father’s nor my brother’s, but mine.” She tells me. “It almost sounds like you are going for a pack of your own.” I say with a chuckle. “You never know, I just might.” She says with a straight face. Cereus lets me know that someone is not happy that I am dancing with Keska. “Is it Adrian?” “NO, it is her sister.” As we were dancing, I turned us to find Jessie staring hard at Keska and me. I also see that Adrian has his mate on the dance floor, keeping an eye on his cousin. “It seems we are the center of attention.” I tell her. “I doubt that the only one that would care is Adrian, and that is to protect my honor, but I think he knows you are not the type that would try to take advantage, more to the point of making sure that my family does not make a scene.” She says. The music ends, and she inclines her head to me. “Thank you for the dance, Alpha Camron, and thank you, Cereus.” She says to both of us. I let Cereus answer for us. “Our pleasure.” He smiles at her. She just turns and walks away from us. “Someone is going to be very lucky to have her.” I say to Cereus. “Yes.” Is all I get from him before Jessie comes up to us. Cereus gives a slight growl, “stop, we need to play nice.” I tell him.
KESKA: As I walk away from Alpha Camron, I happen to catch Jessie walking up to him out of the corner of my eye. I wonder if he has his mate yet, not that it would be me, but I just hope it’s not Jessie, he’s too nice for Jessie, although it might be good for her if she got someone like him, it would teach her she can’t always get everything handed to her on a silver platter like mom and father do. I headed back to the pack house to help with more of the cleanup. I like to keep busy, and that way I am also “NOT GETTING INTO TROUBLE.” as father would put it. Plus, I know we will be leaving in about an hour, as it is getting late. I get to the kitchen and jump right in, retrieving the dirty dishes, glasses, and tableware from the tables as the guest just put things down haphazardly, and getting them to the kitchen to be washed, and I then start to put things away.

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8

KESKA: After working in the kitchen for the better part of an hour, I link Frank. “Have you heard from Father yet on when we will be leaving?” I ask him. My face is really starting to ache now. “Yes, he says we will be leaving in half hour.” he sends back, and I close the link. I start to gather the finger sandwiches, snacks, and water I had put aside from earlier, when I feel a searing pain in my upper right arm. Turning to see who grabbed me, I see the ELDER MRS. SUTTER “It’s not bad enough that you think you can claim family, but now you steal from us!!” She screeches at me, as her wolf claws dig deeper into my arm, “No, Mrs. Sutter, I am not. Alpha Adrian gave me permission to take these for the trip home.” I tell her through gritted teeth. I keep my eyes on the floor, I just want to scream. The pain in my arm is so bad. Just as she was about to slap me again, Rex came into the kitchen. “Sally, Luna Becca wants more of that juice you made.” Then he notices me and the elder Mrs. Sutter, “What is going on here?” he asks with a bit of a growl. “Nothing that concerns you Gamma!” she hisses out. I notice that his eyes cloud over. “Adrian. Kitchen. Now.”
ADRIAN: I was chatting with a couple of other Alphas discussing a possible business venture when I got the link from my Gamma. “Excuse me gentlemen, I have a matter to attend to.” I say as I take Kina by the hand. “Of course.” they say. “What’s going on?” Kina asks me. “I have no idea, but I just got a link from Rex saying kitchen now.” I tell her. We make our way to the kitchen, and I see my gamma, my cousin, and my grandmother. “What is going on in here?” I ask, as I see my grandmother give my gamma a dirty look. “I told you it was none of your business.” “Keska, your arm! It’s bleeding, what happened?” Kina asks her. “I caught her stealing food from us!!” My grandmother states like she is the luna in charge. “What pack is she from?” I ask my grandmother through clenched teeth. “Blue Crescent, of course.” She answers me like I’m an idiot. “Who is the alpha of that pack?” I asked, “Adrian, you know full well who the alpha is; he is my second-born son, your uncle Drake.” She says again, thinking she is being superior. “Then how the hell do you think she is stealing food? Are you going to denounce the whole damn family?” I shout at her. “I told her she could take the sandwiches, snacks, and water for the trip home, and who the hell are you to go against your alpha’s word?” Again, I see red because of her. She knows I am pissed as Coros makes his presents known.
KINA: “Adrian, dear breathe, Coros, it’s ok, I am here.” I turn to Sally, “Have someone help Gamma Rex with whatever it is he needs and get me the first aid kit.” I say in my most calm voice, even though, like Adrian, I too am seething from the shit his grandmother keeps pulling. Sally’s eyes cloud over, calling in another omega to help Rex. She goes to the pantry to retrieve the first aid kit, and I start to dress Keska’s arm. As I am tending to Keska, I see that Adrian is taking two paper bags and filling them with most of the leftovers from the party, and placing them neatly in the bags. I also noticed Rex has left the kitchen. “There you go, Keska, that should hold till you get home.” I tell her. “Thank you, Luna Kina,” she says to me. I just hugged her.
ADRIAN: After I fill the two bags with the leftovers, I get the omega that helped Rex, carry the bags to the vehicles of the Blue Crescent pack. “Take these to the warriors that came with Blue Crescent, just tell them with the alpha’s compliments.” I then turned back to my grandmother. “Is there anything else that you think she was stealing?” I ask her in a rather dismissive tone. “How dare you!” she screams at me. “How dare I what?” I hiss through clenched teeth, “I am the alpha of this pack, and you will do well to remember that, and not go against what I say or do. Is that clear to you, grandmother?” She just stares at me with anger in her eyes and stomps out of the kitchen.
KESKA: “Adrian, please don’t fight with her, she never really cared all that much for me anyway, so please, don’t try and make her change her ways, it will only cause you misery and trouble for the pack.” I tell him. “The trouble that she causes for the pack is being disrespectful to its guests and members.” He states. “I have to go if I am not in the SUV, I will get left behind, and as they wouldn’t care, I don’t think the ELDER MRS. SUTTER would appreciate it.” I say as I pick up the last bag of food, giving both him and Kina a hug, I head out the back door and over to the security lot where the SUVs are parked. I open the back door and take my place in the last seat, with the bag of food next to me.
KESKA: I take out my phone and call Mackie. The phone rings a couple of times before she picks up.
MACKIE: “Hello.” KESKA: “Hey,”
MACKIE: “Thought you were going to call when you got home.”
KESKA: “Yeah, well, I needed someone to talk to and you’re the only one who gets me.” MACKIE: “What happened?” KESKA: “Grandma Mimi has rejected me in front of everyone in attendance, she slapped me, and then as I was getting things together for the trip home, she dug her wolf claws into my arm, I am going to have scars now for the rest of my life because of her.” MACKIE: “What a bitch, does Adrian know what she did? Because we both know he wouldn’t put up with her shit and would put her in her place.” KESKA: “Yeah, he knows, he did yell at her, but like all the others, it’s never her fault, she’s the victim, not me.” MACKIE: “I am sorry, did you have any fun at all?” KESKA: “Yeah, I did, but that will have to wait until I get home, but I will leave you with this: I gave an alpha a black eye.” MACKIE: “You cannot just say something like that and leave me hanging!” KESKA: “Sorry, but it will have to wait until I get home, the guys are coming, so I will have to go, but I promise I will call you when we are about a half hour out.” MACKIE: “Alright, bye.” KESKA: “Bye.” I hung up the phone and put it in my bag as the warriors piled into the vehicle, and the two-and-a-half-hour trip home.
DRAKE: “James, I have set a meeting up with Alpha Camron for next week, Wednesday, to put the finishing touches on the trade agreement and get the contract signed. He said he wants you to be there."

