Wolfsfoot (Kingdom of Wolves #1)

“I think if we quickly put our cards on the table of how wewould like this to be for you, and the town Tatiana, then you can tell us whatyou’d like for yourself and maybe the town,” Thomas says, then leans hisforearms on the table, clasps his hands together and looks directly at me. “Weare a town of rogue shifters and humans that are displaced from their world. Wedon’t care where people come from or for what reason, as long as they are not villains,murderers, or the like. If they are good people looking for a fresh start, thenwe are happy to have them.

“We have always said if we could find a good Alpha thatwould lead us in all the right ways and for the right reasons, we would behappy to contact the shifter council and apply for full pack status.

“You are the Alpha that we want to lead us, but we know youare too young as yet. But we will teach you everything that we do here. Wewould ask you to work here in the council with us, but also work in everybusiness the town has, so you know everyone and how everything works. We wouldnot expect you to take the position blindly, and we would do everything in ourpower to make sure you are well-armed with knowledge and as a warrior.” Lookingat Akela, to Lykos, then back to me. “We just want to discuss how you feel,what you would like, because we would never try to push you into doing anythingyou didn’t want to do.”

We are Alpha, and this would be a good pack. They alreadywork together, although rogues. Ebony quickly speaks in my mind.

“I’ve never considered being a pack Alpha because let’s faceit, I’m only sixteen and have been kept as the lowest of the pack since myparents died. I can cook and clean, but that’s about all. I was at school and nevermissed a day. But the way a pack interacts with each other, I don’t know. I wasnever allowed to be around other pack members.”

“We can help with all that, Tatiana. I would be thrilled togo around the town with you. You can meet everyone, ask questions, get a feelof the town.” Agnes quietly says.

Gregor taps his fingers on the table before speaking. “Weare not a pack, we are a town. But we do work as a pack in most ways. We justdon’t have the strength we need because we don’t have the powerful force of an Alphaleading us. The shifter council knows we can be a good pack and lose the roguestatus if we would bend to them, but we won’t bend for a council that isn’tdoing the job they are empowered to do.”

These people need an Alpha. This council sounds like abunch of idiots. We do not bow to idiots. Ebony growls in my head.

Wallace speaks next. “Did you know as an Alpha female youkeep the blue eyes you have now, but they have an outline of gold? It isobvious when your wolf is speaking to you as the gold rim of your eyes flashes.What does she think about what she has heard so far?”

Shuffling in my seat a little before responding, I take asmall breath. “Ebony thinks you will be a nice pack if you had an Alpha thatcares. She also won’t bend to a shifter council that are idiots.”

Thomas asks. “What do you think, Tatiana?”

Lykos pats my knee in encouragement, and I look at him outof the corner of my eye and he gives me a small nod, to say my piece. “I don’tthink I know enough to decide. I’m sixteen and until I’m eighteen, I don’tthink I should commit to anything as important as bringing a town from roguestatus to a pack that is registered with me as its Alpha.”

Lykos speaks for the first time. “Tati, we have claimed asour daughter. With that being said, we’ll make sure that she is never pushedinto doing something she doesn’t want. But, both I and Akela feel that for thenext two years following the plan you’ve mentioned would help Tati make a moreknowledgeable decision when she becomes eighteen.”

“Would you be happy to do that, Tatiana?” Agnes asks.

“Yes, I can do that if Poppa Lykos thinks that would be agood thing for me to do.” These people are not pushing us, Tati. That’s agood sign. We can learn, watch and decide later.

“Okay, then you come here tomorrow morning, nine o’clocksharp and we’ll start your council training,” Thomas states, standing andholding his hand out to shake, but I keep my hand down as I don’t want anyphysical contact.

Lykos notices and gives a small growl. “No touching.”

Leaving the Mayor’s house, we walk towards the main streetof town and when I see Brod running fast towards me I smile, but it dropsslowly from my face when I see the panic on Brod.

“No going into town. Blackshadow Pack people in town.” Brodgasps, slamming his hands on his knees, taking large gulps of air into hislungs.

Lykos growls, then turns to Akela. “You take Tati back tothe farmhouse, go the back way, take Brod with you as a second pair of eyes andI’ll head into the main street. I’ll tell your parents where you are, Brod, soyou don’t get into any trouble.”

Running behind Brod and Akela, we head to the forest,heading northerly so we don’t cross paths with the Blackshadow Pack members, astheir pack is to the south of town.

We twine through the forest, leaving a trail thatintertwines, and Akela and Brod run across my tracks to block my scent. Akelaturns to me and grins. “Bring Ebony forward now. They don’t know her scent. Wewill follow behind.”

Bringing Ebony to the front is fast, and I feel no pain withmy shifts anymore. There isn’t time to hear bones cracking and reforming. Withfour legs, I make it back to the farm in no time, and checking the farm for anyintruder scent shows no one has been here since we left. Entering the kitchen afterI change back, I wait for Akela and Brod to make it back, but I know with Brodnot being able to turn yet, it’s all going to be on two legs for them.

Three hours later, Akela, Brod, and I listen to Lykos fillin what happened in town. The four Blackshadow Pack members tried speaking totown members and asking about a runaway girl, but every town member said theyknew nothing, heard nothing, and walked away. Fragina was seen walking towardsthem when Thomas stepped in front of her and snarled, which had her scurryingaway.

“She’s going to be a problem we need to watch for. I thinkFragina is jealous of your status and the power you will gain as you grow intoEbony and yourself. We all know you have a lot of growing and learning to do,but for her to betray you will end badly for her.” Lykos states before taking aseat at the table next to Akela.

“Will she get the ‘old way’ ending?” Brod asks, lookingseriously at Lykos.

“If she betrays anyone in the town, causing them to becaptured or hurt, the town will call the ‘old way’ of retribution, no matter ifwe are not an official pack. We still have honor for the town and each other.”

I have to ask because it seems I’m missing something serioushere. “What is the old way?”

“The town in our case will place her in the center of themeadow and on the Mayor’s order the town will attack her. If she can get pastall the town members, she’ll be free. Never has anyone survived the old way.They are torn to pieces.” Lykos informs me and reaches over to pat my hand.

Brod looks over at me and nods his head seriously. “Tati,anyone that betrays another is a traitor to the town. We are rogues, after all.We can only live with our honor as we don’t have the pack laws to live by. Mypapa said to always be a good man, never betray our own, and we will alwayskeep each other safe.”