The Lone Wolf Ch. 03

Val watched the mirror image of Erik walk up to him and saw Erik look around wildly for her. She knew that this man was related to Erik, and she should come out of her shell and meet him, not run from her mate, but her experiences with pack life stopped her. It's true that not every pack falls into despair and not every pack shuns families based solely upon the word of stuck up snobbish children. Andromeda's face swam to the front of her mind and the look on her father's face when she accused him of raping her. Tears began to form in her eyes as she thought back to that day. Her father was beaten and broken when he was dumped off at their home, and she was told that they had until nightfall to vacate the pack lands.

This pack was obviously different, and no one here threatened her in any way. All the wolves worked together as a group, there was no real animosity. Sure there was some, and Val created her own with Danni, but that was normal in a wolf pack. When it escalates, however, that is when problems begin. That's where it began for her father.

" Urian, the Alpha wants to see you and your children in his office."

"Do you know what it's about Rory? I was just there not but two hours ago." Her father looked up from his crafting table to glance at his friend.

"I'm not sure entirely but I know Andromeda was in there not long before he asked me to come fetch you. I wouldn't be surprised if it had something to do with her." Rory rolled his eyes and leaned his frame against the doorway. "What has she got against your family Urian?"

"She doesn't like it when Valerie stands up to her or I deny her advances." Urian wiped the sweat off of his brow and looked over to his daughter.

"Rory, She doesn't like me. End of story. I bested her when we spared months ago and she hasn't been able to let it go. Since I turned 18, and have been put through Beta training she has been pissed. Mostly because I took her down. The other Beta's are afraid to take her down because she is the Alpha's daughter. I didn't care. I knew I had the strength on her so I used it. After that she has been trying to get back at me anyway she can. One of them just happens to be trying to get into my father's bed." Valerie looked up from the table she was working at to see the big smile on Rory's face.

"I'll be sure to pass the memo to the Alpha that this is just childishness. He wants you there within the hour, so I would finish up here and head over." Rory looked back at her father and smiled. "See you soon then." He disappeared from view and her father couldn't help but laugh.

"Is that really what started all this mess?"

"Yes dad. I had the power to make her submit and I used it." She shrugged and set the hilt she had been working on aside. "I will go find William and Xavier." She escaped her father's laughter and headed out to the old oak where she knew her brothers would be playing around.

"No Xavier, You need to focus." She could hear William's voice echo. The clunk of wooden swords came to her attention and she rolled her eyes.

"Boys, the Alpha wants to see us, all of us. I suggest you get out of your... ahem, training outfits and come back to the shop so we can go up together."

The boys nodded and headed off for home while Val walked slowly back to her father's shop. Something in her gut was nagging at her. This whole situation didn't sit right with her. "Valerie!" She heard someone call from behind her and she stopped and turned.

"Everett? Is that you?" Val was excited to see her old friend walking towards her until she saw the worried look on his face. "What is it? What's wrong?"

"The Alpha... he's very upset with your father. " he hung his head. "You're going to be kicked out of the pack."

"What?"

"Listen to me Val. I just came back from a Beta meeting, and you're father is going to be paying for something everyone knows he didn't do. The Alpha is blinded by the witch, and siding with her. You need to go home and get your things packed." He put his hand on her shoulder.

"What are we gonna do?"

"We are going to be fine. Don't worry my family has a place for you to go and while your father is recovering I will be there to help."

"I don't like this Ev."

"I know, but this is the way it's going to happen. The Alpha takes his family seriously and no matter what anyone says he is going to believe that bitch." Everett put his hand on her cheek.

"Careful Ev, she might come after you next." Val looked up at him and smiled at his laughter.

"I'd like to see her try Val." His lips came down softly to caress her own softly. "Go get things ready so that when you have to go see the Alpha it's set. My mother will meet you there. She will get the rest done while we are at the meeting." He kissed her once more and nudged her in the direction of the house.

The meeting with the Alpha had gone exactly as Everett had feared. Father was set to trial and he lost. He was greatly wounded and had to be carried off the field. He was taken to the Med ward for a quick clean up and wrap then shoved from it's doors. The Alpha turned to her after her father, seeing as she was the eldest "Your father has shamed his name and that of my pack by raping my daughter. He did not pass the first round of trials. You will be next to trial. Your family has two more rounds. Will you commit?"

