Chapter Fifty-Seven
e grabbed the pizza and made our way back to the house. As soon as we walked in, Morgan rushed by us and out the door. I looked at my mother and raised my eyebrow, but she just shook her head.W I switched the laundry, using the descenting spray. I grabbed the rest of the clothes and dumped them into my bathtub as I heard a knock at the door.
There was a lull and then steps towards my door. “Here we are.” My mother opened the door and showed a few men in. They came in with two enormous machines. “Darling, they are here to clean your carpet.”
I turned to them and smiled. “How long will this take?”
A man scoffed and elbowed his counterpart. “It will take as long as it takes.” He sneered over his shoulder and dropped off his machine. He released his aura and turned to face me. “We only took this job because Vince gave you our card.” The second man nodded. I didn’t recognize them so they weren’t from either pack, so they must have been from a surrounding pack.
I narrowed my eyes and tilted my head. “Is that so…”
Both men rolled their eyes. “We only service ranked wolves. Not weak little girls throwing a tantrum.” The two sneered as the second dropped their other machine. “Now, can you leave us to our work?”
I smiled and left the room, closing the door behind me. “You aren’t going to say anything to them?” My mother was leaning against the wall, and I laughed.
“Why would I do that now, when I can do it, when they say they are done, and prolong this?” I laughed as I slipped my arm between hers and pulled her away. “Now. Let’s go eat…I’m starving.”
We walked into the kitchen, and Shannon was there. I felt my smile fall.
She looked at my mother and ignored me. “Where is dinner?”
“The pizza is on the table.” I rolled my eyes and went to grab a drink.
“Shut it, mutt. I wasn’t talking to you.” Shannon growled, and I laughed.
I came back into the room and sat in a chair. “I would mind my tone, Shannon. I have barely started to shift. Who is to say I won’t lose control and shift? Nix wouldn’t take kindly to an unranked wolf trying to tell her what to do.” I smiled as I looked over at her and I let my fangs descend. I leaned closer to her and snapped my teeth.
Shannon paled and looked away. I opened the box and grabbed the lukewarm pizza. I filled my plate and dug in when Shannon finally shook off my threat.
“Where is dinner?” Shannon looked at the box and lifted her lip in disgust. “You seriously can’t expect me to eat this trash, can you?”
“Yes Shannon. I can.” My mom came back in with a plate. She sat down in a chair and pulled a few slices out of the box and started to eat. “If you don’t want to eat this, you can go eat at the pack house.”
Shannon glared at her but then smiled. “Fine. I’ll go eat at the pack house.” Obviously hoping to run into Brandon. Then she looked at me and glared before she ran up the stairs to get ready.
I ate the pizza on my plate and then I heard my door open, so I figured it was time for the show. I walked back up to my room to see the guys starting to pull the machines out of my room. “All done?”
“Yep.” The men pulled their giant machines past me, and I went into the room. I couldn’t smell anything, but you can’t ever smell your own scent. I knelt and touched the carpet, and it was still dry.
I wanted to laugh. I called for my mom. “Mom, can you come up here and smell?” I heard her run up the stairs and into the room, past the glaring men. “Can you still smell the tainted scent?” I had to catch myself before I said my scent.
She turned around and glared at the two men. “You said you were finished, yet the carpet is dry, and the room still smells.”
“We did a good enough job.” The first man glared.
“It’s not our job to take care of your daughter’s tantrum about her sister’s smell being in her room.”
The second, mouthier, one shook his head. “The princess should get over it.”
“But Alpha Vince-” My mom started to say, but she was cut off.
“He told us to give it a light cleaning, and we did.”
I had enough. I slammed my aura out and dropped the two men to the floor, their machines crashing next to them. I walked over to them and crouched. “You are going to go into that room and do the job properly. Or else I will gut you where you stand.”
