Beonnie

Uhm.

I couldn't believe I just did that. Jack couldn't believe I just did that, and Vidar was thrilled that I just did that. Well, thrilled until Jack gave him an annoyed look.

"What just happened there?"

Vidar shrugged.

"He asked about B. I asked why he asked. He lied and said they met last week," he glanced at me. "I took a chance and guessed he was one of the hunters, and apparently, I was right. Really, Jack. You should thank me."

"Thank you, idiot?! I know exactly what you were playing at you.. you.. and now we are going to have Alpha Neron after us after flying under the radar for so many years," he rubbed his face. "Well, this has only escalated one thing, really. I had already decided to suggest we should form a pack. We have the numbers now. We just need to talk to the Prospect."

I leaned forward from the back seat.

"We are forming a pack?" I smiled at the thought, forgetting about the conundrum I had created for a moment.

Jack turned back towards me. He grinned.

"Of course, kiddo. We can't have you run around like a rogue, now can we?"

I mused. I had probably messed everything up at school with the slapping incident, but at least I wouldn't be an outcast in that way anymore. I couldn't wait to tell Hild. Oh, but then again, I also had to tell Hild that I perhaps had started some sort of fight.

She came home in the afternoon with a tired but happy smile. Her first day at work had gone well, and she was happy about her job. We decided to get food from Patty's but eat it up in the apartment so Hild could get out of work clothes and into sweats. I let her relax and finish her food before I put my fork down and looked at her. I didn't know where to start.

"Uhm, Hild?"

She looked up from her plate.

"Yes, what's up? I can tell something has been bothering you all evening."

I sighed.

"Okay, so I met this Henry Johnson person today. I know we never really talked about him before, but Vidar.. and well, I slapped him."

She frowned.

"Wait, what? You did what?"

I had, for some reason, expected her to be more proud and less upset about it, so for a moment, I was confused.

"Well, I slapped him and, but I thought Vidar.. he said he was going to capture me and torture me!"

She gave me a confused and a bit disappointed smile.

"Oh sweetie, Henry is one of the good ones."

My jaw dropped.

"I.. what?"

She took another bite of her dinner and then continued.

"We should have talked about this before, but well, it didn't seem important considering everything else. And then we decided to never talk about... that night again. When you saved me, it is true.. you were chased by two persons; Tristan and Henry. I didn't know at the time; I thought they were your friends. Anyway, they helped us and didn't seem interested in capturing or torturing anyone; it was something about you not mentioning meeting their beta or something. You were supposed to call them when you woke up, but well, then we decided to skip it because, well, I mean, they did hunt you after all. And we moved on, didn't we?"

She gave me a compassionate gaze.

"I never expected to run into them again. But now that we have, Henry was actually.. well, when you collapsed, he was the one that carried you away from the house and ran with you in his arms for quite a bit. It was his car that got us to the motel, and well.. Tristan drove so Henry could sit with you in his arms in the back. I remember thinking that he seemed kind of sad to let you go when we got to the motel."

"But.. why couldn't you have told me this earlier?!"

I got up from the table and flung myself onto the sofa burying my face in the pillow, cheeks burning. This was beyond embarrassing. Even more embarrassing than admitting strange stuff about someone's hair.

"Well, how was I supposed to know that it was important?" Hild also got up from the table and sat down next to me. "How bad is it?"

"I called him an asshole," I murmured into the pillow. "And he smells kind of good."

I sat up and fell into Hild's arms instead.

"Sweetie, I am sure this is not as bad as you think."

I knew she was trying to console me, but again, I just couldn't believe I slapped him. What was I thinking? He had just sounded so arrogant and like I was nothing. Just an inconvenience that he had to sort out. And then threatening all of us like that. Who did he think he was?! Anger rose until I remembered what Hild had said about what he had done to help us. So he wasn't an asshole. Oh. Why did I have to call him that?

I sat up and looked Hild in the eyes.

"Hild, can we move somewhere else?"

Hild

I smiled and tucked a strand of her hair back behind her ears, and then I pulled her close again.

"No, sweetie, we can't. We have to learn to solve our problems and not just run away from them, okay?

"But how?" she murmured into my shoulder. "How can I fix this? I don't know how to like.. talk to him."

"I don't know, B. But we will sort it out. I promise," a bit of an empty promise at the moment but finding a phone number or address couldn't be that hard, right? Like all the kids today have social media accounts. I just had to google a bit.

