Way of the Wolf: Redemption

Chapter 9 ~ Unpredictable

Chapter 9: Unpredictable
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I sat on damp grass, fidgeting with the sleeves of my dress and giving away to everyone how uncomfortable I was. It was still early in the morning and breakfast was being cooked across from me. Bjarke sat on the log behind me, running a comb through my hair and I hissed every time it snagged in a knot.

We were no longer hiding at the edges of the camp to keep me out of everyone's way. Today, the Beta had forced me to sit where the high ranked sat; somewhere I was sure I wasn't meant to sit but so far, nobody had questioned it. Most wolves were still in bed but I dreaded their reaction when they saw us. The idea of having to eat so close to the Alpha pair had me on edge too.

"Will you sit still, Freydis," Bjarke huffed as he once more had to untangle the comb from my hair.

I bristled at the use of the name which sent the Beta grumbling again. I'd demanded to do brush my hair myself, I wasn't a pup, but he'd insisted and I'd promised to obey. Going back to picking at the stitching on my sleeve, I tried to still myself enough for him to finish.

After a few more mutters and curses, he finally finished, running his fingers through it. I leaned back a little, feeling a purr build in my chest.

"There. That's better. Shall I braid it for you?" he offered, already separating my hair into sections. "I can't promise it'll be anywhere near as Aljana's but it'll keep it out of the way and maybe we won't have to brush it so much."

"I don't mind," I mumbled. The truth was, I did want him to. I liked the feeling of fingers in my hair and how soothing it was now it wasn't a mess.

While he got to work, his touch gentler now, I watched the pack begin to wake. Pups had no care for how early it was and were already squealing and laughing as their parents walked them to breakfast. I kept my gaze steady when they looked our way. Much to my surprise, it was more curiosity than anger in their expressions when they took on that I was sitting with the high ranked now.

Wolves I recognised from the group who'd surrounded me yesterday walked with their heads down. In their fur, tails would be tucked between legs. Bjarke stilled behind me, eyeing each one with a low growl that vibrated through me. It was just a reminder for them not to challenge him and they kept their distance. With more of the pack arriving, I was beginning to feel unsettled again. Bjarke tied a leather cord at the end of my braid that was indeed a little messy, and that became my new focus. It would be best to make myself as insignificant as possible now.

The braid was pulled over my shoulder and a sharp tug brought my chin up. The Beta loomed over me with a stern look and he leaned down at my ear to whisper, "I'm going to get our food. Don't growl at anyone while I'm gone and. . . don't lower your head. This is your place now, show them that."

He released my hair, watching me to make sure I'd understood. My shoulders tensed as he left me alone and a sense of panic took over when I spotted the Alpha pair coming to take their seats. More than anything, I wanted to tuck tail too. Despite having been placed in this spot by the Beta, I was prepared for the Alpha to demand I move.

They sat side by side on the bench behind me and my back tingled with awareness. I tried to ignore it, especially as the last of the pack arrived. Every instinct screamed at me to lower my head and curl up but I couldn't, as if the Beta's orders had overridden my own senses.

"Your hair looks very nice," Alpha Female Signy complimented. "Doesn't it Jakkon?"

Alpha Jakkon grunted as I peered over my shoulder at them and I pulled the braid into my hands. "Bjarke did it."

That caught the Alpha's attention. Blue eyes looked up from his food, flicking from me to where his Beta was making his way back over. When the alpha looked back at me again, he was frowning.