STIX
I headed down to the arena to meet up with other pack members who were trained fighters. We were one of the few packs that allowed females to train.
My mother, bless her soul, believed a she-wolf could defend her pack just as well as any male. My father always said that was one of many reasons he fell in love with her. For her strength, beauty, and kindness but above all for her quick-witted tongue, which, he reminded me every day that I got from her. That and my sassy attitude.
Unfortunately, it was that fearlessness and her mouth that got her killed, probably. I was fourteen when she was attacked. One of the rare days she ventured out by herself to the market. On her way home she was murdered. Nobody saw, nobody knows what happened. They heard shouting, then the growl of wolves, by the time anyone could come to her aid it was all over. The assailants had fled. Leaving her body limp and bleeding out. They had clawed her throat open.
My father took it hard, any mate would. Losing the person, you bonded your soul to is like losing a part of yourself. If they had been fated mates, he may not have survived her death. In a sordid depressing way, I was thankful they were chosen mates.
That was when I began to rebel against the norm, at least what the majority of the pack considered the norm. And now I fought against it as best as I could. I always had my father to back me up, but this time? This time was different. I was putting the whole pack in danger.
I just couldn’t be with that man. It made my stomach turn just thinking of it. Never mind not being in love, I couldn’t stand to breathe the same air as that nasty creep.
I reached the training grounds, other fighters were already there, split into groups. Some sparing, some training, and a few, like me, had just turned up.
Branston, my father’s Beta, was yelling out commands to men. Encouraging them to push themselves. He was a handsome man, tall like most wolves around six feet, with wide shoulders, and a strong chin. As a little girl, I used to have a crush on him, and he has never let me forget it.
“Hope! Glad you could make an appearance at training.” He cheerily called out to me, then turned the smile into a frown. “Unlike Ruby who I haven’t seen as of yet today,” he said of my best friend and his daughter.
I giggled. Knowing Ruby, she was still tucked into bed with some guy, Her flavor of the week. One of the many reasons I had stayed single after Jason died. I was sure Ruby had gone through all our warriors, if not, then a large portion of the single wolves.
“I’m sure she has her hands full, sir,” I say trying to keep a straight face.
He groaned and tipped his head back, his throat bobbing, “That girl will be the death of me and her mother.” He sighed. “Alright Stixs, give me twenty laps then join up for some one on one.” He instructed.
“Yes sir!” I saluted and jogged to the track, ready to run my twenty laps.
Once finished with my laps, I grab a water bottle from the cooler and sip some down before heading to the sparing arena and taking my place at the side, waiting for an opponent to become available.
We were doing switch-ups. Two people fight, the loser moves on, and the winner stays to fight the next challenger.
Joshua, The Delta’s son, came and stood next to me. He was two years older than Ruby and me, and in some ways was like a big brother. Growing up he always protected us from the other males. Letting them know we were off-limits. That lasted until we were about seventeen and Ruby acted on her crush. They dated for a while, but it didn’t work out, Joshua then met Crystal and they became chosen mates.
“I saw Alpha Crane leaving the pack earlier. What did he want? Let me guess, he is asking to claim you again?” He said with disgust, one side of his mouth curling into a sneer. No one from this pack like Alpha Crane or the Crimson moon pack.
Joshua was definitely a handsome man at twenty-three. His green eyes were smoldering, enough to make any girl drop her pants at his command. His blond hair only extenuated his tanned skin.
Seeing as the Alpha and the Beta both only had one child each and both were girls, Joshua was next in line for the Alpha position. Providing he wasn’t challenged for it and lost, he would be our next Alpha.
It would have been my mate if he had not died. And now Alpha Crane wanted to claim me to be his Luna. So, it fell to Joshua. Who, in all honesty, I don’t think wanted the position of Alpha, was happy to follow in his father’s footsteps as Delta. Or even become Beta.
I pinched my lips together in a tight line “Yep” I replied popping the P at the end.
“You’re not going to let him claim you, are you Stixs?” His words were full of worry “Your father wouldn’t let him, right?”
I huffed out “I may not have a choice; he threatened my dad with war if he didn’t hand me over.” I turned to look at him. Joshua had an expression of pity on his face.
“I’m sorry Stixs.” He mumbled, knowing there was not much else he could say or do to make the situation any better.
“Not your fault Josh, I just don’t know what to do!” I threw my hands up in exasperation.
“Come on, let’s work it out in the ring” He nudged me, standing up.
Yeah, let's work it out in the ring, I thought. Because no matter how hard I train, it won’t make the problem go away.
