the forge. But it has enough space, if we moved the tractor and
trailer, for something else, say, space for a mechanic.”
Heath whipped around to look at Enzo. “What? N-no. Why
would you say that? I thought you were going to let me go after you guys did
the background check on me.”
Enzo wrapped his arms around him, which dampened his
rising panic. Damn, he’s got a lot of
power over me.
“ Easy, sweetheart. If that’s what you want, we will. I
just wanted to show you there were other options. Maybe even something you can
do while you’re here, to pass the time.” Enzo held him for another moment
before backing away again. They made their way over to the trailer and sat down
on the end.
Heath’s panic dissipated, and he looked around the
space again. “So why is there a tractor and trailer in here? I didn’t see any
crops, or farm animals, other than the chickens.”
“ It’s for pack runs.”
Heath listened as Enzo explained about how important
pack-members were to each other.
“ Because of the long lives we live, and other
challenges we have in keeping our secret, we can’t rely on humans, so our pack
is the social stability that we need. Pack runs help to strengthen that bond.”
“ So are you guys, like, your own government?”
Enzo winced and tilted his head. “Sort of. We abide by
human laws as much as we can, but we do have two paranormal councils we also
have to abide by. They are the highest ranking in our class. In a pack, the
highest rank is alpha.”
“ And that’s Alphy .”
“ Right. Alphy makes decisions
and rules for this pack. What he says goes. If we disobey, it could be seen as
a challenge to his status, and in our world, that can be deadly.”
“ You mean like last night, when you challenged Alphy ?”
Enzo looked uncomfortable. He squirmed a little bit,
and scratched his ear, and cleared his throat. “Uh, yeah. But it isn’t like he
would blindly attack just anyone. Alphy and I have
been best friends for years. He knew I didn’t mean to challenge him. That’s why
he just yelled, to remind me of my rank, and what I was doing.”
“ Your rank? Does everyone have a rank? What is yours?”
“ Whoa, slow down. Before I answer that, let me explain
a little more. So in any group, we need leaders. It gives everyone stability
knowing where they stand, and who to turn to for whatever occasion. So we have
our council, then the alphas who run the packs. There is always a beta, then
enforcer, trackers, and the rest you can call the civilian pack. You either
have a rank, or you don’t. If you don’t, you are equal to the other members of
the pack who don’t, no matter their age or wealth. An alpha can make anyone,
any rank that he chooses.”
“ So what’s your rank?”
“ I’m a beta.”
“ Wow, that’s a pretty high rank. So what does a beta
do?”
“ I govern the more minor issues that would take up too
much of the alpha’s time. I support him in his decisions, and I’m the one in
charge when he’s gone, or sick, or whatever.”
“ Who are the others with ranks? I don’t want to
accidentally overstep my bounds.”
“ Okay, that brings up another thing about ranks,
sweetheart. You remember Gale?”
“ From breakfast, right?”
“ Yes. She’s mated to the alpha, which makes her the
alpha mate. When we mate, we become as one with our mates. Therefore, we share
the rank of our mates. So even though I’m second in command, she still outranks
me. After alpha, is me, the beta. Then there’s the enforcer, who enforces pack
laws and protects the pack. Because our pack is so big, we have three
enforcers. Our lead enforcer is Slate. He’s mated to Katie, so that makes her a
higher rank than the other two enforcers, who are Matteo and Dultyn .”
“ Oh, I get it. Dultyn ? Isn’t
that Havana’s man?”
“ Yes, they are mates. Which makes her lower rank than
Katie, but higher than the ranks below her.”
Heath decided to wait to ask about mates. There
trailer, for something else, say, space for a mechanic.”
Heath whipped around to look at Enzo. “What? N-no. Why
would you say that? I thought you were going to let me go after you guys did
the background check on me.”
Enzo wrapped his arms around him, which dampened his
rising panic. Damn, he’s got a lot of
power over me.
“ Easy, sweetheart. If that’s what you want, we will. I
just wanted to show you there were other options. Maybe even something you can
do while you’re here, to pass the time.” Enzo held him for another moment
before backing away again. They made their way over to the trailer and sat down
on the end.
Heath’s panic dissipated, and he looked around the
space again. “So why is there a tractor and trailer in here? I didn’t see any
crops, or farm animals, other than the chickens.”
“ It’s for pack runs.”
Heath listened as Enzo explained about how important
pack-members were to each other.
“ Because of the long lives we live, and other
challenges we have in keeping our secret, we can’t rely on humans, so our pack
is the social stability that we need. Pack runs help to strengthen that bond.”
“ So are you guys, like, your own government?”
Enzo winced and tilted his head. “Sort of. We abide by
human laws as much as we can, but we do have two paranormal councils we also
have to abide by. They are the highest ranking in our class. In a pack, the
highest rank is alpha.”
“ And that’s Alphy .”
“ Right. Alphy makes decisions
and rules for this pack. What he says goes. If we disobey, it could be seen as
a challenge to his status, and in our world, that can be deadly.”
“ You mean like last night, when you challenged Alphy ?”
Enzo looked uncomfortable. He squirmed a little bit,
and scratched his ear, and cleared his throat. “Uh, yeah. But it isn’t like he
would blindly attack just anyone. Alphy and I have
been best friends for years. He knew I didn’t mean to challenge him. That’s why
he just yelled, to remind me of my rank, and what I was doing.”
“ Your rank? Does everyone have a rank? What is yours?”
“ Whoa, slow down. Before I answer that, let me explain
a little more. So in any group, we need leaders. It gives everyone stability
knowing where they stand, and who to turn to for whatever occasion. So we have
our council, then the alphas who run the packs. There is always a beta, then
enforcer, trackers, and the rest you can call the civilian pack. You either
have a rank, or you don’t. If you don’t, you are equal to the other members of
the pack who don’t, no matter their age or wealth. An alpha can make anyone,
any rank that he chooses.”
“ So what’s your rank?”
“ I’m a beta.”
“ Wow, that’s a pretty high rank. So what does a beta
do?”
“ I govern the more minor issues that would take up too
much of the alpha’s time. I support him in his decisions, and I’m the one in
charge when he’s gone, or sick, or whatever.”
“ Who are the others with ranks? I don’t want to
accidentally overstep my bounds.”
“ Okay, that brings up another thing about ranks,
sweetheart. You remember Gale?”
“ From breakfast, right?”
“ Yes. She’s mated to the alpha, which makes her the
alpha mate. When we mate, we become as one with our mates. Therefore, we share
the rank of our mates. So even though I’m second in command, she still outranks
me. After alpha, is me, the beta. Then there’s the enforcer, who enforces pack
laws and protects the pack. Because our pack is so big, we have three
enforcers. Our lead enforcer is Slate. He’s mated to Katie, so that makes her a
higher rank than the other two enforcers, who are Matteo and Dultyn .”
“ Oh, I get it. Dultyn ? Isn’t
that Havana’s man?”
“ Yes, they are mates. Which makes her lower rank than
Katie, but higher than the ranks below her.”
Heath decided to wait to ask about mates. There
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