The Russian Billionaire’s Secret(189)

“But we don’t choose new Alphas based on the opinions of she-wolves,” said Estelle.

“All I am saying is we should, that is how it is in the world out there. Might is not right, democracy is. What the people want, votes of the majority and all.”

Estelle knew where Rudolph was going with this. He was certainly privileged, descending from an ancient line of wolves. He also enjoyed the way she-wolves swooned over him. His fair skin, his 6’3” frame, his strong biceps and triceps, blue veins slightly visible through them. His brown hair, dirty, short, and messy. His blue eyes and his boyish charms, the way he always ran his hand through his hair when he wanted to get it on with a girl. Estelle was all too familiar with it, and if the girls could have their way, he would be the new Alpha. He was right.

“But we are not people, are we? We are a pack of wolves,” said Estelle, her anger rising.

Rudolph smiled, this is what he wanted, to work Estelle up.

“You have got to be shitting me,” she continued. “Have you not learned anything in all your years as a Beta? You are making me question everything and I will see to it that you don’t become an Alpha if you continue like this.”

All this while, Tyler sulked in a corner. He had a hunch who the new alpha was going to be. It had to be Rudolph, one of the original wolves of the pack. Tyler knew he was far too new to become an Alpha. But his current thoughts were not about who the new Alpha was going to be, but about the Alpha that was no more; an Alpha that he was too fond of.

Chapter 2: The Cries of The Wolves

At about 5 in the morning, an hour before the sun rose, it was time to call it.

Estelle made for the exit of the hospital, Tyler and Rudolph following closely behind. An Omega, Bradley, held the doors open for the Alpha female and the Betas. As soon as they turned the corridor, Estelle’s walk turned into a jog, then she jumped, swiftly shifting into a large grey wolf, her mane long and fluffy, then walked outside on all fours; Tyler and Bradley shifted as well and joined her outside. Bradley closed the door behind him and began following them, when Rudolph suddenly turned around and snarled.

“Get out of here.”

Bradley turned around and left. If Rudolph hadn’t sent him off, Tyler would have, even though this was something Tyler was all too familiar with. Tyler got his start as an Omega when Dolphus brought him into the pack, but he climbed the ladder all by himself, becoming a Beta.

Tyler and Rudolph followed Estelle into the Sacred Ground. The Sacred Ground was where the pack meetings were held. It was a clearing at the heart of the forest, a fighting pit in the centre and a huge rock for the Alphas and Betas to sit on and watch the fights, make announcements, etc.

Estelle climbed the rock. Tyler was behind her, but Rudolph tried stepping ahead, standing where the Alpha of the pack would, when Estelle shot him another look.

“Not your place, not yet.”

“It will be,” Rudolph said.

“The sun will rise in half an hour,” said Tyler, taking in the night sky.

Estelle went to the very edge of the rock on the cliff, and howled. She howled again, sorrow in her voice. When she howled a third time, the message was clear. All of a sudden the houses in the forest started to light up one by one, the wolves started shifting and made for the clearing. In a matter of seconds, the Sacred Ground was packed. Estelle waited till everyone was there before she announced.

Once all the wolves had gathered, tens of pairs of yellow eyes visible in the darkness, she got ready to speak. Although all of them already knew what it meant, the meaning of three howls was clear, they waited to hear it from her. The three howls signaled the death of an Alpha; Estelle was there in front of them, so they knew who this was all about.

“Dolphus is dead,” she said.

A wolf among the pack howled with sorrow. He was joined by another, and then another, and then the entire pack howled. The forest echoed with the sorrowful howls of the wolves. Once the howls died down, Estelle spoke again.

“It is time to mourn the great Alpha together. It is three nights till the full moon. We mourn until then, and then, right here, we will have our new Alpha.”

The pack listened silently.

“Lay down the Mountain Ash,” she ordered.

The Omegas immediately left the pack to begin laying down the Mountain Ash. This was a tedious task, done with extreme care, and often required the help of humans who knew about them and were on friendly terms.

Upon the death of an Alpha, Mountain Ash was laid down across the entire boundary of the forest, so that no one outside could come in and try to take over the pack or cause trouble, and no one inside could get out. The pack existed in self-imposed exile to mourn until a new Alpha was selected.

Estelle then ran back to her den, Rudolph in tow. Tyler stayed behind, climbing off the rock. Rudolph, with his sense of entitlement, knew that he was going to be the new Alpha. Although the Betas have a bond stronger than that of brothers, Rudolph was already ready to take on Tyler and become the new Alpha.

Back at the den, Rudolph began pushing Estelle.

“I think the pack needs a leader to hold them together as we mourn,” he began.

“And they have that, Rudolph,” she replied, tired. “It’s me, not you. Have patience until your turn comes.”

“They all know it, what’s the delay,” he asked, impatiently.

“We have our rituals. The Trial at the fighting pit will decide the new Alpha, and until then, no one knows who the new Alpha will be. Your attempts and advances are off-putting and immature, and if you don’t stop, I might have to call a meeting and raise issue with the council.”