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9

JAMES: “What time on Wednesday, I do have school and practice.” I tell him. “I don’t care what you have, and what do you mean you have practice? Football is over. You will be at this meeting, we will stand to make about Eighty thousand a quarter from this one trade agreement, and I know that may not sound like much, but considering the fact he is willing to take the slag ore off our hands is a plus for us.” He says. “Not to mention, I am sure he wants to get to know who he will be doing business with in the future.” “Yes, Dad, practice, it’s something new the coach implemented last year. The seniors practice throughout the year to help get the next season’s team ready. But fine, I will be there.” I say. Not that I really have much choice, I am looking forward to taking over for my dad, I just hope that I can find my Mate and Luna before I turn twenty. I don’t think I could handle working with Dad side by side like Adrian did before he found Kina. Don’t get me wrong, I love Dad, but sometimes he drives me up a wall. He needs to come into the twenty-first century with some of his business dealings, maybe start thinking in terms of getting into some tech.
JESSIE: “Only eighty thousand? What’s he want it for?”
DRAKE: “I don’t know I didn’t ask him, but I’m sure it will come up at the meeting on Wednesday, and why do you say it like that, (Only eighty thousand) the fact that he wants it, helps us, we don’t have to pay to dispose of it, and we get paid to get rid of it! It’s a win, win in my book.” “Sorry, daddy, I just thought that if he wanted it so bad, he would pay more, that’s all.” She says. JAMES: Leave it to Jessie to try and push the boundaries, getting eighty thousand every quarter and for a waist product is pretty damn good I’d say, but Jessie always wants more, greedy wench. “It’s a waste product, Jessie, we can’t get a premium price for it no matter what he wants it for, understood?” I say to my daughter. “Yes, daddy.” She replies.
KESKA: Thank the goddess the trip home was a non-event, unlike the trip out. Halfway home, I ask, “Anyone hungry?” “What Ya got?” asks Pete “Leftover sandwiches from the ceremony, chips, and water.” I say to everyone in the vehicle, “Sure,” I hear from all of them. I passed out the food and settled back for the rest of the trip home. Half an hour out, I call Mackie. “Hey, we will be home in thirty,” I say to her. “Do you want me to come over?” she asks “No, meet me at Nana’s,” I say to her. “It’s kind of late to be going to Nana’s, don’t you think?” she asks. “Yeah, but if she sees me later, with the bandages on my arm and a bruise on my face, she will go ballistic, so I just figure I will get it all done and over with in one fell swoop.” I tell her. “Yeah, you’re right about that. Ok, I will meet you at Nana’s,” she says, and we hang up. As we pull through the gates of our pack, I ask Frank, “Hey, Frank, can you stop and let me out here, please?” “Sure.” He says and stops the vehicle. I get out and head straight to Nana’s house, it’s closer to the gate than it is to the pack house. I link Mackie, I’m home and headed to Nana’s. She sent back on my way. I wait for her before I knock on Nana’s door. “Who is it?” Nana calls out. “It’s me, Nana, I’m home,” I call out to her. I hear hurried footsteps coming to the door. “It’s late, dear.” She says as she opens the door. “I know Nana, but I just needed a Nana hug.” I say to her. She opens the door wide enough for Mackie and me to step through. “Come to the kitchen.” She says as she heads down the hall towards it. She starts the tea kettle and takes out the chi tea and horehound.
KESKA: Nana knows me so well, it’s my favorite. “Now tell me what’s going on with my Keska.” She says. So, I pulled up the bit of sleeve to show her my upper arm where Mimi Sutter grabbed me. “What happened?” she asked as she took the bandages off my arm and then took a good look at my face. I hear her hiss through her teeth when she sees the claw marks left on my arm. “Who did this?!!” she demands as she turns my face to her. I even hear Mackie’s intake of breath when she sees my arm. “The ELDER MRS. SUTTER.” I say, and I watch, as Nana starts bustling about the kitchen, grabbing herbs and salves from the cupboards. “Mackie, please get a washcloth from the bathroom, get it as hot as you can under the faucet.” Mackie hurries off to do as Nana bids. I hear the water start to run in the bathroom, then Mackie returns just a couple of minutes later with a hot washcloth in her hand. Nana takes the cloth and says, “This is going to sting a bit.” As she places the washcloth on my arm, she starts to mix some of the herbs she gathered into the salve. She takes the cloth away and starts to rub the salve into the wounds directly, that’s when the stinging starts. “This will help minimize the scarring and makes sure there is no infection.” She states. “Now tell me what happened.” I proceeded to tell my Nana and Mackie everything that happened at the coronation/luna ceremony, from Mimi Sutter slapping me and disowning me, to the incident in the kitchen before we left to come home. Leaving out the part about Alpha Camron. As I was telling them everything, the tea kettle started to whistle. Nana poured us each some tea. I felt better, I felt calmer. Nana didn’t say much while I was telling her what happened, but I could tell she was pissed, to say the least. “It’s late, girls, head upstairs and get ready for bed, you have your aikido training in the morning.” She states in a calm and steady voice. Both Mackie and I have left clothes at Nana’s house for just such occasions because it’s happened before. We both put our teacups in the sink, kiss Nana on the cheek, hug her goodnight, and head off to bed.
LILLY: I am absolutely furious as I listened to Keska, how dare that gold digging, statis climbing, bitch put her hands on my grand pup, she forgets just who we are. I will have to remind her, there is a reason the Brookes family is the only werewolves that the Lycans have on the royal guard. I am a patient person, she will get hers. (“Stephen, please come to the kitchen.”) I link my man servant. (“Yes, Miss Lilly.”) I only wait a couple of minutes before Stephen comes in. “Stephen, over the next couple of days, I will need you to set up the obstacle course in the backyard. It’s time I start training Keska and Mackie.” I tell him. “Yes, Miss Lilly,” he says in his soft tenor. Then he leaves. I wash up the cups, put them in the rack to dry, and head up to bed myself.
LILLY: The next morning, I get the girls up and make them breakfast, and make sure they have what they need for their training class. “Let me take a look at your arm Keska.” I say to her. She pulls up the short sleeve of the shirt she is wearing, and I take the bandage off and make sure that everything looks good before I reapply the salve and rebandage her arm.

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10

MACKIE: “So what happened with the Alpha?” I ask Keska, “Alpha Camron, came up behind me and picked me up off my feet when I was helping set up.” She says. “Oh no! I can guess what happened.” I said, “Yes, and it did. I just let my training take over; it was lucky for him, he had quick reflexes, or he would have had a broken nose.” She says, “So how did you give him a black eye?” I asked her. “He raised me just a bit higher and dropped his head to the side, but I think I also might have given him some bruised ribs.” She tells me. “Ouch, and an Alpha, wow.”
KESKA: I told Mackie all about Alpha Camron, and that I even met his wolf, and the blood promise because of the scar he felt at the base of my thumb when we were dancing. “You told him?” she asked, a little bit shocked that I did. “Yes, it would not have been right to lie to an Alpha, don’t worry, he isn’t going to tell, and if we play our cards right, you might get to meet him.” I tell her. “How?” she asked. “He is coming for a meeting with Father and James on Wednesday,” I tell her. “You actually met his wolf? That isn’t normal.” She says. “I know, but it was because I would not look him in the eye, I was not going to take a chance and get in trouble for disrespecting an alpha,” I tell her. “Wow, again, only you, Keska, only you.” She chuckles. As I promised her yesterday before we left, we spent the day hitting the mats practicing our aikido, and then we hit the archery field.
MACKIE: “Kes, why are you so pissed at Seth?” I asked her she has been a little cold towards him. She hesitates to answer me. She sighs, “Remember about a month ago now? We were trying out for our green stripe?” she asks. “Yeah, he said he would come and watch, and then take us home.” I said, “He never showed that night and left us hanging and it was snowing when we got done, and then he gave some bull shit story about having to help his dad.” I replied, “Well, when I was getting ready to leave, I saw his truck at the house, so I thought that since he was already there, he could just drive me to the dojo. I went looking for him. I passed by Jessie’s room, and her door was slightly ajar. I heard some noises coming from her room, so I peeked in, and saw him buried balls deep in her and she was begging him (harder)” she tells me. “Why didn’t you say anything before now?” I semi-scolded her. “Because I didn’t want to influence anything between the two of you, if you really had a friendship.” She says. “Well, if we did, he ruined it yesterday by the way he treated me.” I tell her. “Sorry about that.” “Not your fault.” I tell her.
KESKA: Now you know why I said he was my second X best friend. We park and lock up our bikes and head into the archery building. There was a counter on the short side of the rectangle-shaped building, and different weapons hanging on the walls. “Hey Kent, how are things going?” I asked him. “Just fine, Kes, how are you doing today?” I’m well, thank you. Umm, Kent, do you think that Mackie and I could hit the outdoor range today?” “Sure thing, do you need to borrow bows or do you have your own?” he asked. “We brought our own, we just need the arrows.” I tell him. “There are a couple of families out there with their pups, so be careful when shooting.” he tells me. “We will.” I tell him. Kent grabs us two quivers full of arrows, and we head out to the firing range. We each take four shots apiece, and then go and check our accuracy and retrieve the arrows, then we do it again. As we are walking to the targets the second time, I catch movement in the tree line about 30 yards from the targets. “Mackie, did you catch that?” “Yeah, I did.” We link to each other. “Time to go practice that Gamma charm of yours and get those families inside and tell Kent to give us the good ammo.” “On it.” Mackie goes and starts chatting with the families and convinces them that the indoor range would be safer for the pups to practice on. I keep my eye on the tree line for any more movement. I sniff the air and catch a slight odor of rotten meat. “Rogues!” I link to Mackie.
MACKIE: I get the families inside and then go tell Kent that we need the good arrows. “Kent!” I call out to him. Then link him so as not to cause a panic with the families. “Kes and I need the silver-tipped wolfbane arrows NOW!! We have a rogue problem.” Without hesitation, he grabs two quivers of the silver arrows, and I see his eyes gloss over. “Help is on the way.” He says as I grab the quivers and head back out to Keska. I hear a howl of pain in the distance. Even though the practice arrows aren’t silver, they still hurt if you get hit with them.
KESKA: I climb on top of the practice target, it’s like a scarecrow on a t pole, and start shooting at the rouges, I know it won’t kill them, but it will slow them down. “Here.” Mackie hands me a quiver of silver hollow-tipped arrows filled with wolfbane, then joins me on top of the next target over. “I got one, but there are about a dozen or more of them.” “Sight me in.” “Just about ten feet on the other side of the tree line.” “Got it.” We both take aim and let loose; the next thing we hear is two more roars of pain. We both sighted in again and let loose, two more roars of pain. Then we hear fighting coming from the woods. We jump down, grab the quivers, and head back to the building to take up a defensive position on the roof. I link Kent, “You have a safe bunker, right?” “Yeah, why?” “If the two families with pups are still here, get them in it now!” “On it, but shouldn’t you be getting in there too?” “Not when I can help pick some of them off from up here and take down as many as I can to help out our warriors.” I close the link and concentrate on where I hear the fighting coming from. I catch sight of another rogue sneaking up on one of our fighters, I take aim and take it out. (I felt a rush of air as an arrow whizzed by my ear, I looked to my left flank and saw a rogue with an arrow stuck in him. I look around quickly to see where that arrow came from, I see two girls standing on top of the archery building. I give a howl of thanks in their direction and get back in the fight.) It doesn’t take too much longer, and the fight is over. I link one of our fighters, “Hey, when you get to clean up, be careful, we were using the heavy ammo so some of them have wolfsbane and silver, also I think I pinned one to a tree straight out from the second target, he was shot with a regular arrow.” “Thanks for the heads up, I will inform the men.”

