Page 12 of Wolves of the Rising Moon

Jaxson nods as if formulating a plan. “And what about power?”

Rafe gives him a strange look, as do I. Jonah doesn’t, but he’s the nice one. Regardless, Rafe had just answered that question.

“The electric and gas companies provides all the power we need on the mountain,” Rafe repeats.

Jaxson smiles, showing off the whitest set of teeth I think I’ve ever seen outside of the movies. “No, I mean, how does power get passed down from one Pack Alpha to the next?”

His words jolt me fully back into the room. “Oh! I can answer that one!”

Jaxon gives me a baffled stare, but I mow right on through.

“Pack Alphas are born. We’re given designations at a certain age and with that comes the mantle of Pack Alpha. My father was the last Pack Alpha and when he left, Rafe took over.”

The new wolf holds my gaze in his as thinks about his next words.

I stiffen, expecting him to put my last name and the name of the pack together and ask about my father and why he left. I have a mostly truthful answer all T-ed up and ready to go.

But he doesn’t ask. “It’s not like that in the Laurel Cove packs. We have to fight for leadership. Strongest wins.”

I couldn’t imagine living in a pack like that. Fighting your peers, your family, for dominance instead of simply knowing who’s meant to lead.

Jaxson pauses, idly scratching his head. No one fills the silence. We can all sense he’s going somewhere and give him the space to do it.

“The only exception to that is if the alpha cannot produce an heir. Then the role goes to the next strongest in the pack.” He runs a hand over his smooth-shaved head once more and lets out a long sigh. “Titus trapped us not just in place, but in time, too. We’ve been stuck with these old traditions for centuries and I’m going to lose my pack if I can’t think of a way around it.”

Jonah shoots Rafe a quick glance before leaning toward our guest. “Is there something we can do to help?”

“Wait, why can’t you have an heir?” I ask. I have a suspicion, but I want to make sure I’m not assuming anything.

“I’m gay, Willa.”

I mean, the eyeliner didn’thaveto mean anything, and I didn’t want to get caught with my foot in my mouth. “Gotcha. So, your pack is progressive enough to accept you as an alpha, but not enough to do away with the heir rule?”

“Pretty much. No one cares that I’m gay, but the elders can’t seem to get their head around me not reproducing. And I don’t want to give up my pack because of it.”

“So, do you have a plan?” Rafe relaxes fully for the first time since Jaxson’s arrival, sinking deeper into the couch and sliding an arm around my shoulders. Rafe knew Jaxson was holding back his true intentions, but now that everything is in the open, Rafe doesn’t have to be on such high alert anymore.

“I’m hoping you do things differently and would be willing to speak to my pack. Show them there are many ways to run a pack and we don’t have to be stuck in ours. I think the alphas from two packs and the daughter of another might be enough to convince them that change is good.”

“I’m not an alpha,” Jonah says. “I’m a sigma.”

“Sigma?”

Jonah nods and a multitude of expressions cross Jaxson’s features, but the one he finally settles on is anger. “Another side effect of Titus’s rule.”

“Sigmas are pretty rare here as well,” I’m quick to add. “Jonah is the only one I’ve met.”

“But it’s a designation born of need, of evolution. Something that was denied my pack and all the packs in my area.”

Rafe gives Jaxson a single nod. “I think I speak for all of us when I say we’d be honored to help. Did you have a time set for a video call, or do you need to coordinate with your pack?”

Jaxson shifts on the stool, anger moving off him as a small smile lifts the corner of his mouth. “A video call isn’t gonna cut it.”

Jonah and I share a questioning glance.

And just like that, Rafe’s on edge again. His arm around me stiffens ever so slightly. “Oh? What did you have in mind?”

Jaxson meets Rafe’s steady gaze. “We’re having a town hall meeting of all the packs in Laurel Cove and the neighboring Cypress City. I’d love to fly you out and have you as a guest speaker. You could talk about the way your packs run things and bring help to bring ours out of the dark ages.”

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