Spirit Wolves : A New Path (Book 2)

**Nate** “AAAAAAAAAA”  I screamed to no one in particular as I aggressively threw a large rock as hard as I could into a lake nearby.  I had just left another meeting with a pack and I was beyond frustrated with wolves in general and their lack of understanding.  We had been on the road for over a month visiting every pack we could find to try to convince them that a council was a better idea and would solve many problems before they started.  Besides being laughed at (which did trigger my temper and essentially power by the way) most Alpha’s couldn’t get over the thought of with er them or their Beta being the representative of their pack at this new council I was trying to form. I was frustrated because they couldn’t get it through their very thick skulls that the Gamma’s would be the best idea because of their care, understanding and honestly, less aggressiveness.  Having a room full of Alpha’s would only lead to disaster, over egotistical power struggles.  Which in my opinion, is most of the problem.  With each pack that we had visited so far, we decided to try things a little differently than we had with my (now) fathers pack.  We approached their border and waited to be invited onto their land in an attempt to show respect for them.  Honestly, I was beginning to wonder if that was a bad idea because we can easily walk anywhere we damn well please being that we are the strongest wolves in North America at least.  I kept wondering why everyone was so set in their caveman ways and couldn’t see a bigger picture. When we were invited onto their territory and they were all the same.  They went through the emotions of shock, denial, fear, anger, aggressiveness and finally acceptance that the Spirit Wolves were back and had a new plan.  At first, they were very afraid of us because wolves have a very good memory.  Most of their last encounters with this pack was not in the best circumstances.  From what I have been told, my biological parents ripped through North America and all packs looking for myself as well as my 4 siblings.  They did not rest until they thought they had retrieved all of us, leaving a wake of destruction in their path.  I know what Luca and I are like when we are angry, but that would be nothing compared to parents who had lost their young.   One thing I had learnt along this journey was that all of the packs that they thought they found us in were destroyed.  I keep saying ‘thought’ because my brother Luca and I were actually hidden, cursed and raised by a pack only a couple of hours from them.  We spent our whole lives not knowing who we really were.  Ever since I have taken over this pack, we have basically been on the move but they have become tired of the constant routine.  My pack needed a break.  Heck, I needed a break!  I needed to take a step back and try to figure out what I was doing wrong and no matter what, I MUST convince these packs to band together for the upcoming war that would be upon us in 9 short months according to Leto, our beloved Moon Goddess.  It’s either that, or we will all perish.  I for one, wanted to live and I wanted to live my way. “Hey, I know it's not ideal, but you can’t give up.”  Aspen spoke, not standing beside me.  The rest of the pack was loading up to head to the next location and we were leaving in about an hour.  Luckily, this next trip was not going to be a long one and we would be there before nightfall. “I know, it’s just so....AHHH!”  I replied, not yelling at her, just around her.  She had become my rock and sounding board lately and we had become quite close as we trekked through North America.  She was my sounding board and my rock.  I honestly would have gone mental a long time ago if she was not here with me.   “Let it out!  I get it.  They are stuck in the stone ages!”  She replied as she sent calming waves at me through our bond.  When I felt them, I gave her a sideways glance, with an expression on my face that said ‘really?!?!?!’  but in her defence, it came natural to her as she was the Gamma of our pack and looked out for everyone's needs.  I swear she didn’t even realize she was doing it half the time, it just came natural to her.  “Yeah, really.  Not if you are done with your little hissy fit I suggest that the next pack we arrive at we should not be as passive.” “I know.  I was thinking the same thing...I just don’t know if I have it in me to be an ass like that.”  I replied as honestly as I could. “Oh, you have it in you alright.  I have seen it, but only in very rare circumstances but there is a difference between being confident and being an over aggressive ass.”  Man, she was always so brutally honest with me.  But I liked it, she kept me on my toes. ‘Everyone is all packed up and ready to go Alpha’  My other sister Shadow linked me. I hung my head low and slouched my shoulders, allowing myself this little defeat before sucking it up and masking my emotions before I returned to the rest of the pack to leave. ‘We are on our way’ I linked back as I took one more deep breath and we began to make the kilometre walk back to the trucks. About half way back, the hair on the back of my neck stood on its end.  I had this feeling like we were being watched.  I stopped walking and took a fighting stance, tuning into everything around me.  I was ready for whatever was out there.  Aspen looked ready too, but she also looked really worried about me as well.  This is not the first time this has happened.  Thinking that there is something out there or a threat nearby, but it always turned out to be nothing and I figure by now, she may want to check me into the next loony bin we pass by.  I closed my eyes and expanded my senses like I had been training to do.   I smelt the trees swaying in the wind, the water in the nearby river and the damp moss surrounding it.  I smelt the flowers, a few small animals and some deer nearby...but nothing smelled out of the ordinary.  I couldn’t shake it though.  Every other time the feeling came and left but this time, it lingered and that bothered me to no end.  Not being able to pinpoint what the problem was was most likely driving me insane.  I was most likely some witches….I knew some strong ones that could cast some gnarly spells, blocking you from not only seeing them but smelling them and hearing them too.  After another few minutes of nothing, I shook my head and we started to make our way back to the truck again.  I made a mental note to talk to Aria and Aurora about it later.  Maybe they could sense something I can’t? They started practising their magic again shortly after we left my fathers pack.  We are all surprised that they not only retained it, but it intensified ten fold!  Aurora had to be very careful because she could start a forest fire with a sneeze.  They were starting to get it under control now though and I thanked the Goddess for that at least.  They had settled into being wolves quite easily and accepted almost everything that came with it.  The only thing they refused to do was hunt.  Being that they were witches, they respected and honoured all living things.  They would participate, but they would not kill another living thing while they were in human or wolf form.  Personally, I respected the hell out of them for being able to resist the urges of the wolf and being able to maintain some of their original ways.  It showed strength, will and maybe a bit of stubbornness. Aspen and I arrived at the trucks, loaded up and we were on our way.  I created a link with all of my senior wolves as we were coming up with a new plan for the next pack.   Shadow (My Delta) wanted to storm in-guns blazing (I think she was just itching for a fight). Luca (My Beta) wanted to show our power without hurting anyone unless they tried to stop us, and then he would be happy to put them in their place.  Willow (Our Healer) wanted peaches and roses and everyone to get along (I swear, she should have been a hippy, born in the 60’s) while  Aspen (Our Gamma) suggested that we just go right onto their land and keep walking until we are face to face with their Alpha, showing that we are not afraid of no one.  Once inside, change tactics to open for discussion.   I had to admit, I liked certain aspects of everyone’s opinion, but I decided to go with Aspen’s idea and see how that goes. ‘What the hell man?  You always choose her side now!”  Luca replied to the link, clearly upset that I would not side with him, but to be honest he had been a little distracted with his mates lately.  Being not only newly mated, but the ladies new to being wolves the three of them spent every free moment sneaking off for extra curricular activities.  Wolves had very high s*x drives and trust me when I say this, we know when they are mating because they are not only loud, sometimes Aria or Aurora push it through their bond accidentally. ‘Ya-well, when you stop thinking with your little head long enough to be my Beta and come up with some good ideas, then we will talk!”  I answered.  I could feel his shame and rage, but my sisters could not hold back their laughs even if they tried!