24

Dad looked at me, serious as a heart attack. "Look, I'll go out there with you, help you for a few days to get established, but I've got my own Pack to run. You two are young, but powerful. People will be afraid of you, or attracted to you. Your job is to collect and mold those people that need you into a cohesive unit."

"But how? I'm not exactly experienced or a great leader, heck, we're just kids. I'm overwhelmed with our new child, how can I handle an entire Pack?" I looked at them both. "Especially a Pack that won't be happy to see me. I killed the majority of the pack, including some of their mates, for Luna's sake."

He reached over and put his hand on my knee. "Your Pack will be different than any other, and that is the reason people will flock to you. Have you ever thought about what you would do different if you ran the Packs?"

I nodded. "Sure, for one it would be a Pack whose members honor Luna and her wishes for us." I squeezed Wendy's hand. "One where people pray, save themselves for their mates, and honor her in how they live their lives. One where the Alpha is obeyed because of respect, not fear. One where every member is important and valued, not just the higher ranks."

"See? You have a start already. Pack laws, structure, governance- it's a blank slate for you. Do it right, and you become a beacon of light, casting the bad packs into the shadows. The light will draw the Pack to you, you don't need to force it. And as far as the existing Pack goes, they have the same choices as everyone else. If they don't stay, you'll buy their property and wish them well. I think you'll be surprised at how many decide to give it a try, and stay with you."

"But what about what I did to them?"

My grandfather huffed. "They were warriors, they fight when their Alpha tells them, and they died honorably. Tell them that, but promise them that their younger sons and daughters won't meet the same fate because you don't need to build an army or expand your territory. Your Pack is going to allow them to grow up and find a freedom they can't find elsewhere." He stood up. "You need to start packing, Nathan. We need to leave for the airport in a few hours."

"No." Everyone looked at me. "I'll be fine flying myself. I need Wendy to fly with you on the plane, she needs to be there when I take over. They need to see the Alpha couple before they decide, they need to accept her for what she is if they want to be in the Pack. I will not have her disrespected in her new home."

She looked at me in panic. "What about Jessi?"

"My Mom and Stephanie can watch her, she'll be fine with her grandmothers for a few days." I looked at Dad. "I'd feel better if a few warriors were watching over them while we are gone."

He thought about it, I saw his eyes glaze as he linked. "Phil and Andrew said they would be honored to protect our families while we are gone."

I knew both warriors would die to protect them, they had proven their courage on the road here. "That would make me feel a lot better. In fact, I would really like to have both of them in my Pack if they would agree." I looked in my father's eyes. "Look, we know how the other Packs are going to view this. I'm immortal, and Wendy and Stephanie are witches. Jessi, as soon as she is known to be our daughter, she has a big target painted on her back. We need someone we trust watching over her in our new Pack."

Wendy nodded. "You're right, they tried to use me against him, they won't hesitate to use her to hurt us."

"You're killing me, Smalls." Dad grinned as he started to link again. "They both accept, Andrew is mated and would like to bring his mate Allison. They also want to know what their positions will be."

"They will be Guardians," I said. "I'm not going to use the same terminology in my new Pack, it creates too much confusion in how I will structure it compared to existing Packs. It is the equivalent of a senior Warrior rank, though." I leaned down and kissed Wendy. "I think you need to go pack. We will not be coming back, so take enough for a few days and we can have anything else you need shipped." She kissed me and walked off with an exaggerated wiggle in her hips. I'm sure she felt the lust pouring through the bond as she teased me. "

Little minx, I'll get you back for that later."

"Promise? My naughty little pussy may have recovered from the pounding you gave it by then."

"If not, I'll just kiss it better."

I closed the link so I could concentrate without tenting more than I already was.

"Are you two already packed?"

Dad nodded. "It's in the car. My Beta has already changed the ticket to show Wendy going. We can go straight from here to the airport."

I went back inside and Wendy and we sat Jessi down, explaining what we needed to do and why she needed to stay with her grandmothers for a few days. She wasn't happy we were leaving without her, but we promised she would be coming out as soon as we could get things settled for her. On the good side, she hadn't been at this house long enough to get attached to anything. Stephanie got her excited about what they could do, which apparently included shopping for clothes and having a spa day.