So, for the next two hours, I took my frustrations out by sparing and finding myself eating more dirt than I intended. My focus was distracted by the gloom and doom that hung over my head. And the impending thoughts of Alpha Crane coming for me. Those thoughts transformed into images of him touching me, making me gag and misstep as Josh got the better of me over and over.
“Where’s my father?” I ask Delta Elijah as I sit down at the dinner table later that evening. Josh and his mate, Crystal, are also present.
Elijah clears his throat as Ruby comes bouncing in all smiles and smelling heavily of a male.
“He and Beta Branston had some business to deal with outside the pack. They will be back in three days.” He says watching Ruby converse with Crystal.
“Grab a plate children dinner is ready!” Mary, Josh’s mom, calls as she comes out of the kitchen, followed by the Beta’s wife, Anna. Both carry large dishes of food.
“Oh,” I reply to the Delta, a little perplexed that my father had neglected to tell me he was leaving the pack on business for a few days.
I wondered exactly what kind of business he had to tend to, usually my father would forewarn me and include me in any of his business dealings. At the least, he would tell me he would be gone for a couple of days so that I didn’t worry about him.
I hazard a guess that it must have something to do with Alpha Crane's demand for me. I just hoped he wasn’t doing anything ridiculous. I wasn’t worth it. Not if comes between my life and the packs.
Pack always comes first. And we can't bend the rules and expectations just for me. That wouldn’t be right or fair to the rest of our community.
I ate in silence. The chatter around the table background noise to my thoughts. I was grateful no one tried to include me in the conversation. I wasn’t in a talking mood. Nor could I pretend everything was okay. Because it just wasn’t right now.
Two weeks Alpha Crane had said. I have even thought of running away but that was stupid. The Crimson Moon Pack would still destroy us. When Charlie Crane wanted something there weren’t any lengths he wouldn’t go to, to get it. And this time the object of his desire was me.
My eyes sarcastically rolled at the thought of how lucky I was. Unlucky was more like it.
Whatever my father was up to he should know better. He should know there was no getting out of this. He would have to hand me over to the Crimson Moon Pack. Whether he liked it or not.
I was in half a mind to just pack my bag and head over there myself. No matter how much the thought of being near that foul piece of shit made me want to vomit. It would save so much hassle in the long run. And lives.
GABEThe bar was hopping tonight, more crowded for a weekday night than usual.Jamerson had informed us that we had business meetings tonight, and the Gammas shit for brain son was being returned to him tomorrow morning, all limbs attached; After we let Dynamite Al teach him a lesson.My session with Bailey last night left me feeling somewhat relaxed, or at least relieving some of my constant tension.I finished changing a keg and went to sit with Jamerson at ‘our’ table. He was nursing a whisky; one we had distilled ourselves and sold to numerous other establishments and some surrounding packs.It wasn’t unusual for us to do business with packs, not just supply them with our products but also our more aggressive services. Especially to those weaker packs who required reinforcements when they were attacked by true rogues.We never took sides. Only the color of money determined what side our services would support. They all knew it was nothing personal. Just business.“Quiet a night, h
GABEThe man, an obvious Alpha; stood tall and proud looking around the bar flanked by his two men, I took note that one had a Beta aura, and the other was a guard. His eyes landed on me, and I lifted my glass and downed the liquid in one go, still holding eye contact.Two of my men stood up blocking the Alpha’s path to me. This was either going to be a shit show or the Alpha wanted something.By the look of desperation written all over his face, I was guessing the latter.*Let him through* I linked my men. I would praise them later for doing their job, as I had told no one we were expecting a meeting with an Alpha. Curious eyes from the bar were all trained on the unknown Alpha, and I could see my Zeta’s stiffen, ready to fight if needed.The Alpha was unknown to me, not one I had previously encountered. The older man stepped forward closing in on our table, his men close behind him, constantly looking around watching their Alpha’s six.Good loyal men, who were all dressed nice, too n
STIXSMy father came back late into the night, two days after he had left. I stayed up waiting for him, pacing the front of the pack house like a possessed cat. Ready to pounce as soon as he steps out of the car or through the door, and demand answers from him. I hate being left in the dark and not knowing what is going on.Finally, around 2 am his car pulls up. He, Beta Branston, and two of his top warriors exit the vehicle. He looks tired and worried, and I detect a little edginess in him. Heightening my curiosity at where he might have been even more.“Pops,” I call out to him as he tells his men goodnight. I stood there with my hands on my hips and an accusatory look on my face. “Where have you been?” I glare at him when he acknowledges me.“Tomorrow, Hope. Let’s talk tomorrow. This old man is too tired tonight.” He says while hooking an arm around my shoulder and leading me back into the pack house.I knew he was tired; I wasn’t an idiot. I could see the dark circles under his ful
