Chapter 32
Although Dad stayed, having Mum and Frances leave still feels like a big loss. I feel like I just got them back to have them gone, again. My life is so much quieter without them.
“What do you want to do today?” Alaric asks, walking over to me from the kitchen. I’m sitting on the L-shaped sofa, zoning out. I smile and turn to him, I know I’m doing it again, withdrawing myself from the world. I shrug my shoulders.
“Do you want to go furniture shopping for the house?” he asks. I smile and nod.
“Yes!” I agree. It’s something we were meant to do before my family came bursting into our lives.
“When?”
“Ten minutes?” he asks. I jumped up from my seat and hugged him, before yelling that I needed to brush my teeth and head for the bathroom.
We’re out the door in five (because I’m not fussy about how I look) and heading for Little Vallis.
The first store we go to is a leather goods store and as we walk inside, I take a deep breath in, enjoying the smell. Alaric and I wander the room, trying out different leather couches.
“What about this one?” I ask, indicating an L-shaped sectional leather couch in dark brown. We try sitting on it and I’m sold. It’s a bigger version than the one in the apartment and comes with an armchair as well. Yup. This one’s it.
“Anything I can help you with?” a salesman asks, walking up to us.
“Yes please!” I grin.
We leave that store with the sectional couch and a dark-stained wooden sideboard to place behind it. The next store we head into is a store specialising in wood products, and we find a beautiful Jarrah dining room table that easily seats eight people. The table itself looks like it’s been sliced vertically from the tree trunk, with its edges showing off its natural curves. The smell is divine and although the house is wood, the colour of the jarrah, being pinkish, is different enough to be unique. We also order our beds through the store and purchase some wooden knick-knacks like pot stands, wine bottle coasters, tealight candle holders and timber coasters. I think I enjoy this part just as much as buying the bigger items.
“I think I’m tired from shopping!” I admit when we return to the car.
“Are you sure, we still need sheets and blankets and pots and pans,” Alaric says.
“Can we order them online?” I ask. Alaric laughs.
“We can. But are you sure?”
I nod. Honestly, I could just sleep.
“Maybe we can go shopping again next week,” I say, closing my eyes.
“We could.”
“Yeah. I could put up with you again,” I add. I open my eyes and look at my mate, flashing him a grin. He shakes his head.
“I love you, really,” I tease.
“I love you too, babe,” Alaric replies. I smile and close my eyes, ready for my sleep back to Silver Forest.
//\\///\\\//\\
I’m up at five, getting ready for morning training with Alaric.
“I’m tired. Do I have to go?” I complain, dragging myself to the kitchen where Alaric has made us a quick breakfast.
“Yeah. Today’s important,” Alaric replies.
“Really, how?” I ask.
“You’ll see,” he says.
“Can you tell me?” I ask. Alaric shakes his head. It’s Monday and although Dad had family dinner with us and the Erstad’s last night, they both refused to talk about work. Even Henry didn’t get a reply when he asked how everything was going.
“No. Let’s go, slowpoke,” Alaric says, grabbing my hand as we’re walking out the door.
Alaric leaves me at the field and heads to the front of the crowd where Dad, Rhiannon and Raven stand.
“Welcome Deltas!” Alaric calls out, quieting the crowd effectively.
“Today will be a different day to the others. Morning training will run as normal but instead of you going to your different shifts, we ask you all to meet us in the sparring room at ten, except for Sloan’s team who will come to the sparring room straight after breakfast break. We have some changes we need to share. And before you ask, yes, this happening. This morning you can choose which of us you will follow but as of tomorrow that will change too,” Alaric continues. The crowd begins to stir with questions and conversations, but Alaric simply puts his hand up.
“Choose your training group, now!” he orders.
Even though he can’t see me, I smile in his direction and then head for where I can see Drew standing.
“What are we doing, boss?” I hear Ben ask as I approach.
“Don’t call me that,” Drew replies. He scans us and when he’s satisfied that we’re all here, he smiles.
“We’re going to follow Dixon on the obstacle course,” Drew says. We all nod and walk towards the obstacle course, where a small group of Deltas are already gathered.
“Let’s start, four at a time!” I hear Dad call out. I watch as people begin to line up in groups of four and I find myself in a line with Hayden, Nolan and Ben.
“You think you can beat me little one?” Nolan asks, giving me a grin.
“No. But I think I can beat Ben,” I reply, making the older man laugh.