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11

KESKA: I close the link, and Mackie and I climb down and head inside. “Kent” I call out, “over here.” I hear coming from the left side of the room. “All clear.” I tell him, as I hear the weight of a heavy object being moved. Then I hear him say, “All clear, you can come out now.” “Thank you,” I hear from a few different voices. “You are all welcome, but I am not the one to thank, if it wasn’t for those two over there (Kent points in our direction), we wouldn’t have had an early warning.” He tells them. I go stand at the sales counter and wait for Kent to come over. Mackie waits by the door for me. The adults in the group come up and thank us as they file out to leave. “Thank you so much for saving us.” They say to us. “No need to thank us, it’s what any good pack member would do.” I tell them. Kent comes over to the sales counter and we hand him back the rest of the arrows and I give him $20. “What’s this for?” he asks. “I don’t have enough to pay for the silver and wolfsbane, but this is for the one arrow that I left the rouge pinned to the tree with,” I tell him. “Plus, it’s for the rental.” “After what you did, you don’t have to pay.” “Yes, I do, I am not going to take advantage of the fact that I am in the alpha family and not pay my way.” I tell him.
(I let the men know that some of the rogues have wolfsbane and silver in them and that we might have a prisoner pinned to a tree straight out from the archery targets.)
KESKA: I was happy to notice that the attack didn’t disrupt the day-to-day life of too many of the pack members. After the rogue attack, Mackie and I needed to burn off some of the adrenaline, it was around 4:30 or so. So, we make the rounds to the elderly pack members to see if they need anything. We spend the rest of the day doing small errands for them, it’s how we make our money for the things we want or need, we both earn about 60-70 dollars each. Our parents don’t just hand us things like they do our siblings. I now have enough to give Pete the money to take his brother to the movie he wants to go see. “Mackie, I need to head over to the warrior barracks. I need to give Pete some money.” I tell her. “Why do you need to give Pete money?” she asks. “I told him I would make it up to him for his help with Jessie yesterday.” “Oh, ok, let’s go then.” We head over to the warrior barracks that sits south of the pack house and west of the gate. We headed to the central office for the barracks. “Is Pete in?” I asked the guard. “Sorry, he is out on cleanup right now. Is there something I can help you with?” “I just need to leave him something, may I have an envelope and a piece of paper?” I asked him. He digs in a desk drawer and hands me an envelope, and then walks over to the printer and grabs a piece of paper from it, walks back over to me and hands it to me. I quickly wrote Pete a note. Pete, I know it’s not much, but here is 40 dollars to help offset the price of the movie for you and Dave. Thank you again, and again, I am sorry I had to ask you to do what you did. I hope you enjoy the movie. Keska. I then put $40.00 in the envelope with my note, put Pete’s name on it, and handed it to the guard. “Please make sure Pete gets this.” I tell him. He takes the envelope from me, walks over to a rack of small cubbies on the wall, and puts it inside one. “Done.” He tells me. “Thank You.” I headed back out to where Mackie was waiting with the bikes. “All done?” she asked me. “Yep, all done.” “Time to head home.” “I will see you tomorrow.” We both head to our perspective homes.
KESKA: I wake the next morning to the sound of rain before my alarm goes off. Great, just fricking great. I get up and turn my alarm off and start getting ready for school, I don’t usually mind the rain, but I don’t like being soggy for school, James and Jessie aren’t going to let me ride with them, they will go pick up Wyatt, and leave both me and Mackie to find our own way to school. Just a month and a half. I keep chanting to myself.
LILLY: I woke to the sound of rain pelting the window of my room. I don’t mind when it rains, like some do, because of the aches and pains that come with the change in the barometric pressure; I just don’t have them, even though I am in my early 70s. I get up and go to the kitchen to start breakfast for Stephen and myself. “Stephen, I’d like it if you would go take the girls to school today, I know that James won’t, and I don’t want them getting soaked.” “Yes, Miss Lilly.” So, after breakfast, Stephen leaves to pick up Mackie and Keska in the limo. I link my daughter. Carla, I am sending Stephen to pick up Keska and then go get Mackie and take them to school. “Why? mother, they can ride their bikes like they have always done.” “Did you happen to notice it’s raining? I don’t want them to get soaked, and I know that you will not make James and Jessie take her with them, so I am sending Stephen. Deal with it.” I close the link.
CARLA: I love my mother but sometimes she can be a bit of a pain in the ass, we are Brookes, and she never brags about it, but sometimes she just does what she pleases because of it. “Keska! Hurry up! Stephen will be here to pick you up!!” I yell up to her.
KESKA: Stephen? Why was he coming? I made my way downstairs to get some breakfast when the twins came flying into the kitchen. “Why is Stephen coming?” Jessie whines at Mom. “I don’t know, your grandmother just linked me to tell me she is sending him for your sister. Now sit down for breakfast.” Mom tells her. “She can just ride her bike, like she always does,” James states. “That’s what I said, but your grandmother has a different opinion from the rest of us. Now sit down, I had the cook make cinnamon rolls.” Great, now I’m going to get it from them all day. Lissa and Liam come into the kitchen just as the rolls are coming out of the oven, and Father comes in right behind them. Both Jessie and James are glaring at me like I just took the last cookie away from them or something. The cook set the rolls down on the table, and everyone reached for theirs at one time, which caused the plate to tip, and the few remaining rolls hit the floor. I, of course, wasn’t lucky enough to get one before they toppled to the floor. The twins just laughed at me. I looked at both my parents, but they just ignored the twins and started shaking their heads at me. I just started to help clean up the mess they caused, and then went to the pantry and grabbed a couple of granola bars, then went back to my room.

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12

KESKA: I ate my granola bars in my room, came back down, threw the wrappers away, and waited for Stephen. James and Jessie left to get Wyatt. I linked Mackie. "*Hey, just wanted to let you know to keep a low profile when the twins get there, it was a bad morning, and Stephen is going to be taking us to school today." “Ok… why?” Not sure exactly what’s going on, but Nana is sending Stephen for us. “I’ll be ready and waiting, and I will definitely stay out of sight of the twins and Wyatt.”*
KESKA: We pull up in front of the school just before the bell rings. “Thanks, Stephen.” “I will be back to pick you up after school is out.” “Why? We can just walk back home.” I tell him. “Your grandmother insists, and you will not be going back to the pack house; you will be going to her house.” He tells us. As he gets back in the limo and drives off. Mackie and I walk into school just as the bell rings, and we run to our first hour.
KESKA: The bell rang for lunch, I gathered up my books and headed for my locker, which is in the middle of the back wall. So, it’s like an E shape turned upside down with more lines in the middle than just one, and of course, mine is on the back wall. Mackie’s is in the middle of the middle row. After putting my books away, I headed towards Mackie’s locker. As I round the corner to the aisle where her locker is, I hear some of Jessie's cronies, they seem to be picking on someone. “You need to know your place, stupid pathic omega, keep your eyes to yourself, and your head down stupid bitch” “What is going on here?” I say as I am coming around the corner. “It has nothing to do with you, so stay out of it.” Jessie says to me. “It has everything to do with me, Jessie. I will not let you bully pack members, and I don’t think Father will like it either.” I tell her. “Stay out of my business, or it will be you on the receiving end.” “I usually am anyway, so I will not let you do the same to others, even if I have to get father and mom involved.” Jessie just stares hard at me. “Let’s go, girls.” Then turning to the girl, “If you so much as breathe in his direction, I will destroy you.” She turns and walks away with her posse of wanna be’s. I link Mackie, *“You close?” “Yeah, what’s up” “Jessie threatened a student, I am down your aisle.” “Be there in a sec.”* I close the link, and I turn to look at the girl. “Hey, what’s your name?” I ask her. “Betsy.” She says, keeping her eyes on the floor, just then Mackie shows up. I nod at her. “Betsy, do you have anyone to sit with for lunch?” I ask her, “No.” “Well, now you do, and you don’t have to keep looking down, I am not going to hurt you or let my sister hurt you.” “She will be mad, and she will get me when you are not around.” She says. “No, she won’t, come on, let’s go get some lunch.” Mackie links me, *“What’s up?” “Betsey here is going to join us for lunch, and I am going to give her some pointers on who to talk to about Jessie.”* I link back. *“You know if she gets wind of it, you are going to be in so much trouble with her.” “I don’t really care, one of the stipulations for father to get the pack was no bullying, and Jessie is one of the biggest.” “True that.”* Mackie quickly goes to her locker, and we head for the lunchroom.
KESKA: After getting our food, we find a table that’s towards the back and out of the way so we can eat in peace. “Betsey,” I say in a soft voice, “Yes.” “Do you remember the old Beta from the old alpha?” I ask her, “Not so much, but my dad talks about him all the time.” She tells me, “Good, the next time anyone bullies you, please go tell him, I don’t care if you have to leave school to do it, just go report it to him.” I tell her. “If I leave school, they will know I told on them.” She says. “Then text him.” I gave Beta Pierce’s number to her. “Also, if you see anyone else getting bullied, please text him, but keep it under wraps, I don’t want everyone to know, and Jessie will get hers, because there was one thing that old alpha Carson despised was a bully, and father knows it.” I tell her. “Thank you for the help today.” She says. “By the way, what was that all about, anyway?” I ask her. “Seth Harpper, we have a class together and we are working on a group project together.” She tells me. “Sorry, just try to keep as many people in your group between you as much as possible.” I tell her. The bell rings to signal that lunch is over. I link Mackie, *“I am going to use the restroom before we head to class.” “Ok, I will wait in the hallway for you.”* I enter the bathroom and hear Dedi, one of Jessie’s friends “Your sister is such a little bitch.” “I know, right!” Jessie replies, “What happened to her face?” Marla asked, “Mimi Sutter slapped her.” “What happened?” came Dedi’s voice. “Mimi disowned her.” Jessie tells them, and I hear them all giggle. I left the bathroom without using it and made my way to where Mackie was waiting for me. “That was quick,” she says. “I didn’t use it; Jessie and her minions were in there.” As we started to head to class, we heard Marla’s voice. “I don’t blame her, who wants to be related to her anyway?!!” “Not me! That’s for sure.” Comes Jessie’s reply. I feel the deep, harsh sting of a rejection again, so I raise my voice, “Hey Jessie.” I call out, and she stops and turns to look at me. “What!?” “I, Keska Sutter of Blue Crescent Pack, accept your rejection, Jessie Sutter of Blue Crescent Pack. Per your request, we are no longer sisters.” I say as I felt the bond snap like an over-stretched rubber band. I watched as she fell to her knees. Wow I guess accepting a rejection no matter what kind it is, is a bitch. I would do it again, too, just to not have to feel the pain every time she rejects me as her sister. I turn and head to my next class.
JAMES: I felt a weird pain in my chest just after lunch, I linked Jessie to see if she was ok. *“Jessie, you, ok?” “I don’t know, I think I fucked up big time.” “What happened?” “I was talking with my friends in the bathroom, and we were talking about Kes.” “What did you say?”* I asked her. *“Well, Marla and Dedi wanted to know what happened to her, you know with the bruise and all, so I told them that Mimi rejected her, and slapped her.” “Jessie, just get to the point!” “I might have said that I didn’t want to be related to her.” “YOU WHAT?” “I think she overheard us, because when we walked out, she was there and accepted the rejection, and said we are no longer sisters.” “That hurt James, it hurt bad I fell to my knees, it hurt so bad.” “Jessie, rejection and acceptance are instant karma.”* I tell her. *“And as much as it hurt you, think how much more it hurt Kes, that was her second rejection in as many days.” “Don’t you go sticking up for her now!!” “Not hardly but I am also not going to help you out of this mess either.”*

