Page 91 of The Alpha and His Childhood Sweetheart

I asked, “How do you know that?” They didn’t exactly want us to know their gossip first. We couldn’t get a source down there to save our lives. Phil snorted, “Because it’s going to be THE gossip of Werewolf world since it all went down. I, being the fabulous Beta I am, have made friends with a Warrior down in a pack we don’t actively hate. He just called me with the news Nashville is buzzing about.”

My eyes jolted to him. That was HUGE! My dad had been trying to get sources down there since before I was born. I asked, “How did you get this source?” He grinned, “I am in charge of posting Alexander’s workout videos out to the general Werewolf community. He reached out to me and I jumped on and declared us buddies.” That was awesome! I praised, “Great job, Phil.” He winked at me.

Alexander asked, “We care about this new Female Lead Warrior because?” Phil smiled answering, “Because their Female Lead Warrior is a sixteen year old girl.” We gaped at him. Phil clapped delightedly, “Guys, it gets better. She’s wolf less.” My eyes widened, “I’m sorry. What?!” Brutus said, “That’s very impressive.” It was. Almost unbelievably so for someone trained in Nashville to accomplish.

Elise jumped in, “Wait. So a sixteen year old, wolf less girl beat all the other Female Warriors AND the ranked wolves?” Phil nodded, “Badly. She kicked their asses. Because Nashville is a suck fest who did not adhere to Cousin Haley, Emmaline, and Aunt Lexi’s bill to make all werewolf bloods equal in the tournament she had to fight the current AND future pack leadership.”

My mom had championed that bill with my cousin Emmaline and Aunt Lexi after the first few Female Lead Warrior tournaments and learned that wolf less had to fight pack leadership and no one else did. They were right about it though.

Phil continued, “The ONLY person she didn’t beat was the future Alpha. They fought for four hours before it was declared a draw. She fought them in human form, then again against their wolves. She beat them in their human AND wolves. THIS TEENAGER TOOK DOWN AN ALPHA WOLF! I LIVE YOU GUYS! What’s the best part you ask? I know before Beta Dylan. I can’t wait to tell him! Go ahead Alexander, tell me how awesome I am. Eric, you know you want to gloat. I know before Dylan.” We were all still in shock.

Phil goaded, “Come on! Someone, praise me!” Glee filled my bond with my dad. He smirked, “I’ll give you half a million dollars if you let me be in the room when you call Dylan.” Phil did a dance, “That’s what I’m talking about!” My dad added, “If you have Haley pop you in with me then I’ll give you two milliondollars to see his face.” I snickered while Phil rubbed his hands together like an evil villain in a movie.

Alexander praised, “Good work, Phil. What’s her name?” Phil smiled, “Umm hold on. I wrote that down.” He checked a note on his phone and said, “Ashley Griffen.” Elise and Alexander spoke in unison, “What?” I looked at them both feeling their shock. They took the note to read it.

I asked, “Do you know her?” Elise said, “Yes, well no. Not exactly. Well no, not at all. Mel’s going to die and want to be this girl’s best friend.” What? Before I could ask Micah commented, “Ashley’s a good fighter.” We all turned to face him.

Alexander cleared his throat, “Come again?” Micah blushed, “I’ve met her. She’s been teaching the girls in the area down there how to fight. She’s pretty good.” I snorted, “She’d have to be. The question is where she learned how to fight because it wasn’t in Nashville. What do we know about her?”

Phil told us, “I’ve got nothing. Ya know, other than she’s the Lead Female Warrior at sixteen who’s wolf less. I am DISTRAUGHT we will never meet her. Do you think Alpha Chase will let this whole grudge with her pack go for ONE measly little Summit so we could meet her?”

My dad answered, “He won’t.” Phil threw a file, “Oh come on! I want to meet her! Don’t any of you lie and say you don’t. I want to buy her a drink. No, I want to buy her so many drinks.” My dad reasoned, “She could get a solo invitation. She might have enough metal to show up since she did just take down pack leadership.” Phil grinned and rubbed his hands together again.

I asked, “Micah, what do you know about her?” Micah frowned, “She’s an orphan. Her parents and older brother died two years ago. Her other brother needs a kick in the ass, but I digress.” I didn’t think he did digress. I could kick ass. I might need to after my swirling thoughts of where the trigger happy sniper was.