"Aye Alpha. It is my name, it is my burden." Val look sternly at her Alpha. She needed to do this. She could hear the whispers behind her.

"Very well." He nodded and turned to speak to his betas. She turned to the circle and took a deep breath.

"Val!" She could hear Ev on the outside of the circle. He knew her father wouldn't win but no one knew how weak he had gotten since her mother's passing. He barely managed to pass one trial. She turned to look at him and a tear ran down her cheek at his solemn expression. "Save them" she mouthed to him and turned back to see her opponent.

"My daughter is willing to rescind the two remaining trials if you can beat her in battle." The Alpha spoke with pride in his daughter's abilities and a sneer in her direction.

Val inwardly smiled at her good fortune but took it upon herself to look terrified at the proposal. "If that is what you choose my Alpha" She even modulated a fake stutter. She could see the bitch in question smiling and building up her confidence.

She stepped into the circle and the crowd hushed. Andromeda rushed her and Val easily sidestepped her and raked her nails across her back. The wolves at the edge of the circle howled with the draw of first blood. Val could see that the Alpha had not expected her to injure his daughter. Apparently she hadn't confided in Daddy dearest when she had beat her the first time and forced her to submit.

Andromeda never paid any attention in classes because she felt entitled, so she never learned to properly fight. Her lunges were sloppy and her blocks inadequate. She was bleeding profusely and hadn't even managed a scratch on Val. As Andromeda stopped to breathe Val took her chance and went on the offensive. She shifted and pinned Andromeda in one swift move, but Andromeda would not submit. "SUBMIT ANDROMEDA " The Alpha's voice resounded through the air. Andromeda stopped and obeyed the Alpha's command. Val backed up as the Alpha approached.

"Stand before me daughter." The Alpha "You have told me that you completed your training and that you fought and won your test. Yet, you have been bested in this battle. You did not even inflict damage to your opponent and you expect me to believe that what you have told me is true?" Andromeda flinched under her father's harsh scrutiny. His gaze then turned to Val. "You were in my daughter's classes were you not?"

"Yes My Alpha." Val looked at the ground and waited for the Alpha's next command.

"You were the one that she faced in her test. You beat her then didn't you?" Val nodded and mumbled "Yes Alpha" and waited. "Tell me, did you beat her as easily as before?"

"No my Alpha. She did not pay attention in classes and her friends attacked me first and tried to get me down so she could pin me. This time it was just her, it was quite a bit easier my Alpha." Val didn't hide the truth and projected that day to her Alpha just for good measure.

"Is this true?" Now the Alpha looked out into the crowd looking for answers. "She tells the truth Alpha." a few of our littermates stepped forward in agreement. " Andromeda, you have lied to me about your classes, what else have you lied to me about?"

"Everything Alpha. Urian never touched her. She wants to put Valerie in her place after classes and tried to force herself onto him he refused and walked away. She lied to you about the incident Alpha." William, Everett's father stepped forward. "I was there my Alpha. I was headed to see Urian about a dagger I had commissioned. I hadn't walked in yet and I heard Andromeda in there. I moved to the door and I could see her and I could see Urian's answer to her was plainly no."

The Alpha's face lost all color as he saw what William had seen. The validity that he was wrong and others in his pack had known it..... "YOU!" he turned to his bleeding daughter. "YOU HAVE DONE THIS! yOU HAVE LIED TO ME ABOUT THIS! THAT MAN COULD HAVE DIED! HOW LONG WERE YOU PLANNING ON LETTING THIS CHARADE GO?"

"Fath...."

"Don't. You. Dare." The Alpha narrowed his eyes and glared at his own flesh. "How dare you. You were not raised to lie to me. I am your Alpha. I lead this pack so that all shall prosper. You have forced me to lay down a sentence on an innocent man so that you can continue with some childish game?" He looked out at the crowd, "No one is to help her. She is to suffer her own wounds in silence. Anyone breaking this will be delt with harshly." He turned back to his daughter. " You are no longer my daughter Andromeda. You have shown that you could never be a good Alpha. You have proven to me that lies and trickery are what you hold dear, not the pack nor your family. You are demoted to the rank of Omega until you can prove otherwaise. Remove yourself from my sight."

