{Present}
Zanian POV
“Zanian, you are not getting any younger you know. So how about we get you drunk until you pass out?”
I looked over at Zane and raised a brow at him. He is the closest I could have to a beta. I hope that one day this pack will be blessed and we can become a real pack. I built this pack for rogues who were kicked out of their pack, rogues who didn’t have any other choice and those who left because being rogue was safer.
Each of us smells different from all the other rogues. Although we don’t smell like rotten meat or burned flesh, it doesn’t mean we aren’t rogues.
“Zane, I told you I have other things to do. Besides, wolves can’t get drunk.”
” Oh you know we have bought enough alcohol to sustain a liquor store for at least a year, so you’ll get drunk. Besides, you have been working here for the past five years, so either you share with me or you get drunk.”
I moved away from my office window and stood in front of Zane.
Zane swallowed audibly as I towered over him with power rolling off me in waves. I looked at his expression and just had to laugh. “What are we drinking then?” Zane relaxed and gave me a goofy smile. “Follow me and I’ll show you.”
I stayed in the house Odin once lived in, but I made some serious changes. I made the place a bit more friendly and lively, less scary and chilling.
I found that on the third floor there were more than just rooms, there is an entertainment room, a kitchen not as big as the one down stairs but spacious, there are two offices and the bedrooms are a bit bigger than the ones down stairs. This used to be a high rank floor Alpha’s, Betas, Gamma, and their mates and family.
Ever since I started this pack, space has been running out pretty quickly, so we have had to build more houses and cottages on the ground. It worked out perfectly because now the empty space is being used. I have a total of 400 wolves in the pack and more are coming each day from around the world who heard about this pack, but only their wolves can bring them here.
We had a small problem with unwelcomed visitors who didn’t want to live by our rules. They got dealt with very quickly.
I never took a mate and I never will. When a wolf’s mate dies, a part of the wolf dies too, and for an alpha, it’s much worse because he needs his Luna. I was losing my mind for a while but then I came across Zane and Kyle. They are brothers, but also the first wolves I brought here.
Making my way downstairs, I could hear laughter and loud cheers.
” You finally got the Big bad Alpha out of his study.” Kyle said, to which Zane just shrugged his shoulders.
My mouth fell open when I walked into the kitchen and looked at the sight before me. Every service in the kitchen is covered with food and alcohol, even the tables are covered. There is enough food here to feed a whole army for three days with leftovers.
“ You might want to close your mouth, Alpha, before a fly takes it as an invitation.” I looked to the left and Cindy stood beside me. I looked at her and she just laughed at me. I never announced myself as Alpha. I was chosen by the pack, but not before I have proven myself. I’m not their real Alpha but they see me as one and they respect me for my position.
“ Who paid for all this stuff?” I asked and looked at Zane and Kyle’s guilty faces. Kyle reached into his back pocket and handed me back my credit card. I was shocked because I never gave it to him and I always carry it with me. “how the hell did you get my card?” I asked in amusement. “Well, we had to learn to survive somehow.” Kyle said and smirked. “you picked pocketed me.” It was more a statement then a question and I couldn’t help but laugh. Money doesn’t bother me. I inherited my grandfather’s companies and his money. That was the one thing my father couldn’t take from me although he wanted to.
“Kyle, Zane. You do know that I pay you a generous salary, so you could have afforded this on your own and still have enough to buy a car if you wanted too.” I said, looking as their faces turned pale with anticipation. And I couldn’t help but laugh at them. I saw them visibly relax and a smile playing at their lips. “So shall we get this party started?” I asked and grabbed myself a beer.
Zane POV
Zanian found me and Kyle wondering in the woods near his office in the city. We left our pack when we discovered that our Alpha had a thing for impregnating young girls with or without consent. He tried that with our sister but she got away and ran straight to us. She told us everything and the next morning we found her dead in her room, so Kyle and I left. We went rogue. Zanian saw us snooping around in the bins for food and begging on the street. At first he scared us, so we ran away and he came looking for us and found us in a small broken wooden cabin. He told us about the pack he started and offered to take us with him. At first, we were scared because he had power rolling off him, enough to bring a room to their knees.
A year later, he offered us jobs at his company and we have stayed with him ever since. We saw the pack grow and grow and we’ve never seen him be anything but friendly except when it’s the night before a full moon, then he gets moody and rude. And on the full moon, he disappears only to come back the next morning looking like he, walked through a silver hell barefoot.
We are officially planning his birthday and he is yet again in his office. He never told anyone how the pack came into existence or his background. Not even what pack he is from. And we know not to push, but he has got to trust us even just a little.
