Page 7 of Holiday Surprise

No one even bothered whispering as they turned to each other and began discussing it openly.

“Why?” finally someone asked above the noise. “Why would they want us there?”

“Would you relax. They aren’t so bad. Collier’s been good to us. I don’t think anyone working out at the ranch or the dairy can say one bad thing about him,” Cruz piped up.

“And I’ve made arrangements with him for our children to begin attending schools there right after the Christmas break. There are plans to open a high school next fall as well. I know many of us struggled through those years in the human schools having to hide our true selves. That won’t be the case there and we’re hoping it will lead to a better experience for both packs,” I informed them.

“So, this is what? A trial to make sure we all can get along?” someone asked.

“Yeah, it is. Most of those who had chosen to split from Collier and follow our former Alpha have died off.” I didn’t have to remind them about the ridiculously high suicide rate we had amongst that generation, my own parents included. “Collier isn’t perfect. Our parents had their reasons for what they did, but life here has been harder than it needs to be. An alliance with Collier will open doors for us that we never even dreamed possible. All I ever want is what’s best for you guys. This is an opportunity to show them that we really aren’t so different.”

I let that sink in as the talking resumed. After several minutes I raised my hand to get their attention once again.

“I’m not going to make this decision for us. I will not force a single person to go, nothing good ever comes of that, but no one goes unless we all do. So, I propose a pack vote right here right now.”

The quiet was deafening. The shock that I was giving them a say in this had many stunned.

“All those against going, speak now,” I said. Much to my surprise not a single person spoke up. “I’m serious you guys. I want to hear every concern or complaint right now.” Still no one spoke until finally little Tom, who was only five years old slowly raised his hand. I smiled down at him. “Yes Tom?”

“What if they don’t like us?” he asked softly.

I knelt down to his level. “How could anyone not like you? I know making new friends can be scary, especially ones we’ve been told to stay away from our whole lives, but they are our neighbors, our friends. You don’t need to worry. They’re going to love you,” I told him, praying I was right.

“My boy’s right,” his father spoke up. “They’ve been taught to hate us as much as we hate them.”

“I don’t hate them. I’ve been working out at the ranch for a few months now. I don’t think any of us has had an issue with any of them. A few of them have even gone out of their way to befriend us. I think Jed was wrong to separate us to begin with. I also think he lied to us about them all these past years. Personally, I have come to love our pack runs each month and sharing that with them would be a blast. I remember my folks used to tell stories about the big pack runs and how all you could see in any direction was fur. I’d like to experience that for myself. I say we go,” one of the ranchers piped in.

Others began to nod in agreement, and I could feel excitement break some of the previous apprehension.

“Anyone one else have anything they want to add?” I asked. When no one responded, I called for a vote. “In that case, all those in favor of going, say yes.”

“Yes,” a chorus of voices rang out.

“All those opposed say no,” I added.

Not one single person spoke out.

“Okay then, the yeses have it.” I bent down to the paper bags sitting at my feet and pulled out a bag of marshmallows. “Stopped by the store on my way over here. We can’t let a good fire go to waste now, can we?”

“S’mores?” Tom asked excitedly jumping up and down and clapping his hands.

“You know it, kid,” I said, tossing him the bag as others went in search of sticks to roast them on.

I stuck around for another hour just spending time with my pack. I made a personal vow to do this sort of thing with them more often, noting there wasn’t a drop of alcohol around for the first time in, well, forever.

I knew I needed to make some phone calls and accept Lily’s offer for the run. Leaving them all in high spirits, I walked back to my place with a smile on my face. Things just felt like they were heading in the right direction and I knew I was making a positive impact as Alpha.

Luke

Chapter 5

The Winter Solstice celebration hosted by Lily was not like anything I could have prepared my pack for. First, there was beer, wine, and whiskey flowing freely. I had ordered my pack not to drink tonight. The stares they kept shooting my way told me they really weren’t happy about it, too.

The pack house for Collier Pack doubled as the country club. It sat on a golf course and everything. The building was more than big enough to host all of Collier plus our little Pack. I had never been in a room so grand as the ballroom in the country club.

No one was dressed up and there wasn’t a fancy feel to the event, yet that didn’t help me from feeling like we were way out of our league.

We chose to arrive together. Lily and Thomas had greeted us at the door and were very welcoming. Still, you could feel the tension in the room. I wasn’t big on drinking anymore, but I could have used a shot of whiskey right about now.

---