“Hey! I heard that!” Ben cries out. I laugh and grin in Ben’s direction, taking a step forward when Dad blows his whistle.
The obstacle course is a thirty-metre race which enters the trees. The first half of the race includes crawling nets, running ramps and a swing bridge over mud. The second half of the course has you climbing trees, and walking on wires and ends in a flying fox. Admittedly, I haven’t done this course much in my free time, but it’s fun.
When Dad blows his whistle for my turn, we all take off. Being female I’m fast, but once we get to the obstacles that require upper-body strength, I slow down. At the Flying Fox, I choose the seat rather than the handles, and because of this, I end up coming second to Ben. I’m not mentioning where Nolan and Hayden come.
“See, told you I’m good,” Ben says, grabbing my head and rubbing his knuckles into my crown. I respond by stomping on his foot and then he lets me go.
“Breakfast?” Nolan asks. I nod and run over to where Alaric is working with his group.
“And that’s it! Breakfast!” Alaric calls out to his group. They stop sparring and walk over to their water bottles for a drink.
“What did you do?” Alaric asks when he meets me.
“Obstacle course. How did your group go?” I ask.
“Good. We started with Tai chi but then some of the rangers suggested to spar and I agreed,” Alaric says. I look behind him and see Conner standing there with Max. I bet they did.
Alaric puts his arm around my shoulders, and I breathe in his scent, which is stronger from his workout.
We head for the food court, finding a table before Alaric leaves to get us food.
“Hey peanut, can we join?” Dad asks, pulling up a seat next to me. I look at my dad and see the rest of the Rangers with their food behind him.
“Sure,” I reply. I watch as Laythe and Max pull a table next to mine and sit down, but Conner joins Dad and me at the table I’m sitting at.
“Where’s your mate, did he abandon you?” Conner asks as soon as he sits.
“No, he’s getting me food,” I scowl.
“He’s a good man for my peanut,” Dad grins. I nod in agreement.
“Hey everyone,” Alaric says, putting his tray down in front of me. I take my fruit salad and muffin while Alaric places the rest of the food in front of himself.
“Is that all you got her? You need to give her more than that to be a good mate,” Conner complains.
“I know what my mate wants and how much she eats, thank you,” Alaric growls.
“Well, if she was my mate I’d make her eat more. She’s too skinny!” Conner complains.
“Thank goddess you’re not my mate then,” I growl, joining Alaric in his anger.
“I think that’s enough. When you find your mate, you’ll understand, Conner,” Dad says, intervening. Like that’s possible.
Breakfast is eaten quietly with Alaric slowly boiling underneath the surface.
“Are you alright?” I ask through our link, placing my hand on his forearm.
“Just thinking about our meeting. Conner’s being a prick,” Alaric replies smiling, trying to lighten the mood. I nod in understanding and continue with my food.
Thankfully Dad starts up a new conversation and attention is moved away from me and my breakfast. I try again to ask what the meeting is about, teasingly knowing I’ll get knocked back when Dad answers me.
“You’ll be more involved in the commander role if you want, peanut,” Dad says.
“Really?” I ask, a little surprised.
“Yup,” Alaric agrees.
“Your mother helped me when I was a commander. Her perspective was beneficial because she could see things where I didn’t,” Dad says.
“Talon says your mum’s ideas kept him in his role,” Alaric adds. Dad nods.
“It was your mum’s idea to start training young pups, which grew into what it became,” Dad comments.
“Like training pups from other packs?” I ask. Dad nods.
“All from your mum’s idea,” Dad concludes.
“Jed is thinking about starting something like that here,” Alaric adds.
“From what I understand, young pups who grew up in Little Vallis come to Silver Forest to train if they want to be Deltas,” Dad says.
“And that side of the pack is further away,” Conner adds. I look at him but he’s staring at his food.
“That’s right. If we have an internship, we could have our pups stay at the pack house and train at the same time. Some would need to change schools for a few months, but we can work around it,” Alaric comments.
“That’s if they’re school age,” Conner adds.
“Not all of them will be as stubborn as you,” Dad jokes, making Conner laugh. I watch their relationship. It’s a bond of mutual respect. Obviously, Conner hasn’t said who I was to him. I hope he never does. From what I can see about them, knowing what Conner did to me would break Dad.
“It’s time,” Dad says after a little while. The rangers all agree, and I help Alaric clean up our table and put the tray away. After watching Conner and Dad together, I became lost in my thoughts. No, Dad can not find out about Conner rejecting me. I haven’t even told Alaric, and I have no clue how he’d react.
