Broken Wolf

03

"You nervous?" Bane asks as I'm gathering up my equipment.

"Kinda." I tell him. We've been practicing for months and I joined the league. I'm the only girl which is hard but it just makes me practice harder. I have to be twice as good as any boy to get half the respect. My team mates have finally accepted me and that's good because today is our first game.

"You'll do great. Ma sends her best. She asked me to film it for her but you know..."

"Yea." I cut him off. "If she goes it will anger father and he might lash out on all of us. She is protecting us by distracting him." I know the line but I still wish my mamma would come.

"We love you, pup." Bane whispers kissing my head. "Come on we got ta get to the rink."

"High sticking! Come on make the call!" I hear Bane yelling from the stands. I wipe the blood from under my nose and push away my coach who was checking to make sure I'm okay. These guys are playing dirty. It's not just against me either but my whole team. For some reason my boys are protective over me though so drawing blood was a bad move on their part.

"Let's go!" I yell to my team mates who all get a newfound motivation to destroy the other team.

"I have never seen a game with such one sided calls. That was ridiculous. The other team could have killed someone and they would have blamed your team! Insane." Bane rants as we walk to the car.

"But we still won." I respond and he grins.

"Because my sister is the most amazing midget in the world!" He says and I laugh.

"You know that could be considered offensive?... it sounds like an old timey circus act "the world's most amazing midget!" But that term is not PC anymore. What is it now?... little people?" I ask and he pauses a moment before shrugging.

"I'd just call a person by their name. I think titles in general tear people apart instead of bringing them together... I mean unless someone wants to be known by a specific title then that's their choice... I'd still probably just use their name." He says before loading my bag into the back.

"What about the title of Alpha?" I ask teasing him a bit. He only has a little over a year before he is Alpha of our pack.

"I think a hierarchy is important to maintain order but in every day communication I think a pack should have a familiarity with their Alpha that allows them to use his name. Our wolf nature however tends to force us to use proper titles." He explains.

"Do you think father will be mad that I actually played a game?" I ask. I know he was expecting me to quit long before this. He doesn't want his daughter in a man's position.

"Father isn't abusive. His punishments are harsh but rarely undeserved. We are heald to a higher standard as children of the Alpha. That being said he is a man of his word. He said you can play so weather he likes it or not he won't punish you for it." Bane explains. I don't get how he is so okay with the way father acts.

"You sure?" I ask still afraid of what will great us at home. Hopefully Ma was able to keep him calm.

"You are safe pup." Bane assures me and I nod. Safe. With him I believe it.

"Get in here boy!" Grandfather yells at Bane ad soon as we pull up. "Where have you been!?... doesn't matter. While you were out gallivanting around town your parents were in a car crash." I gasp and Bane wraps his arm around me.

"Are they okay?" He asks.

"No, you little mutt! If they were okay they'd be here not me!" Grandfather yells.

"So they're..."

"What are you stupid? Do I have to spell it out? Dead, they are dead. Now this pack needs an Alpha and you are nowhere near able to be one. The little mutt is moving in with your aunt and you, boy, are mine." Grandfather growls.

"Father gave me guardianship over her." Bane argues, still looking out for me.

"You can choose what classes she takes or sports she plays I honestly don't care. You want that responsibility it's yours but she is a distraction to you so you won't be the one raising her. They will keep her fed and watered don't worry." Bane growls at him and grandfather backhands him so hard he falls into the gravel of the driveway. "I'm not your father, pup. I don't do the psychological crap. You will obey me. I am a man of Ice Winters Pack and I know how ro keep my children and women in line."

Grandfather grabs my arm and Bane jumps up pushing him away from me.

"Don't touch her!" He yells and takes a swing at grandfather.

Grandfather dodges with a growl. "Pathetic! And you are meant to be Alpha!?" His fist comes down on Bane's jaw with a sickening crack that makes me flinch. "I will make you an Alpha but until then I'm in charge."

"Bane!" I yell running to him but grandfather picks me up and throws me at my aunt and uncle.

"Take care of the mutt." He says and they begin to pull me to the pack house. "Come on boy"

Ma and Fatger are gone and now my brother. This day couldn't get any worse!

"Pack your things. You will be moving to a room closer to ours. Your grandfather doesn't want you near Bane. We can't have our future Alpha distracted."

I guess things could get worse.