Down Boy

Down Boy: Chapter 1

“The next thing on our agenda tonight is,” Alpha Andrews started up with about the fifth topic of the night. “The University.”

A few murmurs started through the crowd as everyone looked up at our Alpha. He was older than you’d think in his late 40’s, but the way he stood, hands behind his back and head held high, you’d think he’d be in his prime for running the pack.

“I know, I know.” He continued, “We lost our Beta in the battle this weekend and he was our leading professor at the University.” A sniffle was heard from the crowd and no one had to turn to know that it was Melissa; Keaton was her husband, our Beta, her mate. “We shall not mourn his death no more though. We are strong; we lost one courageous man in that fight, one outstanding wolf, but we won that battle against Quinn’s pack. Our territory is once again ours!”

A few encouraging whistles were created by members of the pack who were standing far off in the corner of the town hall. They were college aged guys that we had all grown up with. Melissa wiped a tear from her eye, smiling at the boys. We were one big family and we supported each other, through everything.

‘Thank you.’ She mouthed behind the mask of joy that covered the sadness in her facial features.

“Thank you boys, but please take your seat.” They immediately nodded and sat down, listening and obliging to our Alpha’s demands. For every pack there was the leader and Alpha Andrews was ours. He’d been our Alpha for years now, it was about time he should pass it on, but the way he was leading our pack, no one wanted him to go. He had taken the position at an early age after his father passed during one of pack’s older battles, but yet he kept going strong, strengthening us with each year.

Just as Alpha Andrews finished his request, Carly nudged my side and I turned to look at her.

“What?” I whispered, too soft for a human to hear, but just enough for our wolfish ears. She smiled and flicked her nose.

That ladies and gentlemen was our ‘code’.

At these big meetings everyone could hear everyone else’s thoughts and quite frankly nobody liked that. Yet, we had no choice. The gossips of our pack were always listening so, unless you wanted whatever you meant to say quietly to be heard by all, you said nothing.

That’s how Carly and I wanted it. If we had tried to say it aloud to ourselves then sure enough, someone would speak up and rat us out because it wasn’t something that we should be trying to do at pack meetings. So the ‘code’ was developed so that others could see us, but not understand what we meant. Every once in a while the ‘code’ would be changed for those who watched us and knew what we were doing. Each hand signal meant something different. A flick to the nose was ‘let’s go.’

Carly nudged me once again and flicked her nose twice more, trying to signal me, but I tried hard to stop and listen to what Alpha Andrews was saying, I always missed these things because of her…

“Since our Beta is gone, god rest his soul, I’ll be looking out for a new strong male to take Jack’s place. So, every little thing you do is being watched.” He winked and got a few chuckles from the crowd before his expression changed to a more serious one. “As I was saying, we’re down a teacher and classes are full, especially the Pack History class. Jack was a great teacher and without him we had no clue how we were going to do this until Melissa came up with a great idea.” Once again, I was nudged in the side.

My head whipped around so fast that I was surprised I didn’t receive whiplash as I gave Carly the deadliest look I could muster up, but of course, Carly being Carly, she wasn’t even fazed by it. Another flick and I had about had it.