Rise of the Makoce Pack

Chapter 4. Determination and Unity

I blink as I process what my wolf is telling me. She nudges me again to bring me out of my daydream. "Casey, this is obviously a sign. We must not overlook what this means for us." The sound of loose dirt and rocks dropping to the forest floor brings me back to the real world. My wolf, Chayton whines, she's worried. The loss of the pack is breaking her heart and as much as she is trying to keep her emotions buried, she just can't. Her head flicks back and the mournful song of the broken hearted fills the quiet of the forest. The song is haunting, rendering even the crickets deathly silent. Soon the rest of the pack joins in and together a choir of howls fills the air. But if you listened closely, through the thick, overwhelming cloud of sadness lay the subtle notes of hope. They were faint, but they were there and that gave Casey some hope of her own. Chayton's song faded into the night and she tilted her head, listening as the symphony of howls falls silent and the forest returns to its own late night song,"Casey, we are now Alpha and we have much work to do. Where will we start?" I considered her words carefully and took my time answering.. "Chay, we need the pack to be on the same page, I need to unify us, I need to give us a common goal to strive for. If we don't, this will destroy us and other packs will sense that and come knocking, and we don't have the man power to keep another pack at bay if they want to fight and I don't even want to think about the rogues." Chayton grinned, "My dear, you have the makings of a great leader, your father would be proud."

After a bit more time running off some my mess of emotions and snagging ourselves a rabbit, I decided it was time to head back to the compound to find Fletcher. I'm just pulling clothes back on and walking through the door of the kitchen when I find him fast asleep at the island in the middle of the room, head drooped over a bowl of cereal. I had to laugh, poor guy really needed rest if he was even falling asleep over his food. I walked to the other side of the island, pulled up a stool and rested my chin on the cool gray granite surface of the counter. I reached over and gently flicked his forehead. He flinched and mumbled but he slept on. So I flicked again, a little harder but still nothing. I tried a third time and got a slight growl out of him, he swiped his hand towards the intrusive finger, but again, he fell right back to sleep."Alright Fletcher, I hate to do this, but you leave me no choice." I stealthily reach into his cereal bowl and quietly grab his spoon that was still perched against side of the bowl, resting in the now soggy Corn Flakes. I grab the spoon and aim it right at his forehead, leaving the rounded side of it to smack him in the head. I bit my lower lip as I aimed and Smack! A wet sound accompanied the dull thud the spoon made. Fletcher flailed his arms while shrieking in fear and fell off his stool with a resounding crash that sent his stool sliding across the wooden floor. I doubled over laughing as Fletcher mumbled and growled on the floor. He slowly rose, wiping his forehead with his hand. He grinned evilly and jumped at me to wipe the remaining milk and cereal bits on me. After running around the kitchen like a pair of kids playing tag, we finally settled down.

Catching our breath I grabbed us water bottles from the fridge and motion for Fletcher to follow me. Once we're in my office, I looked around for the sheet we temporarily used as a door only to find that at some point this evening someone replaced it. Man, my pack was efficient I couldn't help but think. I eased myself into the chair watching Fletcher as he got comfortable in the arm chair in front of me. Oh how quickly our faces turn from laughter and joy to complete seriousness, it's almost startling how fast we seem to turn it off. It's time for business and I intend to accomplish what I was currently thinking about. I watch as Fletcher fiddled with his bottle of water. He can obviously see that this is serious and the determination in his eyes and the small frown that settles on his handsome face as he gives me his utmost attention let's me know that he's ready to listen. I cleared my throat before I began. "Fletcher, we're almost done with the burial process, just another half days work and those we've lost will be put to rest. Do you know what comes after that?" Fletcher scratched his head thinking, "Well, Alpha, we need to continue our rebuilding of the compound that's for sure and maybe work on rebuilding some of the alliances your father worked on, they need to know that there's been a change in leadership, maybe let them know the extent of the damage we're dealing with. They could end up being the extra help we so desperately need around here, I know how tired the pack is. And you also need to think about finding a second beta. I'm tired, Case, I need help. You can't do this alone and I sure as hell can't."
I slowly nod my head in agreement, silently prioritizing the things that he mentioned."I agree with all of that, Fletch but there's one thing we need to take care of first." The gleam in my eyes made Fletcher shift in his seat, curiosity pouring out of him in waves."Go on" He encouraged. There was a feeling deep down that he knew what she was going to say and he wasn't sure he was gonna like it. At all.

"Fletcher, I need to know who's with me, I need to know where the pack's loyalty lie. If it will not shift to me since the death of my father and brother then I need to send a message. It's unite under me and my leadership or fight to the death. Those who wish to challenge me will be given that chance, those who wish to voice their doubts can as well and I'll do my best to to change those doubts into hope. Even if its just a little hope it's better than nothing; hope grows if fed correctly and doubt sets it's roots deep and destroys. Our pack is so broken, Fletch, we need each other more than anything and more than anything they need a strong leader that they know would be willing to fight for them." Casey sighed, "I don't want to do this, but it's come to this and I have to face it head on. God forbid that we're raided again but if it did happen now, there would be no more pack. It's time to call a pack meeting."