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13

CARLA: I had an uneasy feeling in my gut since lunch today. I was in a meeting to set the plans for the expansion of both the orphanage and the day care. When I felt a pain and then a dull ache. I can’t explain it, so I left the meeting early to see Dr. Grant. “Luna, to what do I owe the pleasure?” “Hello, Dr. Grant, I am not sure. I felt this pain in my chest, and now it’s a dull ache and an uneasy feeling in my gut. I don’t know what’s going on.” I tell him. “Well, let’s check you out.” He says to me. After the exam, “Well, the good news is that there is nothing wrong with you, the bad news is I think that there was a rejection and an acceptance of said rejection of someone close to you.” He tells me. “And that is what you were feeling, just go home and rest, you should feel better by dinner.” “Thank you, Dr.” I linked Drake as I left the doctor’s office. “Drake, did you feel a pain in your chest earlier today around lunchtime?” “I felt something, can’t really say it was a pain though, why?” “Well, I felt a pain, and now it’s a dull ache, and I have this uneasy feeling in my gut. I just came from Dr. Grant, he thinks that someone close to me was rejected and the rejection was accepted. You don’t think that one of the twins found their mate, do you, and rejected them?” “It’s too soon, they have two more months before they turn 18, so no, I don’t.” “But sometimes it can happen earlier than 18 for alphas.” “True, but they have not shifted yet, so I don’t think it’s that, but we will talk to them when they get home from school.”
KESKA: Finally, the bell rings signaling the end of school. I make my way down to my locker to put what books I don’t need away and grab the ones I have homework for, and then head over to Mackie’s locker. “I am surprised that there weren’t any repercussions from the Jessie issue.” Mackie says to me. “Me too, but who knows it still may happen.” “Are you going to do the same thing with your Mimi?” she asks as we head for the door. “Yes, but I am going to do it on our pack lands, I just wasn’t quick enough when it happened, and I didn’t want to cause Adrian any more issues than what she already had caused, but they will be coming for the twin’s birthday in a couple months, and then she will get hers.” I say. “Oh, I want to be there for that, and I’m sure Nana will love it as well.” She giggles. Stephen is waiting for us as we exit the school. We greet him as we get in the limo. “Good afternoon, girls, I trust you had a good day?” “Well, let’s just say it was an interesting day. I don’t know that I would call it a good day.” I say to him. “Oh?” Stephen asked as he got behind the wheel of the limo. “Yeah, Jessie was bullying one of the pack members. I put a stop to it by threatening to tell mom and father, then after lunch she rejected me as her sister, and I accepted it, so we will have to see what becomes of that.” I tell him. “You need to let your grandmother know this when we get there.” He states.
WYATT: “Why is my brat of a sister in the limo with your brat of a sister?” I ask James, “Because Nana sent Stephen for them this morning because it was raining, so now he is taking them home, Nana doesn’t do things halfway.” He tells me. “Do you think we can beat them home?” I ask. “Yeah sure, Stephen is a fuddy duddy and will follow all the traffic and speed limit signs, so no problem, but why?” he asked me. “If we beat them home, I can make her get snacks for Demi and make sure she does her homework, plus I forgot my football helmet.” I tell him.
JAMES: I linked Jessie, *“Are you coming soon?”* I ask her. *“Yeah, just got to grab my business book.” “Wyatt and I are waiting at the truck, so hurry your butt up.”* I tell her. “Hey, what happened with you earlier today?” Wyatt asked me. “Jessie fucked up big time and I don’t know how it’s going to turn out.” “What did she do?” “Rejected Kes, and Kes accepted it, which put Jessie on her knees.” I tell him. “Oh, shit that had to hurt, but what about Kes, won’t she get in trouble?” “I have no fucking clue.” I tell him. “I’m here, let’s go.” Jessie says.
KESKA: James’s truck goes flying by us as we wait our turn to exit the school lot, and like the childish snobs that the older twins are, he sticks his tongue out at me, like he is in a race and is winning. “It’s a good thing Adrian isn’t here to see his antics.” I speak out loud to no one in particular. “Why is that?” Stephen asked. “He told me at his ceremony that if James doesn’t grow up and start acting like an alpha should, then there would be no trade agreements between the packs.” “Ouch, did you tell him, or anyone, that?” Mackie asks. “No, I’m not stupid, I am just going to let things play out, give them enough rope, and if James is too stupid to know and do the right thing, then that’s on him, not me.” I say. “And after what happened today with Jessie, let’s hope that she finds her mate in a pack that can teach her how to behave and treat people right.” Mackie states. “Only a couple more months till the twins’ birthday and only a month and a half till graduation, and hopefully Jessie will find her mate.” “We can only hope.” Stephen replies.
KESKA: As we pull up in front of Nana’s house, she is outside waiting for us. “Nana.” Both Mackie and I call out as we get out of the limo. “Good afternoon, girls, I hope you had a good day at school.” Nana says. Mackie and I just look at each other and almost start to laugh. “What’s so funny, girls?” She asks. “Well, Nana Keska here might end up in trouble.” Mackie says. Nana raised an eyebrow at me. “And why is that?” she asked. “Because I accepted Jessie’s rejection.” I say nonchalantly as if it were an everyday occurrence. “And when Mimi Sutter comes for the twins’ birthday, I plan on accepting hers as well.” I Say. “Hmmm, yes, well, come inside, you have homework and then some training with me.” Nana states as if I didn’t just drop a bomb.
KESKA: Mackie and I sit at the counter in the kitchen and start with our homework. Mackie is smart, she can code, she has started to do personal security for some of the kids at school to help keep bullies from getting into lockers, she does charge a small fee for her service, $5.00-$10.00 per locker, depending on the grade of the student. I’m not as good with math, I like my health class the best, so I leave that homework last, and start with my math first. Mackie’s phone starts pinging like crazy. **Where are you!!? Why aren’t you home!!? You need to get snacks for Demi and make sure she does her homework!!** “What’s up?” I ask her. “Wyatt is being a jerk like always.” She tells me. “What’s he want?”