I'm sure Phil and Andrew were going to regret taking on THIS assignment.

I left Stephanie with a stack of cash, asking her to help fill out a wardrobe that would work for the Pacific Northwest. Dad wrote down the address of the Pack House, so they could try things on and shop here and just have everything shipped out west. I also told Stephanie that she needed to pack for herself, and get whatever she needed for the move. I refused to consider her living anywhere but with us, she had become indispensable and so loved in such a quick time. I know Wendy viewed her as her mother, and I did too.

The goodbye at the airport was hard, I didn't expect how much my girls would cry at the thought of being apart for a few days. I waited until Phil and Andrew drove the SUV away, then walked into the darkness. Pushing my wings out, I jumped into the air and headed west.

My flight velocity was about a hundred miles an hour, but I didn't have to go through TSA security screening, wait at the gate or anything like that. I tried to relax and enjoy the trip west, chasing the sun that had gone below the horizon, but it was difficult. I tried to focus in on prayers, but it was the same as before. They weren't as numerous, and not all were asking for her help. More than a few were asking that she take me back, they didn't want or need her Angel on this earth. Not me, and no witch hybrids either. Luna must have made a mistake, they thought.

I smiled to myself. Luna made no mistake with Wendy, she was perfect and she was MINE. Wolves had tried to destroy her, but they didn't reach her inner goodness. She was the perfect bridge between the werewolf and witch worlds, and her power meant she could protect herself now. Her practice sessions with Stephanie had been eye-opening for both of us, her raw power was awesome to behold. Stephanie told me she was much more powerful than herself, more powerful than any white witch known.

I landed in the front yard of the Pack House just before the first hints of sunrise. No one greeted me; there were no patrols, I saw no security at all as I flew in. Sending my senses out, I could pick up all the people sleeping. Only a few were awake, they were in the Pack kitchen, probably the former Omegas who were preparing breakfast.

I walked up the steps to the big, three-story log house looked it over. Other than a few broken windows, it looked fine. I continued through the hand-carved wooded double doors to the entryway I remembered. There was still evidence of the battle we had fought here; scorch marks and dents on the wall, broken furniture, blood stains and broken pottery. I picked my way through to the hallway on the left where I felt the kitchen workers. The doorway opened into a huge dining room, with dozens of long tables each seating twelve people. At the far side of the room was the buffet line, and a young woman with her short brown hair in a net was stocking it with boxes of cereal. "Hello," I said softly.

"AAAAAAUUGH!" The girl screamed and spun around, her mouth falling open when she saw me standing there. Even holding most of it back, my dominance washed over her and she dropped to her knees, her head looking at her hands clasped in front of her. "I'm sorry, um.. I... Who are you, sir?"

"I am Nathan Wood, the new Alpha of this Pack. Rise, please, and tell me your name." I had walked until I was in front of her, and when she didn't look up I put my finger under her chin and lifted it up. "There is nothing to be afraid of, I am here to protect you, not hurt you." I let my wolf forward, he didn't like the fear scent on her and his protective nature was immediately picked up by her and she soon stopped quaking in fear.

"I am Rosalie Striker, Alpha. May I get you anything?"

I smiled at her and pulled her into a quick embrace. "No thank you, as an Angel of Luna I have no need of food or drink. Please, call me Nathan." She nodded but her eyes went wide, it went against ALL her training. "May I help you get set up? I'm sure the rest of the pack will be rising soon." She nodded, nervously, and I walked back into the kitchen with her where I introduced myself to Alexis, Peggy and Carrie, also Omegas. They were nervous, but would never tell me I couldn't help, so soon I was manning the griddle cooking bacon and sausages. As the breakfast preparations neared their end, I finally had them comfortable enough to have them joking and laughing with me.

"

Love, we are at the gates, no one is here."

"Security seems to be non-existent, Wendy. Drive to the main house, I'll be in the dining room to the left as you enter the main doors. I'm trying to make this introduction as non-threatening as I can, so I'm starting with the Omegas on kitchen detail."

