Spirit Wolves: The Lost Alpha & Beta

2. True Loyalties

**Luca**

"Luca, wait up!" Nate called to me as he jogged to catch up, but I continued my straight path to my bungalow, not turning my head or losing focus.  He had gone too far this time and I would be damned if I were about to stick around and have him force a mating on me.  "Hey man, what happened?  I felt something strange, did you two get into it again?" Nate asked me with a little concern as he was getting used to being my sounding board lately.  To be honest, he was the only pack member that was keeping me sane and always calming me down.

Nate was my Beta, and his number one job was to support me.  I trusted this man more than my own sister as our bond was the strongest, but even that felt different now too.  We grew up together and we both knew our path as early as our first shift at the age of 13.  Since then, we have become even closer and took full advantage of our own personal mind link.  I had heard whisperings that the strongest pack bonds are able to feel each other's thoughts and feelings without opening a mind link.  I had asked my father about it, but he just told me it was a child's myth and dismissed it.  Nate and I, however, knew otherwise.  Ever since the first time we shifted, we were connected in a totally unusual way than what everyone else talked about.  It was hard to explain, but we knew better then to speak about it because anything from normal in our pack was frowned upon and you were treated like you had disease or something.  So, we kept each other’s secret and took full advantage of our connection.

He knew that something was wrong even before he saw me, he felt it as if he was living it.  A lot of people in our pack thought we were a strange pair and questioned our ability to step up when the time was right.  Being that the Silvertail Pack was secluded from mankind and other packs for that matter, we could only rely on the information taught to us from our elders.  The closest town was a 2-hour drive, and the closest pack was 6 hours away, though I had never met another wolf outside my pack.  Our pack was a fair size of about 50 wolves, but we had not grown since my little sister was born 10 years ago and I think my father thought that I needed to mate soon, so I could bring more life to the pack.

I kept up my fast-paced walk to my home that I purposely had built the farthest house away from my parents on purpose.  Nate lived in one of the spare rooms for now, with the intention to build his own place when he found his mate.  I loved my mother dearly, but ever since I reached puberty, my father and I did not agree completely on many things at all and I built this house when I was 18 to have some space from him.  I had never invited him over and the few occasions he knocked on my door, we stood to talk on the porch.  Most of the time, I would tell him to mind link me rather than come over here because the truth was that I wanted him nowhere near my little piece of sanctuary.

"He made a deal to have me mated to Bethany!  We are NOT in the 1800's anymore man, and I will not be bartered off to the highest bidder!"  I was yelling so loud, that I am sure the entire pack could hear me.  Not caring of Bethany's feelings or anyone else's for that matter because I felt like an object to gain wealth from.  "Is that all he sees me as?  Someone to sell off so I can make pups for the pack???  We'll just see about that!" I continued my rant as I ran up the porch steps and burst through my front door.

"Luca, my dad has been doing the same thing to me, only I still have 4 months until I turn 21.  I was kinda hoping you could pave the way to a new chapter for our pack." He half joked, attempting to lighten the mood as he followed me into my bedroom.  On any normal day, it would help-but not today.  I marched over to my closet and pulled out 4 large suitcases and threw them on the bed.  “But what happened, why do you feel different now?”

"I will be paving a new way, one on my own!  Unless you wish to join me?" I huffed, now a little clearer in the head and focused on packing as much as I could, as quickly as I could.  "I broke my bond with my father….and the pack....  it’s up to you Nate.  I will not hold it against you if you choose to stay, you will be next in line for Alpha.  But you are welcome to join me as I can not stay here any longer and be forced to mate someone I despise!"  I finished saying as I grabbed the smaller suitcase and walked into the bathroom with it, giving him time to think about what I just said.

The thought of abandoning one's pack was the worst thing you could do besides killing a pack member.  You not only sever the bond as soon as you leave pack territory, but you are thereby banished and will be classified as a traitor if you are ever seen again.  I was not taking my time, daintily packing either.  I was throwing and shoving things into the suitcases forcing my rage to be shown, but I wanted out of here as soon as possible.  I didn't have a plan, other than to take my Jeep and go.  I zipped up the bathroom suitcase and returned to my room to find it empty now.  I was a little confused because Nate had not even said goodbye but if he chose to stay, he should not be near me anyways.  Severing the bond I had with him would hurt the most of all, but it would be a much worse fate if I stayed.  I would rather be a lone wolf then stay here under a tirade of a man who could live another 300 years!  Wait a minute...I severed my bond with my father, but why do I still have my bond with Nate?  I can still feel him.  Feel his panic as he was trying to decide what to do.  I could still feel him pacing around, heart pounding.  If I truly severed our pack bond, then I should not be able to feel him anymore like the rest of them.  They were all gone, everyone except for Nate and I took a moment to apologize to the moon goddess for breaking my bond and then thanked her for leaving me with my bond with Nate.

Now, with all 4 suitcases filled of things I may need, I grabbed the money I had from the safe, (which wasn't much because we only used it in emergencies in town) and only a couple of keepsakes and headed out to my Jeep.  Most of the pack didn't have a vehicle either as they didn't want to have interactions with humans, but I spent a whole summer working in town so I could buy it and let me tell you, that was rough.  Working 12 hour shifts at the mill and then a 2 hour commute each way, made just enough time to sleep and head back.  My father thought I was an i***t, while my mother encouraged me to try something new.  For Nate and me though, it was the best summer of our lives and we were able to stash away a fair amount of money just in case we ever needed it.

