The Wolves of Cain

The Lone Alpha

Date: 2-22-17

Chapter 26: The Lone Alpha

Lucas stares blankly at the ground for a moment, wondering if he should be offended or not. Lucas decides not, because he did ask the question.

"Who will teach me? Adrian?" Lucas asks a bit sarcastically.

Monique lets out a short laugh at that. "No way. He's not a helper that way. Adrian will save your life but not help make it better."

Monique pauses thoughtfully. "Although he'll only save a life if he's in a good mood." Lucas frowns at that, so Monique defends her brother.

Monique shrugs and says, "Adrian's a picky guy."

"Then why did he help me?" Lucas questions.

Monique glances away, obviously unsure. "I can't answer that for Adrian. But I believe that he remembers what it feels like to be thrust into a supernatural life and have no help or guidance."

"Didn't he have you?" Lucas asks. He knows that Monique said Adrian's her half brother, but Lucas thinks they could've grown up together.

"No, he didn't have me to help. We didn't know each other back then. I didn't even know I had a brother until he showed up one day." Monique explains with her eyes downcast. Lucas thinks this is a touchy subject for her.

But Monique suddenly looks up into his eyes, speaking openly. "I'm glad Adrian showed up, because my parents were trying to push me into a profession that I didn't want."

Monique's gaze is steady and strong, and a little defiant, as she goes on. "So when Adrian said he had money saved I ran away from home with him."

"How can he afford to pay for a house, bills, and groceries?" Lucas asks incredulously. Since Lucas' parents send money every month for bills, Lucas doesn't have to worry too much about that. But if Lucas wants anything besides what he has to have, then he has to get a job.

"Adrian acquires odd jobs that get him a lot of money. Right now he's a hunter, and he gets paid to take out bad supernaturals." Monique explains in a tone that says she's okay with that.

"Aren't you nervous? Adrian could die doing his job." If Jerica had a dangerous job like that, he would always be fighting for her to quit, or at least always worrying about her.

"Adrian can take care of himself." Monique tells Lucas with a serious look. She really believes that.

Lucas thinks that Adrian must be super powerful to be an Alpha and apparently doesn't get really hurt that often.

"How long has Adrian been a werewolf? When was he bitten?" Lucas asks, hesitating a moment. "Can people be born werewolves?"

"First, Adrian's been like this since he was 16 years old. Second, Adrian was bitten on a full moon, unlike you. And third, yes, werewolves can be born." Monique explains to Lucas.

So Adrian has been a werewolf for many years. He must be experienced in werewolf matters.

"So if you have children, they will be werewolves, even if you don't mate with another werewolf." Monique adds while Lucas is thinking.

That shocks Lucas to his core. Werewolf children? That would be a nightmare. He can't even get himself under control. How could he teach kids?

But then Lucas realizes that won't happen for a long time, so he relaxes a bit. Lucas will be in control of his werewolf side before he has kids.

"So how did Adrian become an Alpha?" Lucas questions to get his mind off of the far away future.

"You'll have to ask Adrian that one. It's not a story for me to tell." Monique says vaguely. Lucas frowns at that, because he really wanted to know.

"Okay." Lucas agrees, respecting Monique's decision. "So is Adrian more powerful than me because he's an Alpha? Or is it because he's been a werewolf longer and is more experienced?" Lucas asks Monique to go around his other question.

"It's definitely because Adrian's more experienced. He's learned a lot through the years. But Alphas are also usually much more powerful than Betas."

Monique pauses to explain, in case Lucas doesn't understand. "That's what you are, a Beta."

"I've heard about all of that. Alpha is the leader. Beta is the follower. Omega is the loner, a werewolf without a pack." Lucas says so that Monique knows that Lucas is informed some.

"But why am I not an Omega?" Lucas asks Monique.

"Unless you openly announce that you aren't following an Alpha, you're a Beta." Monique tells Lucas. Monique shifts on her feet, getting a little uncomfortable standing there for so long.

"So I'm supposed to choose to align myself with Adrian." Lucas questions in a slightly bitter tone. It's no surprise to Monique that Lucas doesn't exactly like Adrian.

"No. You don't have to do that. In fact, I'm sure Adrian wouldn't accept you. He's a lone wolf. No pun intended. It's just a good metaphor." Monique says with a joking tone and a grin.

"Oh, well that's good." Lucas says truthfully. Although Lucas has to stomp down a part of him that's wanting to pick a fight to show he's worth it.

"Well, I better go. I do have a job, so I have to go get ready." Monique says with a small smile.

"Okay." Lucas thinks he should go now, but he can't help but saying one more thing. "Could you tell Adrian that he's welcome to come teach Mason and I a thing or two?"

Lucas knows it's a long shot, but he has to try for Mason. As Monique pointed out earlier, Lucas has a lot to learn. But Mason has to learn even more. He's the one who's gone out of control in a public area because he was angry.

Monique nods once, then turns and goes inside her house once again.

Lucas immediately exits the yard, walking down the street and past John's house. Thinking about John reminds Lucas that John knows something. But how much is something?

~*~

John's watching Lucas through his window for a while. John sees Lucas stop in front of the recently sold house. Then a beautiful girl suddenly walks out the front door, seemingly calling to Lucas like they're old friends.

John can't hear what they say, but they look like they're close. They speak with easy smiles, then their faces turn serious like they're talking about something very important.

John is angry because Lucas told him that he didn't know any new people. That girl, who's actually a young woman around Lucas and John's age, is definitely new around here.

So Lucas has been lying to him. John feels betrayed by his best friend. He can no longer trust Lucas. And John will have to be watching over the new people now too. They could be the reason Lucas and Mason are changing.

When someone looks out the window of the house where the new people live, it's like they look right at John.

John jerks back on reflex. John could swear that the guy who appeared in the window looked straight into John's eyes. How did he know John was there? The guy's eyes went immediately to John, like he knew John was there.

John files that away in his mind to think about and deal with later. These are just more pieces to add to the Lucas and Mason puzzle. John just KNOWS there is something going on with them, and John is determined to find out what exactly is going on in his town these days.