I felt the man under my hands tremble, and I smiled. “You’re an Alpha…”
“Incorrect. I am the strongest Alpha…around here, anyway. And you insulted not only myself but my Alpha mother.” I looked up at her while pressing his face into the floor. “I know you always tell me to wrangle Nix, but right this second, I don’t think they deserve the pass.”
My mother stared at the men and then lowered herself to look them in the face. “You have two options. You can get up and do the job properly this time.”
“For free.” I growled as I pressed his face into the hallway carpet. I leaned down and let my fangs descend as I snapped them by his cheek.
“Or…” My mom looked the second man in the eye. “I allow my newly shifting daughter to take you outside for the insults.”
I growled as I leaned back in. “Let me take out my aggression. I swear it will be quick.”
“But definitely not painless.” My mother stood back up. “Make your choice.” She looked at me. “Quickly.”
I could feel my face shifting. This whole day had been very taxing on Nix and Megan, and she was itching to get out and fight. I felt her take over my eyes, and our eyesight focused on the pulse in the man’s neck. I leaned in, drawing in a big breath full of their fear, and smiled bigger.
“We will do the job properly.” The man under me trembled. But I just growled. “For free. We will do it for free.” His body started to tremble, and I got the faint scent of urine. I stood up quickly and walked away down the stairs. I needed to get away from the two infuriating men. How dare they act like that?
How dare they question our strength? I bristled as I paced the back of the house. “Just look at you. Pathetic.” I felt my shoulders creep up as Shannon sauntered into the room.
“If I were you, I would walk away.” The growl in my voice was deep, but Shannon, in all her stupidity, ignored it.
“Or what? You pretend that you’re able to shift again? Did you think I believed you?” Shannon scoffed, and I felt Nix prowl closer. “You think sprouting fur down your arms makes you special? Every wolf can do it, even if they don’t shift.”
“Shannon, I am warning you. Just leave me be right now.”
“Or what?” Shannon screamed. She walked over and spun me around.
“Or what? You’re a pathetic fucking Alpha who can’t even shift.”
Before I could blink, Nix forced us to shift. I was on top of a screaming Shannon faster than either of us could stop it. My fanged teeth were wrapped around her neck, and I growled loudly. Shannon’s scream stopped mid scream as I tightened my teeth.
My mother came rushing into the room. “Amy, Nix, you have to stop.” I let out a bloodcurdling growl that had even my mother stopping herself from reaching us. “Amy.” Her voice softened and she dropped to her knees, shuffling closer.
“Get her off of me,” Shannon whispered as her tears trailed into my mouth. But even with my teeth wrapped around her throat, she was still making demands.
My teeth cut into her skin, and I tasted blood. Shannon froze. With my mouth full, I couldn’t speak, so I mind-linked both of them on an open channel. “You dare try to tell me what to do yet again, but you are nothing.
You think so highly of yourself, yet you’re no one. A Beta’s daughter who was not even powerful enough to retain her rank, yet you walk around this pack like you are a queen.”
“Shannon, what did you do?” My mother’s accusation hung in the air.
“Nothing.” She lied and I felt Nix’s restraint fading and I tightened my teeth, digging into her flesh causing her to yelp.
“Shannon.” My mother cautioned.
But it was too late. Nix released her before we snapped her head from her shoulders. “Shift.” Our voice was low, and Nix settled on our haunches.
“What?” Shannon scrambled to her feet and backed away with blood trailing down her neck.
My mother stood and backed away. “I said shift.” Our voice came out stronger. Deadlier. “You are so full of yourself. You think so highly of yourself that you walk around this fucking pack like a queen. I’m over it.
We will handle this right fucking now. Shift.”
Shannon paled and shook her head. “No.”
“I said fucking shift.” We screamed together, and Shannon dropped to her knees. She had no way to fight against my command. And this time, I used my full power to demand her to shift.
She writhed on the ground, and her eyes grew wide as fur danced down her skin. I watched as her shift took over until she laid panting at my feet.
“Nix.” My mother rushed forward and got between us. “You can’t do this.” She pleaded with me, but I shook my head.
