Chains

Chapter 8 - Barely Holding On

Terrence

Another family has left the pack. They gave no warning, they just up and left, leaving everything they owned behind. They must have been really desperate to do that. Most of the pack members who left had somewhere else to go. Perhaps their mate was originally from another pack and they were going back, or they had family or friends in another pack that would take them in. I've lost track of how many members have left like this. There's no stopping them, so I don't even try. The pack has shrunk to about half the size it was when Pete became our pack alpha. He doesn't seem to care about that either; he spends all his time with his human friends partying and having sex. Literally all of his time; some of them have started staying at the pack house. There is a handful of warriors and Carla who party with them. At least the warriors still come to training sessions and participate in the rest of pack life.

I'm busy organizing the patrols, hunts, training and all aspects of pack life. Basically, I'm doing the alpha's job. Alpha has become more and more unstable these last two years; it's been 4 years now since he rejected his mate and everything has just gone downhill since then. All he thinks about is the next orgy, the next party, the next hole he can fuck.

Pete's wolf still hasn't spoken to him in all this time and that has taken a huge toll on him; honestly, I don't know how he can go on like this. His eyes are always bloodshot from too much booze and too little sleep. Ever since Levi stopped talking, he's become a shell of the alpha he use to be. I wonder if he'll ever be as good again as he was; I have to do something to get him through this. We need our alpha. Now more than ever. Today, I'm trying to coax him out to the training grounds for a round; he used to enjoy our bouts together, maybe this will put a little life in his step.

"Come on, Pete, let's go spar for a bit, we need the exercise", I said. "None of the others are a challenge like you are". Sometimes flattery worked, and it use to be true.

He's lost a lot of muscle and is starting to pack on some weight. Most alphas our age, we're only 26, are at their peak condition. I need to get him back to his old self and I've begun to formulate a plan. That plan includes getting rid of Jaxon. Don't get me wrong, I'm not going to hurt him, I just want him gone. This all started when Pete rejected him. If he wasn't here, things would have continued on as they always had before. I'm going to take the first opportunity that comes to make sure he's gone.

I managed to get ahold of the keys to his collar and chain and made duplicates. Nobody knows I have them. I just need for the timing to be right and Jaxon will be free to go his own way, and whatever happens to him after that is his responsibility; it will no longer be mine. Whether he lives or dies will be up to him. This is necessary for the good of the pack and for Alpha Pete's sanity.

Lucy

For the last two years, I've been updating my escape kits for me and Jaxon. They consist of two small packs with a few clothes, trail rations, and a few necessary tools. We can carry these packs in our wolf forms by tying them to our legs when we shift. They're at my parent's old house, where I still live. There are a lot of vacant houses in the pack now, since so many of our pack mates have left. Any wolf can just pick one for their own if they want it.

I haven't breathed a word of my plans to anybody. Not even Jax. I can't take the chance of being overheard; there's almost always someone in the barracks whenever we're together. My goal is to get him to the North Winds pack where dad and mom have been accepted into the pack there. Mom was originally a North Winds wolf, and they were happy to take her back, and my dad too. A good scout is always an asset to any pack, and dad is one of the best.