Dennis shrugged. “If they knew I usually ended up on the couch they would probably try harder to make you happy so you could make me happy so I in turn could help Edward de-stress.”
“None of you would have to de-stress if you treated Trevor like a friend and an ally when he came to visit Dawn. I can understand treating strangers with wariness and caution but not someone who has proven himself a friend. Your attitudes stink and frankly I am not surprised the curse was able to take hold of the packs and decimate the female population.” Trevor started to speak but Trisah threw her hand up. “Hold on, I’m not done. We,” she pointed to Dawn and Julie, “Have talked about the situation. Even if you have a good pack how can the females feel safe if they don’t know from one day to the next if the ones they call friends and allies will be able to visit. We don’t know, when Trevor comes to visit, if a fight will break out for no other reason than he is male.”
“We can’t change that. I don’t know if any of us would change it if we could. We are not human. Sure, we look human and we pass for humans, but we aren’t. Our kind are territorial and that has proven more than once to be the one thing that saved a pack. Without that instinct to protect our pack we would be vulnerable, especially now with the way things are going.”
“I am not asking you to be less territorial, Dennis. I don’t think I would want to be in a pack that did not defend their people. I am asking you, both of you, no, all of you males, to figure out how to be more accepting of your friends and allies. We have a race to save and we can’t do that without some trust. We can’t share resources, in this case females, without forging bonds of friendship. I know you let your males have a corner of each other’s territory to visit to see if they have a mate and that works, if they have a mate. But how many females does each pack have with no mate and how do you expect to get a mate for them if you don’t gather more allies? You realize the Council has dozens of packs; trustworthy packs oath bonded to protect our race spread out around the world? How many packs are located here? In this country?”
Trevor looked at Dennis before shifting his attention back to Trisah and shrugging his shoulders. “I don’t know. I know how many Alphas are within a certain radius of my pack. It won’t work you know. I understand where you are coming from with the idea. It isn’t like we haven’t tried in the past. But even when I was young, we didn’t mingle like humans mingle. We didn’t throw parties and invite all the females for the males to fight over. Things were different in the past, but not so different as you might imagine. The curse didn’t cause us to withdraw from other packs. Look, this isn’t something that can be explained easily or quickly. Ask your Alpha about the past. Talk to him, or some of the elders here about the past. I don’t mean to be rude, well no, I do. I traveled a couple of hours to visit with Dawn and the lot of you are stopping that from happening. Talk to your elders.” He held out a hand to Dawn. “I apparently have less time than normal to spend with you today, lovely lady.”
Dawn shook her head. “Fine, but we are going to discuss the proper way to make a hamburger and ketchup. We are so discussing the need for ketchup and mayo.”
“If that will make you happy. I live to serve.”
“Whatever, you are so full of it.” Dawn stood up and stepped toward the glass door that led to the back porch.
The others watched as Trevor followed her out. It didn’t escape their notice when Dawn slipped her hand into his and slid her body closer to him. As soon as the door slid closed behind the two Trisah turned to Dennis.
“We, the two of us, are going shopping. No, hush, I don’t mean this minute. I know you can’t leave our house with another male, not of our pack, this close. I mean later. If the store here does not have what I want, you will take me somewhere I can find them.”
Dennis shrugged, “Honestly, this is your home, all of you, and I think you should give our food a try. Learn to eat what we eat the way we eat it.”
Trisah’s eyes closed briefly. “I have a better idea. Since I am the female and you need us more than we need you, how about you learn to eat food the way we like it and give up what you have known for the last few decades. Sound fair?”
The curl of his lips gave away his thoughts on the suggestion and Trisah’s eyebrows rose. “You don’t like that idea much. Guess what, we aren’t so fond of your idea either. Why should I have to give up what I like and force myself to eat something that is not only unnatural but downright disgusting, to me, just because I love you? If the stores don’t have what we want, we will order it. I tried kangaroo, didn’t I?”
“No. No, as a matter of fact you didn’t try it. You slid your portion to Kurt as a treat. I saw you.”
“He is a growing boy and he looked like he needed the protein more than me. Besides, kangaroos are so cute. I don’t see what you would want to eat something so delicate and beautiful.”
His snort was sudden as was the laughter that followed. “I think I am going to suggest we do a pack hunt one night and let you see how delicate and beautiful a full-grown male kangaroo can be when you hunt him. Your wolf will have an amazing time, and you will never again call them delicate or cute. You might find a few words to describe them, but they probably won’t be words suitable for mixed company.”
“Whatever.” Trisah told him as she rolled her eyes.
***
“I don’t know, Edward. I think it will be a problem in the future. Maybe more so than it is now.” Dennis shrugged while Trevor nodded.
The three men were sitting at one of the picnic tables near the edge of the property. Edward had set the area when he entered the agreement with Trevor to open up one corner of his territory. The original idea had been for the male to sit and wait if he felt his mate. The lack of movement of a strange male in his territory would eventually bring Edward to investigate. The placement of a new cell phone tower had changed the need to wait but the male usually stayed put anyway, hoping Edward would let him see his mate before Trevor arrived. The area, since Edward had opened it to Trevor’s males, was easier on the men than being deep in Edward’s territory.