The Alpha turned and looked at Valerie. "You child, have my sincerest apologies. Both you and your father. The sentence of banishment cannot be taken away, but I will supply you with anything you need. This pack will be open to trading with your father and yourself for as long as you have need of us. Instead of leaving immediately, you have until your father heals if you so wish." He stood there staring at Val awaiting her answer.

"Thank you Alpha. I will speak with my father and brothers to decide and come to you with our decision within the hour." She bowed her head and headed off to the medical ward. She could feel Everett's eyes on her back and she could hear the Alpha speaking but couldn't turn to look at him. She saw her brothers standing next to her father. "Is he awake?" They shook their heads and turned to her. "Let's get him up, he can be taken back into the ward for real treatment." They nodded. They got him upright and they walked him back into the ward and onto a bed.

"The Alpha has found out the truth and has offered to let us stay until father is better." She spoke to Will and saw his flinch.

"He honestly thinks we would stay here after this? Everyone in the pack knew that father wasn't guilty. He was the only one dumb enough to believe that wretch." Will's eyes flashed gold he was close to shifting. He had recently turned 16 and his wolf was a strong one.

"We have to discuss this with father as soon as he wakes. Until you are old enough Will, Dad is still the head of the family. This is his say." Will nodded and shifted back to look at his father. "See if you can fetch someone to help father. I am going to find Everett and his family and see what they think." William nodded and slipped off in search of a doctor. Val leaned down to kiss her father's forehead and ruffled Xavier's hair. "I'll be right back." He nodded and she turned and left looking for Everett.

She didn't have to go very far, he was walking to the medical wing as she exited. "Val!" He ran to her and lifted her off the ground twirling her in a circle. "You did marvelously!" He set her down and dropped a kiss upon her lips. "You're not hurt are you?" he shook her head but he did a cursory inspection to be certain. "Come on my mother wants to see you."

Val shook the memories out of her mind, she didn't need to relive the past now. What she needed was to talk to her mate. She slowly set off in the direction that Erik had disappeared and watched him walk over to the Alpha. It was easy to see that both Erik and his brother were Betas, they had the muscle mass to prove it. A woman came over and spoke with them and Erik's brother playfully shoved her causing laughter. Val didn't like it, but she recognised the woman as one of the Betas that was at the meeting when they had first arrived.

"Sam said she was going to round up some of the women to try and help you tonight so that the only ones inside the women's barracks are females." The Alpha's voice was deep and low.

"Sam? Getting frisky with our new guests are we Leon?" The female asked bringing a smile to everyone's face.

"Thats a negative Dayna. My father was very unhappy that you and Maggie didn't do your jobs in seeing to the women so I figured i would take a look into the situation. As I got there my father was talking to one of the women about her predicament. She indicated that she would like to do what she could to help. My father was most adamant that I make her a part of our initiative tonight. He seems to think that Sam is an Alpha's mate." Leon spoke and looked out into the field where the men were practicing. "He's trying to play matchmaker."

"And you are taking the bait?" Erik's brother asked.

"I never said I wasn't interested. The woman is worth the interest. She'd make a valuable asset to any pack, so yes I was looking. My wolf liked what he saw too." Leon spoke and ran a hand through his hair.

"I hear a but in there Leon." Dayna looked at him with a smile.

"My wolf was unable to scent her, so we don't know for sure..." Leon looked up at the sky and over to the temporary houses were for the women. "She could be our mate, but she might not be. Even if she isn't she is an Alpha and should start training when this ordeal is over." He smiled at Dayna. "Now, we have the plans for tonight ready. The cars are gassed and rooms prepared. Devlin is supposed to meet with Sam and the other women to help organise, why don't you take Maggie and go meet up with them instead?"

Dayna left the men and Val backed away. She wanted to make it back to the house before Dayna showed up. She made it back to the house and scratched at the door. Sam's face appeared in the window and she opened the screen. Once inside Val licked Sam's hand in thanks and trotted upstairs and back into the bathroom for a quick rinse.