Zander was behind Faolán, as this one spoke into the microphone in the hall of the Pack House.
"I need to travel to Colorado so we can have a new territory, with good land to plant and to live on. I want to make that land ours, but there is an obstacle at the moment." Faolán said.
"And why can't we just move there?" asked someone from the audience.
"Because we need to own the land. Nowadays, it's not like it used to be, when we just had to settle in. Humans are taking over everything, and unfortunately those lands already belong to someone. I can't put us under the risk of a bunch of humans showing up at our door, kicking us out and, even worse, exposing us."
"We can just kill the invader!" A male yelled from the back of the room. Some of them were furious. After all, Faolán was made Alpha, because it was his birthright; however, he had already spent the last ten years away from the pack, but, still, now he chose to leave, again.
"They have cell phones, with cameras and connections to many different websites, where they can expose what we are. Do you prefer to take that risk? Because, rest assured, if humans discover us, they will not come to talk us peacefully, but with heavy guns and firepower to subdue us!" A chorus of agreement rose. "I wish I didn't have to leave here. I just got back, only to have to bury my own father. I'd rather be healing my heart with you, but I have to get up and go to another state, in order to preserve our pack."
"We'd better be on our guard and follow our leader! He has lived among humans and knows better than us what are they capable of!"
"Yes, humans are dangerous when they get together, especially with those weapons of theirs."
"Then it's decided. I'm leaving tomorrow morning and should be back in a day or two." Faolán declared, and the audience clapped, saying things like 'that's my Alpha', 'he's awesome' as well as 'he's so hot!' by some female voices. Fáolan frowned at the latter. He bowed and left the stage.
"Man, that was great!" Zander said. "You really know how to control these wolves. Even though you've been out for years!"
"I just showed them the truth. I don't like the idea of leaving the pack again, but unfortunately I don't have a choice, for that bitch decided to get in our way!"
"A very delicious bitch. You'll see it. I tried to put my charms to work, but she didn't even pay me attention." Zander complained irritably.
"She might like women. Have you thought of that possibility?" Faolán retorted, whereupon Zander stopped midway, open-mouthed. Then he smiled and ran to Faolán's side, who had not stopped walking.
"Two at once? Do you think she would agree to that?"
"You're a pervert, Zander. Have you no shame?" Faolán asked, laughing.
"I try my best. I want to find my mate. And if she's not here, I need to walk around on my search." Zander shrugged.
The two burst into laughter. Faolán stopped at the entrance to his room and said goodbye to Zander. He was tired, and only Zander could still get a smile out of him at such a sad moment. When his mother died, six years ago in a rogue attack, Faolán would have lost his ground, if it hadn't been for his father and Zander, his best friend and now Beta. Zander's father, Gareth was the Beta of the pack when Emyr was still the Alpha. Now, Gareth was recovering from the damage caused by the fire and was somehow happy to see his son taking over his responsibilities.
The females of the pack couldn't stop whispering how handsome the Alpha was. He had always been a hit with the females; but when he left to study, he was eighteen years old and still not as strong as he was now. As he was the Alpha, all those females who were still single and unmated hoped that he could be their mate. He had already walked all over their territory, had talked to many of them—they were all present in that very hall, including the Omegas—, but so far nothing had happened. If any of them were the mate chosen by the Moon Goddess herself, he would have already smelled it and, by now, the new Luna would have been more than known to all the pack members.
When he entered the room and found himself alone, Faolán laid down on the bed, with the room in darkness, and tried to sleep. He felt the tears roll down his face, remembering his father and how he would never hug him again.
Emyr had traveled to visit him only once, during his son's studies, not being able to leave the pack without a good reason. Unfortunately, that reason was the death of the Luna, Faolán's mother, Libena.
Faolán was now twenty-eight years old and suffering for having stayed away from his family for so long. But he tried to comfort his soul, by telling himself that it was all in the pack's best interest. He cried himself to sleep, and dreamed of a castle, screams of dead soldiers at his feet and, the most terrifying of all, a woman holding his heart. But his vision was blurred as he fell to the ground, unable to make out more than the night-black eyes of his assassin.
He woke with a start, his shirt clinging to his body with sweat. His head was throbbing. He didn't even have time to pick up the phone to check the time, because the alarm clock that had been set to go off at five in the morning was sounding. He dismissed the alarm and crawled out of bed, heading to the bathroom to take a shower. But that nightmare didn't leave his mind. He could still feel the terror and despair around him, as people with torn necks scrambled across the floor. And that woman's eyes were the worst part. He could tell it was a woman, by the look of her white robes, sprinkled with red, probably blood of dead men. She couldn't be human or werewolf. She was a monster.
After the shower, Faolán headed to the training grounds. Despite how destructed they were, they were still usable. And he needed to spend all that energy from that hideous nightmare he'd just had.
He was doing some pull-ups when he heard some giggles. He looked around and spotted a few she-wolves watching him. It's just that it was usual for the available females – and sometimes the unavailable ones, as well – to be chasing him, because he was the leader and, by nature, a figure that had what they most desired. It was all about power. He'd ignore them as best as he could. Despite looking at him, none would ever be so daring as to even approach him, let alone strike up a conversation with him, when he was emanating an aura that said 'back off!'. Only his mate could do that, but since none of them was it, he could rest easy.
Around an hour later, Zander was already waiting for him in the car, to take him to the airport. The pack wasn't exactly near one, so they'd have to drive for at least one hour and a half.
"Do you have all your documents with you?" Zander asked.
"Yes, I've got them all here. If I need you, I'll let you know. Keep a suitcase packed, just in case. If I call you, asking you to meet me, it's because it's an emergency." Faolán said, putting his hand on the Beta and best friend's shoulder.
The women who were walking by couldn't take their eyes off them. Zander didn't miss the opportunity to smile sideways and even wink at some of them. Faolán watched him and shook his head.
"Got it, bro. Have a nice trip! And let me know when you get there."