“That isn’t how it worked in the past.” Edward’s voice was gruff when he answered.
“I don’t think we can depend on what worked in the past for our future. In the past we didn’t have the technology we have now. I don’t like it much either, but the females are right. We are going to have to figure out how to move forward with the changes.” Trevor said.
“It isn’t right. The females should be, were always, a bit touchy about outsiders being inside the territory.” Edward pointed out.
“I know. You aren’t telling me anything I haven’t seen before. Dennis might have a different view of things being younger.”
“No. Not, really. I have the training from Edward which means my views of how a pack works are essentially the same as what the two of you learned way back when dirt was invented.”
“Technology can be a pain in the arse.” Edward grumbled.
“Maybe so but without that technology we wouldn’t have as many females as we have. A hundred years ago things were different. Now though, they are friends who aren’t willing to walk away. They aren’t willing to take up the leadership responsibilities of their pack.” Trevor shook his head as he voiced his thoughts on the situation.
“No, Trevor, you are out there.” Dennis interrupted to point out. “I don’t think a lack of willingness to take up the responsibilities is the problem. I think they see the need to incorporate more responsibilities into the packs. They have known pain and terror and loss, more so than most young ones their age. Hell, they have suffered more than most for no other reason than they are female. They realize things could have been different if the packs were not so tightly united against each other. All three of them are aware they went through unnecessary, in some cases unimaginable acts of betrayal. Actions they would not have suffered through if the packs, not just ours but all the packs united under the Council shared information more freely. We have
no females in our packs who have suffered loss and terror. We haven’t had to save a female, mainly because we don’t go looking outside our territory for problems. We have females without mates and no idea how we can find them mates. We have males in the same position but for them the chances of finding a mate are slim.”
“We don’t have much of a choice. Our race is cursed. We are staring extinction in the face and losing. It could be one day our people will be no more but if we have even one chance of getting something right, we have to take it.” Trevor said.
“Dawn is pestering you about being able to visit freely, Trisah has been on me about it and I know Julie feels the same. They equate the need to keep them sheltered in the pack with being a prisoner. Well, no, they don’t exactly do that, they appreciate the difference, but they aren’t willing to sacrifice friendships. I don’t know if I can agree, fully, with Trisah but I blame Gammon for this mess.”
Edward shook his head. “I don’t see how you can blame him.”
Dennis snorted. “Simply. Trisah has known him for years. She said he lives by a strict code when it comes to association with others outside the pack. That code went out the window when his mate found out her niece, the daughter of her twin, lived. Not only lived but was going to mate an Alpha. Then they found out there were two nieces, and they would be mated into two different packs. Suddenly Gammon and Mia are back and forth between Alaska and the two packs so Mia can visit. We have the technology to stay in touch and the technology to move swiftly between places while staying relatively safe. We don’t have a reason to confine ourselves so tightly into our territories. She figures if Gammon can do it so can we. I don’t understand all the politics involved with the packs in America, but we need to get our shit together if we want to fight off our extinction. Forging friendships can do that. Maybe we can’t change so much but our females can be the linchpin in helping us form partnerships with other packs. Besides our two packs we have at least four others in the country according to the High Council. I know, I called to ask. How many of those Alphas do you know?”
The question was directed at Trevor but both Edward and Trevor answered simultaneously. “None.”
“Exactly my point. Four other packs on this continent and we don’t know the locations much less the leadership. How many of our males would find mates if we shared our information? How many of our females would find mates without having to travel to another country? But the packs are so secretive, even us, that the High Council doesn’t even have a count of the available females. They know each pack has females without mates but that is all any Alpha seems to want to admit.”
“Is this all your idea?”
“Come on mate, I have been your Beta for years, do you really think I came up with any of this? No, you can blame the females for these ideas and thoughts.”
“Let me guess, Trisah put her foot down and what? Gave an ultimatum, give in or sleep on the couch again?” Edward asked.
With narrowed eyes Dennis turned his glare toward Edward. “How do you know she has made me sleep on the couch? I haven’t said a word and I know she hasn’t because she told me so and she wasn’t lying.”
“Your son mentioned it. Julie thinks it’s funny and if it makes Julie laugh, she tells me. If it makes Julie sad, she tells me. If it upsets Julie—”
“Yeah, I get it, she tells you. I do not upset Julie. I treat her like she will break at any moment.”
“The arguments upset her. I haven’t said anything before but, knock it off.”
“I don’t start those arguments. You know I don’t. I swear Trisah is too American.”
“Guys, can we get back on track here? Dawn has been nagging me about our lack of cooperation between packs. It upsets her. I think, deep down, she realizes, even if she doesn’t come right out and say it, she knows if the packs worked together better her family may have been able to find safety without trying to keep her so hidden. That left them with nowhere to turn for safety. How many more families do we have hiding out trying to stay away from packs because it is well known the packs don’t work well together? How many females are hiding because packs aren’t safe? How many do we have here, in our county? Has any of the packs here even bothered to find out if we have females that need to be rescued? Somehow I don’t see this as a Yank only problem.”
