The Rogue Alpha

Chapter Six

The group tucked into their breakfasts, the children eating their pancakes with gusto whilst the adults each consumed the huge all-day breakfast that was placed in front of them.

Left to his own thoughts, Archer’s mind rolled over his snap decision, nodding subconsciously to himself as Axel growled out his agreement. His father was never going to stop hunting him unless he put himself out of the reach of the Black Opal pack. He had many contacts throughout Europe though, so where would he go?

As if reading his mind, Kurt wiped his mouth as he met his gaze, ‘where are you thinking of going Alpha? Do you even have a passport?’

Archer nodded nonchalantly, ‘yeah, I grabbed all my ID when I left the pack’ he mumbled, ‘I don’t think I can stay in Europe, so I’m not really sure where to go.’

Levi glanced up, his face covered in chocolate sauce from his pancakes, ‘go to Merica Alpha, that country is the hugest! Your daddy won’t be able to find you there with all those peoples’ he said with a shrug.

Archer tilted his head as he studied the child, ‘that isn’t a bad idea’ he rumbled, reaching over to ruffle the boy’s hair, 'you are a pretty smart little wolf there, young man’ he added fondly.

Levi nodded with a grin, ‘we can come with you, I wants to go to Merica, it’s got lots of fun places’ he enthused.

Archer blanched slightly, he hadn’t been intending to stay with the family, he just didn’t want them hurt because of him, but the way Kurt and Anya were looking at each other, considering the idea, threw him off guard.

‘I think mummy and daddy want to remain in their own country, little guy’ Archer said softly, wincing as the little boy pouted.

Kurt straightened up slightly as he cleared his throat, ‘actually Alpha, Levi’s idea isn’t a bad one, we haven’t found any suitable packs here despite our best efforts, maybe we would fare better in a new country.’

The Alpha sighed, ‘do you even have passports?’ he muttered wearily.

Kurt shook his head reluctantly, ‘no, but . . . surely there is a way around that? Unless you don’t want us to come’ he added with a frown.

Levi and Alyona snapped their heads toward Archer, Alyona’s eyes filling with tears as Levi pouted, ‘I want to go with Alpha’ Alyona whimpered, ‘please Alpha, Levi and I will be good! We won’t get in any trouble. Don’t banish us from your pack’

Archer shut his eyes tightly, pinching the top of his nose tightly against the headache that was forming as he gritted out, ‘of course I’m not kicking you out of my pack sweetie, if your mum and dad want to come with me then we will figure it out.’

The little girl’s tears dried up immediately as she grabbed her brother’s hands excitedly, ‘we going to Merica Levi!’ she trilled as the young boy nodded.

Turning back to the two adults, Archer rubbed his hand down his face in exasperation, ‘are you both sure about this?’ he asked in a low voice, ‘I’ve got no idea what it will be like over there and it’s not like I have a pack house or anything.’

Kurt shrugged, ‘we don’t have a pack house here either, Alpha, but at least with you we have an Alpha, that’s a huge step forward for my family’ he replied.

‘Really not your Alpha’ Archer grumbled angrily.

Kurt laughed, ‘whatever you say Alpha’ he replied with a grin as his wife giggled.

Once they had finished, Archer paid the bill and they headed out into the town, stopping at a small shop to buy some more food that they split between the two rucksacks and heading out into the countryside. The two children, energized from their lunch and Alyona’s nap, were racing around in front of the adults playing tag as they continued to move northwards. Archer had picked up a map at the store, and after careful perusal, they were heading roughly in the direction of the sea, hoping to find passage on a boat heading out of Europe.

As the day wore on, the group began to tire, stumbling across a small camping site that had static caravans set up in a field, they traipsed up to the door of the brick farmhouse that was attached to the field, and knocked hopefully.

The door swung open to reveal an elderly farmer who eyed them suspiciously, ‘what do you want? We aren’t buying anything’ he grumbled, his gaze flicking from one member to the next.

Archer stepped forward, ‘we are looking for somewhere to stay the night sir, do you have any room?’

The old man rubbed his nose thoughtfully, ‘you trouble makers? You on the run from the law?’ he asked sullenly, ‘don’t want no trouble round here, so if you are in bother, you keep right on walking.’

Archer straightened his shoulders, ‘no sir, we are just passing through on our way to the port and looking for somewhere to sleep for the night.’

The farmer shifted slightly, glaring at them as if still trying to figure out if they were to be trusted.

‘I’m tired’ Alyona whimpered, pulling at Archer’s coat, ‘make the man let us stay Alpha.’

‘Alpha? You some kind of cult, boy?’ the old man growled, taking a defensive stance, ‘we don’t need that around here, I should call the police, now go on, get!’ he ordered.

‘Bert? Who’s at the door?’ came a woman’s voice from inside the farmhouse, before the door was pushed wider to reveal a plump old woman who was wiping her hands on the flowery pinny that was tied around her waist.

Looking at the group, her face broke into a smile, ‘why, visitors! Bert, why are you making these poor people stand in the cold? Come in, come in, I’ll put the kettle on’ she bustled.

