The Cursed Alpha

Changing Moods

FREY POV

It took a while for things to get back to normal after the weeks of non-stop celebrations. Kathy was utterly exhausted, so I started a rotation of cooks for the pack. I tried to pick high school students who liked to do it, and Kathy's sister helped out a little, too.

For the next three weeks after the parties, I basically holed myself in my office from morning to night, trying to catch up and keep up with the paperwork and planning the next pack-wide Complaint Day. I had Zane answer letters and go over the budget for the Complaint Day and the in-pack party.

It was during that time with Zane that I saw what Chris had been warning me about. While Zane would smile at me, I could see just a little hint of evergreen in his eyes. Disgust. I tried to hide my hurt, but it was still hard for me to do that. So instead of trying to hide how I felt, Yaps suggested that I try to change my emotion. I thought of my early days with Chris, and the times when Zane was completely open with me. I would instantly become happy. And when I was happy, it became easier to think of ways for Zane to accept his wolf.

So far, the best me and Yaps had come up with was just keeping Zane around as many wolves as we could, and hope he would get over whatever biases he had against lycanthropes—his own kind.

And here we here, putting the plan into action.

"Alright, my pups," I slap my thighs and the puppies sit, paying very close attention to me. "It's time you learn how to shift back into a human, but on your feet. Are you all ready?"

The pups jump and yelp, excited to learn. I smile down at them. I know Yaps hopes that one day Zane would stand next to me when I do anything involving wolves, and not about half a football field away. Oh well. I was patient. I could wait. I turn back to the kids.

"When you shift back, you're going to have to remember that you're not a wolf anymore. What feels like standing upright to a wolf is crouching on our hands and knees," to show them, I get down on my hands and knees. The pups come up to me, and I show them how I have four limbs on the ground, and so do they. "If you want to shift upright, you're going to have to do something silly for Freysie, alright?" I giggle a little, starting a round of wolfish laughter in the group of pups. "You're going to have to pretend that you're flipping onto your back!" I make it sound like it's a crazy idea. And I'm sure it seems like one, to the pups. To all the werewolves older than an adolescent, the feeling is like second nature by now.

Watch Zac, Yaps says, and I focus on his dark pup. He squirms around a little before shifting back. The change is instantaneous, and he lands halfway to his feet. He's still young, though, and ends up losing his balance, and he ends up on his hands and knees. Still, I can't believe he got halfway there. Most pups take at least half an hour before they've made as much progress as Zac has.

A warm feeling starts to grow in my chest, and it's like happiness, but not quite. I watch for a while longer as the kids keep trying—and failing—to shift back on their feet. The feeling grows as, half an hour later, most of the kids are halfway there.

My vision starts to get tinted with a mustard-y yellow, and I can't help but think how much this emotion is better than anger.

"You're feeling proud," Zane explains. He had walked up behind me a minute ago. "Not the bad kind, either. You like seeing the progress of the kids. It makes you feel accomplished, but for them."

I narrow my eyes a little. This emotion feels good, but it doesn't make much sense. Then again, I'm learning that most emotions don't.

"Do you want to try?" I ask Zane. Even though almost all of my attention was on my pups, Zane was still my mate. A small part of me watched over him while I had attempted to teach the pups. I had seen him watching, interested.

I'm not stupid, however. I know he'll probably say no. I know that for some reason he hates his wolf. And I can't for the life of my figure out why. B-G knows, but he won't say anything. As much as Yaps wants to get mad at him for being so stubborn, she can't. She's fallen completely in love. And who can blame her?

B-G was what every female lycanthrope wanted in their mate. He was strong, but gentle and patient. He was possessive and protective, like most Alpha wolves, but he also understood boundaries. I've talked to him, too. Honestly, he's one of the major reasons why I still try with Zane and don't just reject him and move on. He's a kind wolf, but he's sad. His own human half hates him and keeps him locked in isolation in a body he's meant to share.

From what I've gathered from my conversations with B-G, Zane hasn't shifted since he was a child. That's practically the same as never shifting at all!

"No."

I had been expecting the rejection of my offer, but I hadn't expected the sudden dark look that passed over Zane's face. His eyes glazed over for a second, as if he was remembering something, and then he glared at me before stalking away.

I quickly hide my hurt and get back to teaching my pups.

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