GRANDPA ALPHA'S WILL

We gathered together in the receiving room again. Grandma Luna was seated on one of the plump armchairs with Mindy by her side. This was where we would see her everytime we came to visit.

Grandma Luna spent much of her time in the receiving room of the pack house. Everyone who came and went would first pass through the receiving room to greet the elderly Luna.

Even though she was old, Grandma Luna still struck an imposing figure. She was a tall woman - as tall as Grandpa Alpha.

I had never heard my Grandma Luna laugh.

It was almost time for dinner. The sun was setting and it turned the room golden.

Besides my grandma and Mindy, Uncle Louis, Aunt Jade, my parents, Beta Lucas and Ben, as well as Beta Larson and Oscar were all in attendance. Even Jasper, I noticed belatedly, he was standing at the back of the room. The four of us entered and made a quick bow. I couldn't help but feel like part of a painting... The kind I had seen in museums.

"You're not dressed for dinner yet, girls?" Grandma Luna asked as she critically eyed our casual attire.

"Erm... We were still unpacking." Esmeralda lied.

Well no, it was not completely a lie. We did unpack the soaps and candy.

Grandma Luna pursed her lips, "You may change later. Sit down for now."

We sat down.

"Beta Larson will read Silas' last will." Grandma announced.

"Father isn't buried yet. There is time. We can wait for Pierre and Andre to come." Dad suggested.

Grandma shook her head, "We will read it now. It has nothing to do with them."

I saw Dad bite back a growl. Uncle Louis put a hand on Dad's arm. Dad forced himself to hold back, "As you wish, Mother."

"Of course." Grandma Luna said, "I am the Luna here. It will be as I wish it."

I cast a quick glance at Aunt Jade. But Aunt Jade did nothing to protest.

Savy pulled me to sit together with Estella and Esmeralda. We squeezed together on a long sofa on the side.

Beta Larson took a sheet of paper out from a brown envelope. Grandpa Alpha's will was a single sided sheet of document paper.

Essentially, Grandpa Alpha left all his money assets and treasures to Grandma Luna.

The rest of his estate and title along with the care for Grandma Luna to Uncle Louis.

To Jasper, his old friend, he gave his freedom and the option of a job as a paid administrator in the pack house office as well as a pension should he be retired from office.

To Edgard, his only grandson, he left the golden bangle with our family motto engraved on it. He beseeched his son, Uncle Louis to bring up the boy worthy of the Alpha position of the Night Forest Pack.

To his four lovely granddaughters, Samantha, Savannah, Estella and Esmeralda (he went in order of his eldest son's daughters, to his youngest son's daughters, completely skipping Uncle Pierre and Uncle Andre's daughters), he left four trust funds of equal amount for each to be used for either furthering our education or on our dowry, to be claimed on the year we turn 18. May we find happiness or make it ourselves.

That was all.

Jasper had tears running down his face, "Oh thank you, Alpha." He whispered. He was free.

It was too emotional for me so I tried to not look at him.

Dad frowned, "There's nothing for Pierre and Andre's children?"

Grandma Luna shrugged, "They made their choice."

Grandma Luna continued speaking, her voice cracking, "Your father, Silas woke up this morning and went for his usual run. When he got home, he told me he was tired and wanted to lie down. This was unusual, you all know your father was never tired."

"I sent Jasper to check on him an hour later only to find him already passed on in his sleep. Your father lived a hard life, and gained much wealth and power since the war."

"The Night Forest Pack was his heart and soul, but each of you would rather do your own things. If it were up to me, I would have left everything to Louis to continue building our pack, but Silas worried about the girls. He loved them. I understand that..."

Grandma Luna looked at the four of us, "It's hard being a woman in this world. Your life is not your own. Your happiness lies in pleasing your mate. If money could secure your happiness, your grandfather would have paid any amount."

"This is Silas' final will. Tell your other brothers not to contend it. Let your father rest in peace."

"Now if only I might also leave and join my mate. My life has no more purpose."

And then Grandma Luna got up and left.

"Look after her." Uncle Louis cautioned Mindy, "If anything happens it would be on your head."

Mindy bowed and quickly left.

To us he smiled, "Your grandfather's coffin has been set up in the main hall. Why don't you girls go take a look? Tell me if you think there aren't enough flowers."

The four of us stood up. That was our cue to leave.

Dad was frowning, "Pierre and Andre aren't going to like this."

"You tell them. They would listen to you." Uncle Louis said, "If they really want compensation, I will pay them out of my own pocket."

Dad's frown didn't subside, "I don't think..."

But we had left the receiving room and I could not hear anymore. Worse still, Oscar and Ben were following us, so it's not like I could ask Ben later.

Was my family going to feud over the inheritance like those rich families on TV? I've only once met Uncle Andre and Uncle Pierre before. When I was very young, Dad brought our family on one grand vacation. But it was mostly to visit his brothers in the other continent.

I didn't remember most parts of the trip. But I had many cousins there, including beautiful girl cousins who could sew dresses for dolls and who gave me candy. There were the most beautiful flowers, they called them tulips. And they had swimming pools and their own playground. Okay, now that I remembered it, the playground was an obstacle course for training warriors, but I didn't know it then. Uncle Pierre was a quiet and gentle man, Uncle Andre loved to laugh and spar with words or weapons, he didn't care either way.

They brought us to eat pizza. One of my aunts tried to teach me to play the piano (that didn't go well). One of my aunts tried to buy me a doll (that went even worse). But they were all very friendly anyway.

"What do you think is going to happen?" Estella asked a little nervously, "Papa is really scary when he is angry. What if they fight?"

Uncle Louis was supposed to be the baby of the four brothers, and if the childhood stories I had heard from Mum was anything to go by, he was also the mildest of the four.

Whenever I watch these things on TV, I've always thought "This won't ever happen to me."

I had to admit, it's kind of strange to see it happen. Luckily my dad wasn't rich.

Night Leaf Pack has a very unique payscale ceiling. Our Alpha, Beta, Gamma, and Deltas all get paid the same.

After retirement, they get a pension. Medical for them and their mates within pack lands were free for life.

But that was it.

If you wanted to earn more, you should go out and work in Gate City. We have many normal wolves who earned far more than my Alpha Dad by opening their own business in Gate City. There was even a start up fund to help our pack wolves become their own boss. But all earnings outside pack land was taxable. I guess it's a win win situation.

And the tax money goes into building our pack and stuff like that.

Yeah, my dad was rather radical. More than once, he had been called a Maverick at the Annual Alpha Conventions.

But call him what you want, his policies worked.

"For now." Dad cautioned, "The world is changing everyday. What works today may not work again tomorrow. What works for me, might not work for you."

Again, I was sure he was telling me something important. I just wished I knew what it was!