Reluctant Luna

I very loud growl

Calla

"Hi Peter!" I looked around. "Where is your new partner in crime?"
"David? He is in the back." Peter didn't look to happy to see me. His smile was a little forced.
"You ok?"
"Yeah, the usual?" Peter was hesitant.
"Of course the usual, but can you make it with love. It taste so much better being made with love." I smiled wider. Peter relaxed a little.
"I'm not sure we have those ingredients." David said from the back. He has a large slash on his cheek.
"Wow, what happened to you?" I asked.
"Nothing to brag about." David replied as Peter worked on my order.
"Try me."
He looked at me pointedly. "Got into a wrestling match with a large wolf." I didn't flinch. I wanted to. But I didn't. David was probing. He suspected something.
"Large wolf or little wolf?" I asked jokingly. "I'm guessing it was a dog and you are trying to impress me." I gave him a cheeky smile. Peter snickered from behind him.
David gave it a few seconds. "Ok. It was a Maltese that didn't like me."
"See, you shouldn't lead with that. It doesn't take much to impress me." David smiled.
Peter turned to give me my smoothie as I exchanged money. "It's nice to see you two times in a week."
I took a sip of heaven. "Oh, I made cookies for a new client, and they asked for a second batch. So I had to get more ingredients."
"Can you make a batch for me?" David winked.
"Maybe." I walked out and headed home.

Gage

The pack sanctuary was underground and was huge. I didn't see any community center type buildings so I thought our meeting was going to be held outside. I was surprised when the Gamma led me into this large room filled to the max with wolves. He explained to me this portion was the original pack house built out of paranoia which is why the supporting columns seemed dated. There were underground bunk rooms and a whole control center below ground. When the pack started to make a substantial income, they built the above ground pack house, but still use this room for meetings and overflow during emergency situations. How did my family conquer this pack to lead it is beyond me and a history I needed to look into. The room stilled as I walked into it. There had to be at least 300 members crowded in here and they led me to the middle which was what I requested. I wanted to be able to see everyone's eyes.

I turned in a circle. I let out my Alpha essence which I know the room felt.

"Good evening." I started cordial. "If you haven't figured out. I'm Gage Savage. You new Alpha." There were nods. "I've been touring the packs under my jurisdiction to make myself known and to survey how they are ran.
"I know you would like things to be ran the way my father did as some of the other packs requested, but I am not sure if that is in the best interest of the packs and myself. The 6 packs under my authority combined are the largest in the world therefore the most powerful." Some of the wolves cheered. "It may seem like a good thing. But all the packs have different personalities and may clash if forced to work together."
This is where I announce one of my two reasons why this meeting is important.
"My parents were murdered." There was a rumbling. "They we're trying to get two competing to collaborate on a project. This didn't go well and there was a retaliations. The guilty party still hasn't been caught and new information tells me they maybe have been working with hunters." There was murmuring in the room. I held up a hand. "Having such large numbers under one Alpha and one Luna creates the inability to keep control over the immense amount of wolves." Here comes the second announcement.
"I've spoken with the elders and we have decided to promote Alphas over each of the packs and I would take the position of Prime Alpha. Packs will be independent, which this pack seems to already run well independently, and I will be the Alpha who will settle despite's between the six packs and grievances about leadership from lower ranked pack members."
The frequency of the room feels like they are receiving well.
"I will be promoting Beta Marc Griffins to Alpha of the Silverwood Pack. His Gamma, as Beta."
There was an applaud of cheers. "Who will be our Gamma?" I heard the question from the room.
"I will leave that to your new Alpha. He knows his pack well." Marc stood proudly, but I could make out watery eyes. He was truly touched by this news. But also ready for it. "All other questions I will defer to him. He is your true leader." I stepped away from the center and moved myself to the back of the room. Just as I predicted, Marc held his position well and patiently answered questions. The hand over in the other packs did not go this smoothly.

Calla

"You think we should head to the pack meeting now?" Sandra asked scooping a good size amount of cookie dough in her mouth holding Caleb .
"It's optional for me to attend those." I scrunch my nose. "They are so boring sometimes."
"What?! Nooooo!" Sandra mocked. Sandra was helping me pack cookie dough in rolls so I'm not making new batches daily. All I have to do is scoop and cook. I learned she is Alpha Gage's sister and Caleb was their baby brother. Her parents getting pregnant later in life was a freak accident she says. "This one may be more dramatic than other." She suggested.
"What do you mean?" I asked as I put away my cooking utensils.
"Gage is changing positions of pack members." I give her a confused look. "He doesn't know how he can be alpha over all these separate packs, so he is making Betas Alphas and Gamma Betas. And moving worthy wolves into leadership positions."
"Wow, but can you explain. And can he do that?"
"Apparently he can, once he announces it and the pack accepts it,  the magic or power of an Alpha flows through those positions. Like, the Riverbend pack." She makes a disgusted face. "It was the most disorderly pack. A lot of fighting. The Beta we corrupt. But Gage found a wolf in the pack that many of the members respected and turned to for wisdom. He stripped the Beta of power and raised Campion Wells to the Alpha position. At first the pack was confused. But Gage kept on calling him Alpha and after a couple weeks the pack accepted it. The power that came over Campion was crazy.
"Gage will still be an Alpha in his own way. But he is less stressed out moving these positions."
"Ok. Let's  check out the meeting." I grabbed Caleb from her and led her to the sanctuary.
I explained to Sandra how the bunker worked and she was nodding. I'm not the best story teller, so she is probably humoring me. I could hear Beta Marc talking to the pack before I entered the room. I hung back against the wall by the entrance with Sandra. Caleb was make some cute blubbery noises so I lifted him high and made playful faces at him.
I was interrupted. Or should I say, the whole room was interrupted by a loud roar. Like, the loudest roar that had ever existed. Caleb started to cry and he was immediately swept from my arms by Sandra. Then I saw the source of the growling. And he was barreling towards me. I can't remember the last time I was scared. The fear I had in me, was a fear that was hard to explain. This man had me pinned against the wall with his body. My arms held my his hands, his torso up against mine. I looked up at him.
This must be Gage.
The Alpha. His eyes were completely black and his canines were coming out. It was like he was about to fully shift but stayed a man. He was a beautiful man I must admit. It's hard to get a good look at him, he was growling and sniffing me. I was completely stuck. I tried to look around him for help. I didn't know what to do. This guy is a freak. What is his problem?! I wiggled trying to get free and he moved closer. I don't know how we could have been closer, but he figured it out.
What in the world was he doing and when is he going to stop?