Under The Alpha's Protection

Chapter 9: The Warrior Pack

The walk back to the isolation room was uneventful. The few people Blue and Laia passed by happened to be far, and didn't even notice the pair returning from the thirty-five minute walk in the forest (because Blue begged Laia for an extra five minutes to enjoy the air and sunlight on her skin).

Inside, Laia flopped onto the chair Arlo Daggersap usually occupied. "Hey, I know you probably don't want to hear it... but it'd be against my conscience to not at least try and speak on behalf of my brother, even though he made a very terrible first impression on you."

Blue gingerly sat on the bed, using her feet to kick off her sneakers so she could lay down and give her abdominal muscles some rest. "Does your brother actually hate humans?"

"No," Laia shook her head. "Believe me, if that were the actual case here, I'd be the first to leave the Northern Pack and live as an unaffiliated werewolf." The alpha's expression morphed into one of tired distress—like a true sibling who'd bore witness to all that her brother had gone through. "Lucian... being Head Alpha, he's toughened his insides to match the outside. He thinks that decisions made from the heart often lead to chaos. This position had made him less sensitive to the emotions of others, but it's not 'cause he likes coming off as uncaring. It's the exact opposite: he cares too much about our Pack, and is being extra cautious with things that could bring us trouble. Especially now, that..."

Blue had been unconsciously taking shallow breaths as to not disturb the atmosphere that befell the space. "Now that what?"

Laia sighed. "Things are... becoming tense between our Pack and the Southern Pack again. I mean, from the beginning, the Northern Pack and Southern Pack have never reached an accord. We're the two Packs with the most bad blood between us. The feud settled for the past few decades, with no big incident leading to violent means of resolution." A pause. "Until this new Head Alpha, Niall Ryder, took over his father's place."

The familiar name made Blue's breathing catch. She swallowed to hide it from Laia. "Niall Ryder, the alpha that tried to kill me. He's the man stirring the pot again?"

"Precisely. Since Niall became Head Alpha, he's been sending werewolves to trespass into other Pack's properties, looking for trouble or snooping around. My brother and our Pack Council are worried that the Eastern Pack might be the Southern Pack's target at the moment. As the Northern Pack, we swore to offer protection to the Eastern Pack in exchange for additional resources. If the Southern Pack plans an all-out invasion of the Eastern Pack and their Territory, it'll put my Pack right in the crossfire."

Blue had been staring at the ceiling almost since the beginning of their conversation. She had told Lucian before, that she did not care about the politics of Packs. But hearing these things come from Laia, who Blue had never heard quite so bothered ever since they first became friends, it was hard to not sympathize with the Northern Pack werewolves—including the Head Alpha.

In a voice lowered with uncertainty, Blue spoke, "When he was here, I asked your brother if his immediate distrust of me would have been lessened, or if he'd believe the things I told him more willingly, if Head Alpha Niall went all the way to Bracket Town for a werewolf instead of just a human. He didn't answer directly, but..." she trailed off. That silence Lucian had responded with held just as much weight as a verbal response would have.

"As your friend, I don't want to lie to you," was the beginning of Laia's speech. "Lucian doesn't think we can trust you, and yes, it has something to do with the Head Alpha of the most dangerous Pack going after you personally when he would have just sent some other werewolf to do the job."

Blue tilted her head to look at the alpha seated at the other side of the room. She noted the way Laia's brows furrowed, her stark blue eyes on the floor, lips pressed into a thin line.

"Why doesn't your Pack have humans?" While she may not know everything about the four Packs of Clawsbrought State, Blue was made aware from a book she'd borrowed—from Doctor Oswin Holloway before—that werewolf Packs would often take in humans for several reasons. Sometimes, it's because a werewolf part of the Pack fell in love with a human. There's also cases wherein the human provided the Pack a great service and in exchange, they made that person an honorary member of their Pack.

Laia met Blue's open gaze. Blue asked the question in a way that was not confrontational, just curious, in fear that Laia might think she was insinuating something (which, Blue really wasn't).

Laia uncrossed her arms and sank further into the chair, her long legs spreading in front if her even more. "Do you know that they call my Pack a warrior Pack?"

Blue hummed, brows meeting. "I think I've read about it."

"All the Packs have different reputations to humans. It's been customary for the Northern Pack's young pups to begin training as early as ten years old. As a child, the memories I remembered most were the first lessons I had on basic self-defense. Everyone else my age was also building stamina, both in human and werewolf skin. Even before any of us present as alphas, betas, or omegas. What a werewolf presented as in puberty would not change the fact that they needed to know how to defend themselves and their loved ones."

Blue couldn't help but sit up in chock, blinking rapidly at her friend. "You've been learning self-defense since you were ten?"

Laia nodded, unruffled—because this was normal for them. "I have friends who've trained since they were seven."

It was hard to imagine: little kids, barely able to run straight without tripping over heir own tiny feet, taking lessons on self-defense.