“Why not?” She growled and looked at our mother. She pushed me back, so that she was in front and I was watching next to Megan.
“She has been very unsettled since coming back.” Megan turned to me. “I can’t blame her. She has finally shifted so her Alpha aura, and your hormones have put her on a knife’s edge. And then there is me. She has been dealing with me mourning my mate and trying to claim him simultaneously.”
“Megan?” I looked at her, really looked. Her fur was a little patchy, and she looked exhausted.
“She did what she had to. She held me back from claiming Brandon and I don’t regret it. It’s just hard. Shannon pushed her too far and now she will get her retribution.” Megan turned and limped back into my soul forest, where she could rest. She would not fight Nix for this. She made it very clear that she was siding with her.
I turned back to the matter at hand and watched as my mother begged for Shannon. “I asked why not? Why can’t I put her in her place?” Nix’s anger surprised even me. Normally, we shared the same mind, and she was the voice of reason. Unranked wolves were weak. They don’t need to be pushed down any more than they already are. Their wolves have the instinct to roll over and bear their stomachs whenever an Alpha or Beta comes into the same room. As ranked wolves, we don’t need to exert our dominance over them.
“Nix, she is unranked. Her wolf is weak.” My mother pleaded with my wolf.
“Is she? I don’t know. Her human is rather prideful. She walks around here, and this pack forces stronger wolves to do her bidding by using her Beta father’s rank over the entire pack. She has learned to flex her father’s rank, not her own, to get what she wants, and everyone falls in line because Morgan supports her.” Nix growled out.
My mother’s hand fell. “What do you mean?”
Nix’s head snapped up. “Do not play dumb here, Mother.” Her voice was a little vicious, and that’s when I pushed forward. I had nearly pushed Nix back when the door exploded open. Morgan, Vince and Brandon rushed in, skidding to a stop seeing how big my wolf was.
“What the fuck is going on?” Vince’s power slammed out, trying to take control of the situation.
Nix’s eye glowed, and she let out a bloodcurdling growl. “Do you want to measure aura for aura Alpha? I think I’ll win.” Nix slowly turned to face the men at the door, and I watched as Brandon shivered.
His eyes blew out with heat, and I wanted to gag. I heard a low, mournful howl from deep in my soul and knew I had to take hold of this situation, or everything would be ruined. “Nix! I need you here for Megan. I’m not strong enough to fight her back.” She ignored me, but I felt a flicker of worry. I heard another howl, and this one was a little closer, like Megan was making her way back.
“Get off my daughter.” Morgan started forward, but Nix let out a vicious growl.
“Who are you to tell me what to do?” She looked back to the Alpha.
“Your Beta steps out of line to protect his pup. This one…” Nix pressed her paw into Shannon’s face. “Struts around this pack, making demands higher than her station. She thinks your son and her father will protect her from ranking battles.” Vince turned and looked at the two men.
“Is she telling the truth?”
Nix chuffs. “Morgan has hospitalized four she-wolves, including the Beta female, Sydney. Brandon has scared the entire school to listen to her pathetic demands.” I pushed forward.
“Nix, I will make your point.” I looked back to the forest as Megan breached the trees. She was limping but increasing her speed. “I will say whatever you need me to say, but you need to handle Megan.” I screamed out and pushed forward again. This time, she let me slip past her and take control.
“You are lying.” Vince’s anger was directed at me, and I chuffed out another laugh.
“I’m not, ask them.” I flexed my claws, pushing them into Shannon’s face, but not breaking the skin. I looked up at Morgan. “Tell the truth, or I will blind your mutt of a daughter.”
“She’s telling the truth.” His words were whispers.
“A little louder Beta, no one can hear you.” I yelled.
“She’s telling the truth. I put Sydney in the hospital last year because of Shannon.” He cut his eyes to Vince. “She is just a pup. My pup.”
“She is weak!” Vince screamed.