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14

KESKA: “Me to come home and look after Demi so he can go “Play” she says, putting the word play in air quotes. “When we are done, I will come with you, tell him to just go, and you will check in on her when we are done.” I tell her. “OK.” I am at Nana’s, just go, Demi is old enough and big enough to take care of herself. She sent back to him. Nana’s? What are you doing there!!? You need to be here to take care of Demi!! “What’s the problem, girls?” Nana asked, “Wyatt is being a baby, telling Mackie she has to go home to take care of Demi.” I tell her. “Give me your phone.” She says to Mackie, and she hands Nana her phone. ***Now pay attention young man, Mackie is doing her homework with Keska at my house, when she is done, she will return home to check on Demi, You can leave a note for her to come here if she needs help, until then let her be, or it will take longer for her to get things done, and therefore longer for her to get there, are we clear?*** Wyatt looks at James “I think I just pissed off your Nana.” He tells James and hands his phone over to him to let him read the text message. “Naw, annoyed yeah but not mad.” “What do I say to her?” “Apologize and just say that you were unaware she was going to do her homework there.” **I’m sorry, Nana, I didn’t know that Mackie was going to do her homework there. I will let her work in peace.**
**Good, now run along and go do whatever it was you were going to do.** Nana puts Mackie’s phone down on the counter and walks over to put the tea kettle on.
WAYTT: “I have to go grab my helmet and we can go practice some of the new plays coach gave us.” He runs upstairs, and a couple minutes later comes back with helmet in hand. “Let’s go.”
KESKA: It takes about an hour for us to get done with our homework. Then Nana has Stephen take us to the Gammas’ house. “I will wait for you.” He tells us. Mackie and I go in, check on Demi, “Do you need any help with your homework, Demi?” Mackie asked her. “Yes, I am having problems with both my math and health classes.” It took us about 45 minutes to get Demi through her homework, seeing as it was my and Mackie’s best subjects. “Do you understand things better now?” I ask her. “I get it, I should be able to pass my test on Friday.” She says. “Will you be ok until mom and dad get home, or do you want to come with us back to Nana’s?” Mackie asked her. “What will you be doing at Nana’s?” she asked. “Train,” I say. “I’m good, I will stay home.” She says, making a face at the training. “Then I guess it’s back to Nana’s,” I say.
KESKA: We pull up to Nana’s and exit the limo. “Out back,” Nana calls out to us. We head out back to see that there is an obstacle course set up taking up most of the backyard. “When did you get this put in Nana?” I ask her. “Stephen just finished it today while you were in school.” She tells us. “Now you will start here at the back porch and work your way to the left, then back to the right. When you get to the balance beam, you will have to watch your timing.” She tells us. “The first few times through, you can go at your own pace, but don’t think you can dawdle, it’s so you can get the feel of the course.” She says.
JAMES: We hit the football field with some of the first-year players and practiced till around 5:30 when I got a link from Mom to come home for dinner. “Time to go.” I tell Wyatt. “What’s up?” “Mom just linked, time for dinner, so let’s go.” I tell him.
CARLA: I rested for the rest of the afternoon, then around 4:30, I headed to the kitchen and consulted with the cook on what to make for dinner. We will have T-bone steaks, asparagus, and green beans in the air fryer, and sweet potato fries in the air fryer. It’s the twins’ favorite meal, and if something bad actually did happen at school today, I want them to have some comfort food to ease them. At 5:30, I link James to come home for dinner, then I link Jessie to see where she is. “Jessie, are you home, dear?” “Yes, Mom, I’m in my room. Why?” “Dinner will be ready in half an hour.” “OK, I will be down.”
DRAKE: Carla links me that dinner is ready and that we are having the twins’ favorite dinner tonight. I leave my office and head towards the stairs when I catch sight of some movement out the front window. “Carla, when did your mother get an obstacle course?” “I don’t know, why?” “I’m seeing things in her backyard.” “What kind of things?” “High poles, something swinging that I can’t make out from here.” “I will link her later, for now, come eat.”
DRAKE: I enter the family dining room and take my place at the head of the table; the kids all take their places around the table. “So, anything interesting happen at school today?” I ask. Both Lissa and Liam started to tell me how their day went, and that Liam had to break up a fight between two of their classmates. “What happened to cause the fight in the first place?” I asked, “Mich said that his older brother was going to be the next Beta cause he was dating Star, Ben said that he would only be Beta if they were mates, and they got into a fight over it, and I had to step in and break it up. I told Mich that Ben was right, only if they were mates, would he get to be beta. Mich wasn’t happy to hear that.” “You did good, Liam, I’m proud of you.” I say to my youngest son. “James, Jessie, what about you? Anything happen at your school?” They both froze in their seats, not really wanting to answer. “Did either one of you find your mates?” “NO.” they both say. “We haven’t shifted yet, so how could we have found our mates?” James states. “Sometimes with alphas, things don’t always happen on the same timeline as it does for others.” I tell them.
CARLA: “Drake, let it go, they said no, let’s just eat, ok?” “Ok, dear.” After dinner, I linked my mother to ask her about what Drake saw. “Mother, did you get an obstacle course put in your backyard?” “Yes.” Is all she says.
KESKA: Mackie and I run the course a few times each, watching each other’s performances, and helping coach each other. With Nana there watching everything as we went. “Now, when you get to the upright poles, you will have to jump to the next higher one.” She tells us. “Jump from like a squat
up to the next one.” Nana coaches us as we run the course. We run the course for about the next hour hour and a half, when Nana finally calls a halt to training. “Girls, I want you here three times a week working on this. I don’t care what three days, but make it consistent.” Nana tells us. Then Stephen takes us home. Dinner is over when I walk through the pack house to the kitchen.

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15

KESKA: I go to the fridge to see if there are any leftovers from dinner, and I see a plate with my name, written in the cook’s hand. I take it out and pop it in the microwave to heat up, sitting at the kitchen counter, I eat my dinner, then head up to bed. I am exhausted. I got up the next morning still feeling sore from the workout from the day before and the rejection I got from Jessie. I turn my alarm off before it has a chance to ring and head to my bathroom for a long shower. How do I want to do this, Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, or Monday, Wednesday, Friday? I will have to discuss it with Mackie. I finished getting ready for school, I changed the bandage on my arm, and headed downstairs. I walk into the kitchen to the smell of bacon and eggs cooking. “Good morning, Sarah.” I say to the cook. “Good morning, Keska, I hope you found your dinner last night.” “I did, thank you, it was delicious, but why did we have the twins’ favorite meal?” “I don’t know, your mother came home early yesterday and then at 4:30 came and asked me to make it.” “Was she ok? Mom, I mean.” “I think so, she did seem a bit out of sorts.” “But come sit, I have breakfast ready for you.” She tells me. Halfway through my breakfast, the twins came piling into the kitchen. “Where were you yesterday brat.” James says to me. “Why, did you miss me?” “No.” “Then what do you care where I was?” Before he could reply, both mom and father came into the kitchen. “Are you ok, Mom?” I asked her, “I am fine, dear, why?” “Sarah said that you seemed out of sorts yesterday. I am just worried for you, that’s all.” I tell her. “I am fine.” She pats my hand, and before anyone else can say anything, I head out the door, jump on my bike, and head over to Mackie’s. “Hey, you ready?” I link her. “Yeah, just heading out now.” “At least it’s not raining today.” I say to her. “Yeah, happy for that.” “Did anything happen last night, you know, with the whole Jessie issue?” she asked me. “I think Mom felt the bond snap.” I tell her as we are riding to school. “Why, what happened?” “Sarah said that she came home early and was in her room resting most of the afternoon, and then told her to make the twins’ favorite meal.” “That is so messed up.” She says. “Yeah, well, it is what it is, and we can’t change what happened.” I tell her. “But we do have to figure out a schedule for our week with Nana.” I tell her. “I think I would like to go today and then again on Thursday, that way Wednesday and Friday are still open for Aikido and archery.” She says. “Ok, then we have a plan.” I say. We get to school and make it to class before the first bell rings.
KESKA: We get through school without too much of an issue. Betsy did tell us that Jessie did start picking on her again, but she did let Beta Pierce know this time, and she had the wherewithal to record Jessie bullying her and sent the recording to him as well. I told her she did good, and not to worry. After school, Mackie and I headed to Nana’s to do our homework and training.
CALEN: I received a text and a recording from an unknown number, but when I listened to the recording, I knew the voice. I am furious, he said he would not let bullying happen in this pack, and yet here is his own daughter being a bully. I head straight to his office and confront him with the recording.
DRAKE: I hear a loud knock on my office door, and before I can answer it, it becomes a pounding. “Come in.” I call out. My office door opens with a bang and Beta Pierce is standing in front of me looking very pissed off. “Beta Pierce, what can I do for you?” I ask him. “You promised Carson that there would be no bullying in this pack! You swore to it!” “I have kept my word to my uncle, I do not allow bullying.” I said to him. “Really?! Then what the hell is this?” he presses a button on his phone, and I hear a female voice, it sounds vaguely familiar, then a second voice, again sounds vaguely familiar, and then a third voice that I know all too well. “So, you have kept your promise? It does not sound like it to me, and one of the instigators is your own daughter!” he bellows at me. “I will fix this.” I tell him. “I am not going anywhere until I am satisfied that you do!” He tells me.
KESKA: We get through our homework and head out to start running the course. I only get halfway through my second run when I get a link from father telling me to get home now! “Nana, I have to go father is linking me and he seems pretty pissed.” “Very well, go, I will see you on Thursday.” “Mackie, I will contact you later.” I say as I rush over to my bike and head for the pack house. “I’m here.” I call out as I walk into the house. “MY OFFICE NOW!” My father bellows, I head up to the second floor where his office is. I knock. “ENTER!” I walk in and see all my siblings sitting around his office.
DRAKE: “You all know the promise I made to your great-uncle Carson, correct?” They all answer “yes.” “Then why was Beta Pierce in my office today shortly after lunch with a recording of someone being bullied?” I look at all my children, and I can see confusion on all but two of their faces, which tells me that not only Jessie, but Keska as well, are part of this fiasco. “You do realize that if this were to continue that there would be no pack for us, and we would have to hope that Moon Rise would take us in.” I know my words are harsh, but they need to know that this is serious! And not some joke that they can just laugh off. I watched their faces again, and I could see Jessie blanch, Keska remains calm and stoic, which tells me Keska was expecting this, and Jessie didn’t think she would get caught. I am in some ways shocked that it is Jessie and not Keska. “I want the truth! Why was someone being bullied in school, and by one of you?!”
JAMES: “I didn’t do any bullying; I always try to stop it if I see it happening.” I tell Dad.
LIAM: “I don’t bully, I even broke up a fight because of bullying, I told you about it yesterday at dinner, remember?” I tell him.
LISSA: “I didn’t, and I don’t bully, so it wasn’t me.”
DRAKE: Both Keska and Jessie stay silent. “Jessie? Keska?”
KESKA: Yeah, right, James, only when it doesn’t concern me, jerk. I think to myself and just stay silent.
JESSIE: Shit I’m in trouble. “She was trying to take my boyfriend, I just warned her off, is all, I wasn’t bullying her.” I tell my dad. And just glare at Keska. I am so mad at her right now I want to just beat the crap out of her for getting me in trouble.