This thought must be showing on her face, because Laia added on, "It might help ease your mind a bit to know that werewolves and humans have slightly different biologies. For one, we heal faster."

Blue exhaled through her nose, looking down at her stomach. "Wish I was a werewolf right about now."

Laia giggled, helping disperse some of the seriousness between them. "You're fine, Blue."

All that the alpha told Blue took a few more seconds to fully sink in. When it did, Blue had to look down at the fabric of her pants—the pants she got from Laia. "Did you mention being referred to as the warrior Pack because it's the reason why your brother thinks humans are weak? Because you guys have been training since you could walk?"

Like her brother, Laia's initial silence also gave away the answer.

"Two-thirds of our population can hold their own in a fight. Our ancestors even protected werewolves who weren't part of our Pack during attacks." Laia's eyes softened around the edges. "A surprisingly large number of those attacks are not always committed by other werewolves."

They were committed by humans, like Blue.

This time, the silence stretched on for both of them.

Laia was the first to break it with a sigh. "The Northern Pack is not against humans being part of our Pack. There's different factors why we don't have a human as a member. Not all humans who fall in love with werewolves are required to become officially part of the Pack if they don't want to be, and because of the whole warriors reputation and our history with the Southern Pack–"

"Most humans just decide not to join the Northern Pack?" Blue finished softly for her friend.

The alpha hummed. "Exactly."

-----

It had been an hour past ten when Lucian had managed to escape from the Pack Council's clutches. With single-minded focus, his feet took him straight to isolation room A, where he knew his sister had spent the morning with the human, Blue Emmetson.

He had been about to just wretch the door open, but decided against it, knowing his sister would throw a fit for not knocking. He gave three loud raps against the wood of the door, waited for five seconds, then twisted the door knob.

Like he had expected, Laia was inside, sitting on the bed in front of her human friend.

Blue Emmetson's appearance today took Lucian slightly by surprise. He had not seen the woman ever since the night of her arrival. Truthfully, he had been avoiding checking in on her for the fear that they might butt heads again like the last time they spoke.

Currently, Blue looked... better. More color on her cheeks, no more visible markings on her face, clean clothes—Laia's old cothes—on her petite body. Her long, brown locks, which had been frazzled and covered in sweat and dirt last time Lucian saw her, now fell delicately over one shoulder.

Like this, Lucian couldn't help but notice that the human was not terrible-looking. Far from it, actually. He'd figured that out from the first night, but today only further proved it.

Blue's hazel eyes, framed with long lashes, widened at Lucian's appearance.

Lucian's sister frowned in concern. "Lucian? Something wrong?"

Turning his attention away from the human and ignoring the small hints of Blue's natural scent he could smell, Lucian said to Laia, "I need to speak with you. Outside."

Laia was on her feet the next second. Blue's eyes never left Lucian's form, and he gave her a look that revealed nothing before closing the door behind Laia.

They put distance between them and the isolation rooms, plus made sure that their bodies were somewhat obscured from plain view via the thick trunk of a tree.

"You took Blue to the Setting Forest?" Was Lucian's first question after making sure nobody else was within their general vicinity.

"I did." The furrow in Laia's brows only deepened. "Did Narra tell you?"

"No. Worse." Lucian had to huff through his nose. "Narra Sheinstone told his mother, Althea, that the Head Alpha's sister was seen walking around with a human that nobody knew had entered the Territory. He smelled your scent wrapped around Blue Emmetson like a damn jacket, and recognized her wearing your old clothes—so now, they know she's been staying here for at least a day, and Narra even mentioned how chummy you two looked together."

Clarity spread through Laia's face. "Did Althea tell the rest of the Pack Council?"

"I just came from an impromptu meeting in Althea's house." The tension he'd been holding in his jaw hadn't quite eased just yet. "I managed to dodge the Council members' questions about how long Blue Emmetson was staying. But I needed to tell them that you had brought her here because she was injured, and that she's been healing for three days already."

Laia gritted her own teeth, eyes shutting in annoyance. "That bastard Narra. Can't keep his damn trap shut."

"Laia, I had to forbid the Council members from storming into that isolation room to question Blue themselves, because if they find out that she's hiding from Southern Pack werewolves, they will not be above dragging her out of our Territory. I had to lie and say that you owed Blue a favor, which is why you took her all the way here to heal instead of going to a hospital in Neutral Territory. You should have–"

"I know, I know," Laia brought a hand up to her forehead. "I should have told the Council as soon as she got here."

Lucian knew his sister well enough to figure out that the simple gesture of rubbing her fingers over the space between her brows was a way to stave off the irritation she had—both at herself and the situation.

Lucian reeled in his own tendril of frustration. "They wanted to speak with you personally, but I told them I'd relay the message instead."

"What message?"

"Blue Emmetson is required to meet with the Council when all her wounds have healed. Arlo is required to be there, too."