I stole his credit card when I pretended to walk into him in the hallway. Using the “I didn’t watch where I was going” excuse. He laughed it off and kept on walking. Kyle and I did the shopping and we bought everything the liquor store had. The car was too small, so we hired a small truck and loaded everything. Then we went off food shopping. We wolves have a very high food tolerance and a very big appetite, especially after a run in wolf form. We bought about seven trolleys of food and received weird glances from every human in the store. The one or two wolves we came across just smiled at us and kept walking.
The cashier lady kept looking at us funny but didn’t say anything.
We had to be silent when we got home and everyone helped us offload and the females got started on cooking immediately.
The nice thing about this pack is no one is above anyone and no one fights for a position. Everything is done through teamwork. But like every pack, you get that girl who doesn’t do anything, that just wants the attention of the Alpha, but unlike those packs. These she-wolves aren’t bi*ches about it. Although they don’t do anything, they will still keep you company while you work.
Zanian threatened to kill a she wolf because she tried playing boss over the wolves here and tried getting into Zanian’s pants. Needless to say, her attitude changed very suddenly and she is now one of the friendly ones.
Kyle POV
I thought Zanian was going to rip out Zane’s throat when he took out the credit card, but instead, Zanian just laughed.
He helped himself to a beer and then looked at me, “Kyle, are you not inviting your mate?” I looked at him confused for a second and then I clicked. How can I forget that I have found my mate? I palmed my forehead and ran out of the kitchen. I found my mate a few days ago when I went for a run in the woods and at first I thought she was going to reject me because she comes from a pack and I am a rogue. But instead she burst into tears and ran straight into my arms. She cried for hours and eventually she calmed down. She was so exhausted from crying that she passed out. I took her home and stayed with her until she woke up.
“I’m sorry you had to see that.” Was the first thing she said to me. And then she explained why she cried and what happened. I found out that she was rejected by her mate and her family on the same day. She ran away, not knowing where to go or what to do. I told her about the pack and that Zanian is our alpha and she was just too happy to stay here with us.
We haven’t mated or marked each other yet because she hasn’t shifted yet. She was supposed to shift the night of her rejection but her wolf was too weak. So she should be shifting soon.
Opening the door to our room, I saw Lilly sleeping. I sat down next to her and rubbed her back. “Are you joining us for Zanian’s party?” I asked her and she jumped up startled and with eyes as big as causers. She cursed before she jumped off the bed in search for clothes. “Why didn’t you wake me sooner Kyle? Now I’m late. I said I would help with the cooking and decorations.” I giggled at her and felt a slap on my shoulder. Looking up at her, I saw her pouting. “You are allowed to sleep. Besides, Maggie said if I woke you, Zanian would have a part of me for dessert.” That made her laugh and we went down stairs.
When we got there, Zanian was taking one shot after the other.
“ What is happening?” I asked Adam. “Zanian and Zane have to finish one hundred shots and whoever wins first gets to pick the other’s punishment.” I looked over at Lilly, who had a horrified expression on her face because, although she hasn’t been here long, she know how bad it can get with Zanian and Zane.
Zanian POV
Zane challenged me to a drinking contest and said whomever wins can pick the punishment for the loser. I smirked at him and shook his hand. Adam poured our shots and counted them one by one to make sure they were one hundred each. I was halfway through mine when I heard a low howl. But it sounded strange, almost broken.
I stopped drinking and stood straight to listen. No one else seemed to have heard it because everyone was booing because I stopped. And then I heard it again and bolted for the door. Once outside, I stood and listened and I caught the scent of blood. I shifted and followed the scent. I caught the smell of multiple rogues and the smell of blood became strong. As I stepped into a small clearing I saw a small wolf covered in blood and rogues biting at it. I growled and every rogue looked at me. I looked back at the small grey wolf and charged at the rogues, snapping their necks and ripping at their flesh. My wolf easily took down all of them.
I shifted back into my human form and crouched down next to the injured wolf, running my hand lightly over the fur. I asked, “can you shift back?” Ice-blue eyes landed on me and a whimper escaped the wolf. I raised my hands and said “I’m here to help. Can you shift?”
The wolf closed her eyes and I guess that was a no. I picked her up and carried her back to the pack house and to the small clinic.
I wish I could mind link someone, but they are not my real pack, so I cannot mind link anyone and they cannot link me.
I laid her down on the table and waited for Jeff. As soon as he came in, he looked at the scene and got to work hooking her onto machines and drips. He injected her something to force a shift and when she shifted I gasped at the sight of her body. Looking at her stunned, I whispered “Deliah?” stroking her head softly, I half-mindedly asked. “What are you doing this side of the woods?” Jeff looked at me and asked me to please leave so that he could start working. I gave him a quick rundown of what happened and he got to work.
I told Jeff to make sure she gets everything she needs and to call me when she wakes up.