Reclaiming Angelica by Zena Wynn Page B

he could play a really long time.
    They went walking in the woods and chopped down a big
Christmas tree. It was bigger than Poppa, and Raul got to pick it out. Then
they decorated it and filled the bottom with presents. So many presents all he
could do was stare.
    Christmas morning, Raul was up before the sun, opening his
presents while Poppa, Uncle Joey, Uncle Dillion, and Uncle Max laughed. His
uncles cooked a huge breakfast, and then they went out and played in the snow.
His uncles turned into dogg—wolves, Poppa said they were wolves—played chase,
and hide-and-seek, and had snowball fights until his nose was red and running
and his hands burned. Then they ate a huge supper.
    After Raul took his bath and dressed for bed, Poppa came
into his room and talked for a long time. He spoke of wolves, and alphas, and
mates, and responsibility to the pack.
    “Do you understand what I’m saying, son?” Poppa asked.
    Raul bit his lower lip and nodded slowly.
    Poppa sighed. Then he brushed the hair back off Raul’s
forehead and smiled. Not the big smiles he used to give before Momma left, but
a small one that tilted his lips and crinkled his eyes.
    “Listen closely, son. This is important. Pack is family.
Some packs are small, like your uncles and I. Some packs are big, having lots
of brothers and sisters. Packs live together, love each other, and take care of
each other.”
    “Like Uncle Max and Uncle Dillion and Uncle Joey?”
    “Yes, exactly like your uncles do. Each pack, each family
has a person that’s in charge. This person is usually the biggest, the
strongest, and the smartest.”
    “Like you, Poppa?”
    Poppa’s face looked sad again. “Like me. That person is
called the alpha. The alpha is like…” His father broke off, staring off into
space.
    He gazed curiously up into Poppa’s face, waiting for him to
continue.
    “…an alpha is like an older big brother. He protects his
younger brothers and sisters, and tells them what to do. His job is to keep the
family safe. Their needs come before his own.” Poppa stared down into his eyes,
very serious. His father placed his meaty hands on Raul’s shoulders and said,
“One day, Raul, you’ll be an alpha.”
    Raul’s eyes grew big. “I will?”
    “Yes, you won’t always be small like you are. You’re smart,
and one day you’ll be big, like me. When you are, make sure you’re a good
alpha. The best. Take care of your pack.”
    “I will, Poppa,” Raul promised.
    “One day you’ll want a mate. It’s lonely being alpha. You
spend so much time taking care of everyone else, you’ll want someone to love
only you and take care of you the way you take care of the pack. You’ll want a
little boy or a little girl of your own to give you all the love in their
heart. When that day comes, don’t do like I did. Pick someone like you, a
shifter who understands your wolf. A woman who will help you with the pack, not
pull you away from them.”
    Raul wrinkled his nose, puzzled. “But you said pack is
family. I wouldn’t leave my family, Poppa.”
    Poppa closed his eyes and dropped his chin so Raul was no
longer looking into his eyes. “Sometimes, son, love makes us do foolish things.
Things you think you’d never do, so choose wisely who you love.”
    Raul had a feeling this had something to do with Momma, but
before he could ask, Poppa looked at him again and continued, “Remember what I
told you about humans, Raul.”
    “Like Momma?” Poppa had said a lot about humans since Momma
left.
    Poppa shook once, like he was cold, and his eyes got shiny.
He blinked them a few times until they cleared. “Yes, like your momma. What did
I say?”
    Raul repeated the words that had been drilled into him.
“Never tell a human what I am. They won’t understand, and they’ll be afraid of
me because I’m special.”
    “And?” his father asked.
    “Never love a human.”
    “That’s right, son. Pack comes first. Humans will take you
away from the pack; take you away