I jumped as I heard a thud. My panic quickly turned to irritation as I realized someone was banging on my door. I slowly dragged my body out of bed and practically crawled to the door before throwing it open.
There stood my perfect tall, build, and gorgeous brother in all his glory. He stood in my door way with his megawatt smile that I just wanted to smack off at the moment.
“Ready to get to work?” I was surprised he could talk while grinning that wide.
“What work?” I yawned as I scratched the back of my head. Oh yeah, totally not the hot twin either.
“Beta work. Come on, you’re already late.” He grabbed my arm and pulled me out of the room. I tried to pull back but was still too tired to put in any effort.
Nick dragged me to the one place I was beginning to annoy in this house, my dad’s office. Opening the door, I rolled my eyes when I spotted John and my father talking. Great. I get an intervention on the first day.
“Thank you son.” Nick nodded as he went to stand by the door.
My father cleared his throat to get my attention before he motioned me to the seat by John. I quickly shook my head no. I wasn’t sitting next to him or even my dad for that matter. He’ll be lucky if I even take him up on this beta offer after everything that happened last night.
“Fine have it your way. I need to talk to you about being a beta.” My father leaned back in his chair as he pegged me with a hard stare.
“I know how to be a beta. Only question I have is are you going to leave the stone ages anytime soon?” I watched as his nostrils flared from annoyance. Nick says I shouldn’t be proud of it, but I can annoy my father like no other.
“We have no time for your smart comments Cassie.” Clipped tone. Very scary. “I need to make sure you will do your job properly and benefit this pack.”
“Oh, I will. Will you let me?”
He looked at John for a while, talking through mindlink. Could you be any more ridiculous?
“Cassie. Stop getting agitated, it makes me feel antsy.”
I turned around to look at Nick who just smiled back at me. I smiled back before I stuck my tongue out at him in return to his request.
“What did you have in mind?” I turned around when I heard my father’s voice.
Smiling I took a deep breath. There was a lot I wanted to do. “Well first I wanted to talk about how we need to start recruiting new warriors. Also I think it will be smart to implement a new training program as well. Leo was also telling me that we have 6 treaties that will need to be reestablished in the upcoming year and no offense dad, but you suck at treaty negotiations, then-“
My dad cut me off by waving his hands. “Okay. Okay. You’ve put a lot of thought into this I see.” I nodded my head at him.
He leaned forward in his chair, placing his elbows on the desk while resting his chin on his hands. He looked like he was thinking but I knew he was probably mindlinking a few people as well. Suddenly I felt a spurt of happiness. Nick.
I turned around to see him beaming from ear to ear again. When he takes over the pack, he’s going to be the sweetest alpha on the planet. Which is why he’ll need me and Leo, so people won’t take advantage of him.
“Alright. You and Nick will take Leo to start recruiting. You each get one wolf to train. Whoever performs the best will implement the new training regimen.” I jumped up in excitement at the news scaring both my dad and John.
“Sorry.” I quickly said as I ran as fast as I could to the door. I can’t wait to pick a new warrior and put him through the training Derrick had. I’m going to kick Nick and Leo’s butts.
“Hey speedy wait up.” I started to walk so Nick could catch up faster.
Within seconds Nick was by my side as we continued walking towards the pack house where all the single young males would be. While walking though I decided that I didn’t want to pick a male. I wanted a female wolf to train.
I got excited as I envisioned our pack being the first to train female warriors. We already conquered a first with me being a beta.
The more I thought about it the better the idea seemed to be. I must have scared Nick with the absolute genius going through my mind because he grabbed my arm worriedly.
“Are you having an evil genius moment?” I laughed as I pulled away from his arm. “You’re damn right I am.”
I stopped when we got to the lawn of the pack house. It was the biggest property on our lands and it used to be our home before my dad thought it better for us to live like a normal family. I looked up to the third story window that used to belong to my room. I wonder who stays there now.
“Earth to Cassie.” I quickly snapped out of my thoughts to see Leo clapping from the doorway.
I looked around to see that Nick already went inside. Such a sweet brother to just leave me gawking like an idiot outside. I quickly ran across, almost tripping on the stairs to go inside.
“Still can’t walk I see.” I slapped Leo’s chest as I walked to the one place I knew I would find someone, the kitchen.
As soon as I pushed through the saloon style doors, I was hit with the smell of food. My stomach instantly growled reminding me that I hadn’t eaten at all today. Of course everyone turned to look at me as I cleared my throat embarrassed. Damn our ridiculously amazing hearing.
“Sounds like someone is hungry. They don’t feed you over there?”
I looked at the man who spoke to me. He wasn’t from our pack originally, not with that accent. It sounded southern. Also I would have known him otherwise. He must have come while I was in Hungary. He had brown eyes and blonde hair, just the like rogue who was wondering on our lands yesterday. Without warning V’s cold eyes came to my mind and I shuddered.
