C14 The Alpha's Decision

“Teresa … have you truly gone mad?!”

The alpha snaps out at first due to the confounding astonishment and disbelief upon hearing that bold declaration come out of his very own sister's mouth … the second highest-ranking she-wolf in the entire Rainier Pack, coming in just below the luna herself … claiming that she'd be willing to turn her back on and leave the pack if they refused to agree to take in some rogue werewolf child and two dampyrs. He's utterly perplexed at the moment and can't seem to wrap his mind around those words.

But once his racing mind settles down a bit, allowing him to manage to regain some composure, he speaks as calmly as he can under the circumstances to her...

“Teresa, how could you say such a thing? I know you've always wanted to have children of your own; but I suppose I never really new the extent or to what lengths you'd be willing to go to have them. Are you really willing to go that far to have children? Are you truly willing to leave the security and comfort of your own pack and give up everything you have?”

Teresa, speaking with full conviction, tells him, “It's true, living among the pack provides a reassuring sense of security and comfort … and, as the sister of the alpha himself, I am offered many luxuries and privileges; there's no denying that fact.”

After that brutal attack, Elder Elliot is extremely wary about agitating Teresa, and refrains from speaking up for the time being so, Elder Victor takes it upon himself to step in and take the leery elder's place...

“You see, you just said so yourself, all of your needs and wants are fulfilled here. Yet here you are, willing to give it all up and turn your back on your very own loyal and devoted brethren who have provided you with everything your entire life, just so you can be happy. You ungrateful, foolish child.”

Ticked off by that remark, Teresa rushes over with her hand raised high above her head positioned to strike; causing the terrified elder to instantly drop to the floor and immediately assume a fetal position, while cowering with his arms crossed over his head to protect it. Once reaching him, she comes to an abrupt halt and ominously hovers bent over the now whimpering elder … her arm still locked in its striking position … and angrily glares down upon at this what she believes to be nothing more than a pathetic sight. She stays in this position for a brief moment, then just shakes her head in a manner conveying disgusted pity for this meek coward of an elder wolf, releasing a clearly audible “Ti-sch” sound between gritted teeth while walking away.

“Honestly, Elder Strong, you're not even worth the time or effort of a beating.” Teresa begins in a scornfully scoffing manner, “'Loyal and devoted brethren who've provided me with everything my entire life just so I can be happy'; really? The same brethren who at this time are opposing their alpha's decision and trying to convince him to turn away these children … the very children which can truly make me happy … are these the brethren you mean?”

The alpha cuts in to try and calm his sister. ... “Teresa; please...” But fails.

“No, Julian; I'm speaking to the elder now...” She glares at Elder Strong with a fierce reproachful glare. “This pompous, self-righteous pitiful fool, who ridiculously believes that, since he sits on the Tribunal of Elders, he knows it all. … The very one who just had the audacity to call me an 'ungrateful, foolish child', was it?” She takes in a breath. “Admittedly, yes, I can be a little foolish at times … and, impulsive as I'm sure you must be aware of by now … but, I have never, ever, once been ungrateful for everything that I have received.” She takes in another breath, and passionately continues...

“And, though it's true that the pack has provided me with all my needs … even with luxuries that weren't necessities … it still hasn't given me everything. The one thing that it hasn't given me … the one thing that I most desire … a child of my own. And now that I have the opportunity to be bestowed with not just one, but three children; they want to keep them out of the pack and have them taken away from me? And, what … am I just supposed to stand by idly and let them do this? Should I let them take away my children; and rip my heart out?”

Delta Colin commits the ultimate blundering by inappropriately, and insensitively, blurting out...

“But they aren't your children.”

Teresa emphatically screams out, “But they are my children!!” Tears start to well up in her eyes. “They are my children. From the moment I laid my eyes upon them I knew … I felt it...” She softly pounds on her chest with her fist. “Here … I felt it here … in my heart. They are my children.” She turns and looks beseechingly into her brother's eyes. “And, not even the alpha himself can tell me otherwise. … They are my children.” She takes in a deep breath, wipes away the tears from her eyes, and resolutely tells him once again, “So … if you send away my children … then, I'm going away with them.”

Delta Colin … who was the one responsible for bringing on that emotional tirade … brazenly tries to interject, “Julian, you can't...”

The enraged alpha bellows out in his most intimidatingly fearsome alpha tone...

“Shut up, Colin!! Shut up and keep your mouth closed!! I don't want to hear another word from you for the rest of this meeting unless I ask for it!! Do you understand me?!”

The emasculated delta submissively bows his head and sheepishly mutters under his breath...

“Yes, my alpha; I understand.”

The alpha looks to his sister, who remains standing motionless; with that same resolved, determined expression deeply etched into her countenance. He cups his hands behind the small of his back and begins to slowly pace about the study; with an expression etched upon his countenance appearing as if he was in deep thought pondering. And, after a few minutes of zigzagged, meandered pacing about the room; the alpha stops in front of his sister, takes in a deep breath, and looks her directly in the eyes...

“Before I render my final decision, there's just one thing I need to tell you about that werewolf child; something I think that you should know before you commit yourself to being its mother. May I?”

Teresa nods. He tells her...

“We're not a hundred percent sure...” He looks back at Felicia. “Like we told you, the witches refuse to tell us anything about their identities until we agree to take all of them in...” He looks back at his sister. “But we're pretty sure that that child is the daughter of the luna of the Shadow Hunter Pack. And we all know what happened to that pack … as well as the fact that the Demon Lord is relentlessly looking for that child even as we speak. So, you know what that means; right?”

“Of course...” A lovingly warm, gentle smile emerges upon his sister's lips. “It means that these children really do need a safe place that will hide and protect them. A place that they can truly call home. But, more importantly; they're going to need a mother who will take care of and love them unconditionally. … They need me.”

The alpha takes in another deep breath, then briefly looks about the room, focusing on nothing in particular. He looks back to Teresa...

“You realize I can't let you stay here … not if the Demon Lord is going to be hunting down that child. I can't risk it, especially with Jack and Jaclyn in the mansion. You do you remember them, don't you … your nephew and niece … your true flesh-and-blood? I can't have them put at risk; you do understand that, right?”

“Of course. I completely understand. … As a mother, how can I not … how can I possibly ask you to put your own children at risk?”

“Fine … as long as you understand the consequences of your decision.”

“I do.”

“Very well, then.”

The alpha turns away from his sister and walks over to a large, black mahogany desk; and sits behind it in his black leather wingchair. He leans back into the chair and crosses his right calf over his left thigh. He slowly, and methodically, taps his fingers upon the wing-chair's arms. Then, with a stoic expression etched upon his visage, he solemnly announces...

“Gamma Ray … my sister will be moving out of the mansion as of tomorrow. She will be residing at one of the guesthouses lying near the perimeter within the compound. … I want a constant security patrol to maintain a vigilant watch over it. Make sure no dissidents among the pack take retaliatory action against them. And be extra certain to take extreme measures to detect any demon movement.”

The gamma tries to keep from smiling as he exuberantly responds, “Yes, my alpha; I'll see to all the arrangements myself moving forward.”

“Good. I'm sure things should be fine in your capable hands.”

Felicia can't hold back any longer, and eagerly asks, “Pardon me, Alpha Julian; but, at the risk of sounding presumptuous, does this mean...?”

The alpha looks over at his sister; who's now conveying a beaming smile...

“Yes; Felicia … I agree to accept your terms and allow all three of them into our pack.”