Chapters of a Life: There's no place like home

14

"Alpha we need to talk," I say walking into his office. I have some questions that would not leave me alone.

"Thank you for coming, I will look into your complaints," Dad tells the male standing in front of his desk.

"You'd better or I'll take care of it myself", the male doesn't spare me a look.

"Is he still fighting with Frank over the tree", I ask?

"Yeah, he wants it gone and Frank says Molly loves it so why kill it?" Dad's head hangs low.

"Got another headache?"

"Yeah, before you say anything I went to the Healer's and Heather gave me something. It works for a little while but. Forget about me, what do you need?"

"When you told me about the alliance that Vladimir, you said that he was supposed to keep your Da safe. Yet how did ya'll get run out of yer home? Vladimir broke the alliance by failing to keep your pack safe, even if the first time was a fluke he still failed to protect Pack Wolfe for they are no more."I look at Dad as he runs what I have said over in his mind.

"How could I have missed that? Bo, I am sorry."

"No, the Goddess needed for me to see the suffering of the females. She needs me to become stronger so when the time comes for, whatever is coming. I will save us all."

"On to the next item, we don't have enough food for the winter. Fall is nearly gone. My garden is nearly wiped out and all of it has been canned or prepared. My meat is prepared yet I seem to be in the minority. Most of the pack failed to plant a garden and few had gone hunting. What are they going to eat this winter?"

"Last, since all the pups have shifted I want to do a Blue Moon run. It's their first and I want the entire pack to participate. We will thank the Goddess for her Blessings and mourn our lost pack members and family. Can I announce it tomorrow after you have the pack meeting?"

"Bo it's a little late on the whole food prep thing why did you not come to me sooner?" Alpha looks at me waiting for an answer.

"I didn't know any sooner. With all the attempted fixes and trying to get this pack put back together and find out why our pack members keep dying I've been a little busy. Not to mention I've been picking the garden and canning, hunting and drying, and cutting wood, and gathering for winter. On top of that studying all those volumes of tomes from the Archives that Clar and Ivy keep delivering to me." I tell him, with a raised eyebrow and a huffy tone. "What I want to know is why did members who had plenty last winter have none now?"

"I don't know but tonight at the meeting I'll find out," Alpha says as he stands. Walking around the table he gives me a hug, as I bury my head in his chest I take a deep draw of his scent. Something is wrong, his scent isn't like it was all pine and after the rain. No, now it smells like old pine needles and turned earth

"Dad, when was the last time you saw a Healer?"

"The other day", he says vaguely, "why"?

I hear his trepidation and smell his fear, "Is there anything I need to know"? I know what he isn't saying but I pray I'm wrong.

"Not right now", he hugs me again and kisses my head. "You are the best thing that has ever happened to me. These last years have been."

Tears well up, "Why does it sound like you're tellin' me goodbye".

"Don't be silly. I'm going nowhere. I just needed to stop and let you know how proud I am of you." He smiles down but it doesn't chase the sadness from his eyes. "Oh before I forget I am going to announce a Blue Moon run for all the pups since it's their first one, what do you think?"