Raised By The Wolves

Chapter Three

***Hera’s POV***

-The next day-

The pack members thanked us all night for helping them. We let them choose what to do with Wayne’s body. They all decided to burn it. The way you get rid of violent rogues that are harming your pack or child molesters. They figured that would be the only correct way to go. They didn’t even want to feed his body to any animals. Said they didn’t want those poor animals to taste that kind of sh*t.

I am waiting on the call from Lewis and Amy. Calli is mapping the pump system to each house and pricing on who we should go through to get the plumbing fixed. Some houses can be salvaged but others will have to be torn down and rebuilt. The pack members actually put Wayne within the old packhouse and torched it.

We explained to them the things we were going to do with the pack and honestly they were all really excited about it. We told them they could just relax and rest while we got the plans figured out but everyone wanted to help. Everyone was pitching in cleaning the back grounds. they all started to tear down some of the non salvageable houses.

Jeremiah is asking a few of the guards for the records they kept in the training hall about their training routines. Him and the new Gammas are going to put together a new training routine for anyone who wants to do it. I asked that all the pack members attend 3 basic training sessions a week. Self defense and some offense. And anyone else who wanted further training like the guards would attend classes 5 days a week with an added hour of advanced training. I want them to be strong in case anyone tries to hurt them again.

I was lost in my train of thought when a text came through.

Amy: 'We are here, can Lewis and I come through the gate.'

Me:' Yes I'll have everyone gather around.'

"Hey everyone, I told you yesterday we would have guests today. They just arrived. The first two people you will meet are very dear to me. They are good and kind leaders and I don't want you to be afraid of them, okay?"

Everyone nods and waits. Amy and Lewis walk into view. And everyone is automatically a little skeptical of a Male Alpha. Lewis has brought his aura in a lot so he doesn't scare anyone.

"Hello everyone. I am Alpha Lewis of the Swift River Pack. My Luna and I are very good friends to your new Alpha and your ranked members. We come only to help you rebuild and offer any supplies that are needed. " Lewis spoke first. Some seem to relax a bit.

"We are only here to help, and to let you know that we are here to help protect you also. Whatever we can do we are here. Your Alpha is like a daughter to us. And we are very proud of her heart and doing what couldn't be done but us or the other Alpha's and Luna's. We hope you will accept ours and our warriors help."

Amy's Luna aura has always been abundantly soothing. She's a genuine person. And she doesn't lie either. Everyone started to relax.

The older woman that called me Alpha first yesterday, Anna, stepped forward.

"We are grateful for Alpha Hera for stepping forward and helping relieve us from this cruel monster. So if you are someone she and our ranked members trust, then we will trust you too." She said with a smile.

'They really believe in us, Elaina. It's so crazy.'

'I know, I can't believe they really trust us. It's nice to have strangers fully trust you.'

***Ring Ring Ring***

"Hello?" I said as I answered an unknown number I've never seen before.

"Is this Alpha Hera Lockwood?" The man asked.

"Yes it is. Who am I speaking with?"

"This is Noah from the council. I wanted to congratulate you on your new title."

"I appreciate that. But there is no reason to congratulate. The people who have decided to follow me need rebuilding. Physically and mentally. And until that is done there is no need to congratulate."

"That's very nice to hear Alpha Hera. Is there anything we can help with? "

"At this time Noah, no. Unless you can swing a hammer?" I said jokingly. I know Lewis and Amy trust him. But honestly I don't trust anyone that can CLEARLY see what this packs’ Alpha was doing and not step in. But I will not be rude. YET.

"Hahaha. I'm no good at building anything. But if you need supplies I'd be happy to assist."

"I appreciate that Noah, let me see how things go this week and if we need anything I'll let you know."

"Very well, Alpha. I will be in touch. Again congratulations on helping those wolves. I believe you'll make a great Alpha."

"Thank you Noah, Goodbye."

***click***

I have worked for quite a few Alpha's over the years protecting the forest from creatures, humans, or anything that would do any harm to innocents. And I don't trust very quickly. I may be nice or civil, but I'll never be a pushover. I'm going to have to have Calli and Bethany get me a list of council members and their histories.

No one knows but Calli and Bethany aren't just smart, they are hackers. Very tech savvy. That's why Bethany and Juan want to be partners in the Security company. They know so much about things like that.

I send Calli and Bethany a quick text to let them know what I need and why. I walk back to where Lewis is talking with his warriors on what they need to be doing. Juan is helping ease pack members that are still a bit frightened by the newcomers. I start blasting a soothing aura, and everyone who is tense from my pack or Lewis' starts to relax. Tense warriors, scared pups, trembling young women, all start to breathe easily.

"Hey, what is your name?" I asked a warrior who is snarling while looking at my pack members.

He straightens up when he sees me. And pulls his wolf back in.

"Rhett Michael, Alpha." He says with a bow and a VERY thick southern accent.

"Where are you from originally Rhett?" I say, eyeing him .

"North Central Florida, Alpha."

"Nice. Let me ask you something. Why are you snarling at my wolves? My wolf Elaina is having half the mind to rip you to complete shreds for what you are doing..." I say as calmly as I could.

