The silence was deafening. Everyone appeared to be struggling with what they were seeing. The woman across the table, smirking at them, appeared to be used to this type of reaction and was waiting patiently for someone to voice the question that was burning thru all of them.
Finally on Terrant's left Alpha Gray found his voice. "Who are you supposed to be? Where is Alpha Winters?"
Her smirk grew and Terrant's mind reeled, 'no way,' he thought to himself.
"Excuse me," Joseph's voice came over the crowd as he pushed himself to the front and sighed in relief. "Chris I am so glad you could make it." He walked around the table and pulled the woman up into a light embrace.
The woman smiled warmly at him. "Sorry it took so long. Garrett had... security issues."
Joseph shook his head and smiled back. "You're here and that is all that matters. Did you get a chance to review the-"
"Excuse me! But could someone explain what is happening?" Alpha Freeman asked, "where is Alpha Winters?"
"This is Alpha Winters." Terrant said quietly. Everyone looked at him in surprise. Even the woman raised an eyebrow, curiously.
"What do you mean Terrant?" Alpha Hunt said with the slightest hint of accusation. Moving forward he faced Terrant like he was interrogating him. "Is this a trick?"
Terrant stared at the woman silently before stating. "It all makes sense." His head tilted to the side as he continued to examine the woman.
"What does? Will everyone stop talking in code?" said Alpha Gray huffing as he folded his arms.
Terrant glanced at Joseph who nodded. "All the secrecy, all the rumors, all the lies, and the blood pacts." He shifted his gaze back to the woman, "it wasn't just to protect your pack... it was to protect this. Protect your secret."
"What are you saying?" Alpha Black asked looking between the woman and Terrant.
Joseph decided to step in, "Everyone please allow me to introduce Christine Winters... Alpha of the Winters pack."
There was a full 10 second pause as everyone processed the new information. Then the shouting began.
"What do you mean?!"
"How is that possible?!"
"This is a joke and not a funny one!"
"You can't be serious Joseph?"
"Terrant did you know about this?!"
"What kind of trick are you trying to pull?!"
"Everyone calm down."
Terrant didn't listen to any of them. He just stood there watching the woman's reaction as the Alphas became more heated. It was difficult to tell as her eyes were covered by the dark shades, but she appeared to be studying each angry face. Nothing that was yelled out appeared to affect her. Joseph was attempting to calm down the crowd when she suddenly threw up her fist and slammed it down on the table. The noise sounded like a gunshot followed by a long crack as the top of the the table splintered from one side to the other. Amazingly it didn't break in half but it did surprise the group into silence.
She brushed her hands off saying in a smooth causal voice. "Sorry about that Joseph."
Joseph looked more horrified than anyone. "That was a solid cedar table Chris!"
She smirked at Joseph and muttered "Now were even."
Joseph blushed slightly as she began to speak to the crowd of Alphas. "I understand that this is a hard concept to grasp. If you will let me, I would be happy to explain-"
"Explain what?! That some uppity female took over a pack and now wants to run with the big boys." Alpha Freeman laughed out loud which incited a few unsure chuckles from those around him. He sniffed and looked down at the woman across the table "Little girl," her jaw muscles tightened as he continued. "It takes a lot more to become Alpha than even you could understand."
The woman smiled coldly at Alpha Freeman as she said "Isn't it interesting how the humans are more advanced than us in regards to society? Apparently humanity hasn't worn off on you."
"Excuse me!?" Alpha Freeman started turning red.
"I think what Alpha Freeman was trying to say," Alpha Woodland said loudly putting a large warning hand on Alpha Freeman's shoulder, "rather rudely. Is that there has never been a female Alpha. I don't even know if it is possible. However, to become Alpha takes a lot more than just making a claim over a group of wolves."
The smiled faded off of the woman's face, "I know that better than most of you, Alpha Woodland."
Alpha Woodland's eyes widened. "How do you know who I am?"
"I know who all of you are." An uncomfortable shuffle moved throughout the group of Alpha's as she continued. "I make it a point to know all the potential dangers to my pack."
"Okay... okay. Could we at least stop with the charade?" Alpha Gray said smiling like everything so far was a very funny joke. "We acknowledge that you have taken care of the Winter's pack in place of the real Alpha, but we are looking for a Chris Winters who must be your father, brother, cousin, nephew.... Grandson?" The woman's face became stony as she examined him. "There must be a way to meet the Chris Winters, and not his..." his lip curled up in a slight sneer, "proxy."
Joseph's eyes flashed furiously as he opened his mouth to respond, but the woman put her hand up to silence him. "The name Chris Winters has been my alias for many years. There is no other male or female within my pack that goes by that name but me. There is no other male or female in my pack that can claim the position of Alpha but me. I am the only Alpha of the Winters pack.... So if you want to form an alliance with the Winters pack... you will have to form it with me."
Alpha Freeman spoke up, "But a woman can not be an Alpha. It has never been done! Even the ancient text says so."
"No it doesn't." Terrant said unconsciously staring at a random knot on the wood table. Everyone started and turned to him. He had been listening quietly as the argument unfolded thinking of the implications of a female becoming Alpha. He looked up realizing everyone was waiting for an explanation. He cleared his throat and continued. "The ancient text says nothing of an Alpha being male or a Luna being female. It emphasizes the roles, not the genders of each position. If you are going to argue make sure your facts are correct."
Alpha Freeman opened his mouth but Joseph cut him off. "I wouldn't try to argue with Terrant he has a photographic memory and has reviewed the ancient text multiple times."
Terrant looked up and found the woman staring at him curiously. He felt strangely uneasy as she stared through the dark glasses still on her face. 'Why is she still wearing them?' he wondered silently.
As Terrant and the woman continued to stare Joseph turned to address the group. "I understand that there are a lot of questions and concerns but if you all sit down we can let Alpha Winters explain-"
"How are we to trust her word? She has been hidden as a man for many years? How can we know that any of this is true?" Alpha Amari said with a look of concern.
"I know that very few of you trust me. Either because I lied about being female or because I am female." Alpha Freeman snorted, "but as I have said before there is a reasonable.... no a logical explanation to how this came about."
"Everyone just sit down." Alpha Hunt said pushing himself off the wall he was leaning on. "I am tired of doing this interrogation standing up." He walked around the table to his spot and sat down gracefully throwing a irritated look at Terrant. Slowly the other Alphas began to follow his lead and sat down around the broken table; the only spot that was open was the spot right next to the woman.
Terrant sat down next to her, turning his chair to look at her. Then he smelled it, her smell was overpowering like cinnamon, citrus, and fire. He felt his eyes water as the smell over took him and then before she could open her mouth to address the group he let out the loudest sneeze. A few brave souls snickered at him as Ian immediately came up with a box of tissues. "Sorry, Alpha Winters," he said in a stuffy voice, "please continue." His senses were on fire, he felt as if he had inhaled a carbonated drink through his nose. Terrant wasn't superstitious but he felt an uneasy vibe from the woman. Even Ian looked suspiciously at her. All of it felt like a bad omen.
*Thanks for reading! Please vote and comment! I love constructive criticism, however if it becomes mean I will take you down.*
-LostArrow-