Page 5 of Kingdom of Wolves: Blackshadow

CONNELL

Sunday morning and for now, the work doesn’t stop. I am determined that the pack is going to be turned around and become a place they can all be proud of.

The pack ranking is paramount to the workings of the pack, and the order that it needs. Caleb is calmly doing as I ask, and doing it competently, showing me he’s a good choice of Beta or second Beta.

Walking into the ballroom I look around at the warriors that are waiting for this meeting to start. Stepping to the front of everyone, I hold my hand up in a ‘quiet’ gesture.

“Good morning, everyone. I know it’s unusual for me to call you all for a meeting. I have the patrols covered, but I’ll need you, Oscar, to fill those warriors in on what is said here this morning.”

Oscar, the Head Warrior for the pack, gives me a slight nod of the head before stepping to my side.

“Okay, as you all know, I need a Beta. I don’t want to select one thinking I have the best person for the position, then find I could have had a better one. I’ll be speaking with Councilman Flint when he comes here on Wednesday, but regardless of his opinion, I’ve decided to hold a Beta Challenge.”

The murmurs of excitement buzz around the room and I see Declan, Ryan and Armon fist bump each other while having huge smiles on their faces. What else I notice is Swan and Iona looking down at the ground with no outward sign of wanting to engage. Then it hits me!

“All she-wolves in the pack will also be allowed to compete for the position. A Beta wolf must possess strength, capability, and commitment to the task.”

Swan and Iona look at each other, then at me, giving me a look that says, we are going to do our best. I acknowledge that with a slight tip of my head. Then continue with the meeting.

I give an outline of what I would expect as my Beta, the hours that they would be required to work, which, let's be honest, is whenever I would call on them. But also, the way they would be expected to interact with the pack.

“I have sent William along with Brian to find anyone interested in becoming a pack member from the Northern Parklands. I know they are rogues but, as you’ve all seen with Brian, they are rogues because they have been dealt a bad hand. From what Brian has told Iona and then relayed to me, these people have come from other areas, not from Eclipse, Blood Pearl, or Spirit Walker Packs.”

Hallec gains my attention when he asks, “Will we put them through a trial period first?”

“Yes, I think we’d have to be watchful to start with, and give them a month to see how they settle, how they like the pack, and how we feel about them. But we all know that being a part of a pack is what our wolves need. That’s why the Northern Parklands evolved to what it is today.”

“What is it today?” Weldon asks.

“It’s a nameless pack of shifters that found each other wandering, and they needed companionship for their wolves. That caused them to congregate, and from a few became more. It’s not a town like Wolfsfoot, it’s just an area where they’ve thrown up dwellings the best they can. I have heard they have some skills like seamstress, hunter, and cook. These skills can be eased into the pack, giving these people the grounding that they need.”

Swan speaks, gaining everyone’s attention, “We may find mates, too. I’ve visited every pack around our area and my mate is not here. Maybe I’ll find him among the people who come from the Parklands.”

Mumbles run through the ballroom at the thought of finding mates. It’s something all of us would like but have never found. It’s something I have yearned for, but like everyone here have had no luck as yet.

“Caleb, I want you and the warriors here to go around and speak to the pack members. Feel out how they react to the idea, and what other ideas they may have to bring new members to the pack.”

“Yes, Alpha Connell.” Caleb turns from where he’d been standing on the opposite side to Oscar, and speaks to the room. I turn to look at Oscar and see his eyes have an orange tinge, telling me his wolf Conan is near the surface.

‘Conan, we all want our mates and I’ll do everything I can to bring new people here to find them.’

Alpha, you are doing good things for the pack. I want my mate.

I hear Conan mind linking and I nod to Oscar, who is sharing the connection. Knight jumps forward and pushes power toward Conan.

We will find mates, but you and I know they are not here, and we’ve not encountered them yet.

I snap the connection by pushing Knight back, and seeing Conan recede to the back of Oscar’s mind, I grasp his shoulder and give it a reassuring squeeze.

“Okay, everyone, that is all for today, but I will give out the rules for the challenge soon, and I’ll give them to Oscar so he will be able to update you all. Make sure the patrols are covered for the borders. The threat from the east is not over, and we may need to help Spirit Walker Pack if the rogues from no-man's-land try to invade again.”

We all know if they invade Lyle’s pack, then we at Blackshadow, Blood Pearl and Wolfsfoot Packs will be next. We are all in the line of fire, and Eclipse is the furthest and safest, but it would not remain that way if the other packs were overrun.

Leaving the meeting, I walk over to the kitchen and open the door quietly, checking the behavior of Dahlia, because I’m not convinced she will have changed her attitude immediately. It is a bad habit she has gotten herself into, but she’ll learn quickly to treat other pack members respectfully or she’ll find herself in hot water.

“Get that lunch tray out before we have complaints. Hey, move it Evangeline, stop dawdling. Betina, for goodness’ sake MOVE IT!” she ends shouting, which has me cringe because her voice is like nails on a chalkboard.

Walking to the back door, I give Dahlia a raised eyebrow as I pass, which has her cringing, realizing I’ve just heard her shouting at a pack member. Opening the door, I take a deep pull of the fresh air, and sigh as it fills my lungs. I prefer being outdoors, but it is necessary for me to be inside more than half the time.

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