A couple of hours later, I found out that all kids today do not have social media accounts. And as B later informed me, especially not if they are werewolves. I had forgotten about that part. For about the thousandth time, I wished there was a werewolf hotline that I could call for all my werewolf-related questions. Obviously, I had access to werewolves, but B was a teenager, and I didn't know if her versions of things were laced with hormones or not. Jack and Vidar had their own agenda, and if I understood it correctly, they were different types of werewolves or something?

And then I got an idea. When B went out for a walk with Harry, I went through my wallet and found the phone number Tristan had given to me when he dropped us off at the motel. To this Zac person. I hesitated for a moment, but then I reached for my phone.

Zac

After a late dinner, Ben and I were sitting in my office drinking some whiskey when the office phone rang. We gave each other a surprised look. It was a bit late for official business calls.

"My very first office call," I said and reached for the phone, but Ben stopped me.

"Let us make this official then," he pressed the speaker on the phone and grinned widely. "This is Beta Zac's office; you are speaking to Connor. How can I be of service?"

"Oh, official. Uhm.. my name is Hild Harryson, and I wanted to speak to Zac?"

We raised our eyebrows both to the fact that it was a woman and to the fact that she had not used my title. It was uncommon. Ben looked at me quizzingly, but I signaled that I didn't know who it was. He grinned again and answered.

"You should refer to him as Beta Zac, and may I ask what this pertains to?"

"Oh, for crying out loud.. No, you may not. Is he there or not?" 

Ben furrowed his brow, and I was surprised that it was the only reaction from him so far. He still looked amused though. 

"Who is this?" he was now using his alpha voice, and I knew that the person on the other side of this line would cave in.

"Are you trying to sound manly or something?" the woman sounded like she had just come home from her work at a daycare center and was tired of dealing with stubborn kids.

Ben's eyes widened in shock, and I was sure he would throw the phone into the wall or something, but he grinned widely in amusement and answered her.

"My apologies Miss, just a hoarse throat, Beta Zac will be with you momentarily," he suppressed a chuckle.

"Well, I am glad to hear that not all of you are savages," she answered dryly.

I waited a couple of seconds, and then I spoke.

"This is Zac."

"Oh, Hi.. Zac. My name is Hild, and I am... I was wondering.. oh, this is so stupid.. but I am a friend of Beonnie. Her aunt, as it turns out.. and I... I got this number from Tristan Greenwood."

"Her aunt? I thought she said.."

"Yes, it is very recent. In any case, I am not.. that is I am.. " she sighed, and I waited for her to continue.

When she spoke again, she sounded a bit more collected and straightforward.

"I am going to be upfront with you Mr... um Zac. I am sorry for calling this late, but I don't have anyone else to talk to."

I frowned at the worried tone in her voice.

"Is everything okay with B?"

"Ah yes, everything is fine with her," I could hear that she was smiling.

"It's just, It's a long story, but to keep it short, we are now living together, and through some strange coincidences, it also turns out that we are related. For many different reasons, the main one being that I was... I was.. placed in the human childcare circuit as a baby... I don't know anything about.. uhm being a werewolf, and I just want to be able to help B navigate through.. things."

She sighed.

"And we have gotten to know her grandfather and some other werewolves, but they are very sort of rough and rugged, but friendly.." she added the last part quickly. "but I just wanted a neutral opinion on a situation that arose today. And I didn't know who to turn to, and then I remembered... you basically. I hope it was okay that I called. Oh, it probably wasn't. I am sorry that I did. You have a great eve.."

"It is fine, of course," I answered quickly to prevent her from hanging up. I looked up at Ben; he listened attentively and gestured to me to continue when I didn't say anything further to the woman. "I would be glad to help?" he nodded appreciatively.

"Oh, thanks. I really appreciate it. After hearing about the idiot that had her hunted through the forest, I was afraid you'd all be assholes and whatnot," I didn't even dare to look at Ben, but he made no reaction.

"Oh, I shouldn't have said that about your boss.. alpha.. whatever you call it," she chuckled. I didn't. Ben looked like he was having the time of his life with the broadest grin on his face I had ever seen. He certainly was in a good mood tonight.

"Yeah, well, sometimes he is an asshole," he punched me, hard, on my shoulder. I punched back but only hit the air.

"Heh. Well anyway. B met Henry Johnson today and slapped him."

"She what?!" I couldn't help myself now and laughed out loud. We both did. The woman chuckled.

"Yes, I know. I guess it is my fault a bit, I neglected to tell her his involvement in things, and she thought he was a goon, doing the dirty work for your alpha person. Or something like that."

She laughed and sighed at the same time.