“You okay?” He seemed genuinely worried as he slowly got up from his seat to check on me.
I waived him off because I was fine. Memories weren’t going to hurt me. Plus, I had to show them that I wasn’t weak.
“I’m fine. What’s your name by the way?” He gave me a quick glance, just to make sure I was fine before he answered me. “Greg. What brings you to the pack house? Haven’t seen you before.”
“I could say the same about you.” He just nodded his head as he leaned against the counter. “Touché.”
“Of course she would find them all.” Leo whined.
I turned to see Leo walked in sulking, why Nick walked him completely serious with a hint of an emotion I’m not used to feeling from him. It’s so foreign I can’t place it.
“So Cassie, you find a good candidate yet?”
I shook my head sighing before I just looked at the food that was cooking on the stove. When would it be finished? I was starving and I just wanted some food.
“Have you even tried?” I gave off a nervous laugh as Nick gave me our father’s signature stern face. Poor Nick was being influenced by that old man.
“I’ll get to it. I’m too hungry to look now.’ I pouted as placed my fists to my cheeks in an attempt to look cute. I know it worked since I heard Nick huff. Sweet victory.
“I’m sure they won’t mind you eating with them when the food is done. But you better find someone to recruit.” He pointed his finger at me to show he meant business. “I promise Nicky.”
All attention shifted to the entrance of the kitchen prompting me to look as well. In walked the answer to my girl power dreams. She was perfect. She was taller than me, maybe around 5’10”. Her body was athletically built, while her platinum blonde hair was cut in an asymmetrical bob.
I watched her as she walked into the kitchen. She wore all black head to toe like an alpha I know but don’t care to mention at the moment. Something about all black makes a person seem more dangerous.
She would make the perfect warrior. She was constantly checking her surroundings, when she walked she gentle enough not to make a sound but with every bit of confidence. This was my girl.
I think I stared too long because she turned her gaze to me. The hazel eyes staring at me reminded me so much of Mason that I had to shake my head to get him out. Her stare was way better than my dad’s but it didn’t scare me one bit, just made me want to train her that much more.
“Who’s the new people?” I went to answer her but Leo beat me to it.
“Excuse me? How don’t you know the son and daughter of the alpha? Better yet the new Betas of the pack.”
Everyone stopped what they were doing to stare at us. Talk about awkward. I ran my hand through my hair to try to ease my unease.
“Okay new question then. What are you doing here?” She kept staring at Leo but I knew she was talking to me.
“We’re recruiting new warriors.” She slowly moved her eyes to me, a little intrigued.
“So…” My stomach growled again and I just groaned in response. Just shut up for this moment please.
She just smirked and gave off a chuckled before she went over to the food. “I take it your recruiting after dinner then.”
*********
God this beef stew was to die for. The company wasn’t that bad either. It was like I was eating with a bunch of old friends that I hadn’t seen in a while.
“So why are you recruiting warriors?” I smiled at her before Leo had to butt in again.
“Because this brat suggested it.” I threw my fork at Leo hitting him on the cheek. “I’m not a brat!” Okay maybe that wasn’t the best way to prove it.
One of the guys got up to give me a new fork as Leo rubbed his cheek. I know it didn’t hurt that bad. She turned her hazel eyes back to me and I mentally slapped myself. We’ve been here eating and chatting for an hour and I still don’t know her name.
“What’s your name?”
“Alexandra. Now your turn.” She looked at me expectantly. Could she tell that I wanted her to be a candidate?
“Our warriors are getting older and our pack bigger. We need more warriors and some fresh faces to liven things up.”
She nodded before she leaned in closer. “I want in.” I smiled but that quickly dissipated.
“Sorry. Women aren’t accepted as warriors.” I frowned at Nick but he just kept talking. “I was hoping that Mark would want to join.”
I looked over at the warrior my brother had chosen. I won’t lie, he was a good candidate but I knew Alexandra was my girl. I won’t take anyone else.
“Good cuz I’m going to pick Shaun.”
Shaun was a terrible pick for a warrior. He was all size. Too big for what would be needed in speed. Not shocked that Leo picked him.
“Well I pick Alexandra.” Leo literally spit out whatever he was drinking while Nick stared at me.
“What are you doing?” I ignored Nick’s mindlink because I wanted to tell everyone why I chose her.
“She’s exactly what I was looking for. I wanted a woman warrior who can measure up to the guys and pave the way for more female warriors. If I can be a beta, why can’t a woman be a warrior?” Alexandra had the biggest grin on her face while every guy looked like their eyes would pop out.
Now to get bitched out by everyone I know. This should be fun.