Alaric takes my hand and with Dad, we lead the Rangers into the large gymnasium, which has been cleared of all equipment. Alaric kisses my forehead before leaving me to set up the microphone, and I stand there and watch the Deltas file in. I see Lana walk in with a group of friends and I wave to her when I catch her eye. She grins and gestures me over, so I leave my spot at the front of the room and walk to her.
Lana introduces me to her friends before asking what is going on, and what the meeting is about.
“I don’t know, just that there’s going to be some changes,” I admit.
“Some big changes, Odelia, one of Lana’s friend’s comments, and I nod.
“Welcome to our first Delta meeting,” Alaric’s voice booms across the room. I scan the ceiling for the speakers, where I see two behind Alaric, and the crowd quietens.
“They’re so cute,” I hear one of Lana’s friends whisper, and I giggle when I see Alaric make a face and scan the crowd for the speaker.
Next to Alaric stands my dad, but behind him stands the Rangers: Laythe, Conner, Joel, Max and Zac. Beta Rhiannon, Beta Raven and all the Delta Team Leaders, Drew included, all stand next to the rangers.
“Thank you for your attention,” Alaric continues.
“As you know a few months ago we had a lone wolf herded by some of our young pups and put in the cells,” Alaric begins, stopping at the murmurs when people begin talking. From what I can tell, everyone knows that story but not many know who exactly it was. Which is good, because it was me. Part of me wants to say it was me, but I don’t.
“Quiet!” Alaric orders, feeding his Beta strength in the instruction. I feel it but don’t respond as those around me do, who bow their heads a little.
“The pups who did this did so because of our pack’s history with rogues. But our history with rogues is only that, history. We won that war, and this lone wolf was not like the spelled wolves who attacked us and our lands. But because of what we did, Alpha Jed called in the Royal Council, who, after extensive interviews and analysis of my command, decided that we needed help. That I needed help. And so brought Ranger Dixon and his team to our lands,” Alaric announces, gesturing to the rangers standing behind Dad.
“You may have met some of the Rangers already. You may know their names. While they have been getting to know you, Ranger Dixon, Beta Rhiannon, Beta Raven and I and all our Delta Team Leaders have met with how we can fix our Delta team. And this is what we’ve come up with…” Alaric says.
And this is about where I zone out. Yeah, yeah, I know.
“Huh?” I say when people around me start to complain.
“Beta Raven just said we’d have to work a weekend day every three weeks,” Lana whispers.
“Oh”
“The only way we can get out of that is if we have a family,” Lana adds.
“Oh,” I say again.
“People are unhappy,” one of Lana’s friends whispers.
“They’ll just have to get used to it,” another remarks. I nod in agreement. Change is always hard, but once it becomes regular, it will become normal. There may be some teething problems, but this is for the best.
Alaric stands in front of us once more and announces that these new changes will occur beginning tomorrow, and to see our current team leaders after lunch. The meeting then ended.
“I wonder how many people won’t like these changes and stop being Deltas,” I comment as people begin to disperse around us.
“I don’t know, but I’m quite excited about border patrol. I’ve always wanted to do that and get out of the pack house more,” Rachel, I think her name is, says.
“I’m only part-time so I wonder if I have to go full-time,” I add.
“Yeah, you’ll have to ask your team leader,” Lana replies.
“See you later, okay?” Lana then adds as we head for the door.
“Yeah. See yah,” I reply, waving goodbye and scanning the tops of peoples’ heads for Alaric, Rhiannon, or Dad.
I find them at the front of the room, talking to each other.
“Alaric!” I call out when I approach him. He grins when he notices me and opens his arm for me to hug him.
“How’d I go?”
“Uh,” I reply, thinking back to what I remember.
“You were fine,” I reply.
“Fine? Just fine?” Alaric asks.
“She used to tend to stop listening to long speeches,” my dad adds, smiling. I blush, embarrassed that I got caught out.
“Yeah…” I agree, refusing to meet my mates’ eyes.
“Did you catch the main ideas?” Rhiannon asks.
“Yup. I know there’ll be six new teams and it starts tomorrow…” I admit.
“I’ll have to fill you in on the other bits tonight,” Alaric growls. And I feel bad.
“Are you angry with me?” I ask. Alaric shakes his head, refusing to answer. I look at Rhiannon for support, but she just smiles.
