One

Chapter 11

"Brandon!"

The young Alpha turned, tilting his head questioningly as a figure waved their arm in the distance. Shaking out his fur, he glanced at the rest of the hunting party, who all had succeeded to take down their marked deer and were in the process of shifting back to field dress their prey.

After all, it would be a terrible waste of meat if it got spoiled due to spilled stomach or bowel contents. They may be werewolves with hardy digestive systems but even they could become sick from bacteria infested meat.

Since the rest of the party had no issues gutting their kills and quickly ending any lives needed to avoid suffering, Brandon gave the command to one of the present Betas before loping towards the figure.

For a moment, his heart was racing in his chest, fear and dread gnawing at his stomach. It had been a few days since Gabriel had been introduced to Jamie, and his brother had mentioned they were going on a run today.

So naturally, his first instinctual thought lead to the pair of them.

Something has happened. Someone has stumbled into Jamie or heavens forbid, Sean. What if they've had a panic attack? What if they had –

"Oh hey Brandon, Marisha wanted to ask you a few questions regarding the movement of the remaining herd of elk and deer." Stephan blinked, hand hesitantly lowering as they looked at me. "Are...are you okay?"

Brandon didn't instantly reply, instead slowly relaxed as his brain caught up to the facts. Nothing happened. They are okay.

They better be okay.

He shook himself out, feeling a slight shiver over his back and a murmured reassurance from his brother flitted through the link. A quick reassurance and a glimpse that showed Gabriel and Jamie running through the woods along the perimeter without a care in the world.

"I'm fine, you just...caught me off guard. I thought something was wrong." Brandon replied, to which Stephan grimaced and seemed uncomfortable.

"Oh, right, you're in charge of the Omega people are whispering about. Fuck man, I'm sorry." The young man held out a set of soft shorts, which Brandon took before shifting. "I already told Marisha that she could've asked you after the hunt, but you know how she is."

Brandon snorted goodheartedly. Marisha was one of the younger members of the pack who had just been given supervision over a few of the hunting trips.

She had excelled in her show of leadership but, either her Alpha was taking over or she desperately wanted to prove that she could take on more responsibilities.

It hadn't been the first time that she hunted down other Alphas with more seniority and responsibilities to try and curry some favor.

"I know she means well but with the way she keeps pushing people's buttons, she's going to bite off more than she can chew." Brandon groaned, rubbing his hands over his face as he overlooked his own hunting party.

Stephan nodded in silent agreement, a grimace darkening his features. "Yeah...about that..."

Brandon shot him a look that Stephan understood as the Beta sighed and pointed a thumb over his shoulder. "Reason why I'm nagging at your ears and not Marisha is because she fucked up Andrew's Hunt and is trying to fix her mess."

His wolf growled lowly, a spark of anger making him inhale sharply through his nose before blowing the air out audibly. "She did what exactly?"

"She wanted me to distract you while trying to pin everything on Andrew." Stephan growled, his own eyes blazing with fury. "As soon as she said that, I contacted your dad and let the present Alphas know."