Family

24

"Well?" Alpha Scott asks when neither of us answers.

"They both shifted and were about to fight when we stepped in." One of the teachers answers, and he nods.

"You want to deal with this here or for me to take them?" Alpha Scott directs to the principle.

"You're their Alpha." Is the answer. "As long as this doesn't happen again, I'll leave their punishment to you."

"Come along, boys. We're gonna have a talk." Alpha Scott orders us before looking to our principal. "Thank you, Peter. They won't trouble you again." The man nods as we are lead out of school.

"You boys want to let your wolves out? Let's have at it. Shift." Alpha Scott says once we leave school grounds.

"You mean you want us to fight?" I ask, confused. He shrugs.

"You won't solve anything by yapping at each other. Think you are grown wolves? Prove it. No bloodshed. Fight to submission. This will be like a training session, and I will supervise."

"But we haven't trained!" Garrett complains.

"That didn't stop you from fighting at school. Are you backing down? Submitting before the fight starts?" Alpha asks, and Garrett scowls.

"Not a chance."

"Garrett, that way. Si, over there. I don't want to pay for another set of clothes for you boys, so strip and shift, then return here." Alpha Scott orders.

"You bought these?" I ask, pointing to the new clothes I'm wearing.

"You are a part of my pack. My responsibility. Did you really think the school paid for all those clothes? Each Alpha whose pups attend that school pitched in, and when a pup requires clothing, their Alpha replaces it." He answers, and I nod. I guess that makes sense. "Now go shift."

I go into the woods where he pointed strip and shift. When I return, Garrett is already there and growling at me. I feel my wolf puff out his chest as he snarles at his prey. Wait, prey? Where did that come from? He's my bully, not my prey!

I see a bit of surprise and... is that pride? In my Alpha's eyes as I stalk forward. What's that look for? I quickly turn my attention to Garrett as he lunges at me.

I dive to the side as the wolf sales past me. As soon as he hits the dirt, I lunge at him. He dodges, but I manage to kick him as he flees. While he's dazed, I growl and pounce onto him. Before Garrett can think his wolf rolls over under me.

As soon as Garrett submits, Alpha Scott grabs my scruff, pulling me off of him. "Okay, boys, shift back." He orders pushing me towards my clothes.

Once we ate both back in human form, Garrett and I stand in front of our Alpha.

"Okay, looks like you two are all set." He says to us, confusing me.

"Yes, Alpha." Garrett grumbles.

"You will both be working in the kitchen cleaning up after dinner. You know better than to fight at school." Alpha continues.

"Yes, Alpha." Garrett answers again as I watch too stunned to speak.

"Go home, Garrett. Your father wants to speak with you." Garrett gulps at Alpha Scott's words and nods before running off. We follow him until we reach pack grounds.

"So... what was that?" I ask.

"Come along, Silas. We need to talk." Alpha Scott says, leading me to his office. "First off, congratulations, little Alpha."

"But I'm not..."

"You just made your class's leader submit to you. You're the new 'Alpha'."

"But I can't be!" I panic.

"You are a strong wolf." He says before scratching his bearded chin. "Stronger than you should be... that's actually what I wanted to talk to you about. Garrett is Beta born. You shouldn't have been able to make him submit... at least not easily."

"Beta born? I thought you didn't have a Beta." I ask. I've never seen a Beta around here.

"I don't. Garrett's father, Brent, was my Beta until he was injured. He broke his spine in his wolf form. The healers were able to trap the damage in that form, but it caused his wolf to die. Brent is basically human at this point. His strength lessened for about 2 years after his wolf died. He is still a strong man, but he is just that, a man. Even the pre-teen pups could beat him in a fight. He can't be Beta." Alpha answers. That could explain Garrett hating me. I was human.

"So Garrett will become Beta?" I really don't like that idea.

"Now you're getting to the point of why I wanted to talk to you. There is a test the doc can run that will determine the power of your wolf. It's usually done to determine the line of sucession when multiple sons are born to a ranking wolf... I'd like you to take it. There's something odd about you."

"I guess I could do it." I shrug. I'm not anything special. The test will prove that.

"Also, you will start training with your brother. It will be good for your wolf and help you maintain your position among the youth of the pack." He tells me.

"Maintain my position?"

"We've covered this." He sighs. "You are the little 'Alpha' in your school. Other pups will challenge you. I don't want you shifting on school grounds but you will be challenged and you should be ready for that."

"Why is all this wolf stuff fighting and submission? What if I don't wanna lead the other pups?"

"It's in our nature. We seek out and follow strength. Your peers will naturally look to you because you have proven yourself to be the strongest of them."

"I'm not that strong." I mumble. I've never been strong.

"I think you will surprise yourself when you realize how strong you truly are... now you need to go meet up with your father. I'm sure Gamma Jackson will have something to say about you fighting in school."

"You told him!" I yell. I thought he was handling this!

"Because you shifted your Alpha is the first call. The school will still have informed your parents." He answers. "I'll set an appointment for your test tomorrow after school. Don't forget about cleaning up after dinner, and good luck with your dad... he is pretty rough on his pups when it comes to fighting... I remember when Jay picked a fight in middle school... I think he ran laps around the territory all night."

"Thanks uncle Scott." I grumble as he chuckles at me.

With a pat on my back Alpha Scott sends me to my doom.