“Lunch! I’m so hungry!” Raven suddenly shouts, cutting through the tension.
“Are you going to eat with us today?” Dad asks Rhiannon and Raven.
“Sure!” Rhiannon replies.
We walk over to the food court, and Alaric doesn’t let me stray. When I look up at him, he doesn’t respond.
We find a table nowhere near where my friends and I usually sit, and I look longingly in their direction.
“I’ll get us some food,” Alaric says, leaving me at the table. Raven and Dad join him, and I reluctantly sit down opposite Rhiannon.
“Is he really angry with me?” I ask. Because boy, do I think I stuffed up.
“No. Alaric’s pretty easygoing. But from the sounds of it, you were listening…” Rhiannon cringes.
“I was. It was just… boring…” I admit. Rhiannon laughs.
“Unfortunately for you. This is what was said,” Rhiannon says, leaning forward. And she fills me in.
According to Rhiannon, the gist is that the tracking team, (my team) would be dispersed amongst all the teams (what I wanted) and that each team would be rotated on border patrol (also what I wanted). Main security for the pack would be held in a control room, which one of our new offices would be converted into and all teams would be shuffled up into six new teams. As with rotating border patrol, each team would participate in either training, community service or security. Community service would be anything from construction to gardening to maintenance work around the pack lands. And tasks would be rotated every three weeks. Some of the information Rhiannon told me I knew, because surprisingly, I was listening, but I had questions about some of the changes. Especially those concerning me.
“Food,” Alaric says when he returns. I smile and thank him, but he just grunts in return.
“So… what about people who are part-timers, like me?” I ask when we’re all sitting together. Alaric harrumphs, which makes Rhiannon smile, but Dad answers me.
“That’s something you’ll have to talk to your team leader about, but we planned it so that wouldn’t affect you,” he says.
“And what if you’re not good at say, building things?” I ask… because I don’t know if I’d be able to do that.
“We’ve thought about that too, babe. You don’t need to worry,” Alaric smiles. I smile back at him. See! I was listening.
Lunch seemed to go by more comfortably, with Alaric squeezing my hand or knee every now and then. I think he’s forgiven me, and the fact I’d zone out doesn’t come up in conversation.
“I’m having dinner with my team tonight,” Dad tells me when we’re about to go.
“Okay,” I reply, hugging him.
“I figured you’d want some alone time with your mate,” he links. I nod.
“Thanks, Dad,” I smile.
“I’ll see you tonight,” Alaric says, kissing the top of my head.
“And then you’ll get your punishment,” he links. This makes me stop in my tracks.
“Uh,” I reply. Alaric gives me a wink and walks off with my dad. I try to catch Rhiannon’s eye, but she’s lost in her mate. Dam it.
Reluctantly I follow the trail for Drew to see where he is and what he wants us to do now we have new changes. I find him in his office, and thankfully I’m not the last one there.
Drew smiles when he sees me and looks back over at Nolan, who is talking about something. I switch off (again) and begin thinking about what Alaric means about punishing me. Will it be a good punishment, or will it be a bad one? I’m hoping for a good one, which is naughty. Like Dad said, we need some much-vetted alone time.
“We’re here! You can start now!” Ben cries when he and Robby walk into the room. I grin, hiding my laughter. According to the clock on the wall, they’re ten minutes late. Nolan scowls and turns back to his conversation with Drew.
“Alright, now that we’re all here, we can start,” Drew says, looking at us all.
“As our Commander has said, our team will be split up, and we will be rotating through the other roles as stated,” he says, looking pointedly at each of us.
“Which is about bloody time,” Drew adds, making the older men cheer.
“These are your new assignments,” Drew continues, handing us each a piece of paper. I look over at mine and smile. I haven’t lost my three days, although I’ve been scheduled to teach classes on staff use on Wednesdays. I also will be teaching pups on Wednesday afternoons.
“I have a four-day week,” I murmur, reading the page.
“Why is that?” Ben asks, grabbing my paper off me.
“Hey!” I reply, trying to get it back. But he holds it over my head and reads my assignment for himself.
“Well that’s not fair,” Ben sulks handing me back my sheet.
“Evie’s Wednesdays are long, and she’s teaching music at the daycare. If you want to do something like that Ben, please let us know,” Drew scolds. I smile.
“Yeah, Ben. Maybe you could teach them how to sleep, or something,” I tease.
“That was one time!” Ben cries.
