Aftermath

Ari called a pack meeting. Everyone was there. He gave an overview of what happened and how they beat the invading packs. He said he was sending the wariors from the other villages back home and thanked the warriors from Red Rivers pack and their Alpha, Mason. He spent most of the day meeting with the families that lost loved ones individually. Alpha duties. Since I couldn't follow him around I decided to find Eric and see if his dad is okay.

"Hello." A woman says as she answers the door.

"Umm... I was just... could I... umm." I stammer unable to complete a sentence.

"Eric or Brandon?" She asks with a smile.

"Eric please." I say quietly.

"Eric you have a visitor!" She yells into the house. "Come on in honey." She turns and walks into the house so I follow.

"Hay Brayden!" He says as he comes downstairs.

"Hay Eric... how'd your dad make out?" I ask.

"He's good! Like you said not a scratch!... you know everyone is talkin' 'bout you." He says.

"Really?!" I ask. "Why would they talk about me?"

"Your speech! Everyone loved it! They thought you were great! People were scared and you comforted them." Eric explains.

"Plus people were questioning if the Alpha was fit to lead... not us of course." His mom says walking in with snacks for us. "Hearing a child speak so highly of him after such a short time opened people's eyes in regards to our Alpha... you know they say children are a good judge of character." She finishes, placing a tray of fruit on the table.

"I didn't realize I impacted them like that... glad I could help I guess." I say unsure how to respond.

"There is also the fact that Alpha Aaron led fearlessly. He put his life on the line to protect his wariors. Most Alphas are more concerned with their own wellbeing. He has proven himself our Alpha and he won't be 20 for another month." Eric's mom says.

"Wow! That's awesome... it's what Beta James told him to do when they argued about paperwork... I guess Ari just did it his own way." I say

"That he did... well you boys have fun. Stay out of trouble." She smiles as she leaves the room.

"So what are we doing?" Eric asks popping a grape in his mouth.

"We could go to the gym." I suggest eating a strawberry.

"Why would we do that?" He asks.

"Ari was teaching me to fight... I wanna practice." I answer.

"Sure." He shrugs.

Eric's mom tells him to be back in a couple hours for dinner as we leave. We walk towards the gym just blabbing about what ever we can think of until an older boy stops us. He pushes me to the ground.

"Stupid mutt!" He yells.

"What's your problem?" Eric asks as I jump up in position to fight.

"He said they'd be okay! He said the Alpha'd protect them! What about my mum! She was a strong warrior! She shouldn't be gone! He's a liar!" The boy screams in my face. I drop my hands no longer wanting to fight him.

"I said he would protect everyone he could... I'm sorry for your loss. I wish I could help you or say it gets easier... I'm here for you tho... I'm Brayden." I say offering him my hand. He looks at my hand then in my eyes.

"Screw you Brayden!" He yells punching me in the mouth. I cough and spit up blood and the lose tooth.

"I need to get Ari!" I look to Eric panicking.

"Gonna tattle on me?" The boy asks.

"No! I lost a tooth! You know what that means?!" I ask feeling pain in my stomach and all through my bones I scream in pain.

"What's wrong with him!?" Eric asks. The older boy goes pale.

"Let's get him to the Alpha!" The boy says putting my arm around his shoulders. "Help me Eric!... he's at the packhouse come on!" Eric takes my other arm as they drag me to the house. I spit out teeth all along the path as the pain increases.

"Brayden!" Ari yells running out to meet us. "You said you wouldn't force it!" I groan in pain as Ari lifts me from my friend's grasp.

"He didn't Alpha. It's my fault. I was mad and picked a fight. I didn't do it on purpose, honest." The boy explains.

"Its okay Jack." Ari says as he turns away. "Go to your father. He needs you right now. I don't want to lose my doctor too." Jack nods and runs off. "Go home Eric." Ari orders then runs off with me in his arms.

We end up at a secluded cabin at least a mile from the houses. Ari walks in and sets me down.

"This is the shifting cabin... far enough away to give you some privacy." He says kneeling next to me.

"It hurts!" I scream at him. "How much longer?!"

"Open." He says taking my chin in his hand. I do as he says and he looks in my mouth. "Not long... your bones will start reshaping once you lose your last tooth."

