She's My Beta and My Mate

Chapter 4: Unhappy Trails

Micah

A small band of my most trusted warriors is gathered around a table in my office, and we are looking at a map. It is not the same map I was looking at the day before when Eli came in because I am concentrating on just one place—the place where the infiltrators were spotted the day before.

“We'll shift and head out to this place right here," I say, pointing at the map. “We need to look around for clues and proof that they came from the south. I don't think any of the other packs in the area would ever ask us to justify a war with Dark Eclipse since most of them know what kind of a pack they are, but we need to collect evidence, just in case." I already had a file folder full of such evidence in my desk.

“I don't think there's a pack within a hundred-mile radius that doesn't know Alpha Kradick is an a*shole," Alex, one of my warriors, says.

“While I agree with you," I tell him, “it's best to be prepared." I look around and meet their eyes, and each of them nods. I have Eli, Alex, my Beta, Patrick, and three other warriors, Kimber, Eva, and Hayden with me. These are some of the toughest warriors in our pack. Most of them are my age or a little older, though Patrick is old enough to be my dad.

Patrick is Zariah's dad.

Hayden is also a little older, and Kimber is probably fifteen years older than me. I think it's good to have diversity on my teams. Still, I need speed, agility, and talent on my team, especially when it comes to important tasks like this.

We can't have anyone I can't trust to do a good job. We can't have anyone I can't trust to keep from being a distraction or messing around.

We can't have anyone I can't trust to keep from screwing things up.

“Any questions?" I ask.

“I have one," Beta Patrick says, raising a finger.

“Certainly," I say, hoping my Beta has a good point to make. I value his opinion. After all, he's been the Beta since before I was born.

He clears his throat. “Perhaps we can speak in private, Alpha?" he asks.

My forehead crinkles as I attempt to figure out what he might be wanting to speak to me about. I can't imagine there's anything he could want to talk to me about that he can't ask in front of the others. He could always use the mind-link if he needed to. “Go ahead," I say. “Whatever it is, I'm sure it's fine."

Again, Patrick's eyes trace the faces of the others. A few look uncomfortable, their eyes shifting to the ground. “Very well, sir. I mean no disrespect, and I'm sure you may have your reasons, but I was just thinking… perhaps… your Beta should be here? That is… your Beta-to-be? Don't you think it might do her well to accompany us on this mission as well?"

He was right to ask me to speak in private. I am taken aback, and before I can respond, Eli is pounding Beta Patrick on the shoulder. “Now, that sounds like a good idea to me! How else is she going to learn if she never comes with us on missions, Alpha?"

I can't remember ever having wanted to kill my best friend more than I want to kill him at this moment.

I take a deep breath. “I'm sure she probably has other things to do." I imagine her preparing for the Moon Goddess Ball, hanging out with friends, painting her fingernails, or something.

Her father shakes his head. “No, she is at home, ready to go if you call her, sir."

I can see that there's no way out of this. I'm going to have to invite her along. In an attempt to save face in front of the others, I smile. “All right then," I say. “Let's get her over here."

***

Zariah

The anger I'd felt when my father had told me that Alpha Micah had put a team together to go look for evidence that Dark Eclipse had been trespassing on our lands is transformed into bliss as I run alongside my packmates through the woods, my wolf stretching her legs as the scent of the forest fills my lungs and the breeze blows through my silver fur.

This is the first mission I have been on other than my training missions, and I feel like I am finally starting to show my value to the pack. Sure, my father had to convince the Alpha that I should be here, but that's okay. I'll show him that I am able to contribute.

Alpha Micah is at the head of the pack. My father is right behind him on the right, and Eli is on his left. I am hanging back. I don't mind taking a spot near the rear. After all, I am here to learn. But once I see my opportunity, I will find a way to show Alpha Micah I am worthy of the invitation.

It's hard not to stare at him. I don't even like admitting that to myself, but it's true. He's such a massive wolf, with dark brown fur that glistens when it catches the light. Golden highlights with red streaks shine and make him look even more regal. He's the fastest, strongest, most powerful of all of the wolves in our pack.

And he knows it.

That's one of the things that drives me crazy about him!

After about an hour of running, Alpha Micah slows down. Using the mind-link, he tells us, “This is where the warriors from the other pack were seen. We need to find some evidence that they were from Dark Eclipse."

“Other than that stench?" Eli asks, getting a laugh out of many of the others.

Alpha Micah isn't laughing. “Yes, other than that stench. I can't photograph or otherwise collect the stink of their abominable fur. Look around for something else, though. If you can find some of their fur, that would be helpful. Or tracks that lead back to Dark Eclipse. Something of that nature."

We all sound off with a, “Yes, Alpha," and spread out to look for what he said.

I take my time, using my nose and my eyes, directing myself toward the south, trying to think like a Dark Eclipse warrior. Where would I go? What would I do?

I haven't spent a lot of time running around in these woods, but I have spent a lot of time studying the maps, and I honestly think we are in the wrong place. It doesn't make sense to me that they would come through here. After all, there is a large patch of brambles just to the south of this section of woods. Why wouldn't they move to the east just a little and come up through that old deer trail?

“They would," I think to myself. I want to go over there, but everyone else is still here, where Alpha Micah has told them the sighting was.

I needed to go over there.

“Dad," I say, using the mind-link. “I'm going to go check the game trail."

“Why?" he asks. “That's too far east."

“I have a hunch," I told him.

“We need to head back," Alpha Micah is telling everyone through the mind-link. “It doesn't look like they left anything."

“Stall him, Dad," I say, and I rush off toward the game trail.

“Let's take just a few more minutes, Alpha. If you don't mind?" my dad says.

Alpha Micah reluctantly says, “Fine, but only ten minutes."

It doesn't take me long to find the game trail, and when I do, I get exactly what I was looking for.

Tracks.

Fresh tracks—and they were wolf tracks!

“Alpha Micah!" I shout, using the mind-link. “I found something!"

“You did?" I can tell he's shocked. But then he sounds skeptical. “Where?"

“Over by that old deer trail," I tell him.

He gives the order and the rest of the warriors come over. Almost immediately, the others recognize what I've found.

“Wow, Zariah, look at you!" Eli says, giving me a shove with his shoulder. “Way to go, kid."

“Nice job," Alex tells me.

“I'm proud of you, honey," my dad says.

Wolves can't blush, but I feel my face flush as everyone in the group tells me good job.

Everyone except for Micah.

He just looks mad.