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I answered, “Well obviously Avery’s dad.” Hendrick snorted, “I’m sorry obviously?” I nodded, “Sure… when you aren’t watching he looks at you guys with such jealousy… I asked around. Buck and Avery’s mom isn’t his fated mate.”

Mason agreed, “She’s not but I never heard about him finding his.

He didn’t date though. He is incredibly hateful toward and about us.

” I shrugged, “Kind of proves my point. Most wolves don’t care if wolves of rank aren’t gay.

I mean allied packs don’t care about rank, well not anymore, but down here they clearly do…

and it’s confusing because Buck’s dad didn’t have a rank… ”

Mason interrupted, “He used to. He was the Lead Warrior once upon a time.” I nodded because that made sense to me. I was also excited because now the Ring Resistance could truly start. Dax and Caine came in.

Caine declared, “We’re in.” I grinned, “Really? Are… you sure? Because we are going against your dad’s and…

” Dax cut me off, “You’re training us and doing more than anyone ever has.

” I hummed, “And you’re great! Have you been watching Xander’s videos?

” They confirmed that they were. That was good.

It would be better for Caine to learn from him as an Alpha, but he was stuck with me.

Addison and Sierra joined us. They said, “Obviously we are in too.” Dax and Caine made a face. Addison looked at her brother whispering, “Please.” He nodded, “We all need to fight back.” I grinned, “All it takes to start a Resistance… is one person. We are going to do this. We will take them down.”

Mason asked, “Do we have a first assignment?” I answered, “Hendrick and I … well… we kind of did one… because they were going after my Xander.” Hendrick declared, “I stepped in because you were in danger. I tracked you, not them.”

I shrugged, “We killed a group after Xander. Which… the Hackura will probably get wind of. So… that could get fun.” Caine said, “I mean I’m not brought into things, but I know we don’t want to be on the Hackura’s radar.”

I hummed, “Not exactly….We as the Resistance do… we just have to do it right. We need to get to the point where we can be a secret source for them. It would provide a layer of protection… and then they’d want us to keep working with them.”

Dax argued, “They would want in on missions and then they’d would take over it.

” I winked, “Only if they figured it out and I’ve got a pl for that.

” Caine asked, “Don’t you mean a plan?” I admitted, “No… well… kind of. It’s not a full plan yet.

I’m working on it but I’ve studied every single paper Prince Gunner Cambridge has put out.

That should give us a starting base. Plus, I’ve got some inventions that will help us. ”

I pulled out my scent cancelling spray. I said, “I need Mason to order some things from his supplier so I can make more but this will make us smell like nothing. We’ll get tactical gear from humans and…

” Sierra asked, “How do we do that?” I grinned, “They have sales for old equipment…and maybe I know of one happening tomorrow.”

Caine asked, “So, what’s our big statement?” I answered, “The allies are meeting with the Drug Ring.” Caine winced, “They can’t do that. They don’t know the right words to say.” I asked, “What’s the right word?”

Hendrick answered, “It’s a phrase.” I prodded, “And it is?” Dax said, “We don’t know it. We just know there is one.” I hummed, “I’ll look into that.” Addison asked, “Who is going?” I answered, “Me.” Caine snorted, “She means who is going to the drug buy for the allies?”

I answered, “It hasn’t been determined. It’s going to be someone from Black Mountain and Red…” I choked on emotion and put my head between my legs. I answered, “Run.” Dax snorted, “Fuck them.” I shook my head, “I’ll go.”

Hendrick asked, “Why you?” I explained, “Because I’m an excellent shot. We’ll need to assign titles. I’m thinking Bravo’s. So… I’ll be one.” Caine said, “I like the number six.” Dax winced. I nodded, “Sure… not going in numerical order is… totally fine.” They snorted.

Dax said, “We’ll have to save you if you ever get caught because you can’t lie for shit.” I frowned, “I can evade. Plus, I don’t get caught when I do things… oh gosh that was braggy but…” Dax said, “We believe you.”

Hendrick offered, “I’ll be Bravo two.” Mason jumped in, “Three.” Addison shouted, “I call five!” Everyone looked at her. She shrugged, “It’s my favorite number.” Dax grumbled, “Fuck it, I’ll be seven.” Caine asked, “Why?” He replied, “If you’re six, I’m seven. You’re my Alpha.”

I clutched my chest feeling something prickle inside me. I didn’t understand what it was, but maybe it was because an Alpha and Beta were acting like they should. Sierra said, “I’ll be eleven.” Dax groaned, “Why?” She said, “Because Melanie is one and I’m going for double one’s since two is taken.”