He continued, “She’s kind of made her own family. She basically lost her living family when her parents and older brother died. She’s nice but, clearly angry. She’s got every right to be though. The girl under all the cracks shines through though. I like her. She’s a little prickly, but I’m positive we are close to being friends. It’s like she fights herself about it. She wants to be my friend, but she holds herself back.” That was ten different kinds of weird.

My dad asked, “And how does a sixteen year old have time to be a Female Lead Warrior?” Micah a answered, “She’s crazy smart. She got a GED when she was fourteen. We talk code sometimes. She even fixed a problem I was having with my code.”

Max asked, “And when did you meet her?” Micah blushed, “Last year.” Max tilted his head, “So, you met this girl last year. Which happens to be when I felt concerning things from you when you were near Nashville then all the sudden you were fine. Would it happen to be around that same time you met her?”

Micah answered carefully, “She helped me out of a jam. I can’t really give the mission specifics. Like I said, she’s cool. I told her she should come here. That pack is shit and we all know it. She just shrugged and told me she deserved to be there. That it was her penance, and she’d found her purpose on top of her penance.”

Elise was concerned, “Penance? For what?” Micah admitted, “I don’t know. She shuts down whenever I ask and changes the subject. She has a lot of words that come out of her. I actually haven't heard from her in like a month. Phil said she’s wolf less though.” Phil nodded, “Definitely wolf less.”

He winced, “She was probably devastated. She was really excited to meet her wolf. To find out she didn’t have one probably crushed her. I’m guessing that was hard.” I winced knowing it was.

I’d consoled several pack members that were devastated when nothing happened at midnight on their sixteenth birthday. There wasn’t really rhyme or reason we could pin down to why some partials got wolves and others didn’t.

Max sighed, “Maybe you should meet up with her.” Phil encouraged him, “Yeah and take a selfie with her. Then I will put her on my wall. She will have a shrine.” We stared at him. He asked, “What? She’s Werewolf history. She deserves a shrine.” Micah snorted, “I’ll reach out. She’s always busy though and will be more so now than before.” I laughed, “If she likes coding, I’m sure you’ll find something to talk about.”

Micah smiled, “Actually, we’ve been working on this new algorithm. It’s wicked sweet.” Max kissed him, “You are so adorable when you get excited about algorithms.” I told my brother in law, “Make sure she knows she can always come here if need be. We are already getting an influx.” Micah snorted, “I noticed.” Everyone left the office after that.

Alexander was frowning. I asked him, “What’s going on in your head?” Alexander shrugged, “A lot. The influx groups got me thinking. Has anyone said who referred them to our allies other than giving us the card with the circle with a line through it?” We’d been getting new people here. They were scared. They’d just hand us a card. It had the blue circle, and it said:

They are vouched for. Take care of them. They need it.

It rotated between all our allies' territories. A lot were she wolves. They said they were being mistreated in their former packs. Some were sent a letter of where to go. Others were even given bus tickets. Then there were actual families. Fathers clearly moving out place in fear for their pups. Saying the drugs or shady things were happening.

The severe cases were always sent to our pack specifically no matter which pack’s turn it was. We’d picked up on theirpattern. I knew it was because someone was bringing them to my mom. She took them all under her wing and helped them, taking everything at their pace.

This circle group had been sending us women and men from the Ring. Slowly and systematically. My mom was in a unique spot to offer them help. They had their own special group therapy sessions. It helped them all. Some were still quite shy. They were leery of my brothers and me. Elise and my mom, they were fine with. Even Buttercup. It was men they feared.

Only a few had opened up about where they came from. My mom didn't want to rush them or force them. When we’d go in, we’d find the place stripped bare. There would always be a blue circle with a line through it.

I asked Alexander, “Any news on the name?” Alexander shook his head, “Not yet.” Two more weeks passed with nothing new. It was maddening, the lack of progress we were making. How was this organization, this group, making such huge, progressive strides and I felt like I was at square one? They had to have inside information, but why the HELL wouldn't they just let us help them?

Elise had been a little too quiet, so I decided to take her on a date. She was surprised which told me I needed to do this more often. Once we’d settled at the restaurant, I’d had shut down for us to have privacy.

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