"What time is he coming?" Its all I can think about as I wake up.
"If your so concerned ask father... I'm just glad he is coming... I wanna smell him." My wolf says. I roll my eyes.
I head downstairs to meet father in his office.
"Morning Father!" I greet him as I enter.
"Morning." He says "let's get started."
We start in on the paperwork. It's like it never ends. The territory is split up into 4 sectors each has a wolf in charge that reports to us with daily reports plus the scouts around the world and correspondents with other packs. It has built up the past few days.
"Carson and David tell me your training is going well and they are confident in your ability." father says as we sift through reports. Adam from the southern sector is very long winded. "David even said he'd accept you as a pack warrior. High praise from him. Since it's going so well I want you to shadow me the next couple weeks."
"What exactly will we be doing?" I ask.
"I want you to see what the day to day of an Alpha is like. You'll go to meetings, read reports, visit each sector to check up on things. Whatever I need to do you will be with me." Father explains.
"Cool...so what's on the agenda for today?" I ask
"Not much other than Alpha Aaron's visit this afternoon. You've already pretty well knocked out the paperwork... your really good at organizing and sifting through this mess... take a few hours off. I guess that's the lesson for today. Take free time when you can get it." He says with a smile and he doesn't have to tell me twice. I'm up and heading to the door. "Be here at 1:00 Alpha Aaron should be here around then."
"Ok will do!" I call to him as I close the door.
"What to do now?" I think
"RUN!" Echoes through my mind.
"Is that all you think about." I ask my wolf.
"Well... I also think about Mate. What's his wolf look like. I bet he's massive.... hmmmm... Run WITH Mate!" She says purring with delight at the thought.
"Well I think I'm just gonna hang out in the game room today." I tell her
"Party pooper! Why even ask me if you're going to be boring anyway?" She tunes me out.
I go straight to the rec room. Usually this place is littered with teens but it's still morning and they are at school. I grab some snacks ready to just relax for a bit.
I look at the old boom box hidden away in the corner. No one uses it anymore with the sound system we have in place. I pull it out and set it on the coffee table. I run my hands across it and push the eject button. A small tape becomes visible and I remove it. Looking it over I sigh. I replace the tape and hit play curling up on the couch with my snacks.
The sound of swing washes over me.
Flashback (Lilly age 5)
The sound of music rings through the house and I run into the kitchen. The sound gets louder as the smell of muffins invades my nose. I see Momma moving her hips to the beat singing into a batter covered spoon.
"It don't mean a thing" she sing as she sees me she sweeps me up into her arms. "If it ain't got that swing." She finishes the line dipping me down and spinning around not making a move off beat.
I giggle as she taps my nose with the spoon. The sound of horns ring through the kitchen. Momma sets me on the counter and spins around again. "Just give that rhythm everything you've got!"
And she did! Playing drums on whatever she could find to strike in the kitchen she fit perfectly into the band. Never in all this did her hips stop swinging.
Momma loves music but this is one of her favorites. She moves around the kitchen with grace and beauty. Her brown curls bounce with every move.
As the song winds down she stops in front of me.
"Never stop dancing little wolf. No matter what! Music is key in life. It can change your entire mood your entire world with a single note!" Momma sighs. "One day I'll get a record player and you'll hear something really special."
I don't know what that is but I long for it. Momma pulls out the tape and places it with her collection taking another one and putting it in.
"1 2 3 o'clock 4 o'clock rock"
"Ah the 50s." She says.
Momma was born in the 70s but loves the older stuff.
"We're gonna rock around the clock tonight!" She sings throwing me in the air and were dancing again.
Present day
The music stops abruptly and I jump out of my seat.
"No no no no no!" I yell as I try to stop the destruction.
I pull out the cassette tape and try to wined it back up but it's pointless. The box ate my tape... mommas tape. The ribbon was irreparable.
After momma died I listened to her tapes non stop. Over the years one by one they were lost or destroyed. I guess I just have bad luck with them or I listened to them too frequently. I'm leaning on the latter but this still feels personal. That was the last one and I feel sick to my stomach.
I return the now useless box and leave the room.
"Still wanna go for a run" I ask my wolf
"Always!" She responds and I make my way outside.
My emotions had me all over the place as I ran through the forest. I lost all track of time until a mind link came through.
"Alpha Aaron is nearly here. Where are you?" Fathers voice booms. Crap!
"On my way!" I link back.
I run as fast as my legs will carry me and for the first time I'm thankful for Carson's endurance training. I made it back in record time and am only a little out of breath. I quickly dress and rush inside.
I stop as soon as I enter the pack house. He was already here standing directly inside the door. He looks to me as father speaks.
"And here she is" father finishes what ever he was saying before my arrival.
"Glad to see you're feeling better." He says flatly as he looks me up and down. I'm in an oversized t-shirt and shorts. In my rush to run I forgot where I put my clothes and had to take some from one of the teens who run to school. They all hide theirs close to the pack house.
I'm so embarrassed by my appearance I begin to fiddle with the shirt and realize its inside out. Even worse!
