Howling for Love

Chapter 2: Anger and Blueberry Cobbler

Becca was thrilled to have the day off. A day to do absolutely nothing if she so chose. Of course, she wouldn't be doing that because her garden needed tending, and her father had always said that being lazy would get you nowhere in life.

That's why Dad had helped Becca get a job at the packhouse four months earlier when the bookstore she had been working at had closed. Most places wouldn't hire a fifteen-year-old, but the owner of the store knew my dad.

Becca had enjoyed the bookstore well enough but, honestly, she was finding her work at the packhouse much more interesting. She didn't have to do the same thing every day now as she had at the bookstore.

Becca sighed as she climbed from her bed and quickly dressed in jeans and a t-shirt.

I love the days I have kitchen duty the best. Mary is the head cook at the packhouse for many years, but she hates baking. Me, I love it and usually spent the day making baked goods for the fifty-plus wolves who lived there. Sometimes I just make cookies or cakes because they're quick and easy, but lately, I'm making more pies because everyone requests them.

Walking downstairs, Becca made her way to the kitchen. Her mom was drinking coffee as she looked over the newspaper. Glancing up, Mom said, "Good morning, Becca."

"Morning," Becca answered back. "Are you working today?"

"Yes, dear I am. What about you?"

"Nope. I have the day off, but I'm going to work a little in my garden," Becca replied. "I'm also going to check my blueberry bushes because they should be getting ripe about now."

"Sounds like a full day," Mom said with a nod. "Your dad and brother will be gone today also, so you'll have the house to yourself."

"Oh, what are they up to?" Becca asked as she sat down.

"Both of them have field training today," Mom sighed, shaking her head. "I worry because everyone is saying Alpha Ron has gone off the deep end lately."

"Why?"

"It seems that the last three days he's been almost tearing the wolves apart in training, almost literally," Mom explained. "I've had a least five come through the clinic. I don't know what is wrong with him, but he sure is being moody even for an Alpha."

"I think he's lonely."

Mom glanced at Becca, startled, before questioning, "Lonely?"

Becca nodded.

"Honey, lonely doesn't cause the anger our Alpha seems to have right now," Mom argued.

"I disagree, Mom," Becca said. Just thinking about it made her sad. "When Mr. Alpha turned sixteen, he had the world by the tail. He was soon to be Alpha, and all the girls followed him around hoping to catch his attention. Then boom!" She clapped her hands loudly.

"He lost his sight, and all of a sudden nobody wanted anything to do with him. That would be enough to drive anyone to the edge, but for an Alpha, it had to be devastating. So here he is, he's Alpha, he's blind, and he has no Luna to go home to at night, the one person who could make everything in his world right," Becca explained. "Yep, lonely."

Mom just sat there blinking slowly. "You know, I never thought of it that way, but you could be right. Why did it just start though in the last few months, oh wise one?"

Becca shrugged as she finished her bowl of cereal. "I don't know, but I'm guessing something happened to trigger it. I think it has something to do with his wolf though."

"Why do you think that?"

"Well, I heard him telling Beta Carter yesterday that his wolf was pacing again. If he didn't let him out, he would have a pounding headache. However, it seems that letting him out means they had to deal with his aggression and violence."