Page 1 of Spirit Walker Pack
Chapter 1
LYLE
I hate to say it, but with the rogues concentrating on the Blood Pearl pack at the moment, life is pretty boring. I’m not sure why Arric has again shifted his focus away from us, but he doesn’t seem to be able to concentrate on one thing for very long. He was losing a lot of his people with the futile skirmishes he was so intent on pursuing, so perhaps he feels he’s having more success against Gerry’s warriors. I doubt that is the case, though.
The Spirit Walker pack is so well organized that it nearly runs itself, which leaves me redundant most of the time. My parents must have been glad to hand over the reins to me. If I’m this bored on my own, how must they have felt with both of them involved in the day-to-day management? No wonder they welcomed the chance of joining the Shifter Council.
The daily drudge is grinding on my nerves and although I’ve involved myself in as many pack activities as I can, I think I’mbeginning to get on other people’s nerves as well. I know I’ve been treading on the toes of my Beta, Earl Stone Shadow, as he almost runs the other way every time he sees me lately.
It's become so bad I even invited Flint to come for a visit the other day while we were talking on the phone. I was excited that he’d accepted, until hours later when I realized that there would have to be some cause for him to visit. An audit, checking on the training of the pack warriors, or the pack’s preparedness for another rogue assault.
Oh well! I can’t be bored and then moan when I do something to alleviate said boredom.
Checking the time, I see it’s close enough to lunchtime that I can go mess with Flick, our cook, and get fed a bit earlier. Walking through the packhouse, I notice Earl hovering by the main doors, obviously waiting for me to enter the dining hall before he makes a dash to the office and safety. I am going to have to apologize to him and then make a conscious effort to stay clear of his duties.
Walking into the kitchen, I see Flick near the ovens and as I walk over, she puts her hand up and stops me. “That’s far enough, Alpha Lyle. I know you’re bored. In fact, the whole pack knows you're bored. You can sit at my table in the corner, and I’ll feed you, but don’t for one minute think I need help, advice or someone to help me pass the time.”
“Have I got so bad that I’m the talk of the pack?” I look at Flick and she must see my shoulders sag with the thought.
“Alpha Lyle. We all love you to pieces, but you need to find something to fill your time other than involving yourself in everyone’s daily lives. You are so efficient with your paperwork and duties that you have your own work done far too fast. Now,I’ve made a rabbit stew for you and the Beta. He said earlier that he’d be eating a bit later so you can have yours and I’ll save the rest for him…”
“After you tell him I’m gone. I know, Flick. I saw him hanging around a few minutes ago, waiting for me to be out of the way. Have mine taken to the Alpha suite and I’ll eat there. I don’t want everyone feeling on edge because I’m so damned bored.” Turning, I quickly march out of the kitchen and, head down, making my way through the dining hall, up the stairs and to the Alpha suite.
My food arrives, and I sit at my table and eat. I have to say that I don’t taste it and when I realize my plate is empty, I feel guilty as Flick takes pride in her work and I feel that I’ve let her down. Oh…My…Goddess! Now I feel worse than ever. I’ve got to get my head together before I drive everyone else as crazy as I am.
Back in the Alpha office, I set to work on all the admin paperwork that I have been putting off. After the first hour, I stop reading every word on every page as I, once again, realize how well everyone does their job. Having only to sign each report or invoice off, I’m done in another hour.
When the phone rings on my desk, I snatch at it like a drowning man grabbing a life preserver as he’s going down for the last time. In my haste, I knock the receiver off its cradle, and as it’s cordless, it skitters across the desktop before falling to the carpet. Jumping to my feet, I rush around the desk trying to get to it before the distraction that it represents hangs up. Running around the desk, I trip over the rug and bash my head on one of the chairs. Cursing loudly, I spot the phone under the next chair and grovel on the rug as I finally wrap my fingers around it.
“Good afternoon, Alpha Lyle speaking.” I must sound like a beached whale gasping for breath.
“Lyle? Is that you? Are you okay? I can call back if it's not convenient right now.” Recognizing Flint's voice, I fall back into my chair and take a deep breath.
“No, Flint, it’s fine, I’m fine. Everything’s too damn fine! What can I do for you? Please make it something worthwhile that will take alooongtime. I beg of you!”
“I was just calling to say that I’ll be with you in under an hour. There’s nothing much going on at the council, and I’m already tired of hearing your father moan that he thought he’d be much busier than he is. He’s talked to your mother about coming back to the pack and helping you. Sounds a bit ‘like father, like son,’ might be going on.”
“I’m going crazy looking for things to occupy my time and it’s his damned fault. Everything here runs like clockwork, and a solar powered clock at that. It doesn’t even need winding! Only this morning, I was lamenting the fact that the rogues aren’t attacking. How bad is that?” Hearing his laugh, I can’t help a small smile crossing my lips.
“It sounds like we’re all in the same boat, then. I’m coming to you looking for a distraction. We can talk more when I arrive, and see what we can come up with between us.”
“Okay. Look forward to it. Two heads are better than one. Bye.”
If Flint is going to be here in under an hour, my border guards either have missed him, they neglected to tell me or, more likely, Earl was told and was hoping to surprise me out of my mood. Leaving the office, I see Earl talking with Flick and, yes, he knows Flint is almost here. He’s checking that everything is ready for a councilman’s visit.
“Earl. You can stop avoiding me now. Flick put me in my place earlier, so I know I’ve been a pain in everyone’s butt.”
Watching him high five Flick, I know I’ve been played. “Don’t make a habit of it, you two. Just try talking to me if it happens again. Okay?”
“Alpha Lyle, I don’t think you’ve heard a word I’ve said to you in over a week. Perhaps next time I’ll start a war with one of the other packs, just to give you something to focus on, of course. Nothing too deadly.” Earl is laughing again, so I must be showing signs of recovery already.
“Flint will be here soon. Apparently, he’s in the same frame of mind as I was.”
“Hell’s teeth. Can’t the pair of you go visit Alpha Gabe and Luna Tati at Wolfsfoot pack for a few days? We can hold the fort while you get this boredom out of your systems.” Earl looks pleadingly at me, and dammit, he may have something there.
“Let me know when he arrives. I’m going for a walk and see what Blossom has in mind for the gardens this year.” Leaving Earl and Flick by the dining hall doors, I head off to seek out the pack's head gardener.
Blossom has been a gift from the Goddess when it comes to the pack gardens. They have never been in disrepair, but they have certainly never been much to be proud of, either. Since taking on the responsibilities of head gardener, Blossom has transformed the pack lands. Not only do we have fantastic flower beds everywhere, we have a huge kitchen garden, a medicinal herb garden, fruit bushes, orchard and she has even taken on forestry for the woodlands.