"She is mortified, and apparently, he is some sort of alpha person too, and I don't know if this is a serious thing or not. She did also call him an asshole if that matters."

"I take she has that from you?" I couldn't help myself. She laughed.

"Perhaps. Though her grandfather kind of has a foul mouth too."

"I'd like to hear the story of how you all met one day. It certainly seems interesting."

"Let me say it has been an overwhelming couple of weeks," I could hear her exhale deeply.

"I can imagine. Well, back to Henry. It is nothing to worry about, it will be fine. I can talk to Henry and explain if you want to," I looked at Ben, and he nodded in agreement. Interfering in teenage dramas was not an everyday task for us, but I supposed his good mood made him a bit more generous in his dealings this night.

"I would very much appreciate that," she paused for a second and continued. "I.. thank you. I just want her to have some... stability, and I want to be able to help her as much as I can. But it is all new to me."

"It is not a problem... Hild, was it? Just give me a call when you need help."

"Thank you, and have a great evening."

And with that, she hung up.

I stared at the phone for some seconds and then turned to Ben.

"What was that?"

He grinned and leaned back in his chair.

"Well, it does sound like you just got joint custody over a teenage girl with some drama tendencies. Oh, and the joint part of the joint custody thing is with a woman with attitude," he sounded both mocking and appreciative.

The phone rang again.

He raised his eyebrows and used his index finger to press the speaker button again.

"Beta Zac's office, how can I be of help?"

"Oh, my apologies Alpha King Prospect. This is Henry Johnson; I was hoping to be able to talk to Beta Zac."

The immediate submission of Henry Johnson brought Ben back to his alpha manners. It didn't do good to joke around with prominent Prospect members even if Ben was the top predator in this area. I leaned forward towards the phone.

"Henry, this is Zac speaking. What seems to be the problem?"

I could hear him swallow and sigh at the other end of the line.

"Well, Beta Zac. The girl came to my school today to register and I.. well, I.. met her friend, boyfriend, I don't know what, and her grandfather. Not that he exactly looked like a grandfather but anyway. And well.. things got a little bit out of hand but never mind that, the problem is that the man, Jack was his name, said that he was forming a pack."

We both leaned forward towards the phone, placing our elbows on the desk.

"Forming a pack?" that was undoubtedly uncommon.

"Yes, sir. He said it was very recent, could be a thing he just said on the spot actually, but he also mentioned that he was going to talk to the Prospect, that is your Alpha, about it."

"Okay. It all seems straightforward so far."

"Uhm, yes. Well, I never told my father about the whole girl thing. I just said it was a rogue and a non-threat and that she probably had left the area already. However, now I find that not only has she not left the area, but she is now going to be part of an entirely new pack that is forming just on our borders. That kind of moves her from the non-threat to the very much threat column instead."

"I see," I saw the concentrated look on Ben's face and understood that he was busy plotting out possible solutions to this almost unprecedented event. Forming a new pack was allowed, but it was so rare that it wouldn't go unnoticed. It was fortunate that it happened now when there was going to be a Gathering because that meant that the rank of this new pack would be decided close after its formation, which hopefully would prevent clashes with other packs.

"Now, I was just hoping that.. well, I don't have the girl's phone number, and frankly, I don't think that she would talk to me even if I had called her, but... I would like to ask if you could somehow convince her not to mention that she was the rogue we were chasing. It would help me a bit against.. well, my father. I am aware that forming a pack is a much bigger thing than my issues with my father, but it would be really cool if she.. could.. just pretend that we have never met. If I ever was to meet her again, that is."

His tone was so miserable that I couldn't help but feel sorry for him.

"Don't worry, Henry, I will talk to her. Actually... I.. well, I did hear about your, uhm, discussion earlier today, and I know that B, that is what she is called, I know that she is mortified at what happened with you today."

"She is?"

Ok. His tone shifted fast. From miserable to this, hoping, version.

"Well, yes. Apparently, she didn't know exactly who you were or what you had done for her but thought you were some asshole who.."

"Yes, yes. THAT part she told me," he answered with a dry laugh.

".. was going to torture her or something. But after she realized that she got you wrong, she feels awful about it," there, that would do the trick.

"Oh. Well, I am not in the habit of letting people slap me and getting away with it, but.. under the circumstances, we can consider it forgotten."

"Great, Henry. Thank you, I know she will appreciate that, and I am sure she will agree to pretend that you two have never met. It will certainly benefit us all in this case."

Ben nodded in agreement.

"Thank you, Beta Zac. I appreciate it too. Have a good evening."

And that ended call number two. I looked at Ben, and he grimaced a bit and stared out the window.

