I Am Me (Book One): Weakness

Chapter 20: Your Fault

Mark's POV

I maneuver past the trees. My awareness is heightened. I can't hear him yet, but I know he's behind me. He's worried about me. I don't want him to. I want to be left alone. I want to howl to the moon and let my Alpha take care of this mess. It's selfish, but I don't care. I just want peace. I want him to touch me like he had around the time he mates me. It's been so long. Is it me? Is there always something that curses me to have my life be turned upside down? 

I make it to the cliff side, watching the view of the forest. The city is south of the forest, that much I know. You pass through the forest, end up in the large lands filled with farmers and sheep and cattle. Tasty area, but not for us. But I wonder what could to the north? Could there be any packs there? Would Isaiah come with me if I ran? I then look back to the events that led me to running out here.

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Earlier that same day......

It had been two months since I've been Luna. I love this job. I love my pack. I don't regret a thing about my decision to accept the Luna title. Yet, sometimes, things become as unpleasant as they are complicated.

"ABSOLUTELY NOT!!!", I yell aloud, startling everyone in the room except my mate. He is frozen in shock at the absurdity of this mans proposal. We've though that when we allow the rogues in, they would be grateful for being given permanent land. But they have been feuding with our original pack citizens over territory. We aren't dogs, but we share a lot in common with them, many things in fact. One of our biggest time-bomb situations involve territory. The single wolves have gotten along fine with the shared space of the apartment complex...initially they don't necessarily have problems with their neighbors, but soon, people start to take sides and loyalty, an extremely valued thing for the pack, is being questioned unless you join their side. Hurt feelings come in and the instincts drive them to do stupid things. It's gotten too out of hand.

Eventually, we could no longer stand aside and let them settle their differences. But both parties did not feel all too thrilled about being told what to do by an Alpha like Isaiah. Bradley's pack values strength and intimidation and they noted aloud how incapable Isaiah would protect his pack. And forget about the Omega. His place is in the kitchen or bent over for his Aloha. I swear I nearly murdered them on sight after that. Our Packs were no angels either. They scolded us over being rude to their elders and how we were so busy with our mating and Luna ceremony that we never got to an issue that we had no idea about until it escalated. True, when we were told, we thought that it was a little spat, but it was because it was contained. No one knew what it was about. Then over the next day, word spreads and chaos insues.

As we go over this issue with our Betas, ex-Alpha Bradley, now Gamma Bradley, requests an audience with our meeting. Which brings us to now. Bradley apologizes for his packs behavior, an apology Isaiah would not except because our pack was no better, which meant none were to be made. Because of the complexity of this issue, not only were our Betas called, but his old Betas called, along with ex-Alpha Nero, to figure out a way to either settle a compromise or get them to fall in line before we have a pack Civil War on our hands. And we call it a Civil War because they are now our pack members. They being here as much as any of the original members. Bradley next proposal though raises my hackles and silences everyone else in the room.

"I really think you should be open-minded about this Marcus. It is really for our benefit that I suggest this."

"You mean to have a three-way mating so as to make an official inducting you as co-Alpha or Luna or whatever is left?! You gotta be kidding me! I know you have been trying to get into his pants since day one and what perfect way than absolute chaos to distract everyone while you have your way with MY MATE!!!" I was more than furious if you couldn't guess.