I could hear the Pack members moving around in the house, they would be down here soon. Since my mate would be arriving shortly, I decided we would hold a Pack meeting as soon as breakfast had ended.

I locked up my dominance as tightly as I could and donned an apron and hat, then moved out to the buffet line. I had talked Rosalie into allowing me to serve the scrambled eggs, sausage and bacon as she served the pancakes. The others would stay busy with keeping drinks topped off, bringing out hot food, and busing the tables. It would be the last time, I vowed, that Omegas would be left alone with these tasks. My Pack would have no Omega rank, all would serve.

I was enjoying the reaction I was getting as the half-awake Pack members started to file into the room and through the line. I introduced myself as Nathan and gave them a big smile as I served them food. They couldn't quite figure it out, I was huge, I had the body of a powerful warrior and I was wielding a pair of tongs and a serving spoon. The room was unnaturally quiet, they were talking over the link but the girls in the kitchen didn't say a thing. I had asked them to let me make my own introduction.

The hall was about a third full when Wendy came in, flanked by my father and grandfather. While I was tightly holding back my dominance, theirs was not. The Pack members flinched away, making a path for the strange wolves with the aura of Alphas rolling off of them. "They are scared," Rosalie whispered to me. "We've been expecting someone to walk in and take over, and rumors have been flying as to who is still alive and what Pack it will be. We heard what happened at the Alpha Meeting. Most expect the territory to be taken and are hoping they will find a place."

"It will be fine, Rosalie. Trust me." Wendy caught my eye as they got in line. When the other wolves moved aside and motioned them forward, they refused and this confused them even more. All the high-ranking wolves they had ever known flaunted their rank and their position over normal Pack wolves. The hall was nearly silent as they came through the line. I just smiled and served them before they went and sat down, not at the elevated head table by themselves, but at a half-full table in the middle of the room.

The noise level picked up as they got used to things, and my parents and mate tried to be as friendly and engaging as they could. By the time I was busing tables with the girls, the Pack was completely flummoxed. They started looking around in panic when Rosalie told them their new Alpha would address them in a few minutes, and they should remain in their seats.

I came back out of the kitchen after dropping off a cart full of dirty dishes. Removing my gloves and my apron, I had every eye upon me as I moved to the raised platform. Wendy rose up and walked up, taking my hand as we looked our new Pack over. One hundred and eighty-seven wolves were now my responsibility, and I was ready. "Angel Pack, I am your new Alpha, Luna's Angel, Nathan Wood, and this is my mate and your Luna, Wendy." There were gasps and mutterings in the group before I raised my hand and they quieted instantly. "Some things are going to change around here, for the good this time."

Ch 23

The Pack members were confused, afraid and anxious, I could feel their emotions rolling off in waves. I let it continue for a few moments, thinking it was better for them to bring their questions to the front first. Finally, a woman in the middle of the room stood up, her two sons clinging to her legs. She didn't hold fear in her eyes, she held bitter hatred for me. "You are the Angel who destroyed our Pack, who killed our men, including my mate," she shouted as the rest of the Pack members quieted down. "And SHE... she is the witch who killed our Luna." She hissed at me. "And now you think you can just walk in here and become Alpha."

"Your name, please?"

"Delta Female Jordan Wick."

"Thank you for standing up, Jordan." She snarled at the slight of not including her title. It was something this Pack was going to have to get used to. "And yes, I did just walk in here and become Alpha."

My father stood, his dominance forward. "I am Alpha Nicholas White of the Blood Moon Pack. I attended the national Alpha meeting where the fate of Packs such as yours was decided. Your pack was lucky. The standard practice for a remnant such as you have here would be for the territory to be taken over or split with neighboring Packs, and you all would have to hope that another Pack would take you in. The Alphas have no requirement to accept any of you." He let that sink in for a moment as he looked around. "Your Pack is one of several dozen that has lost its senior leadership and is no longer viable. You are lucky; your Pack has the chance to remain together if you choose."