"Ahhhhhh!" I scream spitting out the last tooth. Just then the pain magnifies as my bones begin snapping.

"Breath Bray... Brayden!... Breath Boy!... if you pass out you will never shift! You will be human forever! So breath Brayden!" I gasp for breath finally listening to him.

As the pain spikes my screams turn to growls and whimpers as I collapse on the floor.

"You make a good lookin' wolf pup... bigger than I'd expect... but then again you are an Alpha... hay! With all the battle stuff I almost forgot! Happy birthday. You are officially 5... you could start school this year if you want... Alright feeling better?" He asks. I think he was just talking to help me calm down but he's right. Today is my birthday.

"Happy birthday." A voice says in my head.

"Woh!.. what is? Who are?... wolf?" I ask.

"The one and only!... I want to run human!" He responds.

I whine at Ari and run around the room.

"Alright pup let me shift!" He opens the door and let's me out. After he shifts we take off running.

Ari pushes my shoulder with his nose to direct me. He is so big I keep running under his body causing him to give me a wolfey laugh. It sounds odd honestly but he looks amused. He jumps over me and bats at me with his paw playfully. I run up a fallen tree and jump on him grabbing his scruff with my teeth. Ari stops and rolls over knocking me off. We play for a while until he begins steering me back home. Ari shifts and dresses then comes over to me with clothes in his hand.

"I added some of your clothes to my stash... go ahead and shift back its getting late." He tells me.

I give him a look. I don't know how to shift my body just did it!

"Think about your human form focus on it and you'll shift back." I nod to him. Focusing on my body picturing myself as human I begin to feel my bones pop back into alignment.

"Wow!" I pant recovering from the shift. "That was awesome!"

"Always is! It's a rush right!?" When Ari grins like this I see him for the teenage kid he is. I nod. "Come on I'm sure you're starving after that run. Your body has been through alot tonight."

We go into the kitchen and Ari throws me up onto the counter and heats up some leftover dinner.

"Eat up then it's off to bed. You can stay in the pack house or at my house up to you." He tells me.

"I can stay with you?!" I ask.

"Of course. Were safe for now all the pups went back home tonight." He explains.

"I wanna stay with you." I decide.

"Alrighty then! We'll redo a room for you next day I get off so think of colors. Until then you got the guest room." Ari picks me up and puts me on his shoulders. He runs back home and up the stairs so fast I can feel the wind whip my cheeks. I change into pajamas and Ari tucks me in.

"Ari?" I ask as he goes to leave.

"Yea Bray?" He responds turning to look at me.

"You'd make a good Dad... why dont you have any pups?" I ask.

"Bray..." he sighs and comes over to sit on my bed. "You're not going to accept the 'I'll tell you when you're older' answer are you?" I grin.

"Nope!"

"Alright... you see every wolf has a mate. Your momma and daddy were mates. A mate is the one person made for you. They are supposed to love you and care for you unconditionally. You need your mate to have pups so they will have a momma and a daddy. I haven't found my mate so I can't have pups yet." He explains.

"When will you find your mate?" I ask. Ari gets a lopsided grin staring at the ceiling and leaning back on his arms.

"You can find your mate any time after you are both 18... I don't know when I'll find her but it will be worth the wait I'm sure of it!" He says.

"How do you know?" I ask.

"You ask a lot of questions pup!" He says chuckling. "Lucky for you I love the topic... she will be the most beautiful creature I've ever seen. Her scent will drive me crazy! I'll get lost in her eyes at a glance. When we touch!... man it's like magic! Tingles go through your entire body!" He gushes over his future mate.

"You're gonna touch a girl! Gross!" I say sticking my tongue out. Ari laughs.

"Keep thinking that a while longer... one day you will long for your mate and being around a girl wont seem so gross." He says.

"I don't think so Ari. Girls are mean. And all they care about is their hair. Like this girl in my old pack who got mad cuz I hit her with a water balloon! I mean we were having a war and she hit me cuz it got her hair wet! And I couldn't fight back cuz shes a girl! I'll never want to be around one!" I tell him and he laughs.

"One day Bray... one day you'll change your mind... anyway! Its bed time so go to sleep pup." Ari says as he stands up. He walks to the door. "Night buddy." He says closing the door. I mumble a Goodnight as I drift off to sleep.