Alpha Lilly

06 An Unexpected Invitation*

"When a wolf is brought into the pack the initiation ceremony requires a mingling of blood." He says as he slides his knife across his palm allowing the blood to drip on the paper in front of him. "As the Alpha's blood joins with the new pack member's the mind link is opened to them and the Alpha gains strength from them."

"So," I respond, "the larger the pack the stronger the Alpha?"

"In most cases, yes." He answers, "However, the Alpha's personal power can give him an edge when pack numbers are close."

I think over my father's words a moment then as thought crosses my mind.

"What about the children?" I ask. "We aren't born with the mind link."

"Do you remember your first change?" Father asks. I shudder it's not something most of us choose to recall. The first change is a long drawn out and excruciating experience that typically happens between the ages of 6 and 8. I don't want to think about it.

"Yes." I respond.

"Not every child born to a wolf completes the change." Father says. "So, once the child completes their first shift the Alpha is called. When I come into the room the parent wolf will bite the pup on their scruff, I bite my hand and place it on the pups neck accepting them into the pack."

"Ok two questions." I say. "First, why didn't you do that with me? And more importantly WHAAAT? Not all pups change? I didn't know that!?"

"Firstly," Father says, "being my pup" he continues with a grin knowing I hate being referred to as a 'pup'. "You already have my blood so your shift itself opened your link." He takes a deep breath and looks down not wanting to answer the second question. "Secondly, yes, not all pups change. It is rare but it happens. Because of the possibility that they won't shift we wait to accept them into the pack."

"Soooo... what happens to the pups that don't shift?" I ask. Father begins rubbing the back of his neck dreading that exact question.

"It varies from pack to pack.... but this pack has always placed the child with an adoptive human family." He answers and I note how he referred to the pup as a 'child', distancing them from our wolf ways. "It seems the most decent thing to do... a human child raised with us would not fair well. Some packs... well some packs are less kind."

"What about the parents? Losing a child? How is that decent?" I yell furious over this new information.

"What else would you have us do, little wolf?" He asks calmly staring at me. His waves of calm chipping away my anger.

"Stupid Alpha influence." I think to myself.

"Bite them in." I say without thinking.

"I won't do it." He says bluntly.

"Why not?! they deserve a family!"

"Because they deserve to live, Lilly!" Father explodes then takes a deep breath calming himself.

I slide back into my seat not even realizing I'd left it in my anger.

"What?" I breathe lost for words.

"Few humans survive the bite." He says shaking his head. "That's why the process to get approval is so involved. Only an Alpha can bite in a human and he must bleed into the wound like in an initiation ceremony. Then take the pain of your first change and multiply it by 10. That is the agony of being bitten in. The bite must be approved and witnessed by two North American Alphas." Father pauses then continues. "A child who doesn't shift on their own has about a 20% chance of surviving the bite....Its not worth the risk."

"Wow... I...I... wow." I can't say any more. Words fail me. I see why father was reluctant to speak of this. "I'm sorry father... I...I understand"

He shakes his head "anyway." He says quick to move on the conversation. "You know you have Alpha blood." I nod and he continues. "That blood gives you certain power even before you become Alpha."