Trials of the Bitten

Part 13

"Luka hasn't come back," Nick said swinging into the game room. "Alpha is furious with him. Our orders are to stay out of trouble and sit tight," he said, collapsing onto the sofa behind Martin and Stein. "Alpha made Mum promise to wait until they're back to punish him. Alpha wanted first dibs," he said with a shiver. The others all grimaced and Andy hunched over slightly. 

"Wouldn't want to be him," Leon commented softly. "Running from the pack is just about the most stupid ..." he trailed off as Nick coughed with a pointed look. Nick's eyes parted to Andy. Leon paled slightly and wrapped an arm around Andy's shoulders, clearly trying to reassure him and not make Andy angry with him. "I mean..." he paused with a look of panic on his face as he couldn't think of better word.

"I know what you mean," Andy said darkly, but he didn't shift Leon's arm away. He didn't lean into it but he didn't push it away. A mixture of expressions washed over Leon's face and he removed it himself. Leia shifted in his hands and hugged Andy's neck. 

Andy had run away? Martin frowned. Andy had been confined to the den house for some reason. Was that why? Only they made it sound like whatever Dominic was planning to do to Luka would be serious and Andy was fine. Still, this was not the time to ask questions. He would have to do more listening later. Or ask Stein. The boy was almost always willing to clear up things Martin didn't know about yet and with so many people it was useful.

"Running away is stupid?" Martin commented softly.

"For you, doubly so, babycakes" Nick commented, a hand rubbing Martin's back, using one of the many nicknames the older boy had given him. Nick seemed to enjoy flirting with him, badly. He liked using bad pick up lines. Some made Martin laugh. Others, not so much. "You don't have control yet. For us," he pulled a strange face. "It's more complicated. It's just part of the rules of the pack. You obey the alpha. You protect the pack. You work for the pack. You do not leave the pack. It's simple. Punishment depends on the person. If you're an adult, a child, an alpha or a gamma."

"You can't leave? What about things like university or are you restricted to things in this area?" Martin asked curiously, his eyes flashing to Andy who curled slightly.

"Depends," Leon shrugged. "I am strong and have enough control to protect myself so I could go outside of pack lands to university. There are a few we can't go to. They have to be in someone's pack lands but almost all of them are. There is an agreement. The other pack will watch out for those of us visiting but we do have to look after ourselves. We belong to the pack we are born in. Moving packs is difficult," he commented softly. "Alpha's get possessive over the people they see as theirs."

"Case and point," Andy said dryly, gesturing to Leon. Leon pulled a face and kissed Andy's cheek, Leia growled and snapped at Leon. Leon looked at her with a strange look in his eyes. Wariness and then a flash of pure mischief before kissing her on the nose.  Leia jerked back and wriggled her nose, grimacing. She pushed Leon's face away with the palms of her hand. Nick laughed, and Leia made an annoyed face as Leon licked her hand.

She scrunched up her nose. "Boys are gross," Leia complained, rubbing her hand against Andy's chest as he complained. Andy had a smile on his face though, amused by his sister's antics. 

"That's my girl," Nick said approvedly, spreading his arms out. Leia clambered over Andy to her oldest brother. Martin and Stein shifted and let Leia hug her brother. Nick squeezed her close and Leia hummed happily. Leon shifted, standing and moving to the other side of Andy. It seemed like a strange move to make but then Martin realised, Leon had Sam in an embrace. Sam who looked about to cry.