Alpha and Beta OLD

Chapter 1

"Brandon I swear to everything that is holy I will," I leaned in, "beat your ass." Brandon bit his lip, fighting back a smile.

"President." Groans echoed around the group of five. Brandon always won, literally always, and Joanne was convinced he was cheating. No one had caught him yet, so he continues to destroy them every time we play President.

And we just keep coming back for more.

Alice threw her cards on the table. "That's it," she announced, standing up. "We're playing Mario Kart."

I gestured towards where me and Alex were sitting with our sides pressed together. "Does that include us this time?" Alex and I were the best of the five at Mario cart. It was actually the only time I ever outranked Alex, something I constantly reminded him of.

Alice groaned. "We're doing teams, you two on separate ones; as always." We all laughed. Cal and Alex have never played Mario Kart on teams together, it'd be unfair. They tried it once, and it did not end well for the other team. Alex and Cal managed to make all of them come last.

"Who's sitting out first then?" Joanne asked.

"I'll do it," Alex said.

"Oho, Mr. Alpha stepping away from the competition?" I teased.

"Yeah yeah I gotta go the the bathroom," he chuckled. He got up, suddenly leaving half my body cold, and walked off. I stood up as well, missing the look Alice, Joanne and Brandon shared.

We moved away from the coffee table and settled on the couch, picking up the Wii nunchucks from the side table. We set it up and picked teams, the challenge, then picked characters. I was always Rosalina. Every time. Super Mario Galaxy was the first game I finished by myself, and it held a special spot in my heart.

By the time Alex got back, I was winning, of course. Alex plopped right down next to me, causing me to drive into a hole. "If you weren't my Alpha," I grumbled, the threat hanging empty in the air. If we hadn't become enemies at this point we never would. Alex just chuckled and nudged his shoulder against mine, before sliding down a bit and resting his head on my shoulder.

Alex has abandonment issues. It started when his parents left him; we were 8. My parents, the Beta's, stepped up to lead until a few months ago, almost a year now actually. Alex had come to live with us. He tried not to show it, but he was still hurt by it. He never got to ask why, he never found them, he'll forever wonder why he wasn't important enough to stay for, or at least take with them.

That's why I will always chose him. From school projects to games to patrol I always chose him, to remind him I'm not going anywhere. He is enough for me. I'll never let him forget that.

___

Two days later was the start of school after March Break. We were seniors. It was kinda scary thinking that in only four months we'd be graduated and going to university. Alex and I are staying in the city, it's our first choice plus the Alpha and Beta shouldn't be gone for so long from the pack. It wouldn't be fair to my parents. They want to retire, take a nice vacation to Greece and Italy, maybe stop in Spain on the way back.

I drove us to school. Ever since Alex's parents left he's been living with my family. I wouldn't want to go back to the house the parents who abandoned me owned. One week we're in my house, the other next we're in the pack house. That's where our offices are. Not that we use them much. The rooms used to be filled with paper files, but everything went digital four years ago, courtesy of your two favourite leaders. Now the bookcases were actually filled with books, history and fiction, plus some framed photos of our friends and family.

My office had the better couch, but Alex is too stubborn to admit it.

We pulled up alongside the school, stopping right across from it. The students didn't have access to the parking lot, so the streets around the building were filled with teenager's cars. We walked to the door, spotting Alice, Joanne and Brandon sitting on one of the benches at the front of the school. We made our way over to them.