"Okay, a new pack formation. This is certainly new. I wonder when they will get in touch."

"It's good timing with the Tournament coming up. That means that their rank will be decided soon after formation, and hopefully, we can avoid unnecessary fights."

He looked at me.

"But surely this must be a pack full of rogues. They won't be competitive enough, so they will be lowest-ranked anyway. But let's see."

"Yup. We'll see. Now can you hold my hand when I call Hild again? She is kind of scary, isn't she?"

He grinned.

"As your secretary, I should make the call and connect it to you."

I smiled.

"Whatever you say, boss."

He pressed the second to last number in my phone call list and waited. Hild answered a couple of seconds later.

"Yes?"

"Oh, is this Hild Harryson? This is Connor from Beta Zac's office. We spoke earlier."

"Oh. Hi Connor, good to speak to you again. How can I help you?" she sounded pleasant when she wasn't angry or snarling. Even Ben seemed to think so as he appeared kind of surprised at the kindness in her tone.

"I.. oh. Well, it certainly is nice to talk to you too again. I am sorry that I am calling this late in the evening, but.."

"Oh, no worries," she laughed. "I think I called you first this evening, and it wasn't that many minutes ago. But you do keep very late office hours, don't you? I hope Zac.. Uhm Beta Zac is not having you work late every day."

He now looked both surprised and a bit, for lack of a better word, panicked about talking to her and even managed to stutter a bit when he answered.

"I.. I.. well, no. But there is a lot to.."

"Think about, yes I can understand that. I mean, look at the responsibility you have, I mean your office. All those people, uh werewolf people that depend on you guys for their sort of entire happiness and fortune. It must be a very tiresome job and a lot to do, so perhaps it is not strange that you have to work long hours after all."

He sighed, and the panic subsided into general confusion and then over to looking a bit relaxed.

"It is hard. I sometimes, I mean my office sometimes... I mean not my office but the Alpha's office and the Alpha himself often wonders if I.. I mean, if we do the right thing. And not everyone understands that it is not an easy job and you try to do what you think is best, but sometimes it just doesn't become right in the end anyway, and it kind of gets to you, you know?"

Ok.. so that was a surprising amount of sentences about feelings coming from him.

"I can absolutely understand that. All that responsibility must be tough. But as long as you do your best, and have the best intention for each and every individual, then there really isn't much more you can do, right?"

"For each and every individual.." he repeated with a thoughtful stare. "Hmm, I guess you are right there, Hild. You always this wise?"

"Ha, don't take my word for how to do things. I did my first official proper job day today!"

"Oh," he smiled at the phone. "Congratulations! Was this your first job, you said?"

"Oh, well, my first proper office job since I finished my education. I have been doing a bit of this and that earlier, and it did teach me a lot about people, but.. this is much better."

"Ah, so you are not just fresh out of college or school.. or something?"

I smiled in disbelief. Was he actually snooping around to find out her age?

"Haha, oh, I wish. Nope, that was some years ago, actually, but I never continued to college until I was 30 and decided to get on with my life. And here I am, two years later, with a fancy paper with sort of my name on it."

HA. I could almost see him making a mental note of her age.

"Ah, you are Zac's age then. I mean, Beta Zac, of course," he almost sounded disappointed. "Which reminds me.. he needs to talk to you."

"Oh, right. Yes, of course. Well, good talking to you again, Connor."

With a satisfied smile, he bowed to me, and I leaned towards the phone again.

"Hi, Hild, sorry to disturb you again but I just talked to Henry, and well, is B around?"

"Sorry, she is out with the dog. Is there something you want me to tell her?"

I sighed.

"Well, yes. Henry is willing to forget the incident earlier today if B, and you too could pretend that you have never met him before should your roads cross again in the future. Yup, that's it, basically."

"Okey. That sounds doable. I will talk to B, but I don't think she will have a problem with that arrangement at all. It sounds great."

"Okey, well then I wish you a good night, and uhm, call me whenever."

"You too. And thanks!"

I hung up the phone and glanced at Ben. He stared out the window and nodded to himself, then he turned to me.

"I want you to get rid of that Ivalde figure and, in your own nice words, tell the couples that he arranged that they are free to do what they want. We can't have some witch master decide on such important things."

My mouth opened in surprise, and I couldn't form a coherent sentence.

"I.. yes.. certainly.. Ben, boss, Alpha."

He raised his eyebrows at my confusion and got up from the chair.

"Sentences, Zac. It isn't that hard, you know. Good night!"

And then he left. He really was an asshole sometimes.