Hunter:
The next morning I was nervous as heck. 'Will I be deemed alpha, or will Richard have his way and become the new alpha?' I wondered. I could sense Jade's presence nearby, she was cleaning the up stairs. I bit my lip debating on trying to talk to her without Richard or Eladia being aware. 'Nah, they'd know. They're so cautious' I thought. 'Actualy, Eladia wouldn't notice' I thought. Since the knews about Vincent struck, she'd just crumbled into broken glass from the inside out. 'And what about me?' I wondered. I sat on my bed deep in though. 'Did I care at all, that my father may be dead, and that this pack was becoming weaker and weaker? What about Richard, what is he up to? What's his plan?' I wondered. I raised a fist, smashing my knuckles into the window which cracked at the impact. I sighed, what was I to do. The sound of a horses hooves reached my years. I looked out the window to see Richard pulling up the horses and the carriage. I stood up, and looked in the mirror. My dark brown hair looked fine, simple clothes looked proffessional. I chuckled, laughing at myself for fussing over my look. I l left my room, turning to close the door, and as I turned around I ran into someone.
"Ooff!" I heard the person I exclaim. My reflexes were quick and I caught them.
"You okay?" I asked. Her face turned rosy red,
"Yeah, I'm fine" Jade told me, a smile creeping on her face. I felt the stress, the anger, all of it leave my mind. 'When I'm with you Jade, everything feels okay. As if there were nothing wrong going on in life' I thought, 'I wonder if she can feel the bond between us, even if she is human' I wondered. I heard someone walk by lazily, and I looked up to see my mother. She was well dressed for the meeting. A dash of make-up on her face, but it didn't cover up the tired look in her eyes. I couldn't help but feel bad. Her mate, my father, is gone. We don't know if he's alive, or dead, or even how the barbarians killed him if he is dead that is. Without my father my mother was a hollow shell of her former self. She didn't care about Jade, or I. 'If Jade were gone, would I be the same? A hollow shell?' I thought.
"Are you okay?" Jade asked. Her eyes looked up to my eyes. I nodded my head and gave her a reassuring smile. I led her down the hall, my arm drapped aroudn her waist keeping her close to me. 'Everything is going to be okay' I thought. When I become alpha, I'll fix everything. I felt confident that I would be made alpha. After all I am the beta wolf of the pack, not Richard. A low growl rumbled through my chest. I shared the same feelings my father did towards my uncle. The slight dislike and the distrust towards him. 'If I feel that way, then the council won't trust him. They trust me more than him. I will be the alpha' I thought. We left and hopped into the horse-drawn carriage. It didn't take long to reach the town. The council from the other pack's would be there, but not the alpha's this time. Richard would be there as well as the entire Lakefall Pack. All of the families would be there to see me declared alpha. 'And I won't let down any family in this pack' I thought. We reached the building and entered. I let go of Jade, so she could watch Morgan.
"Ah, there you are" Richard said, taking Eladia's hand and kissed it sweetly. She gave him a gentle smile, a flicker of life returned in her eyes.
"And Hunter, how 're ye boy?" Richard asked. I held my chin just a bit higher,
"Good, and you?" I asked.
"Fine, it is a great day" he said, and he leaned closer to whisper in my ear, "May the better man win" he said with a chuckle and left to stand by his family. 'Stay calm, don't loose your cool' I thought. I made my way through the crowd of people towards the long table at which the council sat at.
"Ms. Schaedler, good to see you" I greated the elder representing the Eric's pack.
"Good to see you to Hunter, how have you been?" Ester asked.
"Good, and Eric?" I asked curiously.
"A fine alpha of the pack" Ester answered. I felt tempted to ask what was thought of me as a role in becoming alpha of me pack.
"Your wondering about your status as becoming alpha?" Ester asked. I nodded hesitantely.
"I don't know, as a council member even if I am not representing your pack I still have a say in who becomes alpha" she told me, "I don't know, I wonder about you" she told me, "I wonder just what you care about more. The human you claim to be your mate, or your own pack?" she said with a questioning tone. I pressed my lips into a thin line. My throught felt tight and I was starting to loose my confidence.
"I care about both equally" I replied, "Both my mate and the pack are important. I would defend both in any time of emergency" I added. 'Smooth, good answer' I thought to myself.
"Strong lad, you talk with the confidence of an alpha" Ellen Brook said, the representative of the Brook pack.
"Or the confidence of someone arogant" Henry Lakefall challenged.
"Please sir, I believe in myself and my pack. I think, errr- I believe that I can lead my pack and protect the pack from which I was born into" I said. 'Another great answer' I thought. Henry nodded his head approvingly. 'Keep smooth talking, win them over' I thought.
"My father led this pack well, and I believe I can carry out his strong will to protect the people with love, care, and still hold the authority to carry out what is right" I continued when Richard made his way over.
"You speak with great wisdom, and a smooth tongue" Ellen said approvingly.
"Juding shall be a hard decision" Ester Schaedler added.
"Henry, Ester, Ellen, so good to see you three" Richard said, and shook their hands.
"Richard, good to see you as well" Ellen Brook said, giving him a warm smile.
