The Alpha's Family

Places Where You're Not Expected to Take Over a Pack

(Kane's POV)

I watched in boredom as the whole pack settled down around the meeting room. Emergency meetings were the worst. You sat there worrying about what's going to happen without doing anything about it. When I become Alpha, I'm just going to take my fleets and fight off the danger. Problem solved.

Next to dad, who was next to me, was mom. She gave me a glare that seemed to say, "Don't even think about it." Last time there was an emergency meeting, a couple of puny rogues on our land, I suggested exactly that. Most laughed, but mom and dad gave me a withering glare.

I don't want to become Alpha. I wish they'd just hand the role over to Brett, but if I ask, they'll glare at me and chastise me for being so ridiculous. I mean, can't they see how willing Brett is and how willing I'm not? It's why I try to be the rebellious one and make Brett look more like Alpha material. So far, it's not working.

I met Emi's eyes across the dark oak table. My younger sister and I see eye to eye. We both agree that we wish we were never born into the Alpha family. It's not like we wish we were never born, but being in this particular family is hardcore. Emi gave me a little smile.

"The meeting is beginning!" Dad yelled, silencing stray voices. "Beta, report."

Everyone turned to look at the Beta family. They all looked grave, especially Macie, a close friend of mom's and Jacklyn's godmother. I could see the Beta boys casting worried glances at their mother.

"We found traces of rogues this morning," Dawson reported.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Emi roll her eyes at me. I returned the look. Oh boy, rogues. We're all going to die, how wonderful. Yeah, right, rogues are nothing.

"But that's not all," Macie piped in, surprising everyone. Usually Macie was a rather shy and quiet person, especially when it came to violence and danger. She cleared her throat to speak again, ignoring the murmurs around her. "We found fairy dust mingled with the wolf prints. It seems that no wolf was harmed in that area. The question is, why would wolves and fairies be together?"

Dawson nodded his head. "We think that the rogues and fairies may have made a peace treaty," he said. "And are planning to overthrow the Wolf Commitee. What we had years ago when our Alpha quadruplets were born-" he looked at each of us in turn-"is nothing compared to the general shock of rogues and fairies combining."

The murmurs were louder now. Everyone knew about what happened years ago before we were born. Mom and dad were still teenagers, fighting off rogues and fairies as separate problems, and that must've been pretty hard. Now the threat was possibly back, and they were joining forces. Emi and I exchanged a glance.

The rest of the meeting consisted of what we were going to do about it, blah blah blah. When we were done I immediately rushed to join Emi. She understood my urgency to talk.

"Outside in the woods," she said, nudging me in the direction of the back door.

Once we were outside and safely tucked deep into the greenery, Emi turned to face me. She had that gleam in her eye that told me she had an idea. An idea that was going to sprout into something ingenious, as it did most of the time. I gave her a questioning look and she returned it with a smile.

"I propose we run away and find this band of wanted delinquents."

I froze. That wasn't what I expected. "What?"

"It works perfectly, Kane. You don't want to be Alpha, I don't want to be around such a pack of... well, dogs."

"Yeah, but think about it," I argued. "I may not want to be Alpha but that doesn't mean I don't love the pack."

Emi glared at me. "Fine, stay and have the heavy weight of pack responsibility settle on your back. I'm leaving."

I sighed. "Fine," I relented after much thought. "But how are we going to find them?"

Emi's anger vanished as she grinned at me. "I knew you'd do it. You will find out how we're going to find them."

"Me? How?"

"Oh, I have a plan, dearest future Alpha."

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"Why do you want to know, Kane?" Dawson asked me. A hint of suspicion lingered in his expression.

"I'm just curious, is all," I said nonchalantly. "As future Alpha, I want to be let in on this. Please?"

Macie rested her hand on his shoulder. "It should be fine, Dawson," she added, giving me a smile. "He's a big boy. Even if there are still fairies and rogues out there, he knows how to fight. Your sister is coming with you, too, right?"

"Yes," I confirmed with a nod.

"Oh, alright," Dawson said. "The fairy dust and wolf prints were at least a mile north of the lake."

"Where do they lead?"

"Last time we checked, it looked as if the rogues were headed east."

"Alright, got it. Thank you, Beta family."

"It's been a pleasure, Kane," Macie said.

I left their quarters and headed down the hallway where Emi was waiting. She waited for me to spill the info. Her hands rested on her hips as she tapped her foot impatiently.

"A mile north of the lake," I recited. "And the footprints were headed east."

Emi smiled. "Good job. I knew the 'future Alpha' card would work. Who knew, maybe you don't screw everything up, after all."

I ignored her. "When are we leaving?"

"Tonight. Pack your things and meet me at the backdoor."

Before I could even utter a single word of protest, she disappeared down the stairs. I pursed my lips and shook my head at her bossiness, but I had no choice but to obey. I headed to my room to gather a few necessities before joining my sister downstairs. She didn't say anything as we slipped out into the night.

"Any idea where we're going after we did the prints?" I asked Emi.

She smiled and shrugged. "Just places where you're not expected to take over a pack."

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Sorry for this short chapter, but it's something, right? Anyway, I had fun with this chapter. I guess the information and conflict makes up for it's shortness... I hope.

Vote if you think Kane is just really stupid.

Comment if you think Emi is a little brat.

Fan if you like to shimmy (really random, I know)!