"I mean no disrespect Alpha, but you have the wrong idea. I'm not snarling at them. I'm snarling because of their condition. My wolf Cash is losing his mind at the fact that these people have been through so much. " He says, breathing heavily.

Elaina and I breathe a deep calming breath.

"I see. That's nice to know we weren't the only wolves appalled by this situation. Say, do you want to maybe help more than what you are now?"

I have this inkling in my body that I need Rhett in my pack. He's a good looking wolf but not for that reason. There's something about his spirit and aura of his wolf that is drawing me to get him to agree to be here.

"What do you mean Alpha? I'd love to be of assistance in any way I can!"

"How do you feel about joining my pack? I don't know your expertise, but there's something about you that is telling me you need to be here."

He's looking at me shocked. Lewis is just smiling. He knows this about me and my "gut feelings" about others. He knows it's almost always right. Actually it's always been right. I only say almost because I don't like to gloat.

"Can I do that? Alpha Lewis?" He says looking to Lewis standing next to me with a smirk. "Would you release me to be here in this new pack?"

"Rhett, ever since you came to my pack you have been a big influence in a lot of changes. From security to benefits for working pack members. You're also one of the best trackers I've ever seen. I'd be sad to see you go, but if Alpha Hera thinks you'd be of better service here I won't argue. I trust her intuition. But it'll all be your choice. "

Rhett looks at Lewis and me. "I'd be absolutely honored to join your pack Alpha Hera. If you believe that I can help you and these wolves, I'd like to go ahead and do that now. " He says with a huge smile.

Lewis releases him and I say the crew to my pack. Suddenly Elaina speaks up.

'He's special Hera. And he doesn't even know it. I know his wolf Cash. Cash has been special but every few hundred years the Moon Goddess pairs him with an amazing human. He's going to be such a great addition to the pack.'

"Alright y'all, let's go get some stuff knocked down, cleaned up and marked off so the builders can come and set everything up. I'd like to have all the houses done in a month. Lewis can your company handle that?" I said with a quirked eyebrow. Lewis has a huge construction company. It's mainly for huge facilities or skyscrapers. But he does houses and mansions too.

"Are you doubting our capabilities darling? " He said with a chuckle.

"I guess we'll just have to see. "

- 4 months later -

It's been 4 months since I defeated the Alpha of the Red Night pack. And we've turned it into the Moon Forest Pack.

Juan, Bethany, Rhett and I have been running the security company. You'd think that with it only being 4 months we wouldn't have made it that far.

We have 5 major contracts. 2 in two human towns for big multi-billion dollar companies. And 3 of them are for 3 of the packs we used to help protect.

They all have the best security and monitor system that Bethany runs. She's the partner/ department head for the tech parts. Rhett and I have been working closely with our pack, expanding the borders into the forest, and Rhett had started training bodyguards for the company. Of course being a founder I try to run most of the business stuff so others don't have to worry. But Rhett has also been helpful in that aspect.

Juan is working with Calli in training all the warriors in our pack. Juan and Calli are great fighters. Even I stop when I can do some sparring. Everyone loves that. The whole pack actually trains. Juan has contracted out rogue born wolves who didn't want to join our pack to do bigger jobs around the 2 human towns. They like their freedom so we just employ them.

Jeremiah likes having his freedom also. He likes to be a warrior and just be a regular pack member without a lot of responsibility but he always pitches in when he can.

All the houses are built for our pack and the amount of tears that were shed when we packed away the last few tents and air mattresses for families to move into their homes could've filled Lake Okeechobee.

We still have a long way to go but the progress that has been made so far is something to be proud of. All my pack members are smiling, well fed and dressed. Living in the sunshine and soaking up the good times.

I can't wait to see where we are in a year or two. We are still working on a packhouse design and we can't decide how we want it built. I think all the girls want a farmhouse type of design but the guys think we should have a castle built.

I never eye rolled so hard in my life until Juan and Jeremiah said we needed a windowless castle with a moat and a drawbridge. F*cking children.

Just as I go to think of a new design, Elaina is snarling in her head and I can feel what she's feeling.

Someone has crossed our borders. And it's not close to the pack members' houses, it's in the forest. We dart out of the big tent we have set up for us to go over plans and building designs while we wait for the packhouse to be built.

Elaina immediately shifts and takes off and before I think about it Cash in his Golden Retriever color with a pretty chocolate brown color over his eye is hot on my tail.

'What's going on Alpha? I felt someone cross.'

'So did I. But it's not here by the houses. It's in the forests we used to check. When we started rebuilding the pack we expanded into the forest where we were protecting.'

He nods and we continue to run. I'm much faster than he is. But he keeps up pretty good.

We finally came up where I felt the border cross. There's no one here now. But we sniff the air and try to follow the scent of whoever was here.

I hear an extremely loud roar! And it's not one of my wolves... A bear..

Oh no, Damion. s**t.

'Who is with the bear shifter right now??'

Cash looks at me confused.

'I am Alpha.'

That's Jimmy. s**t they don't know about Damion or Andreas yet.