###>>>
16

DRAKE: “Your boyfriend?!” I seethed at her, “You nearly cost us the pack over a boy?” “And one that isn’t even your mate!” I practically yell at her. “I could figure something out if it were your mate, but not for some random boy!” “I’m sorry Daddy.” she says to me. I am fuming. “You will not be doing any extracurricular activities for the next two weeks, and you will give a sincere public apology to the young girl in question.” I tell Jessie. “That’s not fair Daddy.” She starts to cry at me. “What about Keska? What punishment does she get for being a tattletale?”
JAMES: *“Jessie, shut up!”* I link her. *“If you keep going, you’re going to get in more trouble.”* I tell her.
DRAKE: “What do you mean by that, Jessie?” I asked her. “She went and told beta Pierce that I was bullying that girl. I didn’t bully her, I just warned her to stay away from my boyfriend, that’s all I did, I swear.” I know there is more going on here, I just need to get to the bottom of it. “Go get dinner.” I tell them. “Keska stay.” I tell her.
KESKA: “Yeah, here we go again.” I think to myself. “**I didn’t tell** Beta Pierce anything.”
DRAKE: What do you know about what happened?” I ask her. “I was on my way to Mackie’s locker, yesterday, as I turned down the aisle where her locker is I heard Marla’s and Dedi’s voices, then as I got closer I seen that the both of them and Jessie, had an omega freshman cornered I did what I could to stop them, I told Jessie that I would tell both mom and you if she didn’t stop, but **I also told** Betsy to contact beta Pierce if Jessie did it again.” She tells me. “And obviously she did.” “Why not just come and tell me about it, instead of getting beta Pierce involved?” “Because without proof, you would not have believed me, considering it is Jessie, you would have just brushed it off and put it down to me being jealous, and Betsy would still be getting bullied by Jessie.” She says. “Go get dinner.” I tell her. I watch as she leaves my office. When did I let Jessie get to be so high and mighty? I thought to myself.
CARLA: *Drake, come to dinner, it’s ready, oh, and I did link mother, she said that she did put in an obstacle course, for what purpose she did not say.* I linked my mate.
DRAKE: *Coming, dear.* I link back to her. I also need to come up with a punishment for Keska, she should have come to me! Instead, she gets beta Pierce involved in this; she, too, needs to be punished for that alone, with the threat of losing the pack hanging over our heads, she needs to know better. I head down for dinner.
DRAKE: I thought about everything on my way down for dinner, and I have changed my mind about some things. “Keska, for instigating this mess, you will do a week of hard training with the elite Deltas, and Jessie, it will only be one week of no extracurricular activities, but you will still make the public apology.” “Do I make myself clear?” I say. “Yes, daddy.” Jessie answers, “Yes, Father.” Keska answers.
KESKA: I link Mackie. *“Well, the verdict is in I get a week of hard training with the elite Deltas, and Jessie gets no extracurricular activities for a week and has to make a public apology.” “How is that even fair?”* she sends back. *Well, it is what it is; the fact that she has to apologize is well worth it alone, and I don’t mind, except for the fact that I will miss training with you and Nana. I will have to let her know that at some point in time, I will not be able to do my training with her to do my punishment.* I close the link.
DRAKE: “James, I called you out for tomorrow at school. I told them you had pack business to attend to with me, they will send your lessons home with Jessie tomorrow.”
JAMES: “Ok, Dad.” “Do we know when Alpha Camron will be here?” I asked Dad. “Not the exact time, but he said he would try to be here maybe by eight thirty in the morning.” He tells me.
KESKA: I open a link to Nana. *“Nana, I will not be able to train with you and Mackie sometime in the near future, as Jessie and I are being punished.” “Punished for what?” “Jessie was bullying someone at school, and I got beta Pierce involved by telling the student in question to tell him about it.” “So, what is your punishment?” “I have a week of hard training with the elite Deltas.” “What is Jessie's punishment?” “A week of no extracurricular activities, and she has to make a public apology.” “Oh, she does not get to go to cheerleading! Well, I guess, it hits her where it hurts her the most.” “I have to go, Nana, I love you.” “Love you too.”* I close the link.
KESKA: “Father? When do I start my training? I mean, do I start Monday, or do I start tomorrow? I just want clarification, and does it include the weekend if I start tomorrow?” “Make her start tomorrow and go through the weekend.” Jessie says. Of course, she would not want me to not have the weekend, but again I don’t mind because the sooner I get started, the sooner I get it done, plus I like to train, the more I know the better I will be in a fight to help defend the pack. Jessie cries if she gets a hangnail. “Enough Jessie.” Father says.
“You will do your week, the first week of summer break, I don’t want you missing school.” He says. “May I be excused? I am done with dinner.” “Yes.”
LIAM: I link Keska, *“Dad is being unfair to you, why don’t you say something?” “It wouldn’t do me any good Liam, now you know where Jessie gets it from, she is his pride and joy, then James, then Lissa then you, he forgets that he has me, unless James or Jessie blame me for something that they did, don’t fret about it, I like to train, so it’s not a punishment to me, in fact it lets me get to see how we train considering my training ended at the end of last year. Lissa’s will end at the end of next year. But sshhh, don’t tell.” “My lips are sealed.”* I grin at her, and she smiles back.
KESKA: I get up, carry my dishes to the kitchen, and place them in the sink. When I turn around to leave, Jessie is right in my face. “You will get yours, you bratty bitch!” “Careful, Jessie, you don’t want to start something you can’t win.” I tell her quietly. She raises her hand to slap me, but I step backwards and to the same side as the hand she used, so all she connects with is air. Before she can recover, I step around the end of the island. “And if you are not careful, I will let Mom know just what she felt yesterday.” I tell her and walk out of the kitchen. I walk through the dining room and head up the stairs to go to bed. I link Nana again, *“Nana my punishment will start the first week of summer break.” “Alright, dear.”*
KESKA: I wake to the sound of my alarm going off. I shut it off, get up, and start getting ready for school. Once I am dressed, I look for my backpack, and remember that I left it at Nana’s yesterday, as I left in a hurry to get home. *“Mackie,”* I link her, *“Yeah?” “Meet me at Nana’s. I forgot my backpack yesterday.” “Ok I will meet you there.”* I close the link and head downstairs for breakfast. “Morning Sarah” I say to the cook. “Morning, Keska, is there something you would like to have for breakfast?” “Nothing special, Sarah, just whatever you were going to make is fine.” I tell her. She had started pancakes and made sausage, bacon, and eggs easy over, so the yoke was still runny, and toast. Halfway through breakfast, the rest of the family comes trapsing in, to take their seats at the table. “I have to leave a bit early today.” I say out loud to no one in particular. “Why is that?” my father asked, “I left my backpack with all my homework at Nana’s yesterday, as I had to rush home for our meeting.” I state. “Then you better get going, I don’t want you late for school” Mom says. I finish breakfast and take my dishes into the kitchen, put them in the sink, head out the back door, grab my bike, and head to Nana’s. *“Mackie, I’m on my way to Nana’s now.”* I link her. *“ok I’ll meet you there.”*

###>>>
17

CAMRON: We pull up to the gate of the Blue Crescent Pack, and let the guard know that I am here to see Alpha Drake and soon-to-be Alpha James. I must say the gate was impressive, 8 feet high, black wrought iron, with the pack emblem on it. It slid open, and the guard on duty instructed us to follow the roadway in front of us, “You will pass about 5 cottage houses, then the road will snake back around on itself to the right, continue to follow it and it will lead you to the front of the pack house.” He said. I thanked him. To the left of us, I see a thick copse of trees with a dirt road that cuts through it. We follow the directions the guard gave us, and as we get to the last cottage, I see a familiar figure. “Chase, stop the car” I tell my driver he pulls over immediately.
KESKA: I was at Nana’s front door waiting for her to answer my knock when I heard my name being called behind me. I turned to see who was calling me. “Alpha Camron.” I say as he comes up the path to Nana’s. He reaches us just as Nana opens the door. “Keska?” Nana asks, “Nana, I forgot my backpack yesterday, and this is Alpha Camron.” I introduced him. “He is here for a meeting with Father and James.” I tell her. “Alpha Camron, this is my Nana Lilly Brookes, and this is” but before I can say Mackie’s name, “Mackie. It is nice to meet you.” He says and holds out his hand to shake hers. “It’s nice to meet you as well, Alpha Camron.” Mackie shakes his hand, and then he shakes Nana’s. “I moved your backpack to the front room. Go get it.” Nana tells me. “Alpha Camron, it’s nice to meet you. How is it that you know my grand pup?” “We met at Alpha Adrian’s swearing-in ceremony, and with a bit of an embarrassing confrontation.” “Oh? She didn’t mention that.” “Sorry Nana.” I say as I come back to the door. “I quite understand, it is a bit of a complicated tale to tell.” He says. “We do have to go, but it was nice to see you again, Alpha, and hello to you Cereus.” I say. “Hello, Keska.” I hear a deep, gravelly voice come from Alpha Camron. “Would you like to come in for tea and tell me this complicated tale?” I hear Nana ask Alpha Camron, as we get on our bikes and head to school. “I wish I had the time right now, but I have a meeting with the Alpha and Alpha apparent.” he tells her. “That is ok, I will be here, you can stop back when you are done.” She tells him. “I would very much like that.” He tells her.
MACKIE: “He’s handsome.” I say to Keska. “Yes, he is.” She answers back.
CAMRON: I get back in my car and we continue to the pack house, I notice that the copse of trees continued from the gate at the back of the cottages, almost as if it were a small nature reserve it was maybe a block and a half deep from the end of the back yards to the road we followed. The pack house itself was an impressive structure; it stood five stories high and was in the shape of a square. It is the same color bricks as Moon Rise pack’s, with the medium red, light red, and cream-colored bricks. I can see three smaller square buildings, two at the back corners, and one at the middle of the right-hand side as you are looking at the front of the pack house, they are three stories high. It is an interesting configuration, to say the least. As we pull up Alpha Drake, Luna Carla, and Alpha heir apparent James are all on the front steps waiting for me. As Chase stops the car, one of their staff opens the door for me.
DRAKE: “Alpha Camron, welcome to Blue Crescent Pack. I hope your travels went well.” I say to him as he exits his car. “Yes, all went well, thank you.” “You remember my Luna Carla? And this is my son James.” I say as an introduction, “Yes, of course, Luna Carla, James.” He says as he shakes hands with my mate and son. “Was there a problem on the road?” I ask him. “No. Why do you ask?” “Just that it took you a bit longer to get to the pack house from the gate.” I say to him. “Oh, no, I happened to see Keska at one of the cottages and stopped to greet her and met Luna Carla’s mother.” He says.
DRAKE: “Oh, I hope she didn’t detain you for some trivial issue.” I say to him as I lead the way into the pack house. “No, I just saw her and wanted to greet her.” He tells me. “Come, let me show you around a bit.” I offer.
CAMRON: “Sure, I have never seen a pack house in the configuration of a square before.” I say to him. “Yes to be sure, my uncle took after his mother, my grandmother, he loved to garden, and he decided to build the pack house around his garden, so the center is the garden, it’s about a half a block square done in a meditative design only it’s done with flowers, and not hedges, hence the square. It’s the color of the bricks outside that ties the two packs together as sister packs.” He explains to me. The first floor is the entry across the front, which faces south. The southeast side is divided into a party/gaming area off the entry, and a large dining area off the north side for the pack members. The north side is all kitchen, industrial size, everything. The west side is divided into the private dining area, off the north for the alpha family, and a formal ballroom off the entry. Both the east and west sides have French doors that open to the outside, and all the insides have a door to the garden and several windows to look out onto the garden. Between the two outer buildings, there is a pool on the east side. “What are the other buildings?” I ask him. “They are the pack quarters, and warriors’ quarters if they wish to stay in them.” He tells me.
DRAKE: “Shall we get down to business?” “Yes.” “Follow me.” I lead the way to the second floor; my office is halfway down on the west side of the house. It has a splendid view of the garden from the interior with a large picture window overlooking it. It has a picture window on the west wall to look outside. My desk sits so that my back is to the south, and I have two chairs facing my desk, and about two feet behind them, I have a couch facing north with a coffee table in front of it and a few more chairs facing the couch. As we enter, I motion for us to move to the couch and chairs so that we can be more comfortable for the meeting. “I’m curious to know what you want with the slag ore?” I ask him. “I am working on a way to reuse it and make less waste from those who manufacture things from the raw mineral ore. I have most of the bugs worked out, but I need to test it, hence the offer.” He says. “Well, I am more than happy to help with the process, less waste and better for the environment, I am all for it.” “Good to hear it.” He says.