I look Alpha Aaron in the face and realize his jaw is clinched. He looks angry at seeing me. That makes my heart hurt.
"Sorry I'm late I went for a run and lost track of time." I say but Alpha Aaron is still glaring at me.
"Well let's get down to business." Father says gesturing to his office. "now that Lil..."
"NO!" Alpha Aaron growls.
"What's wrong Aaron?" Father Asks.
"I cant talk business with her in the room." Alpha Aaron responds with a clinched jaw.
What in the! That little!(well maybe not so little.) What's wrong with him? Why is he mad at me? What did I do?
"Why not?" Father asks totally shocked as was I... wait no I'm ticked! Am I not good enough for him to talk to. Does he not think I'm strong enough? I hold back a growl.
"I can't do business with her in the room Mason." Alpha Aaron says flatly.
That is NOT an answer Alpha jerk... I want to call him so much more but I cant think straight. Maybe I was wrong about him.
"I assure you she can be trusted. Lilly will be Alpha soon and should be involved." My father says trying to sway him.
Alpha Aaron looks from my father to me and back.
"Sorry Mason I can't." He responds
"Lilly could you..." father starts but I storm off.
Alpha Aaron POV
I came to my mates pack hoping only to see her. Honestly I have very little information for Mason but I wanted to see her so badly.
I was greeted by Alpha Mason but could not see Lilly. Her sent was her but a few hours old. "Where is she?" Is all I can think as I peer around the room. Mason is talking but I'm not really listening until a smell hits my nose. "mate" my wolf sighs. He has been on edge from the time she left.
The door opens to reveal my mate.
"And here she is" Mason announces. I look her up and down. I breath in her presence and the joy of seeing her comes to a screeching halt.
"Glad to see you're feeling better." I say holding in my anger. Her beautiful scent is tainted by the clothes she wears. Not hers. Not female. Don't like it. As I stare at her she begins playing with the male shirt hanging on her body. My jaw clenches when I realize that it is inside out. What was she doing? I cant concentrate. I want to grab her up coating her with my scent as a warning to other males but restrain myself.
"Sorry I'm late I went for a run and lost track of time." She says.
I cant concentrate. Why did I think this was a good idea? I am an Alpha and need to act like it! Wake up Aaron! Get control of yourself!... Nope I cant even think with her around.
"Well let's get down to business." Mason says gesturing to his office. "now that Lil..." I cut him off.
"NO!" I growl unintentionally... I guess my wolf can't get over the male stench that coats her.
"What's wrong Aaron?" Mason asks me.
"I cant talk business with her in the room." I say. I cant think around this girl.
"Why not?" Mason asks in confusion.
Well your daughter is my mate. She's wearing another male's clothes. Oh and her being around turns me into a blabbering pup. Yea that would go over well. What if she doesn't want me I can't just announce her as my mate!
"I can't do business with her in the room Mason." I'm trying to control myself. It's the best answer I have.
"I assure you she can be trusted. Lilly will be Alpha soon and should be involved." Mason says.
It's not a matter of trust. This is about me not her. How could he think this is about her? I look between them. She is getting mad. Oh no! She really hates me.
"Sorry Mason I can't." I tell him avoiding her glare.
Mason begins to ask Lilly to leave but she storms off before he finishes and I turn to watch her go.
Father's POV
I lead Aaron into my office. What's gotten into this boy? He never seemed to have anything against females. What's going on?
I sit at my desk and watch the boy pace. He is concerned about something.
"You wanted to talk about rouges?" I ask
"Hu? Oh yes the rouges... well... we haven't seen much from them." He says
Something is up. I know this boy. Aaron doesn't like meeting with anyone but he asked for this. I assumed he had some information to offer but he seems to have nothing to say.
"Why are you here Aaron?" I ask
"Like you said rouges. Any updates?" He responds
"Boy, you know I've told you all I will and have no new information from last we spoke 24hrs ago. Don't lie to me."
He shifts uncomfortably looking at the door. Ahhh.
"Lilly." I say and he turns to look at me. At first I thought maybe he was just checking up on her until he spoke.
"How did you know?" He says. More than I thought hmmmm. I know the answer now but want to hear it from his lips.
"Know what?" I ask
"That she and I... that we... that she's my... mate." The last word comes out in a whisper. This is my baby's mate. I don't know what to think of that.
"Say something Mason!" Aaron yells trying to gauge my reaction to the news.
"Well... if you don't have anything to talk to me about I guess we're done." I say. He looks defeated. I don't know what he expected but that wasn't it. He turns to leave.
"You could stay for dinner tho." I say with a smile. He stops in his tracks and turns to look at me. "Its still a few hours away. Stay awhile." I say.
Aaron smiles as he opens the door. He looks around. Seeing no one he looks back at me.
"No escort Mason? Just gonna let me roam around your pack?" Aaron asks.
It is customary to have a guard on a visiting Alpha but I know something he doesn't. I'm sure outside that door my little girl is waiting to pounce.
"No need." I tell him with a smile. He shrugs, turns, and walks out closing the door. As soon as he's gone I laugh.
"Good luck Aaron!"