‘May, they are a cult’ Bert muttered, trying to pull the door back again to block the way.

May snorted, ‘you and your stories, Bert, they are not a cult, you can see that they are a family. Now let them in and go stoke the fire.’

‘May, the kid called him Alpha’ the old man whined as his wife pushed him out of the way and beckoned the group inside.

‘So? It’s a nickname you old fool’ May retorted, as she ushered the travellers into the large farm kitchen, pushing the adults into chairs. ‘The grandkids call you pop pop, are you a cult leader too?’ she asked pointedly.

Bert muttered under his breath as he dropped heavily into an armchair that was facing the fire, picking up his pipe and starting to stuff tobacco into the end.

May waved her hand toward him, ‘don’t mind him, he’s been watching those true crime documentaries again, he was sure that our postman was a serial killer last week’ she sighed as she rolled her eyes. 'Anyway, what can we do for you this evening, do you need accommodation?’ she asked hopefully.

Archer nodded, ‘ Yes please if you have room’ he replied, ‘we’ll need at least 3 rooms though, and do you happen to have a crib?’ he added.

May’s confused face turned to complete joy as Anya opened her coat to reveal Georgio, who was just starting to fuss.

‘Aww look at him, what an adorable little munchkin’ May cooed, jogging around the table to give his cheek a squeeze before heading over to the kettle and flicking it on. ‘We have a van on plot four, has 3 bedrooms, a bathroom and a kitchen’ she said over the sound of the kettle heating. ‘I have a moses basket in the storage cupboard which I’ll grab for you after you’ve had a drink to warm you up.'

Whilst the kettle heated, May flitted around the kitchen, grabbing a saucepan and half filling it with milk before warming it on the stove. Pouring some into two mugs, she added a spoonful of hot chocolate powder, stirring it in before carrying it back to the table and placing it in front of the two children.

‘This will help you sleep little ones’ she said fondly, heading over to the pantry and returning with a huge tub of homemade biscuits that she placed between them.

Levi and Alyona reached eagerly for the tub, nodding as their mother warned them to only take one each. May tutted, ‘now don’t be silly, I make them all myself and my grandkids don’t come as often as they used to. These two can help themselves’ she said firmly.

Once everyone was sitting with a steaming mug of drink in front of them, May perched on the end chair and viewed them over her coffee. ‘So what are you all doing way out here, especially with no car, we’re not really on a main stretch’ she asked curiously.

Archer cleared his throat nervously, ‘we are, umm . . a family, we are making our way to the port. We, uh, don’t own a car so we are walking’ he added hesitantly.

May nodded, ‘that’s quite a trek you have ahead of you young man, especially with two young children and a new born.’

Archer nodded, ‘yeah, but with very few other options, we need to do what we need to do.’

May frowned momentarily before her face broke into a smile, ‘Bert is taking some produce to the market tomorrow morning, he can give you a lift, cut out some of your journey’ she said excitedly.

The three adults started to protest as she waved her hand dismissively, ‘don’t be daft, he’s going your way anyway, as long as you don’t mind an early start and riding on the back of a hay cart, it makes no sense for you not to ride with him.’

Glancing over at Bert who was now leaning back in his chair, eyes closed as he gripped his pipe in his hand, a small snore issuing from his lips, Archer returned his gaze to May and nodded. ‘If you are sure that your husband won’t mind, we would be very grateful for the ride’ he agreed.

May clapped her hands together as her husband jerked awake from the noise, ‘I wasn’t sleeping’ he grouched, glaring over at his wife.

The old woman rolled her eyes, ‘of course you weren’t dear, you were wide awake and listening to our conversation were you not?’ she replied sternly, ‘so what do you think about it?’ she added, raising her eyebrow challengingly.

Bert swallowed as he frowned, ‘eh? Umm yes, of course dear, I agree with you’ he mumbled in confusion.

May smiled widely as she replied, ‘I thought you would, dear, so you will hitch up the cart in the morning and take these fine people with you to the market tomorrow morning. Don’t forget to collect them from caravan four.’

Staring at her, his mouth open, Bert didn’t get a chance to reply before she added, ‘now go and get the baby basket out of the cupboard for these fine people, as I’m sure these little ones need their bed.’

Sighing deeply, Bert heaved himself out of his chair and stomped out of the door that led further into the house.

May shook her head as she watched him leave, ‘don’t mind the old fool, his bark is worse than his bite’ she winked.

Archer placed his mug gently back onto the table before reaching into his pocket and pulling out his wallet, ‘how much do we owe you for the night May?’ he asked.

May waved her hand, ‘oh don’t worry about it, we usually only rent out in the summer months, so as long as you strip the beds and leave the place tidy, there’ll be no charge.’

Archer began to protest but the old woman cut across his arguments, ' I'm an old woman' she warned, 'I have been around a lot longer than you, so you would be wise not to take me on.'

Admitting defeat and thanking her profusely, Archer took the key to the caravan as Kurt accepted the Moses basket and a set of bed linen from Bert before the group thanked their hosts for their hospitality and headed back out into the growing darkness to their temporary lodgings.