He sat down and I stared them down. "The Alphas agreed that I could take this territory and Pack without opposition. I agreed to this, on the condition that not only would I accept any current Pack member, but that I would accept any member from any OTHER disbanded Pack who was not accepted by their new Alpha." There was a lot of talking and shouting that came out with this bit of information, and I let things cool before I continued. "So yes, Jordan, I am the Alpha of this Pack. I understand you hate me, and I don't hold that against you. If you or any other Pack member do not want to be part of this Pack, I will allow you to leave or become a Packless Wolf. I will ensure your property receives a fair price and you get safe passage to your destination."

This seemed to settle things a bit. "However, it is not my wish that you or any other wolf leave. I would ask that you take a little time to decide if the Pack I am building is one that you could be happy in. For starters, wolves in my Pack will not have ranks. I don't care what you did before or who your bloodline is from. In this Pack, every person is just as valued, and every job is just as important. If I can wake up and serve breakfast, so can you. We will all work together to make this a good place to live, to raise our children, and to find our mates."

Jordan looked at me in shock. "No ranks? But how will anything get done?"

"Wolves will not have ranks, but there WILL be positions. The difference is that the position is the rank, not the rank determining the position. I will not use the normal titles because they have too much baggage from the typical Pack system. Instead, we will use a structure borrowed from human corporations. There will be trainees, workers, supervisors and managers. The managers will report directly to Wendy and I."

"How will they be chosen?" This question came from the back.

"By merit," I said. "Over the next few weeks, we will start organizing the different Pack areas in which we will work. Each of you will have a chance to apply for the area and level you feel best suited for. We will interview, test and evaluate to determine the initial ranks. After that, it is a continual process of finding the best place for each person in the Pack. The younger members, and any workers who want to try another job, will become trainees. They will rotate through the areas until they find the one they are best suited for and become proficient."

It was a lot to take in. Wendy stepped forward. "I know this is different, that you didn't grow up in a structure like this, but it has proven to be effective in the human world where birthright positions do not exist. We need to have a different structure; our Pack strength will not be based on the number of warriors we can muster, nor the grandness of our buildings. We have no need for warriors, for our Alpha is an immortal being who cannot be defeated in battle, and your Luna is a werewolf with powerful magical abilities. No Pack in this country would dare attack us knowing what we would do to them. Therefore, sheer dominance and fighting ability is as useless as a white crayon. Most Packs would look at you and decide you aren't worthy of membership unless you are mated to one of them." She let that sink in. "To them, you are old, young, Omegas, weak, useless, a drag on their finances, a waste. Not to us. To us, you are valuable members who will make this Pack the envy of our kind."

"But you're a WITCH," a man in the back said. "Wolves and witches are sworn enemies."

Wendy just laughed. "Wolves have enemies among themselves, just because they believe different things. There are different kind of witches, too. I am a White Witch; I deal with life, healing, and nature. White Witches take a vow to not harm others. There are Black Witches, these are the ones that wolves fear. I am both wolf and witch, and proud of both." There were a few more questions before I could sense they needed more time to process everything.

I moved into the groups, Wendy's hand in mine. "Now, it's a lot to take in and we just ate. The ladies who made breakfast shouldn't have to be the ones to clean up. I need ten people," I pointed at the table nearest the kitchen, "you ten to clean up. I plan to spend time getting to know each of you over the next week or so, but I need to tour this Pack and assess its condition. I need a volunteer to take us around, meanwhile I want and Delta or higher ranks previously to meet my father and grandfather in the Alpha's office." A young couple volunteered to escort us, and I accepted. "

Dad, grandpa, I need you guys to see how the Pack is doing financially and what assets we have available to rebuild. Hopefully it isn't too hidden."

"If it is in the name of the previous leadership, we'll get it back,"

he said.

Our guides, two previously unranked wolves named Luke and Angela, gave us a tour starting in the kitchen. The Pack House was three stories plus a full basement; the kitchen and dining room, along with food storage and cleaning areas, took up one side. On the other side of the big entrance vestibule were the formal meeting rooms, the recreation room with pool tables and other games, and a library. The second floor contained bunk rooms for unmarried Pack wolves on one side, while the other had small apartments for mated, low-ranking wolves without children. "Once the couple has children, we move them into separate houses," Angela explained.