The Last King's Wolf

Pack Warnings

Ellie Lark

I get up early so I can make my way to the preschool even earlier than normal. Wednesday means arts and crafts projects for my three year old class, so I need time to set up. It’s also going to rain and I don’t feel like walking in it today.

I walk into the bathroom and get my quick shower. Coming out I pull my wavy ash blonde hair into a quick ponytail and throw on some jeans and a blouse. Dark green eyes look back at my reflection and I sigh. Good enough for today just like every other day. I’ll be covered in paint by the time I leave.

I hurry downstairs and grab my backpack to start walking. Lydia should bring me breakfast, so no need to grab anything.

I hurry choosing my usual path, skirting the training grounds and the packhouse. I am happily walking along when I see Alpha Burton out talking to some warriors. I slither to a halt and decide to take a different route. I weigh my options and decide I'll take the path to my right. It will take me past the packhouse, but I shouldn’t run into Kincaid as early as it is. He sleeps in. The first Alpha allergic to early morning sunshine I think rolling my eyes internally.

"And training of any sort..." My wolf snorts.

I scurry past it quickly breathing a sigh of relief as I get completely away without seeing anyone except for Nate who linked me a good morning. I could only smile at the ground as I replied to him.

It’s lunchtime and I join Lydia outside the preschool to eat. She looks at me. “Ellie, do you need me to go pick up cocoa powder for you today? I know you have to make brownies for the party on Friday.”

I shake my head. “No, he promised I would have a replacement bag today. If not, I’ll text you and see if you can grab some. He should have to replace it, not anyone else.”

Her pretty hazel eyes look at me warily. “Will it be delivered in person, or did he say?”

“He didn’t say. I don’t plan on opening the door though. I am hoping it will already be there when I get home…” I trail off as I now start thinking of all the awful possibilities.

She tosses her straight golden blonde hair over her shoulder, “Then you will go to Harper and Nate’s until you know it’s been dropped off. Swing by the house, and no delivery means no Ellie home alone.”

Lydia’s lovely face is stern. She has pale golden skin and is tall around five ten. I agree knowing she will call Nate and have him follow me. She’s been my sister since we became best friends in preschool. Closer than my own sister, Maura and I were although she and I were close at one point.

A packwide link starts, and I wince at the voice in my head.

"All members of Blood River Pack. We have a group of visiting Alpha, Beta, and Gamma leadership here for the next three and a half weeks. I expect all of you to behave accordingly and allow them to observe the training program they came for. If not, you will report to me."

Lydia speaks first, “Good old Alpha Burton, nothing like a linked Alpha command threat to make your lunch break go well.”

I chuckle silently but then wince when I hear him boom in my head, “And you will make sure to steer clear of them, Ellie Lark, unless they need your help and no one else is around, doll. I'll be sure to tell your friends too.”

Ugh! At least it wasn’t a command, I think.

Lydia looks at me curiously.

“I was warned to steer clear unless I am the only help available when they are around. He'll tell you too.”

She scoffs and rolls her eyes. “Of course, you were. I'll be holding my breath for that link.”

“Ok, I will head home and see if I have a delivery. Bye, Lydia.” I wave as I walk off.

I make the long walk back to my house and see a huge box on my porch. I walk to it, and it has a note attached: “see what a good provider I am”.

I gag a little. Opening the box causes me to roll my eyes. It’s a one hundred pound bag of cocoa powder. I can’t get this into the house. Not even with my wolf, Tempest’s help.

I pull out my phone and text Nate with a photo of the weight on the bag. “Need help Nate if you can.”

He replies back, “I’ll be there in fifteen minutes. Do NOT try to move that.”

“Yes, sir!”

The tall blonde warrior shows up and gets it into the kitchen for me shaking his head. “Pisses me off, Ellie. If he hadn’t destroyed your other delivery this…”

I place my hand on his arm to stop him. “Nothing can be done, so let’s move on. Hope everyone I know likes brownies for the next six months.” I grin at him and he shakes his head ruefully.

“I gotta go Ellie just in case. Be careful. And I want a pan of them for helping.”

“You’re on. I’ll make two because Harp will steal half your pan.” He grins saying, “And that’s why you are my favorite little sister. Make sure you tell Harp that too.” He walks out and I laugh.

Harper, another one in our best friend group, is his twin and is younger than him by two minutes. They look so much alike even though they aren’t identical and have been my other two siblings since we were little. Harper, Lydia, and I should have been born triplets with Nate as our big brother my mom used to say. We all have some form of blonde hair.

Our other friend, Ashley is a year older than us. We are a varied bunch personality wise. Nate is always serious unless we are playing a game. Then the goofball Nate comes out. Harper is a total bubbly girly girl. If you need fashion or makeup tips, she's the one you talk to out of us. She's smart though most think she's an airhead. Ashley is the quiet sweet one. But if you piss her off, look out; her temper is molten hot. Lydia is the sarcastic, brash, I don't give two shits about saying what I feel type. She's fiercely protective too. And then me, I'm the sarcastic overthinker that likes to laugh but usually does it internally. Easier that way. We compliment each other well though.

I go to wave to him, but he stops at his truck, hesitating before jogging back over quickly.

“Ellie… they found another one. He was a mile from the pack, still alive this time but clawed to hell and back. From the Bloodstone Pack ten miles away, was here to observe last week with his Beta. Matteo or something like that, with black hair, tall warrior build. Make sure you lock up good. And tell Tempest to be on guard more than normal.” His concerned deep blue eyes rake over me and I nod while feeling a cold shiver pass through me. I hate living alone, but I don’t really have any other option right now.

“You can always come stay at the house too. Mom loves having you. Or at Lydia’s. Ash is not really a good option right now, her parents are still out of town and she's at her aunt's house close to the packhouse.”

“I’ll think about it. If I get really scared, I’ll take someone up on it. Don’t want to cause too much trouble.”

Nate drives off and I think back to last week. I met Matteo, he was at the park one afternoon. He’d talked to me for a bit though I didn’t say much. Gave him directions to the best burger place in the pack. He seemed friendly. Wonder what happened to him. He at least kept his life unlike the others.

I remember seeing one of them.

I’d wandered too far off the walking path home that day and found myself at the pack’s border. I end up there a lot when I let my mind wander. I’d heard the commotion as Beta Nichols was directing warriors to lift him and cover him with a blanket. But they had moved and I saw he looked like he had been tortured.

My hands had covered my mouth in shock. Burn marks covered his torso and there were deep scratches down his side. His feet appeared to have been cut off. His face was unrecognizable. Strangely, there was some familiarity to him. I couldn't figure it out.

I had to back away quickly hoping our Beta didn’t sense me there. My scent is fairly weak so I usually have to be right next to them to be detected.

“Tempest, did you hear Nate?”

“I did pretty girl. I will be extra alert…if I can.” She tells me softly.