###>>>
18

JAMES: “What things can you do with the end product?” I asked him. “There are some minerals still left behind in the slag ore and I extract them, and what is left after that process can be mix with fertilizer to enrich the soil, and sold back to the farmers, and the other is a more suitable material usable for electronic components reducing our need for copper.” He says
DRAKE: I pull out the contract for all of us to sign, Camron takes it from me and starts to read it through. “I kept the baseline that we had already agreed on all the same.” I told him. “Good, I may change the transportation aspect to this.” He tells me. “Ok, what were you thinking about for the transportation?” “I want my people to do all the transportation, as there is a specific test that has to be done to haul a waste product per the human regulations, and I will have all my people trained to do that test so that the suppliers don’t have to do any of the extra training for it.” He says. “Fair enough.” I reply. When he gets to the specific page with the transportation on it, he takes the pen and draws a line through what it said and writes what he needed it to be, then he puts his initials to it, then I did the same and had James do so as well. “I will fax this over to the lawyer’s office to get the changes made. We should have it back before lunch, and then we can all sign it.” “Sounds good.”
CAMRON: “So James, how did your season go?” I asked him. “It went well, I also believe we will win most of our games next season as well.” He tells me. “Why is that?” “Coach implemented a new training tactic, of having us practice year-round, so that the outgoing class can help bring up the incoming newbies.” He tells me. “Smart tactic, but how well does it work? I would think that the seniors would all be needing to get jobs.” I stated. “For the most part, well enough, we take the summer off after school to just chill and then go for jobs in the fall, or go off to college for some, so it works out ok.” He says.
DRAKE: “Would you like to see the rest of the house, while we wait?” I ask him. “I would like that.” He states. “The second floor here is the offices, and guest rooms for visiting dignitaries, the third floor is for visiting dignitaries and their families. The fourth floor is for the Beta and Gamma families. The fifth floor is for the Alpha families.” I tell him as we walk around the house. “And every floor has a view of the garden.” “Alpha families?” He questions, “Yes, when my brother or my parents stay, they are on the fifth floor as well.” I tell him. “Every side of the square is a residence, or it can be half and half, if needed.” “So does the Gamma family live in the pack house?” He asked. “No, they have opted to have their own house.” I tell him. “Why do you ask?” “I met Keska’s friend this morning, Mackie, I believe she said, and I felt she was ranked, and I recall her talking about her friend at the ceremony.” He says. “Yeah, those two are thick as thieves.” I tell him with a chuckle.
CAMRON: (If he only knew the half of it.) I thought to myself.
DRAKE: The contract is back and waiting for us when we return from the house tour. I again handed it over to Alpha Camron to read through to ensure that the changes he wanted were correct, and then sign. He takes his time to read it over thoroughly. Takes the pen I offer him and signs the contract, then hands it to my son to sign. James takes the contract and signs it, and hands it to me, I take the time to do a quick scan of it to make sure nothing else has been changed, then I sign it.
CAMRON: “I noticed you didn’t read the contract James." “I was brief before it went for revisions, I trust my dad and you.” he tells me. “Thank you for the trust, but you should still reread it just in case someone missprinted something or added something that shouldn’t be there.” I say. He nods his head thoughtfully.
CARLA: I have an omega take a cart with coffee, tea, water, soda, creamer, and sugar to the Alpha’s office. I knock on the door “Enter.” I hear my mate say. “I thought I would bring up some refreshments for you.” I say as I bring in the cart. “Thank you dear.” My mate says to me. “Thanks Mom.” Says James. “Thank you Luna.” Says Alpha Camron. I just smile in response to them. “Alpha Camron? If I may be so bold as to ask, do you have your luna yet?” “No, Luna Carla, I have not found her yet. Why do you ask?” “We are going to be hosting a mating ball coinciding with James and Jessie’s 18th birthday, I would like it if you would come and bring 5 each unmated female and male wolves with you in hopes that they and the twins may find their mates.” I say.
CAMRON: “I would be honored to come, what would the rules be for the ball?” I asked her, as each pack sets its own rules on its territory. “Dressy, but not formal, but also no mating until the night after the full moon.” She replies, “Don’t want a bunch of rejected wolves.” She says. “I fully agree.” I say, nodding my head.
KESKA: The morning flew by; Mackie and I are sitting with Betsy again for lunch just to be on the safe side with her. “How have things been going for you?” I asked her. “Fine, I think Seth is pulling stuff to get Jessie's attention, though, and he doesn’t realize that he is getting others in trouble with her.” She says. “Oh, what kind of things is he doing?” I asked her. “He purposely gets too close to the females in the study group, especially when he knows she is around.” She says. “When is your next study group?” I asked her. “We are meeting at the library tonight, and then again tomorrow to put the finishing touches on the presentation for Friday.” She says. “Thank you, I guess I will be showing up to your study group if for nothing else to set him straight.” I say. “Jessie will have to apologize to you publicly sometime tomorrow, Friday, or next week, in front of witnesses, so that it gets back to Beta Pierce, which is part of her punishment.” I tell her. “Oh, goddess, she is going to hate me.” “Don’t worry, we only have a month and a half left, and then she will be done, and then the next few years will be smooth sailing.” I say. The bell rang, signaling lunch was over. “I wonder how the meeting went with your dad and Alpha Camron?” Mackie said as we got up and headed to our next class. “I hope it went well, and that James didn’t make an ass of himself.” I said to her.
CARLA: “Would you like to stay for lunch?” I ask him with a hopeful smile. “I would like that very much.” He returns the smile. We all stand to leave the office, and head down to the family dining room, to have a light lunch of sandwiches and a salad, and a choice of French onion, tomato basil, or beer cheese soup. “Our cook, Sarah, is known for her mastery of light lunches.” I tell him. “Mmm! This is incredibly good. What is the salad dressed with?” He asked. “Sarah’s secret dressing, she won’t tell anyone the recipe.” I tell him. “And the French onion soup? I don’t believe I have ever had anything like it, it is absolutely DeVine.” He says. “Thank you, I will let Sarah know.” I tell him.