“Dad…” Brandon started.
But Vince turned full circle to stare at the two of them. “You both abused your rank to protect an unranked wolf when she was overstepping. We have ranks for a reason. There is a pecking order for a reason. Ranked wolves are to protect the unranked wolves. Unranked wolves are supposed to fall in line. They are the backbone of the pack, but they need to know their place!”
Vince screamed. “You had a weak child, Morgan. You mated an unranked wolf and had an unranked wolf. That is the chance you take when you mate outside of your rank.” Vince turned back. “But you do NOT allow your unranked daughter to push around the ranked wolves. You throw the entire order of the pack out the window when you do that.”
“She is my pup.” Morgan tried again.
I growled, tired of his shitty excuse. “And what?” I tossed out. “She is your daughter, but no one was trying to fight her. No one was abusing her, which, by the way, runs rampant in this cesspool of a pack.” Vince’s eyes tightened at my words, but he kept quiet. He thought it was still my wolf in charge, and he knew what I was saying was true. “She was kept apart from all of that, out of respect for your rank. It was only when she threw her status of the Beta’s child or the Alpha apparent’s girlfriend around to push wolves to do her bidding. Her homework, stealing their money, their clothes, abusing other unranked wolves for pleasure, that others stood up to her. Even they found what she was doing disgusting. But she ran back to the two of you, and like fucking pawns, you came running to fight, or abuse, your own rank to make the others fall in line.”
“Nix, it isn’t like that.” Brandon tried to come forward and I growled again. “I, I, I did it, Father.” Brandon turned to his dad and nodded.
Shannon screamed beneath my feet. “Brandon, why?”
“Because she is right. We turned our pack into a fucking circus placating to you.” He tossed out and dropped to his knees in front of Vince. “I knew at the time that it was wrong. But Shannon had convinced me that the girlfriend of the Alpha apparent shouldn’t be seen as weak.”
“Brandon…” Shannon cried weakly, but I flexed my claws again.
“I would stay silent if I were you.” I dropped close to her. “I am close to killing you to cull the rot from this pack.” But even with my words, I knew it wouldn’t help. There was something fundamentally wrong with this pack.
I looked up at Vince and felt a kick in my stomach. Vince had something to do with it, and I think that is what my father wanted me to figure out.
“Why would you do this?” Vince’s voice was low, and his eyes flickered to me. “After everything I told you, raising you, why?”
“Because I had needs, and she was the easiest to get it from.” Brandon cut his eyes back to me -and I saw the longing, but I felt the bile raise in my throat. But I also tasted the hint of a lie from his words. He wasn’t being completely honest.
Shannon screeched letting me know she heard it, and I felt a little bad about it. I mean, who wants to hear that the man they love was only with them because they were easiest to fuck? I could see the fire in Morgan’s eyes as the truth came out. The relationship he was banking out between Shannon and Brandon was just one of convenience for the Alpha apparent, and not the one based on love for his daughter.
Vince cut his eyes to Morgan. “And you?”
Morgan stared daggers at Brandon. “Shannon had always loved your son from the time she could walk. Everyday she would talk about mating him, and I had hoped that they would be mates.” Morgan pulled his eyes away from Brandon and turned to me. “Shannon could never measure up to Amy in power level, but in looks, she was just as good. Better even. So, if throwing my rank around got her closer to your son, so be it. She could get the one thing she wanted most in the world.”
“At what cost?” I asked. “They aren’t mates, yet your daughter betrayed her mate. Brandon betrayed his. You threw this pack into internal turmoil with your pathetic maneuverings, and for what? To have your sullied daughter tossed aside for a chance at a stronger wolf?” I chuffed out a laugh. “Look at the Alpha apparent. Salivating at Amy, all because of me and my power. And where is your daughter now? Tossed it in the trash because he got what he needed from her.” I cut my eyes back to Brandon,
who had paled. “I’ll make myself clear, for all here, neither Amy nor I are interested.”
