Rogue Wolf

Ch 29 adjusting

"No, you forgot to carry the one. There, see?"

My Max almost growled as he worked on his math. I smiled down at him, encouraging him.

It was so hard for him. He put in the hours, every day, and sometimes if he was restless at night he would work on his schooling. I was shocked at how little he knew. He had stared, panicking, at the first few tests put before him.

Lone Wolf quickly decided to start him right at the beginning and have him work his way up. He was so happy when he finished the first day, I didn't have the heart to tell him how far he had to go. We were still working through the early grades of schooling, the very basics.

I picked up Max's new smartphone when it beeped. His phone sat on his desk, practically unused. He had no one to call, except the Alpha King. The king insisted on regular texts to update him on Max's progress. I was the one who uploaded Max's test scores to our king.

It felt weird, having a king I didn't even know existed before Max and Lone Wolf came back, excitedly going on about all of the royals and the wolf who was alpha of that pack of alphas. I'd read the simple texts the king sent Max, confused about why he would send such trivial comments.

"He hunted rabbit for breakfast today," I told Max.

"He's a wolf," Max answered back in an awed whisper, "a real wolf."

I didn't understand Max's trepidation when he spoke of the king being a wolf. Weren't we all? Max insisted the king went beyond what we were. His subservient fear of the Alpha King was quiet and pervasive, unlike the fear we all had of Alpha. Max was in obvious awe of the Alpha King.

I had tried to distract Alpha Maximus by looking things up on his phone. The internet was too confusing for him. I had loaded some music on it, but he found it distracting.

Every time he finished a round of schoolwork he turned to have me check it. He seemed to crave my approval and I gave it willingly, with more smiles than I had ever made in my life. Sometimes he got a kiss from me, which made him smile in a different way.

Lone Wolf worked near us, going through old records. He kept making excuses to keep Max out of the Alpha area. He was so adamant about it, I tried to sneak in. The door was locked, with a new lock that had a keypad for numbers.

I smiled down at my Max as he sighed and pushed the schoolwork away from him. He yawned and stretched. I put my hand on his shoulder and he stood without a word, taking my hand and leading me out. We paused when we got to the bowers.

"It's looking good, my Alpha Maximus," I said with a smile. He smiled back as the omega approached hesitantly with lunch. I growled when the guard who brought Michael gave him a push, making him stumble. The guard lowered his eyes and hunched over slightly as he backed away.

I couldn't convince Max to keep Michael with us. Michael slept, collared and chained, in that little room in Alpha's territory. He had dog food for breakfast, but lunch and dinner with us. If he didn't eat his breakfast he wasn't permitted to join us. He only refused the dog food one time.

We all took a break from whatever tasks we were working on every afternoon to work on the gardens. Michael worked the gardens with Max and I. Michael wasn't happy, but he wasn't bitten either.

I was bold enough to raise the subject of releasing Michael with Max. "Do you think the Alpha King will let Michael go home?" I asked.

Michael dared a glance up and got cuffed by his guard for it. He went back to sifting the dirt, pulling out the dead debris as he went. Max sat back on his haunches and watched Michael for a minute. I kept planting the small seedlings Lone Wolf had brought, hoping my Max wouldn't be angry with my boldness.

"You are dismissed," Max said to the guard. The guard bowed and left, heading over to where the omegas were scrubbing a new section of the room. Max waited until the guard was out of earshot before quietly answering me.

"The Alpha King hasn't said yet. He does not approve of kidnapping, so Michael is the last pack member we will acquire the way Alpha taught us. Alpha would have him bitten and see how he responds to the change to decide his rank. I would keep him here, unbitten, as an omega. The Alpha King wants none bitten if it is not their choice to be bitten. Michael, stop and look at me."

I could practically feel the anger and resentment in Michael. He stopped his work and turned toward Max, staying on two knees, but keeping his head down. I saw Max's nostrils flare with indignation at what he saw as Micheal's disobedience.

I couldn't help sighing as I went over to Micheal. I dropped down next to him, draping my arm over his shoulder.

"I know the guards always hit you if you look up," I said gently. "Alpha Maximus is honoring you by giving you permission to look at him. He wants your undivided attention is all. It's ok." I put a finger under his chin, coaxing his head up. I could feel him tremble as he tried not to glare his hatred at my Max.

Max didn't say anything at first, taking in Michael's obvious hatred. He, in turn, did not hide his mounting anger from Michael.

"Please, my lord Alpha Maximus, he's trying. He knew you would be angry when you saw his emotions. It's why he didn't want to raise his eyes to you. He's been taken from his home and family. He can't see here as his home, or us as his family," I paused, then practically whispered, "like I can."