Ella did see the logic of it. But didn’t see why she couldn’t. It had been 8 long years, it was unlikely that the man was still the alpha of a pack. He’d been older then and would be even older now. Surely he’d passed on the throne to an heir who wouldn’t be obsessed with a dead burnt down piece of land.
Punishment was having to train the juniors, everyday for a week, one day, for every hour she had foolishly been gone. A two-hour training session with 14 to 16-year-old teenagers. She could already feel Ky’ra’s annoyance. It was her Alpha’s way to punish both of them. He knew Ky’ra hated horny teenagers the most, worse than un-mated males.
They had no wolves and so she couldn’t dish out punishment to those stupid enough to think it was okay to tease or make lewd comments. They just had to put up with it and getting up that early after night patrol meant lack of sleep as well, not to mention no training for themselves every day. That was Ella’s punishment.
Holden POV
Jeremy, his Beta, had dropped an envelope on the desk in front of him. He was smiling that stupid grin he got when there was something mischievous about to happen. Holden raised an eyebrow at his Beta, who’s grin just got bigger, and he just stood there staring at him, it seriously couldn’t be that funny. Though Jeremy thought lots of things were funny nowadays. The man was 6″4′ with dark brown eyes, short light brown hair and dimple in his chin, and one deep dimple in his right cheek which was showing with his clear amusement over whatever he thought was funny.
The man took great pleasure and delight in ribbing him about that bloody mutt who he’d had a show down with a few months ago, just wouldn’t bloody let it go, because according to him and Braidy, he, their Alpha, had lost to a girl, ‘a teensey weensey little girl.’ as they like to phrase it.
He occasionally would find a black arrow stuck in his chair, or a knife in a shoe of his. They thought they were being funny. And no amount of punishment he dished out stopped it. Trouble makers, both of them. Braidy feeding off of Jeremy’s desire to annoy and play practical jokes, the two of them troublesome, but also his closest friends.
Holden, however, did not see it that way, his showdown with the mutt had been interrupted and so, therefore, no-one had won it, according to his recollection. He was actually itching for a rematch. Her skill, he had to admit, was a little impressive, but he was willing to bet if he stood next to her on the training ground his knife throwing skills would surpass hers with ease. His wolf Rip just wanted a chance to use his Alpha aura to put her in her place and show her who was boss.
Though it was unlikely they would ever get the chance, Half Moon Pack was in no way affiliated with his pack, and it was a good 5 hour drive away by car. There was also nothing but rogue territory between his and theirs, and the terrain was pretty rough going, with wetlands dotted along the way and abandoned long dead pack territory as well. Sad story he’d heard it, everyone had. But it was before his time. 3 years before he took over, in fact. No one had gone to their aid, very sad.
Holden turned his attention to the envelope Jeremy had dropped on his desk, the very thing his Beta was finding highly amusing. It was a soft metallic green envelope with a moon seal on the back, which indicated it was a mating ball invitation. He sighed and tossed it into the bin next to his desk. Why Jeremy would find that amusing he had no idea.
He knew Holden would not attend it, wouldn’t even open the envelope for that matter, “why is that so amusing to you?” he asked, already turning back to the budget he had been working on for the new school he was having built.
To his complete surprise, Jeremy retrieved it from the bin and put it back in front of him again.
“Are you trying to test my patience today, Beta.” Holden used his rank instead of his name, allowing Jeremy, who he’d known since he was six years old, to show his annoyance and displeasure at his actions.
“Read it.” Jeremy stated, amusement still with him.
Holden sighed “I don’t have to, it’s a mating ball invitation, I can tell from the full moon seal on the back.”
“Indeed it is,” his friend chuckled.
“why? Jeremy, do you find this outdated thing so amusing…you know I am not going to attend, I’m not even going to reply.” he moved to toss it in the bin again.
Jeremy’s hand stopped him. “Oh come on Holden, just this once, open it, read it…humour me just this once.”
“No!” Holden snapped and was about to tear the envelope in half to make his point and show his displeasure with his Beta, but to his complete disbelief, Jeremy snatched it from his hands before he could, used his wolf’s speed to grab it.
“You have a death wish today?” he snarled.
