Serving the Alpha at His Whim novel Chapter 3

Craig entered the dump of an office where Alrick waited for him. The place deserved to burn to the ground in his estimation. Who lived like this? What did this idiot do? Just party all the time? Craig had spent hours now just combing the region near the so-called packhouse. What he found were derelict and abandoned buildings. This pack had been on life support long before their so-called Alpha died. Most of the pack members were dead or gone before the attack tonight. “Al, what do you need?”

Alrick is an old-time Alpha. His temper burnt hot and he made his own decisions. It didn’t matter to him if those decisions weren’t popular with others. He was the Alpha. His word was the only word that mattered. He took his responsibilities as the Alpha of the Silver Ridge Pack seriously, and he based his decisions around what he believed was best for everyone.

This was unlike the Iron Ridge Pack Alpha, it seemed. He enjoyed playing games at the expense of his people. Played favourites and punished people for petty things. If he didn’t outright banish them from the pack altogether.

Now it’s up to Alrick to sort this mess out. Report the incident to NARC. Or NARC would send people in to fix it. No one wanted them messing up the local dynamic.

Alrick threw himself into an overstuffed leather armchair and glared at Craig. “What the hell? How did no one notice how bad it was? Why did no one come to us?”

“I’ve been watching those we have found. I’ve found they’re the old. Whose living in their memories. The other members find themselves trapped here. They’re caring for the old. Alrick, this pack will die in no time without our help. Daniel says the laptop you found has the banking on it and Hector had emptied the accounts. Filing and accounting are non-existent.”

“This is a nightmare. Can you make sure someone is watching that sister of his? I don’t want anyone fooled by her beauty. I don’t trust her. Have someone watch her interact with the others. I want to know if she’s benefitted off the backs of her pack, like her brother.”

“What is your plan for her?”

“Right now? Whatever I want to. Until I decide whether she stays or I banish her. How many members have you found? What about a member list?” Alrick rubbed his hands over his face as he sighed.

“Less than forty members and just like the accounting, we haven’t found the member list.” A pack maintained a book recording their membership, and it held an honoured position within the packhouse. A place open to everyone. Many packs like the Silver Ridge Pack kept their book on display under glass. The tome’s only use was in ceremony. It was where a pack kept their membership and the ceremony was for adding or removing names from the log. “This is insane. We can’t leave them here. I wouldn’t let a wild dog live here. Should I plan to move them?” We've not found the pack’s member tome yet.

“Yes. I can’t wait to leave here. Tomorrow we’ll start reporting this and making a claim on the land. They trapped the shifters in this dying pack. No pack will take them in.” The Silver Ridge was doing well. They could absorb this group with some adjustments.

“I’ll get on with it. Is there anything else?”

“That enforcer I interrogated. He’s not coming with us. Cut him loose. That’s his punishment.”

“Alright. I’ll get it done for you. Oh, I know there are one mother and newborn in one of the outlying cabins. They’ll need medical attention. The pup was born a few hours ago. I’ve heard they’ve been living without a real healer for years now. The sister of the Alpha was subbing in as their medic and midwife.”

“Fine, do what you think is necessary to get everyone moved. I don’t care if we get everyone out of here. Some of them deserve this place. Take those trapped here. We’ll deal with things as they crop up.”

Craig felt the same way as Alrick. This place was not healthy. The pack drained these people.

Now they needed to uproot everyone. He’d promise to bring them back a few at a time after they found acceptable permanent living spaces for them. He was leaving the office when Alrick said. “She gets no benefits and has to earn what she gets.”

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