STIXI glanced towards my father who was wearing a sheepish look. Yeah, he should have talked to me last night. “You can call me Stix’s” I reply coolly, taking his large hand and feeling the warmth from it. I expected him to show dominance and grip me, instead, his large thumb stroked the back of my small hand in a flirtatious kind of way.My stomach flutters as this handsome man locks his deep blue orbs with mine. He was easy on the eyes, confident and built, and a good foot plus taller than me. His blue-washed jeans hugged his thighs and his white shirt stretched across his arms tightly showing off his toned muscles. The black vest he wore donned the skull of a wolf with crossbones.I furrowed my eyes, trying to think where I had seen that image before.“Stixs? That’s unusual,” The blond hunk chuckles.“She was given that nickname as a kid, it stuck.” My father laughs along with him but for a different reason.Stixs was the name my mother had given to me because I didn’t take any st
GABEKillian had come back last night after spending a day at the Raven Knights' pack. I’m sitting in the usual booth waiting for him to grace me with his presence. I would have had a sit-down last night, but he didn’t pull into town until the early hours of the morning, saying he needed sleep and attention. Making a point to say ‘attention first then sleep’.The Raven Knights pack was a good day’s drive from here, so he had been gone almost three days.I watch my sister dry and shelve glasses, preparing to open this afternoon. I smile to myself knowing the bar gives her purpose and insanely keeps her sane.“I can feel your eyes on me, Gabe!” She shouts with her back turned to me. “Why?” She questions still putting up glasses.“It's because big bro loves you to death,” Jamerson says walking in through the back of the bar and leaning over the end of the counter.I let out a low growl when I see the way my best friend's eyes roam over my sister. *Whatever you are thinking… I’ll kill you.
STIXSPulling the heavy door open to one of the enormous greenhouses that sit on our pack lands, I contemplate what my father is trying to do. The hot air hits me and I struggle to pull air into my lungs. The vast difference between the heat outside and the muggy heat inside the greenhouse is a sudden change and it takes a minute to adjust.I lift my nose and scent the air, trying to catch a whiff of Ruby’s perfume. The only thing I can smell is the overbearing scent of oranges.I couldn’t get it out of my head that my father was willing to give every penny he had to a mercenary pack of wolves just to keep me from falling into Alpha Crane's hands.On one hand, I’m proud of my father for sticking up for me. On the other hand, I just can't wrap my head around him sacrificing so much just for me. We couldn’t go to war with the Crimson Moon pack. We would lose for sure. With or without this band of rogue wolves. That and I wasn’t worth the lives of our warriors or the future of this pack.
GABE“So, what are you thinking oh fearless leader of ours?” Jamerson asks as I roll another barrel his way to change out.I lean against a case of liquor, some of our own brand, Propping an elbow on top. He was talking about the Raven Knights pack. “I think you should tell me your thoughts.” I shrug watching him re-hook the line to the keg.“No. No. You don’t get to put this on me.” He laughs, glancing at me. “This is your call, Gabe.”Swiping a hand down my face, realizing I need to shave when I feel the rough stubble scratch my palm. “The cause is sound. The money not so much.” I cut Jamerson off as he tries to rebuttal my statement. “But… I keep thinking of my sister. How she didn’t have a choice, how her voice wasn’t heard. Then think of how the alpha is willing to give up everything he has to keep his daughter out of the hands of a tyrannical pack.”“So, we’re taking the job?” Jamerson stands to his full height now all the kegs have been changed, crosses his arms, and sits on the
STIXSShifting uncomfortably, I looked at myself in the vanity mirror. The midnight blue dress was too tight. Too poofy. Too pretty. And so not me. I wasn’t used to wearing glamorous clothes such as this. But it had belonged to my mother.I only wish I wasn’t wearing it for creepy Crane and instead, wearing it to some fancy gala or party.Ruby finished putting the last touches on my hair. Even that was too fancy for me.“You look just like your mother.” I glance back in the mirror to see my father filling the door frame to my room.I smile when I see the sheen that coats his eyes. I once asked him why he never took another mate. He told me he could never love another like he did her and that the pain of her loss still sat heavily on his heart.Through the years I had hoped that he would meet someone to fill that void. But he never has to my knowledge. I was young when my mother was murdered and though I felt her absence and had fond memories of her, it wasn’t the same for me.“Thank yo