Chasing Luna

Announcements

:Charlie:

I waited in fear for two full breaths before I felt Jacob begin to relax. He was submitting, but it would take more theatrics to appease the gods' accursed crowd. When I didn’t relax my jaw around his throat he started to squirm, before he could do anything so weak as to whine, I opened my mind to him.

“Be still, shift back slowly, feet first.” 

His reply was a confused, “Yes Alpha.”

I kept my teeth at his throat until I felt his body begin to shrink underneath my paw in his belly. I lifted my paw and released my jaw simultaneously, letting his body finish its shift. Once he was fully human again I stepped back and waited.

He rose to a kneeling position and with his head bowed to me he spoke in a clear if winded voice, “I submit to you, Alpha Charles of the Appalachia Pack.”

I nodded my wolf head in acceptance, then looked to the Elder. He took my signal and walked up to Jacob, throwing his ceremonial robe over Jacob’s naked body. Our clothes lay in tatters around the ring having been destroyed when we first shifted. Jacob was taken to sit between the Elders, on his knees between them he kept his head down, very much like a scolded dog with its tail between its legs. Once he was settled, I shifted back to my human form as well.  

Facing the Elders I said clearly, “I accept Jacob as my subordinate. He will work with the Omegas for 2 weeks to learn humility. I will then welcome him back as my Left Flank Sentinel, which is his rightful place in my Pack.”

I looked around at the crowd, turning slowly around as I projected my voice, letting it echo above and around them as only an Alpha’s could. 

“There will be a formal investigation into who invited all of you to witness this Challenge. This was a scheduled meeting among my pack, and not some championship battle royale for your entertainment! I will not fault you as individuals for attending, as I believe that is the right of any wolf in my pack and any wolf wishing to join my pack. So now I ask you all, do you intend to join me?” 

I waited for the resounding echoes to die completely and for the whispers among the crowd to fade as well. Many of them were confused at my assumption, but then some were actually contemplating the idea.

“If you are only here to flesh out whatever rumors you have heard then fly! Tell the truth to your masters like good pups!” I scorned the crowd, letting my Alpha timbre color my words, flaunting my power over the weaker wolves. 

A good portion of them fled in terror, and the crowd shrank as I continued, “If you are here because of your own curiosity and need for a dramatic scene, then begone! I have no use for such as you!”

A few dozen females shifted uncomfortably and began to move away trying to be inconspicuous.

“If you are here to witness the strength of an Alpha because you have not seen it before, then stay for you are free to join my pack. If you have family you left behind for safety, stay and we will discuss your return for them. If you doubt your Alpha but love him, then stay and we will discuss a treaty where I will offer my aid to your Pack.”

The remaining hundred or so were looking around at each other, those from the same or neighboring packs talking quietly to each other.

“Appalachians!” The few of my own that were present knew to come forward at once and did. 

Kai was next to me in an instant and under his breath, he said, “Well done, he is wounded but alive. Wish you would put something on though.”

I knew he was half-joking, and I wished I could have some clothes as well but that would be a small sign of weakness that I refused to partake. My pack members stood in front of me in a tight formation, Kai stood just behind me as I addressed them.

“First squad, you will pair off and spread word of the meeting that took place here. Keep it short and simple, Facts only. I want the whole pack informed by nightfall.” They all nodded in understanding. “Second Squad, you will fetch whatever supplies you can from the packhouse and gather volunteers for our numerous visitors. They will stay here in the clearing until I have organized them as needed. Food and Blankets will suffice for immediate use,” they nodded as well. “Third squad, you will begin organizing our visitors. The Elders will instruct you on the appropriate procedures,” another round of nods. “Dismissed!” They all stepped back as one, and barked out, “Yes, Alpha!” before turning around and fleeing about on their assignments.

I allowed myself a small grin of pride, most of them were just pups and would be quite full of themselves after today. But they all did very well just then, and I knew they would take their assignments seriously. 

I turned to Kai, “Alright, I think it’s time for clothes.”

“Thank the Gods,” he replied.

Then he grinned at me and said, “See, I told you there was nothing to worry about today,” I punched him not so lightly in the shoulder, he laughed anyway as we walked to the southern edge of the field. 

There was a small shed in the trees there that held an assortment of plain clothing to fit most adult wolves. I had learned in my first year as Alpha that having such stockpiles at strategic points in the forest was quite handy. You never knew when a young wolf might forget him/herself and shift without first stripping or at least bringing an extra set of clothes along. And on too many occasions I had been mentally called away and stripping everything off on the run wasn’t always practical. Needless to say, having such a shed near the Challenge ring was the most necessary. When I opened it up I was pleased to see it was lit and dry inside. I picked out what looked like an exact replica of the clothes I had put on that morning, minus the shoes. There wasn’t a lot to choose from in that category so I opted out and remained barefoot. 

Kai met me as I shut the door, I handed him another set of clothes for Jacob, asking Kai to see to him. 

“I want him working at the Packhouse, explain to him that I will not tolerate a lapse in knowledge just because he is being publicly punished. I want him fully aware of what our plans will be going forward and he is still to be present at all pack meetings. He will remain silent but still attend. He will work the phones if there isn’t anything else pertinent going on, though I feel like we’re about to be extremely busy for a while.”

Kai nodded his understanding and took off. I followed slowly, taking my time to organize my thoughts. The Elders had been with me since the beginning, all members of my original pack, back when we were only a handful of wolves and a few pups. These men and women had known me since birth, had known my parents and my motivations. They trusted me as much as I trusted them and I knew they would help me figure out what to do with these strange wolves still present in the clearing.