I take off to where I can feel Jimmy in the woods. And I hear him howl for back up. I really hope he didn't think he could take a full grown bear shift by himself.

We run up to the scene and Damion has his huge front paw on Jimmy's chest holding him down but not hurting him.

'Jimmy this bear isn't an enemy it's an ally. He is a friend of mine and of our pack.'

Jimmy is shaken thinking his life is quickly going to end.

'Damion did you really have to hurt him or scare the hell out of him like that.'

Damion snaps his head to me. He hates that I'm one of the only people in the world that can mindlink him.

'He saw me in the forest and when I felt I crossed a border I went to turn around and he came out like a ninja. Dude was fast. But not fast enough. '

'Alright, you've had your fun, let him up.'

Damion rolls his eyes and gets off of Jimmy. Damion immediately shifts back to his human form so I do the same. Immediately Jimmy hands me his shirt while looking away. I throw it on, really not caring about being naked.

"What brings you back this way old friend?"

"Ughhh, don't call me old Hera, I'm only 28!" He says with a scoff.

"I came because I was looking for you. Heard you took down a cruel old Alpha and took over a pack. That news came through and I said damn that does sound like something Hera would do. So I decided to check it out. But honestly I thought you'd hand the title off to someone else. Not actually become Alpha and lead a whole pack." He said with a big smile.

"Hey I enjoyed being a rogue just as much as you enjoy being alone BALOO, But they needed me more than I enjoyed being a rogue. So here I am. " I said with a shrug. He hates being compared to the bear from Jungle Book. And it's my favorite nickname for him.

"Yeah yeah, well am I allowed to enter your premises 'Alpha' " he said with a snicker.

"Not if your gonna be an a*shole you're not." I said full on belly laughing now.

He walks up, throws his arm around my shoulder and we start walking towards the pack with Cash and Jimmy behind us.

'He's a friend, Cash. No worries.' I mindlinked the big Golden wolf behind me who is still eyeing cautiously.

'I know I can tell he means no harm. But he's HUMONGOUS. ' he said with a laugh in my head.

"Cash back there is eyeing you because he said you are huge."

"Most bears are big, but I would be considered an Alpha in the bear world as well. We just don't run in packs like you guys do. " I figured.

We get back to the big tent. I filled Damion in on everything we have been doing and have accomplished. He said he'd like to help. He doesn't want to join the pack, yet. But he does want to help the whole pack train against rabid bears and evil vampires. I told him that would be a great idea.

I made the announcement that evening about Damion. How he is a friend. One who taught me many fighting skills and he's here to train anyone who would like to. Everyone still says if they are the friend of our Alpha we'd be more than happy to learn. Which makes me smile.

I also let them know, I have a vampire friend as well. I'm sure he will show up soon too. Some gasps were heard.

"I know that's shocking. But not all vampires are out for blood or hate us. Some are just finding their way. Some were made to be vampires but don't necessarily want to be or they don't fall into that whole mess where they want to kill everyone and rule the world. Andreas is one of the most kind and smart creatures I've ever met. And when he is here you will see why. He's very helpful. I hope you will all be accepting of him too."

There were murmurs and they all nodded and started talking with Damion.

I have this strange pit of my stomach feeling that something big is going to happen soon.

**Unknown POV**

Just another damn boring a*s day. Get up, get my suit on and head to work. I am the C.E.O of one of the largest Market exchanges in the United States. I deal in all kinds of fields. Supplies and equipment for the medical field is the biggest and my most favorite of dealings. Not for the money but because it is helping others..

But we also trade goods with other companies and countries. The whole nine yards.

But at 21 my day to day life is boring. I'm unmarried. No kids. Definitely no girlfriend. All these girls want is a free ride as a trophy wife. And I'm not into that.

I want a woman who is going to work hard for what she wants. Achieve all her goals even if I'm not there. I don't want to be the cause of a woman's success. I want her to already own it before I get there.

I have no other family to see. My parents were killed in a tragic hiking accident when I was about 8 years old. I lived with my uncle after that. I stayed to myself. Made good grades. Went to college and got about 3 degrees and started my own business. My uncle died about 2 years ago. Massive heart attack.

Which blew my mind because he was one of the healthiest people I know. He didn't look a day over 30 and he was 47. But life is unexpected. Just all the unexpected and exciting s**t happens to everyone else.

***ring ring ring***

"Hey man, I'm walking out the door now. What's up?" I asked my bestfriend and C.O.O Levi.

"Not much man. Wanted to see where you were. We have about 5 meetings today. You ready? "

"Ughh yeah, I'm ready to sit in a boring conference room with a s**t ton of old men to tell me how to run my business or tell me all the extras they want from me to deal with them. Ecstatic. " I roll my eyes.

"C'mon man we can get through this day and go out for drinks! It'll be a ton of fun tonight."

I hate going out partying, I hate going to conventions. I'd rather go meet with hospitals and Doctors and Nurses and see what I can do to help their facilities.

"Ehhh we will see. I don't know what I wanna do tonight."

I just know deep down in my gut something big is coming, and I hope it's more exciting than conference room deals and talking with old a*sholes every day.

I need a vacation... I need something new.