Chapters of a Life (Complete)

7

Liam stood over me staring down as if trying to divine some great mystery, Alpha Wolfe and Beta O'Sullivan were in the hallway. Just after Alpha Wolfe had announced that I had no family to Liam, Beta O'Sullivan had knocked and asked to speak to the Alpha. So now I stood glaring at the floor as if that would make it open up and swallow me. As they stepped back into the room, Liam seemed to make a decision. "About that debt".

Alpha Wolfe seemed surprised he was bringing it up, "Ye, ya know we are a poor pack and have little to spare", I was shocked and I knew my mouth was hanging open at the lies I was hearing. "Liam, I will be glad to give you what I can spare, ya are family. An' ya know, I always pay me debts". At this point, my mind was blown and some small part of me was wondering how I was still standing instead of blown apart, for surely the Goddess would strike him down for such blatant lies.

'Poor Liam', I thought he is going to be robbed. I had seen the accounting books and Alpha Wolf was wealthy, mainly because he plead poverty and only paid part of his bills. Before I opened my mouth, someone knocked then announced the return of the Elders. I breathed a sigh of relief, I was saved. Or maybe not, Alpha Wolfe sneered at me, "They will not save you, you're a thief and will be punished as such".

Once again there was a knock at the door and Lady Elizabeth entered. "There you are. Oh, how I have missed you. You need a bath and when was the last time you ate. I am so sorry the trip took longer than .."

"Mother, Mother, MOTHER", Alpha Wolfe interrupted Lady Elizabeth's soft apology. "She is not yer child. She is a thief and will be punished as soon as I am done settling the debt with Liam. So leave I will call you after the punishment and we can discuss what was learned by yer visit".

At his words, Lady Elizabeth stilled, "Thief, what is this nonsense your spewing?" Few had ever seen her lose her temper but what a sight it was. "She is my child, claimed as is tradition, if she is a thief then you are tarnishing my name as well."

"Now mother the lass was caught red-handed, she had apples and potatoes."

"So, it's not as if she is allowed in the kitchen as the other pups are".

"That is not the issue here, she stole food. Food belongs to the pack."

I saw Lady Elizabeth's face turn a dark red and quickly moved to rub her hand, hoping to calm her down. She was not a young female and I had heard Elder Eecho tell Elder North that to much anger can kill at their age. My movements had not gone unnoticed by Liam and he too moved closer to us. It was at that moment that the rest of the Elders joined us in the study.

"He is going to punish her for stealing, North" Lady Elizabeth yelled.

"What, are you going on about? Who would beat our child?" Elder North sputtered.

"Stealing, she's no thief" "We have extra provisions buried in the yard why would she need to steal?" Elders Eecho and Seac both exclaimed.

It was on to Elder Seac's exclamation that Liam latched. "Elder ya said that ya had extra provisions buried?"

"Aye, Cook sometimes forgets to feed us. So we keep some items handy for those days. A few potatoes, apples, or some other veg. It's not much but keeps the pains away".

Liam turned to the Alpha," Your cook fails to feed yer Elders in the Archives and ye have children not allowed in the kitchen"? It was quiet as everyone waited for Alpha Wolfe to speak.

"Ye have figured out what it is you want to settle the debt". No one spoke, I think I forgot how to breathe.

"Aye, I will take the child, the Elders, and half the Archive".

And with that, the world EXPLODED.