Chapter 3.14 Not Awesome When You are Not Alpha

 

The very next day I met Ryker. Camilla showed me the way to his “office”, but before she let me in she had a few instructions for me, “stand up straight, only speak when spoken to, and don’t lie, because Ryker can smell it if you do!”

Ryker was big and tall, almost as tall as Camilla. But just as hairy. His eyes were a glowing orange.

He didn’t look so tough. Nothing special about him. Certainly not alpha material. I wonder how tough it would be for me to take over as alpha? It wouldn’t take very long before I am running this pack. I was the Alpha of Twinbrook after all.

“Stand at attention so I can get a good look at you.” Ryker ordered.

Being the son of a soldier, I knew what he meant. Camilla was standing in the corner giving me death stares that made sure I listened to Ryker’s every order. I did as I was instructed, while Ryker walked around me looking me up and down.

I have to say this about him; he is the first person I have met that did not freak out at the sight of me. And I do appreciate that.

 

“When exactly were you bitten?” Ryker asked me, allowing me to stand at ease.

I gave him a confused look. What was he talking about? I didn’t understand the question.

“We need to know who bit you?” Ryker rephrased his question. “There is no use in protecting them. The guilty party will be found. And they will be punished for performing and then abandoning an unsuccessful transformation like you.”

What? Wait…. Do these guys think that I am a werewolf?

I thought back to how long it had been since Becca cursed me. “Less than a month ago?” I sounded more like I was asking a question than giving an answer.

“So, you have not gone through a full moon shape shift?”

I shook my head no. Ryker and Camilla exchanged several looks between them. I could tell that they were having an entire conversation without either one of them saying a single word. After their wordless conversation Ryker directed his attention back to me.

“It will be a full moon two nights from now.” Ryker leaned against his desk, while I still stood at ease. “Camilla will tell you all that you need to know.”

 

“They thought that you are a werewolf?” Bert asked me after I came home and told him everything. “What did they say when you told them the truth?”

“I didn’t say anything,” I replied. “If they want to think that I am a werewolf then good. I don’t want anyone knowing why I am here or how I became this beast.”

“But what is going to happen on the night of the full moon?”

I hadn’t thought that far ahead. What will happen when Ryker and the pack turn into wolves, and I am stuck like this? Will they rip me to shreds? But if I don’t show up to their “full moon party” in the forest they will rip me to shreds anyway. Guess it is too late to turn back now.

I faked confidence as I said, “I will cross that bridge when I get there. But I can tell you one thing for sure: if anyone tries to sniff my butt, I will punch them in the face!”

 

There was still plenty of light outside when Camilla lead me to a random spot deep into the woods far from the outskirts of town. Camilla thought it would be a good idea for the two of us to meet before the rest of the pack shows up. “I am not going to sugar coat this. I don’t know how it will go for you. I have never met a werewolf that was not fully transformed before. So, I don’t know how successful your shift will be.”

“I don’t even know how to shift.” I played along. I have to say that I was proud at how well I played the part of pitiful, helpless, werewolf pup.

“Don’t worry about that, it will come naturally.” Camilla tried reassuring me.

She seriously thought that I was worried. What a moron.

 

Quick introductions were made to allow me to meet the rest of the pack. Mira had said that this was one of the best werewolf packs in Moonlight Falls, but I just didn’t see it. They looked like a pack of straggly, mangy, mutts. And that is me describing them while still in their human form.

Ryker called us all to attention to go over some of the full moon ground rules. “Grendel has restricted our hunting ground even further this month. No pack is to go beyond the north creek where the waterfall meets the Villeneuve River. More land has been given to the vampires.”

That last comment was met with groans and huffs of anger from the pack. “What about the pack that was there before?” one of the guys in the back asked.

“That pack is no more.” Ryker said in a tone that meant that he didn’t want to discuss the matter further.

 

“The moon is almost set,” Camilla spoke up, “ladies follow me.”

Camilla took the women and teenage girls around the corner to shape shift in privacy.

I looked up to the sky and held my breath. The moon was almost right above us, signaling the time for the shape shift. Here’s the moment of truth. Ryker and his pack could rip me apart in a matter of seconds, and I would be helpless against them. In the last moment I thought of Mira, of all people.

She had been so nice to me, even though I was an ass to her when we first met. She was the one who introduced me to Camilla, because she thought that belonging to the pack would help me. I wondered what would they tell Mira once I was gone? Would they lie and tell her it was an accident? Would Mira feel responsible for my death? At the final second before the moon fully set my last thought was: I hope Mira doesn’t feel guilty over this.

3…..2…..1….. Here goes nothing!

 

Side Note:  Now that the craziness of the holiday season is over, I can try to get back to posting on a more regular schedule.  And I know that I am so far behind on so many of your stories.  I will try to catch up as fast as I can.

Other than that, I am wishing everyone of you a very happy and healthy 2019.  I don’t know how last year was for all of you, but for me it was not the greatest.  I think for the world, and for me personally, I hope there can be some big changes in the new year.  Changes for the better.

And as always, have a great day or night depending on when you are reading this.  🙂