I had already put 2 suitcases in the back of the Jeep and while I was exiting my small home for the past 3 years, I froze in place as I saw my best friend sitting in the passenger seat with his own suitcases already in the back and he had also put the hardtop on for me.  I couldn't believe that he would choose me over our pack, over being the next Alpha!  If I were a sensitive man, I would have shed a tear, but in true Luca and Nate fashion, I shook my head and said "So, you're an i***t too?" With a grin as I threw in the last 2 suitcases and hopped into the driver's seat thinking that this explained why I still have my bond with him.

I backed out of my parking spot and took the jeep through the pack to the exit to town.  Because it wasn’t used much, there was a 20-minute drive through an unmaintained road to get to the highway.  There was no speeding or racing as you had to be careful not to hit some of the sharp rocks the wrong way and cut a tire.  I drove for the next 2 hours and stopped in town to fill up the Jeep and grab some food for the road.  We had not spoken much since we left, mostly because I had already said what I needed to say, and I was worried that Nate would change his mind and go back.  Even if he did decide to, I still wouldn't blame him because we were leaving everything behind.  Our family, friends, hell- our whole lives but I felt nothing but excitement, happiness and support coming from him.  I put the Jeep in park beside the gas pump and got out to fill it up.  Nate hopped out and went into the convenience store.  I finished filling the jeep up, grabbed my wallet and went inside to get something to eat and pay.

"So, where are we heading?" Nate broke through my thoughts as I walked up to the cash with an armful of junk food and a few packages of wieners.  I noticed a map on the wall behind the cashier and for some odd reason, the town Clearwater stood out from all the rest on the map.  It was as though it had a blinking sign that said, 'Go here', like I was drawn to it.

"Clearwater" I replied without another thought.

He gave a small nod as the cashier rang in our stuff and he mind linked me.

Are you sure?  We were always told to stay away from Shadow Pack territory.  You heard the stories of how horrible they are!  This may be a death wish. 

I paid for our stuff and made my way out to the jeep but before getting in, I turned to Nate and spoke to him across the hood.  "Listen….  if you want to go back, I get it and will not blame you.  But it's like I am being called there.  I don't know how to explain it, other than the moon goddess wants me there."  I paused, waiting for a sign, any sign that told me what Nate wanted to do.  I was going, but he still had this last chance to back out.

"To Clearwater it is then, but we should take turns driving.  I know we do not have money for a hotel, but I did bring a few sleeping bags and the full moon is tomorrow night.  We will want to find a safe place to hunt." He said before hopping in the passenger side. 

We drove for another 2 hours and finally got some clear stations on the radio to listen to.  Being so far north, the farther we got away from our pack-the more behind the times we felt.  I pulled the jeep over for a few minutes to stretch our legs, conveniently right at our pack border.  For the past hour or so, the closer we got the stronger of a pull I had to turn around and go home.  We climbed out and walked around for a bit.  Nate being my Beta, I knew he felt it too.

"Do you feel that?  It feels heavy, almost dark the closer we get to the border like something is trying to pull me back...keep me from going any further." I asked

"Yeah man, it's getting stronger the closer we get, like it is trying to keep us here.  It feels creepy really and I have been fighting the feeling to jump out of the jeep for the past 30 minutes or so.  Clearwater is still a full day's driving and we will be losing daylight in a few hours.  Why don't we stop after we get out of our territory and find a safe place to camp out for the night?"  Nate suggested.

"That sounds like a plan.  The border is just over that hill.  I have a feeling that I will need to drive us across because of whatever is trying to keep us here.  But after that can you take over driving while I try to scout for other wolves and find a place to camp out for the night?" I offered.  For some reason we can't explain, we have never had an argument or disagreed for that matter.  We have always been able to talk through every issue from feeling or senses and always had the right outcome.  It was weird, that we both just knew that when we worked together, we could accomplish anything.

We hopped back into the jeep and I put it in drive.  The pull started to get stronger still.  Nate rolled the window down and puked out the side and I felt like I was having a heart attack that only got stronger, the closer we got to the border of our territory.  I pressed my foot to the floor as I started breaking out in a cold sweat.  Nate was very green beside me, as though he was being physically pulled back.  Just as the jeep crested the top of the hill, I was starting to lose my vision and I heard a scream from my mother in a mind link "NOOOOOOO" just before we felt a larger snap like another tether cord had been severed.

I immediately pulled the jeep over and we sat there for a long time just panting, trying to catch our breath and regain composure.  After the initial pain and shock wore off, I imagined feeling lost or empty, but instead I felt clean and clear.  Clearer than I had ever felt in my entire life and cleaner than bathing.  It was as if something bad kept us in place and now know that Nate would not have been able to cross the border himself.  Because I was an Alpha, I had the strength to push through and break whatever it was that was trying to keep us in there.

“I think I feel better now than I ever have in my entire life!” I spoke as I jumped out of the jeep, fully recovered from what felt like a heart attack only a moment ago.  I know that being a wolf means we heal faster, but not this fast!  “What the hell is wrong with our pack?” I asked 

Nate looked at me through the windshield, just shaking his head before he opened his door and joined me outside “I feel fine now too, and I don’t know...but it wasn’t good.  We never noticed it before because that is all we knew....  but Luca, that is no longer our pack.  We are pack-less, and I worry about what we will do next.”

“I know Nate, but I still feel like we are heading where we belong, where we are meant to be.  I know you can’t feel it like I do, but you can still feel me, no?  What does our bond tell you?’  I replied excited

He took a moment, holding in a deep breath before opening his eyes again and only replied with a nod.  Even though he was not as strong as I am, he was still an extraordinarily strong wolf who trusted in what he could feel and see.*