Laia scoffed. "They really want to involve Arlo in this?"

"They didn't like that he kept this a secret from them," Lucian informed her. "Blue Emmetson is only allowed to continue being in our Territory for the following days if you are by her side at all times. Should anything bad happen with her being here, the Council will put it on you, Laia." There was sternness in Lucian's voice. This was how he spoke whenever he expected werewolves to pay rapt attention to every single thing he said.

But not even ten seconds later, Lucian felt his expression caving, revealing the genuine worry he had for his younger sister having to deal with the Council when all she had wanted to do was to help a friend.

Usually, Lucian wouldn't bend so easily to this feeling in his chest. But right now, just the two of them, he inhaled deeply before murmuring, "I was harsh on you that night, and I stand by everything I said. But your heart was in the right place. You knew it was likely the Southern Pack would have just went looking in different hospitals to finish the job after their first attempt to hurt your friend. Still, you have to face the consequences of your actions, and own up to the fact that you violated our Pack's safety protocol."

Laia's jaw muscles worked, both hands on her hips. Her gaze was nowhere on Lucian, and her expression was an empty canvas.

They had both perfected that blank look as teenagers.

"You also met with the Pack Council the night I took Blue here," Laia said, diverging from their main topic for now. "You haven't told me what that meeting became about."

Lucian always told Laia. He probably shouldn't, but he was biased. Of course he'd tell his sister—she's the only person he could freely rant about his problems with whenever the urge to do so came.

"They mentioned the Western Pack."

"Again?" Laia's eyes met Lucian's in an instant. "Can't the Council understand that those beach-wolfs want nothing to do with the other Packs? You manage to get the Eastern Pack to form a partnership with us, something no other Nothern Pack Head Alpha had managed to do, but that's still not enough for the Council?"

Laia did not know about the idea the Pack Council had came up with back then, the one they had refused to let go of.

Lucian might as well tell her now. Especially since it might very well be where the future of their Pack was headed. "All seven of the Council believe that a Pack War is drawing closer and closer the more frequent the Southern Pack's attacks to the Eastern Pack have been. Majority of them have been trying to get me to consider forming an alliance with the Western Pack... by becoming mates with Teesha Hornswood."

A breeze flew by just as Laia was stunned to silence.

"Teesha Hornswood? The omega sister of Head Alpha Tristan?" Laia exhaled in disbelief, jaw open. Her hands gestured wildly, scrambling for what to say next, "The Council wants you to... woo Teesha Hornswood so her brother would have no choice but to become allies with us? What did you even say to that crap?!"

Lucian wasn't sure what response to give her.

Laia's arms fell limp to her side. "Lucian, I know that look. You're not seriously considering–"

"Laia, it's the same thing with you and–"

A finger jabbed harshly at his shoulder. "Do not compare this to my situation with Dawson Waverly. He and I genuinely like each other. Maybe it's not love yet, but we got the chance to know the other person before agreeing to be pre-mated. It's not only so we could solidify the Northern and Southern Pack's long-term alliance." Laia's same finger pressed against Lucian's shoulder another time. It barelt fazed him. "You can not just waltz over to the Western Pack and-and offer yourself up like this!"

"It's impossible to just waltz over to the Western Pack, they know when an intruder is in their Territory."

His indifferent response did not sit well with Laia. "Lucian, you don't even know what this Teesha girl looks like, let alone what her beliefs are. You have no clue about her morals, her pet peeves, her damn allergies!"

That was painfully true. There's many who've said that Teesha was one of the most elegant omegas to ever grace the Western Pack. Yet even with cameras and cellphones existing, Lucian had not seen one photo of the omega.

"I'm writing a letter to Head Alpha Tristan Hornswood to ask for a formal meeting," he told his sister.

Laia looked disappointed. That was alright. Her worry was understandable, but nobody else would be involved if this arrangement happened except Lucian himself.

Besides, he did not want to admit it out loud, but his gut told him that this Pack War the Council members were so worried about happening was an actual possibility he could no longer deny.

That was enough for Lucian to finally make his decision about the Western Pack last night.

"Getting Head Alpha Tristan to reply will be a long shot," Laia grumbled, begrudgingly accepting that Lucian's already made up his mind. "He's never responded to any of your letters before."

"Yes, but as Head Alpha, it's law that all formal courtship offered to his family members must be entertained." Lucian tried to lessen Laia's concern by pointing out that, "Even if the twin suns reject my idea, and Teesha Hornswood declines my formal courtship, we'd still get to finally sit down and speak to Head Alpha Tristan. That's the worst case scenario."

Laia shook his head. "No, worse case scenario is when Head Alpha Tristan decides to join the Southern Pack and kill you for even attempting to formally court his sister."

"I'll be in my best behavior the whole time."

"Doesn't matter what you do. He's an older brother to a sister." Laia patted his arm, giving Lucian a pointed look. "They're way too overprotective."