“Yeah, Julie has asked me if we rescue females in our country. Hell, we are so busy keeping to ourselves to even find out if we have any out there.”
“What did you tell her?” Trevor asked.
“I pointed out the kangaroos in the hay field and had Trevor invent an emergency that pulled me away. I didn’t answer her. What could I say?”
“So, what do you want to do? For Dawn I will move the heavens if she gives me a good location for them. Somehow I don’t see you loving Julie any less than that.”
“We don’t have people trained to do what the Yanks do. We don’t have Seekers in my pack—” Edward said.
Trevor interrupted. “I have one. But one Seeker can’t do much.”
Edward narrowed his eyes as a thoughtful look settled on his face before he asked. “How does that work? The pack of my youth did not have Seekers or if they did, I wasn’t in a position to know. From what I understand from the Yanks the Seekers have to seek. They can’t not seek, or they go a bit mad. What happens if a Seeker goes rogue?”
Trevor shrugged. “They can’t go rogue. No, don’t ask me how I know this. I don’t understand why myself. I think, if the Seeker knows then they must seek but it isn’t, it doesn’t work like the Yanks think. Billy, my Seeker, doesn’t have to go out in the world to seek out rogue. It is enough to go through my pack on a regular basis and check. He is the one who checks when our people want to go out to the coast or go on trips. He is along, always, when someone in the pack wants to go outside the territory. He routinely—” Trevor broke off what he was saying and drew back a few inches.
Edward’s eyes narrowed again. “He routinely what? Comes through my corner? Is that what you were going to say?”
“Not exactly. He has to see. It isn’t something he can feel. I might as well tell you. It isn’t like he isn’t doing what he has to. He is a regular at the park down the road from your territory. Most of your people who leave the territory use one of two roads. He makes it a point of sitting where he can watch the ones who leave.”
“I assume if I had a rogue in my pack, he would tell you and you would have already come to me?” Edward’s voice was mild, but the sudden clenching of his hand betrayed his anger.
“I would not allow Dawn to stay if I knew, for a fact, you had a rogue in your territory. For that matter it wouldn’t make much difference how I felt because Billy wouldn’t be able to allow him to live.”
“Do you expect my thanks that you have someone spying on my pack?”
“And this is exactly why the females are so upset at us.” Dennis interrupted before the two Alphas could go any further. “We should be asking this Billy to meet our pack, all of our pack, rather than getting territorial. This is stupid. We have a tool we can ask to borrow, hell he is already working to keep us safe without our permission. Are we going to not only throw that help back in his face but get upset about it? Our females deserve a safe pack and if Trevor has a Seeker, I say we use him.” He turned to the other Alpha. “That is, if he would.”
“He would gladly meet your pack if his safety were assured. He asked me to tell you, Edward, that you do have a young one who looks like he could be a potential rogue. Isn’t a rogue, yet. But something about some outline looks shaky. A rogue has a black shadow that Seekers see, and Billy hasn’t seen anyone, yet, with that shadow. But something about a young one in your pack has him uneasy enough that he has increased his vigil of your pack.”
“And you didn’t think it important enough to tell me until now?” Edward’s snarl of rage cut through the air.
“Easy. He only saw the male for a brief moment. Enough to know he isn’t rogue but not long enough to b
e able to understand what exactly he was seeing. That was part of the reason I wanted to speak with you today after I visited with Dawn. Although, I didn’t think you would be up to it after what you had to say. If Dennis hadn’t asked for this meeting I would have waited. I don’t see it as urgent since he didn’t feel it to be urgent. I trust him. For now, if it is a potential rogue, he isn’t too lost to be saved. It was a flicker of some sort. He isn’t even sure if he could pick the male out if his outline was steady. Perhaps the male was thinking of something that caused a rogue thought. I don’t know how it works. I am not certain Billy knows exactly how it works.”
“If Billy is uncertain how being a Seeker works what makes you so certain they can’t go rogue?” Dennis asked.
“I brought my concerns to the High Council. What better way to decimate a pack than to have a Seeker go rogue and claim the strong in the pack to be rogue. An Alpha would take the word of the Seeker and destroy his pack killing false rogues on the word of a rogue Seeker. According to what I found out; the only males absolutely safe from ever going rogue are the Seekers. Even an Alpha can go rogue, but a Seeker has something so different about them they are incapable of turning.”
“Anyone could lose their reason and go insane. I have seen too much in my life to believe anyone safe from insanity, even if it is temporary.”
“No, Edward, there is a difference between the insanity which you think of and the insanity of a rogue. A mate can lose a mate and go insane, even die, but that sort of insanity isn’t the same. A Seeker can’t turn according to the Council. I don’t always like the Council, but I trust them implicitly when it comes to the safety of our race. I may not like them holding my oath, but I know as long as they hold my oath they can’t turn against my pack or in any way.”
Blood of the Wolf (Safe Haven Wolves Short Stories Book 1) Page 11