Jeremy just laughed at him. “Maybe…Just maybe today I do.” he then walked around Holdens’ desk and sat himself down in one of the chairs in front of his desk, tore the full moon seal off and opened the letter.
“For the love of the Goddess,” Holden muttered to himself.
“Yes.” Jeremy grinned again “the Goddess herself requests that you, Alpha Holdener of Blue Moon Rising Pack, attend one of her mating balls.” he laughed and then proceeded to read the invitation out loud.
Holden leaned back in his chair and watched him. It was the same bullshit every time, bring your un-mated wolves, male and female, for a chance to see if they can find their fated mates upon the next full moon. He was apparently allowed to bring 20 wolves. It also indicated that six other packs were invited, so a total of 140 un-mated wolves would be visiting and there would also be wolves from the pack holding the mating ball. It was the only information Jeremy hadn’t parted with, which was curious.
After a full minute of silence and the two of them just staring at each other, Holden nearly yelled at him “Well you made me listen to that bloody dribble, who sent the stupid thing?”
Jeremy’s grin was back in full force, only now there was a mischievous glint in his eye as well. “Thought you didn’t care.”
“For Goddess’s sake Jeremy!” he was starting to lose his patience.
“Half Moon Pack, Holden.”
Oh, now he knew why Jeremy found it so amusing to himself, that was the mutts pack. Hang on, how’d he know that, without opening it first? Holden held out his hand, a frown on his face. He hadn’t seen a pack symbol on the thing when he’d glanced at it.
“You’re not going to rip it up now, are you?”
“Just give it over.” he snapped, annoyed with his Beta “You’re tiresome. Do you know that?”
“Yes boss, I do know that.” Jeremy was still grinning and there was full amusement in his voice, he sat there tapping the envelope in his hand “I think you will destroy it,” he suddenly said and pocketed the invite in his shirt pocket, then stood and headed out of the room with it.
Rip let out a warning growl, not liking being dismissed by his own Beta. Jeremy stopped at the door, turned and looked right at him. That blasted mischievous glint back in his eye ” I thought you didn’t care about mating balls Holden.” Then he closed the door behind him.
Holdens wolf hearing picked up his Beta’s foot steps they were running away from his office. He knew better, but it seemed that today Jeremy did indeed have a death wish. Holden gave him a ten count and then got up from his desk, walked across his office and opened the door, cracked his neck, rolled his shoulders and smiled ‘ Let’s go get him’, he said to Rip, and they were off after him.
He shot out of the pack-house using Rips wolf speed, passing by Braidy, who was laughing. He was just outside the pack-house’s front door. Jeremy, he could see, was off and running towards the training grounds at full wolf speed too. Holden could hear the man laughing as he ran away.
‘ He can’t out run us!’ Rip snorted, amused at the thought that his Beta was trying to get away from him.
‘No he can’t.’ Holden agreed, the chase was on. Jeremy used the training ground obstacles to help delay his capture, but it was still all of only a few minutes before he was crash tackled to the ground and pinned down. Holden flipped his Beta over, who’d stopped fighting him, now he was captured, and reached into that pocket for the invite. Jeremy however, was still laughing hysterically almost. His amusement was even more so now than before.
Holden came up empty handed. Pat his Beta down and checked all of his pockets. There was no envelope he’d palmed it off to someone. “you bastard.” Holden got up, thinking about who he’d past. Bloody Braidy had been laughing outside the front of the pack-house. He put a boot into Jeremy’s ribs just hard enough to make him say ouch “you’ll keep.” he muttered.
‘Oh Braidy, where are you?’ he asked through a mink-link, his voice full soft and deadly.
‘I don’t know boss! Never been in this part of the pack before.’ clear amusement flowed down the link towards him, then Braidy severed the link.
Right the boys wanted to play, it seemed ‘Rip, go get him.’ Holden smiled to himself, no one in this pack could hide from his wolf. It was a hunt, so it seemed. Rip was on it fast. He loved a good hunt, straight back to the pack-house, to pick up the scent of the last place they’d seen him. Rip knew the scent of his Delta, and tracked him, moving quickly through the pack-house and out through the dining room, out the back door and off into the woods heading north. The mission hunt and capture.
It took seven minutes till his Delta was pinned down on the ground beneath him by the north lake. He was laughing so hard he could barely lay still.
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