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I hope you all enjoy the next chapter of ALPHA MALE!
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I would like to dedicate this chapter to @kuraigirl for always leaving comments on a chapter, and always trying to help. :) Thank you so much Kuraigirl. Also don't be afraid to check out her work!
1Blossom
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Chapter 12
~Lucas~
For three days after the meeting Josiph called, things were hectic. Josiph ordered that groups of five would go on patrol where the scent of Lucian had been found. Steve went on every patrol making sure that everything was going correctly and that Lucian's scent wasn't around. I, on the other hand stayed behind to watch Kiana, even though I wanted to go on the patrols but everyone kept saying it wasn't safe. To be exact mostly Josiph said it wasn't safe for me to go on the patrols and only later did others agree with him. It was the first time since being here that Josiph showed any remote feeling toward being my mate, and I wondered if it would be the only time too.
On the third day of patrol people in the pack began to stop watching around the area. There had been no recent scent of Lucian and everyone just gave up. There was also the fact that most of the werewolves during this time were more interested in the full moon coming up than Lucian.
During the full moon, in each pack the newer generations of werewolves would line up like they have always done for years, and take their first transformation with the pack. After this transformation they would be allowed to run freely with the pack for over four hours before going back home. The tradition had been going on for years and would last from about seven at night till around seven in the morning.
Speaking to Derek we were able to find out that seven children would be in line for the full moon this month and that included fourteen year old Hunter who was still waiting for his first transformation.
There were many in the pack that had high hopes of Hunter transforming this month. Those included his parents who were always there for him, along with the doctors who had been working with him and a couple of friends who already had their transformation at the age of thirteen. Others, however, believed that he may never have his first transformation which included the older teenage generations who were on the rise of graduating from school. Those were also the ones who wondered what Josiph would do to Hunter if he never had his transformation.
“How does the full moon festivities work around here exactly?” I asked later in the third day. Kiana, Steve and I were helping with set up for the festivities in two nights. Actually, most people from the pack were helping set up for the festivities with either by cooking food, or setting up the different activities.
Derek was the first to reply, but he was also the closest to me. “Like every full moon there will be three races. One race for the newly transformed werewolves. This race gives them a better chance with getting used to their transformation as well as actually running around better. Plus everyone enjoys watching as they stagger in their steps like they had too much to drink.” He stopped, laughing at the image, probably forming in his head. “The second race is for the older werewolves in the school. They too, don't exactly get a prize and instead gain a little bit of bragging rights for winning during the full moon. The races are mostly just for fun, so we expect everyone to have good sportsmanship no matter what,” he told me, using his beta voice. “Finally there’s the adults race. We actually have to break this race up into three sections because there are so many, so pretty much there are five races. We break the races up into three sections. The first being for just the women, then just men, and finally the finals. Top five from the two races before will move on to the finals.”
“We also will have food set up all day,” Josiph said coming up from behind me. I couldn't help but look as he walked up the road in a black tank-top and blue shorts. “It’s why we have to set up the tables, and my mother will be cooking most of the food along with Derek's mother. After our own festivities we will be betting it up with the other three packs in the uncontrolled territory.”
“Uncontrolled territory?” I asked a bit confused.
“The uncontrolled territory is a section that is directly into the center of all of our territories, and it’s the one spot that is controlled by all four packs. We use if for the festivities and the joining of our packs because through the years some of our members have found mates in another pack’s territory and the same goes for them,” Josiph answered calmly. “All of this has been going on for generations since before my father was born, and will be going on even after my great grandchildren, and so on.”
“You have never had any problems with the other packs?” Steve asked. He had been putting up the starting line for the races just at the edge of the forest before coming over to join the conversation.
“No.” Derek shook his head before Josiph could. “I mean everyone has been really close in all of the packs, although there was one time where John had to step up and work things out for our pack and another. It was the reason he had become alpha in the end at the age of twenty.”
“And the reason I was able to become alpha after my father stepped down this year,” Josiph added.
We nodded saying nothing and instead just went back to work getting everything ready for the festivities. We finished for the night at nine at night, and at seven the next morning everyone was up and back to work with finishing everything else that needed to be done.
Josiph's mom worked on food all day with Derek's mother and they were able to finish that by twelve at night and put everything away in the fridge for the next day. The rest of us in the pack finished setting up the tables for the race track.
“Looks like we are finally finished,” Natalie's mother spoke up for the first time all day. We had been working with her for most of the time, and she wouldn't say a thing to us even when Kiana tried talking to her.
“Yeah, it looks like we are finally finished.” Kiana smiled.
“Thank you for helping by the way,” Natalie's mother said, grinning, before starting to walk away. “Oh, and you can call me Trish,” she added before fully walking away from us.
“Well that was rude,” Kiana muttered staring after Trish.
“Don't take offense to it,” Derek said. “Both Trish and Hank have been acting like that since Natalie went feral. They barely talk to anyone except on the full moon festivities, and even then it’s rare. I don't even think they transform much with the pack anymore and instead wait until everyone has left before doing their own transformation.”
“They are isolating themselves for what happened to Natalie,” Kiana whispered under her breath, still staring off at Trish who now was standing beside her husband Hank. The two of them were a good three houses away from where everyone else was and seemed alone. “They blame themselves for what happened to their daughter.”
“How do you know?” Derek asked.
“Just with how they are reacting,” Kiana answered though I knew she was lying to Derek. In all honesty Kiana could feel that both Hank and Trish blames themselves for what happened to Natalie, and probably would for the rest of their lives unless proven otherwise. They would isolate themselves too and eventually would leave the pack. It was already happening now with the way they distanced themselves with everyone else in the pack. “If you’re not careful they will leave. That’s why they’re getting more distant from everyone in the pack. They’re just trying to make the separation easier for their wolf and everyone else by pushing away from everyone.”
“How could you figure that out so quickly? I mean you just got here and you’re already saying that, like you know things.”
“Just look at them. You can see it in their stance, and their reaction to working with anyone in the pack,” I jumped in and said.
“You will have to bring them back, or you’ll lose them as well and there will be no chance for Natalie with her parents gone,” Kiana added following my remark without hesitation.
“What?” Derek and Josiph asked in confusion.
“It's just an observation from what we’re seeing. Almost like a guess, but Trish and Hank are pushing themselves away so they don't feel so much pain when they have to leave, and they’ll probably leave too, given the chance,” I said changing the subject a bit. We couldn't exactly get into what we knew about Natalie, not yet anyways. “I would advise you to talk to them both. The more you talk to them and bring them back into the pack family, the longer it will take them to leave, and the more they will want to stay.”
“Do you think that will work?” Derek asked.
The only answer given was Kiana nodding her head before she too turned and left for the house. I followed behind her with Steve at my heels.
When we finally entered the house not three minutes later, Kiana sighed and sat at the closest chair in the living room before speaking. “They’re planning on leaving the next full moon,” she whispered. “I can feel it.”
“Do you really think it’s the only chance for Natalie?” I asked remembering her statement before we left.
Kiana nodded. “She’s still out there Lucas. I can feel her, but she’s terrified. She lives on the territory still, but keeps hidden from everyone else. Her wolf still has control, but if I can get to her, I can fix that. Just like I can fix why Hunter is not transforming along with everyone else.”
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SORRY everyone for the late update, but I hope you all understand. Also thank you for sticking around. You are all AMAZING!