"I never did ask you Hunter" Richard started to say, "How you intend to protect both your mate and the pack?" he asked. The corners of his lips twitched. Eyes looked to me for answers.
"With equal strength. I carry my father's will to protect what I love and care for. I care for both my mate and pack" answered. Henry opened his mouth to speak, perhaps in my defence, but Richard cut him off quickly,
"And just what do you care for the most?" he asked. I opened my mouth to speak, to say the truth, but the truth was.... the truth was. Oh man, I didn't know. a sly grin creeped across Richard's face. He had me cornered and he knew it.
"Lets think about that when the decision for alpha comes up" Richards added.
"Let the meeting begin!" Eladia announced. Everyone took a seat, and Richard and I sat across from the pack council's table. My confidence was dwindiling.
"We've all had a fair amount of time to talk with both canidates for alpha. I think we can all equally agree on who the best alpha for the pack would be" Henry said.
"The most honest-" Ester Schaedler said. 'Me' I thought.
"The strongest" Ellen said. 'Me' I thought. Richard and I glared at each other out of the corner's of our eyes. 'Me, I'm stronger' I thought gritting my teeth.
"The kindest-" Henry said. 'Me, me, me you cruel bastard, Richard' I thought.
"The smartest" Henry, Ester, and Ellen said together. Errr.... really wasn't sure on that one. I've done some stupid things before...
"Alpha would be" Henry said. I felt my heart freeze, this was the momment where they made ME alpha. Henry continud,
"Richard" was announced. Richard stood up, I felt my heart feeze up even colder if that were possible. My eyes flickered to Jade, 'Stay calm' I thought, resisting the urge to knock Richard flat to the ground with one fist.
"I am humbly greatfull for your righteous decision. I am honored, and will not let you down" Richard said nodding his head. My inner wolf snarled in frustration, threatening my will power to stay in control. 'Stay in control' I thought. I was angry, maybe it was mostly because being in control was in my blood and I wanted to be alpha; didn't like Richard being alpha because I didn't trust him.
"I know its the beginning of my leadership, but I would like to take my role as alpha quickly to get our pack roling on a newer golden age" Richard began. It was silent in the room for our new alpha to speak.
"I believe that werewolves have more right than the humans, and that this human doesn't belong in this pack" Richard said, pointing towards Jade. The people began to whisper amonst themselves. Not many new much about Jade, not much was said about her.
"Well who is she? Why does it matter?" some random person asked from the group.
"Jade Atwood, human and of the peasants working for the main house. A disgrace if you ask me, trying to get close with the beta, Hunter Lakefall" Richard spat with disgust. There was a gasp. At this statement I felt my insides boil and I stood up.
"And just what is wrong with Ms. Atwood. She's done nothing wrong. She works hard every day, ensures the pack has a good meal on the table, and is like a mother to the orphan child my family has taken in, Morgan" I said in her defence. My eyes flickered to Jade, pleading for her to be calm and stay quiet. She nodded once, as if she could read my mind. I smiled, feeling my anger disappear just a bit.
"She's human! She could never be like a mother to a pup. Humans and werewolves don't connect, it's not logical" someone snapped.
"He has a point" Ellen said.
"Then what do you plan to do with her?" Henry asked.
"To end the war with the Barbarian's I will trade her for peace" Richard said. A loud growl tore from my chest. I barred my teeth into a snarl and lunged. My fist slammed into Richard's jaw, but he dodged. My other fist slammed into his shoulder with a sickening crack from his shoulder. Before I could feel the satifaction of fracturing his shoulder I was suddenly pulled back by three men in the pack.
"Enough, there's no need to push him to the floor" Richard said, "he is still the beta of this pack. I will pardon his behavior.... if the pack merge with the Brook's continues" Richard said glaning towards Ellen.
"Ms. Suzah will be pleased to hear this" Ellen said nodding her head in agreement. I struggled against the rough hands that restrained me from killing Richard. If they let go I would loose it, shift, and tear out Richard's throat, and boy did I want to kill him. I stopped struggling, panting hard from the effort of wanting to get loose.
"Well Hunter, your call" Richard said, a triumphant grin spreading across his face. Jade set Morgan down and moved towards me. One of the guy's restraining me, put his arm in her way, but she smacked his muscular arm away as if it weighed nothing. She put a hand on my shoulder.
"Don't fight, please" she whispered quietly for only me to hear. I pressed my lips in a tight line, and looked at the floor in defeat. I'd lost this battle, and the price was trecherous to me.
"Fine, do as you wish" I growled through me teeth.
"Excellent choie" Richard said. The meeting ended there, and we started our way home. The love of my life, my mate, the adopted mother to Morgan, my sweet-Jade was taken away.
"You made the right choice. You'll find that it gets easier as time goes on" my mother told me, but I refused to respond. I felt like... I felt like shit. I really did. Who know's what the barbarians will do to her. Would they beat her, something worse, or would they kill her? I didn't know, and that made me feel ten times worse. 'Please be okay, and patient. I'll find a way to fix this' I thought, and I meant the thought. Some how, some time, some way, I would save her and fix everything.