I wrote all of that down. We went to the range, and I began to train them to shoot with Hendrick. He’d been in the army and was a good shot along with Mason.

I’d taken more beatings for other pack members and useless things I’d “done” according to the Alpha, Beta, and Gamma.

Pack members spit at me when I walked by, and I felt pieces of my soul being chipped away.

Their hatred was all consuming, but I was helping.

They couldn’t see it right now, but they would one day.

I was at Mason and Hendrick’s reviewing the tape from Alpha Edward’s office when they declared who was going to the meeting we were going to be protecting. I threw the headphones off and ran out of the house as if I was on fire.

I went to my dancing spot, put on music, and lost myself to it. Jason and Grandpa Ben were going. How could Alpha Peter do this? Did he not understand he was sending them to die? Logically, that answer was no, but my anger didn’t seem to care about that.

The Alpha’s down here went against their oath, and he’d made me believe in true Alpha’s.

He was a true Alpha to everyone except me.

He was the reason I was seeing this side of everything.

I couldn’t live with the rose colored glasses they did anymore and it hurt.

I screamed in anger going through my movements.

I heard people talking, but I didn’t care and danced until the playlist ran down.

Dax asked, “Are you good now?” I turned, “Not really.” He winked, “Well, come on.” Right…

I was training them. Dax walked me to where we trained in secret.

Caine said, “We did our cardio.” I nodded and we went through fighting paces.

Satisfied I urged, “Shift.” They both looked at me. I explained, “You have to know how to fight in wolf form. Let’s go.” Dax cringed, “Uhhh that’s a no.” I snorted, “It’s a yes… because… I’m the trainer and I said so… so… shift.” They stared at me.

I groaned, “Come on. It’s not like it’s the first time I’ve fought a wolf in wolf form…

with highly trained wolves even…..let’s go.

” They did and we worked together. I pinned Dax and warned, “Never underestimate a human form just because you shift.” His wolf nodded at me, and we worked for several more hours.

We went home when it was pitch black. Not that it made a difference to us.

We could see perfectly. I walked into Aunt Stephanie’s house.

I had a sleeping bag in the hall closet to sleep on.

I opened my door and found letters on my sleeping bag.

I quickly shut the door and reached for them.

I cried seeing Jason’s handwriting. I tore it open.

Melanie,

Everly cries most nights because I can’t be the man she needs. All because of you.

I’ve got something coming up. Something I wouldn’t be doing if not for you. If I don’t make it, don’t come for my funeral. I don’t want you there and it would just upset Everly.

Beta Jason

Well, he wasn’t going to die because I wasn’t going to let him. He was going to be just fine. He may hate me, but I’d have his back. I would never let Jason get hurt and deep down he had to know that. It had to be why he’d sent me the letter. I was choosing to believe that.

The next one was from Grandpa Ben. I opened it and a note slipped out before his. I picked it up.

Melanie,

If dad dies, it’s on you. I hate you.

MaryBeth

Tears fells and I opened the letter from Grandpa Ben with shaking hands.

Part of me wanted to shove them into my backpack and never read it.

The other part hoped he said something nice.

Just one thing because my heart ached. I missed them.

The homesickness I suffered felt ever prevalent here.

I took a deep breath and flipped open the page.

Melanie,

Jason and I are doing something dangerous. He shouldn’t be going. It should be T, but we know he can’t be here. I find that hole in me growing wider every day without seeing his smiling face. I can’t hear his laugh nor my son’s ever again.

Drake always found the good but without him there isn’t any. I used to hate when he listened to his sad ass country music, but now I just want my son back. I can’t have him, and I can’t reconcile that you took him from us.

You took Sam, Drake, and T from us and now there is no more laughter. It died with them. Don’t come home if something happens to me. I don’t want to see you. None of us do.

Former Beta Ben McAlister

P.S. That is how you should refer to me from now on.

I bolted out of the house as if I was being chased. I ran all the way to where I’d had stones placed for my family. I threw up and kept dry heaving. I sobbed, “They hate me. They will always hate me. I can’t do this… I need you back. Please come back.”

I screamed at the sky, “Give them back! I’ll do anything.” Not even the wind answered my pleas. I cried, “Please!” I laid on the ground not caring that the sun rose. Not caring that I would be punished for not starting breakfast. I whispered, “What if I just laid here until I died? Who would care?”