Reluctant Luna

Broken protocol

Gage

Marc looked up from his desk as I walked in. A wolf sat near him with a notebook open. Gamma. I have yet to meet him.
"Alpha." Both wolves said at once.
"I'm the Gamma of this pack. Dustin Henshaw. I'm sorry I couldn't meet you when you first came in. The perimeter is expansive-"
"I get it." I cut him off. I really did. Security is more important than setting precedence. "I know I have an official meeting with your leaders in the morning, but there is something outside protocol I was never aware of." Both wolves looked at me confused.
"I smelled a human." Tension I didn't know was in the room was just released. "So you know about the human?"
"Of course." Marc smiled. "She is, I mean was, my ward."
I shook my head. "Explain."
"She was brought to us by the elders. We were told she was to be raised here and protected by our pack."
I've never heard of a human living on pack lands. If a wolf wants to marry a human, they are to live outside of the pack. This is what I've understood being raised an alpha.
The elders and I speak frequently and they never mentioned this.
"They gave you no explanation?"
"Nope... but she is well liked around here. You will meet her because-"
"It's dangerous having a human here, they don't understand our ways." I interrupted him frustrated.
"She's been here since she was six. She understands our ways quite well." He defended her. I could tell he was agitated. He was obviously endeared to her. He was doing his best trying to be submissive on this category. "Look, we were against it as well. But when elder Yanu came to us with her, she made us I believe there would be dire consequences if she was sraised by humans outside of pack lands."
"Yanu, nor any of the elders explained this break in protocol when I became Alpha." I mentioned fully irritated over the situation. I already knew this isn't a hill I will die on. If they need to keep the human girl here, I will forfeit some respect if I threw my weight around.
"Do the elders ever explain themselves?" Marc whispered. The elders were a group of wolf counsel men and women who have gifts of foresight. They do not rule over the Alpha, but all shifters heed their counsel when given. Or at least they should.
"Look," Marc continued. "She has never caused any problems. She honestly would like to live outside these lands, but I've always told her no.  Not because I consider her my daughter and want to keep her close." He smiled fondly. "But my instinct says not to."
"Ok." I simply stated.
"Ok?" He inquired.
"I won't go against the elders. And I won't have an insubordinate Beta because I removed his daughter from the lands for the simple crime of being a human." I wasn't happy in the break of protocol, but I knew it was the right decision. I could also change my mind. "However, this is a temporary decision."
"Yes, Alpha."
"What does she even do here?"
"Oh, she helps around the pack house. She runs errands, does much of the grocery shopping. It's actually very helpful having a human here."
"How so?"
"Our warriors in the past tend to forget how fragile and innocent they are. She is exactly that. They tend to be very protective of her, which can translate well when being outside the borders." The Gamma explained.
I could see the reasoning behind that. "Does she ever train with the warriors?" Marc and Dustin laughed. "Am I missing something?" I asked.
"Don't get me wrong. She can be a little scrappy. That's why we are laughing. She is little, even for a human. She has tried to get the jump on the warriors. And it never works out for her. It just entertains the warrior she tries to intimidate and anyone that is around to watch."
This conversation has left me with questions. It wasn't a law to not have a human on pack lands, but I was confused as to why the elders insisted on this. "I'm going to trust you in this." I gave it a moment. "Considering, how well this pack is ran, I may refer to you on many things."
Marc stood up and turned. "Would you like a drink?"