###>>>
19

CAMRON: “I must take my leave, it was a pleasure meeting you again Luna Carla, James.” I say shaking their hands, “Pleasure doing business with you Alpha Drake.” I say as I shake hands with him. “Pleasure is all mine, thank you.” He escorts me to the front door where Chase is waiting at the car for me. Before I get in the car I ask, “Alpha Drake would you be so kind as to link your mother-in-law and see if she is still open for tea, please?” He seemed a bit perplexed but did as I asked.
DRAKE: “Lilly, Alpha Camron is still wondering if the invitation for tea is still open?” “Of course it is. I want to hear his story.” “What story is that?” “How he met Keska.” “She is more than happy to have you.” I tell Camron. “Thank you, Alpha Drake.” I stand and watch as he gets in his car, and they drive off.
CAMRON: “Did they offer you anything to eat Chase?” I asked my driver “Yeah, I had a sandwich piled high with roasted pork and a salad that had some awesome dressing on it and water.” “What did it taste like, the dressing I mean.” “It was a little sweet, a little tangy, and creamy. It was some of the best dressing I have ever tasted.” “I have to agree, it was unbelievably delicious. We are going to go to the cottage that we stopped at this morning.” “Ok.”
CAMRON: We pull up to the first cottage and park the car. The place was a small two-story building, I am not great with architecture so I couldn’t tell you if it was a Cape Cod or a Colonial. I just know it was quaint and clean, with faux shutters and a peaked roof. It reminded me of a Kinkade painting of the little white house with the picket fence, only she had no fence. It had nice curb appeal. The front door opened as Chase and I were getting out of the car.
LILLY: “Welcome Alpha Camron, welcome, come in.” “And who might you be?” I asked the man who accompanied him. “My name is Chase, Ma’am.” “Pushaw, no need to be so formal, young man, just call me Miss Lilly or Nana.” “My but aren’t the two of you a handsome sight.”
CAMRON: “Thank you, Miss Lilly.” I say to ease my driver. And take the attention off of him. She led us into her house, the front door opened to the sitting/living room, which took up the whole front of the house. To the left of the door, there was a staircase going up. Along the stairs, there was a hallway that led to the kitchen I could see from the door. She brought us into the living room. “Sit, sit.” “What kind of tea would you like? I have all kinds, Dandelion, Chi, Earl Grey, green, chickery, I can even do a special-order blend if you have one you especially like.” “I am curious, what does Keska like to drink?” I asked her. “My grand pup likes a mix of horehound and chi.” She answers.
CAMRON: “I will try that.” I teller. “I am fine with just water.” Chase tells her. “Is there anything I can do to help?” I asked her. “Yes, actually, you can come reach the herbs down for me. My man servant is out running some errands for me.” She states. She leads the way down the long hallway, and I notice a couple closed doors along the way. “That one is a closet.” She says and points to the first door. It’s under the stairway. “The second is my bedroom, across the hall is the dining area, and the bathroom is there.” She points to an open door between her bedroom and the kitchen. All of the interior is painted in a soft, light color palette. As I fallow her to the kitchen I notice she is not a small woman by any means, I am 6’ 7” and built like a pro football player, she is at least 5’ 10”, she has hazel eyes and still has auburn hair streaked with grey, she was still a very handsome woman, and looked like she could still give some of the warriors a run for their money. I can see Keska at that age looking at her. The kitchen is large and open, with an island centered between the sink and the stove. The sink is like an old farmhouse sink, there are cupboards high and low for storage, and prep. I noticed she has a copper tea kettle.
LILLY: He follows me into the kitchen and looks around. I point to a cupboard next to the stove. “The horehound is in there on the second shelf to the left, I will need to start it with the water in the kettle to bring out its natural sweetness.” I notice the slight wince he makes. “Don’t worry, it’s not real sweet, think of molasses, in terms of sweetness.” I tell him. He walks over to the cupboard and gets down the herb bundles. “I’m sorry, I have no idea what is what.” He tells me. “No need to worry, I do, I just needed you to reach it down for me.” I fill the kettle with water and take the bundle of horehound out and hand it back to him to put back. And start the kettle. “Would you like to talk in here or go back out to the front room?” I ask. “Here is just as good as there.” “Call your man then, so he can be a little more comfortable with eyes on his Alpha.” I tell him. He chuckles but calls his man. “Now, tell me how you met my grand pup.”
CAMRON: “I was just walking around the grounds near the Pack house when Alpha Drake spotted me, I stopped to chat with him about today’s meeting, then as we were separating, I caught her scent, very light but there none the less, so I went in search of whoever it might have been that was eavesdropping on our conversation.” I start to tell her, as the back door opens and a tall man with dark brown hair and green eyes, he has a swimmer's build, enters through the door with some bags, not groceries but fresh vegetables as if he had been to the farmers market, and herbs. “Ah, Stephen, there you are. Were you able to get everything I needed?” she asked him. This must be her manservant; he was just as tall as I was. “Not everything, Miss Lilly, I circled the ones they did not have, for you.” He answers her. “Oh well. Come sit, this is Alpha Camron, and his man, Chase.” She introduces us. He shakes hands with both of us. “He is telling me how he met Keska.” “Please continue.” She says. “I found her at the table where they were putting out deli meats and snacks. Well, I just came up behind her and picked her up.” “Oh, that was definitely a mistake.” she says with a chuckle. The tea kettle starts to whistle, and she gets up and busies herself getting the tea for us.

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20

CAMRON: “I found that out the hard way.” I tell her. “My grand pup takes Aikido.” She tells me. I take a sip of the tea, “Mmm, this is good, not too sweet, just enough to balance the chi.” She just smiles. “Well, that all makes sense now. Well, she threw her head backwards and I was just quick enough to move my head and raise her slightly, so she only connected with my eye, instead of my nose, then she elbowed me in the ribs, and then dropped all her weight to her feet. I dropped her, she spun around and immediately took a defensive stance.” I just chuckle remembering it now. “She is a Brookes.” She says to me. “I have a question for you, though.” “What is it?” “She spoke to your wolf. Why is that?” “She was just being polite, after the confrontation at the food table, I spoke with Alpha Drake, got ice for my eye, and then went to go find her again to apologize to her, I asked her to dance, she did accept, but she wouldn’t look me in the eye.” “She knows not to disrespect her elders or her betters.” She tells me. I smile at her. “So, Cercus spoke to her, to let her know that she was not disrespecting us.” I told her. She just smiled at the story. “I can see why she left it out of her narration to me.” She says, “I quite enjoyed that story. Sorry that you were hurt, but now you know not to sneak up on her.” She chuckles at me. I finished my tea. “Thank you for the tea, but I must be going now, I have
several hours’ drive to get back to my pack.” “Thank you for the story, I will see you out.”
CHASE: “May I ask why you have an obstacle course in your backyard?” “Of course, I am training Keska and Mackie how to take down a Lycan.” She says unexpectedly, like it’s no big deal. “Wait, you are that, Brookes?” he asked like he was enamored. “Yes, young man, I am that Brookes, but sshh, don’t tell anyone.” She chuckles at him.
CAMRON: She escorts us to the front door and sees us out. “Alpha, do you know who we just spent the last hour with?” He asked me as we were heading out of the pack gates. “Alpha Drake’s mother-in-law? Who?” “No, well yes, but the Brookes are the only werewolves that the royal Lycans have on their royal guard, because her grandfather killed a rogue Lycan, all by himself, that’s almost impossible, for a wolf to kill a Lycan.” He said very animatedly. Interesting, as she said that she was training Keska and Mackie, not James, or the rest of the family, makes me wonder if there is more going on.
\`~~~\`
KESKA: Finally, the last bell of the day. I headed down to my locker to switch out my books and headed over to Mackie’s locker. “I am looking forward to getting on that obstacle course and taking my frustrations out on it.” I say to her. “I am curious to know what Alpha Camron told your Nana.” She tells me. “Bad day?” “Yes and no, I had history, and we were discussing why the Brookes were on the royal guard, seems both James and Jessie told the tale, and told it wrong.”
KESKA: “What do you mean?” she asked me. “Instead of them telling it like it was, they told everyone that it was Nana, not Nana’s grandfather.” I tell her. “So now I am a liar, and to fix it, I am going to have to have Nana come and set the teacher straight.” I tell her. “Oh great, another screw up by the twins that you have to fix, will it ever end?” “No, because James and Jessie will never stop bragging and exaggerating.” ***“What are you talking about me for?”*** I hear Jessie’s voice coming from behind me. “Because it seems that you and James have a bad habit of exaggerating facts.” I tell her. “I do not!” “Then why does Mr. Greyson believe that Nana killed that Lycan and not her grandfather? I now have to have Nana come and set him straight, so that he can teach it right.” I tell her. Jessie just tries to slap me again, and just like last time, I dodged her. “Knock it off, Jessie, you are not the elder Mrs. Sutter, I don’t have to let you hit me.” “You little bitch, you will get yours! I can’t wait till you have your punishment.” She flips her hair and walks away to her friends at the end of the aisle. “Let’s go.” I say to Mackie, “I have an appointment at the library tonight, and I still want to get my workout in.” We headed out to where we had the bikes locked up, unlocked them, and headed to Nana’s to do our homework and then our training. After Mackie left for home, I hit the obstacle course hard and didn’t slow down until Nana made me stop. “What’s going on Kes?” She asked me. “Sorry Nana, but Jessie is just being a pain in the ass, and I need you to come to school tomorrow and set Mr. Greyson straight about who it was that killed that Lycan, because of James and Jessie I got in trouble, because I said that it was great grandfather and not you, so he gave me an F for the day.” “What time is your class tomorrow? I will be there.” “1:45 is when class starts.” “Ok. Now let’s have some dinner.” “Ok, I need to go to the library tonight, though.” “Why is that?” “Seth is pulling crap that is getting some students and Jessie in trouble, so I need to go set him straight.” I tell her. “I think I will come with you; I want to see my grand pup in action.” She says, and I just laugh.
KESKA: After dinner, Stephen drove Nana and me to the library. We both go into the library, she headed to the desk to ask the person for some help to find a book that had some herbal recipes in it, (LILLY: I secretly go and watch Keska after I get the book I wanted.) and I headed over to where I see Betsy’s work group. “Hey, Betsy,” I say as I approach their table. “Hey Keska, what brings you here?” she asked. “I need to borrow Seth for a minute.” “What do you need with me?!” Seth snips at me. “Wow, sorry, is that how you talk to a supposed friend?” I asked him. “Sorry, we are just having a rough time with this project.” “I will just take a moment, then you can get back to your work.” He follows me away from the table. “What do you want, Keska?” “Glad to see that you finally dropped the act, but you need to listen, if you keep pulling shit to get Jessie pissed at other students, you are putting this pack in danger of going back to Great Uncle Carson. Father swore an oath that there would be no bullying and here you are making Jessie pissed at other students, because of her being an Alpha what is hers is hers and you are using it against her, keep it up and there will be no pack for any of us, dumb ass!” I tell him “So whether you are doing it on purpose or not, you need to stop with the bullshit. I hope I have made myself clear, because I will tell my father that you are pulling this shit on purpose to make Jessie jealous.”