The Change

"Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday Ti and Malak... Happy Birthday to you!"

We sing the song at the biggest birthday celebration you have ever seen. Everyone wants to know who the next Alpha is and today the twins are twenty.

"Which one do you think it is?"

"I don't know"

"How can we?"

"Will the packs finally join?"

"Will we have to move?"

The whispers fill the air. Everyone is curious. Alpha Lilly's pack seems to favor Malak while Alpha Aaron's likes Ti for the position. Not that it matters anyway. We can't change who gets the Alpha. And whoever it is I will be his Beta they both agreed on that.

"Come on boys." Alpha Aaron says to the twins. They follow. "Alic you too let's see who you'll be Beta for."

The three of us make our way to the banquet hall behind Alpha Aaron. I've never been in here before. The place is massive! Beautiful stained glass covers one wall. The tables have their chairs on top of them and the stage is empty but I can imagine it full of life. It is amazing. The howling wolf in the glass is mesmerizing.

"Ok so Alic do you volunteer to be our test subject?" Alpha asks locking the door. Not really a request but this is cool! I get to be first to know.

"Sure. Give me an order boys! Bring me to my knees!" The twins laugh at me. If I don't resist I know the command won't hurt so no harm done.

"Alright pup calm down." Alpha laughs. "This room is sound proof... its important for some of the Alpha banquet traditions... anyway that makes it the perfect place for us to figure out which of you will be the next Alpha... so who's first?"

The twins look at each other. Neither wants to risk it. Once one of them tries it it's over we have found our Alpha.

"I'll do it." Ti says stepping forward.

"Ok then. You know what to do son. Power. Authority. Command." Alpha tells him.

"Ok... so what should I tell you to do?" Ti says. He is stalling and I know it.

"Dance like a ballerina!" I say spinning. "Kneel before me!" I drop to my knees. "Sit down! Stand up! Touch your toes! Spin around!" I do each action as I say it. "Dude it doesn't matter just do it!"

"I don't know..." this guy needs to suck it up and command me already!

"Do it! Do it! Do it! Do it!" I string the words together as fast as I can. Come on dude! "Do it! Do it! Do it! Do it! Do it!...

"SHUT UP!" I feel the command hit me and my lips won't move. I smile at Alpha Aaron. He laughs.

"About time someone shut that mouth!" He continues laughing and I stick my tongue  out as he puts his arm around Ti.

They go to walk out. I feel the command fade.

"Now Malak." My wolf says.

"But Ti did it" I respond.

"Now Malak!" My wolf insists.

"You comin' Alic?" Alpha asks at the door.

"Ummm... sir? Can we have Malak try?" I ask.

"That's not how it works only one son gets his father's Alpha." He says.

"I know that sir... but my wolf won't stop bugging me... he wants Malak to try... please?" I tell him.

"Fine... can't hurt. No one can see or hear what goes on in her might as well try." Alpha says.

"Why are you doing this Alic?" Malak asks obviously irritated with me.

"Just a feeling... try!" I tell him.

"Ti already shut you up which is no small feat. He is Alpha!" Malak argues.

"Well now it's your turn shut me up!" I say grinning.

"I can't."

"Can."

"Can't!"

"Can!"

"Can't!!" Malak has a growl behind his voice now. I am so close.

"Can! Can! Can! Can! Can! Can! Can! Can! Can!" I repeat the word over and over until he snaps.

"STOP IT!" Malak orders cutting me off in the middle of a Can. I see both Ti and Alpha Aaron's jaws drop.

"Can." Alpha says wide eyed.

The twins look at each other.

"We're Alphas!" They hug and start jumping around like pups.

"We need to talk to your mom... and grandfather... and the elders... I'm not sure what's going on." Alpha says opening the door. "Come with me boys." The twins follow as he exits. "You too Alic they will have questions for you." I go with Alpha and the twins.

We gather in the Alpha's office. Everyone is talking and arguing as the twins sit in the chairs in front of their father's desk. Alpha Aaron sits behind it quietly while Alpha Lilly stands beside him.

"So does anyone have an answer or are you all just bickering?" He asks.

"I have a thought." A man says stepping forward.

"What is it Mason?" Alpha Aaron responds... Mason... so this is the twins grandfather.

"Well it seems obvious to me. Ti is your heir... Malak is Lilly's." He answers.

"But we are mates doesn't that mean we have one Alpha child?" Alpha Lilly asks.

"You maintained your Alpha little wolf. two Alphas to pass down their power two sons become Alpha. It seems rather straightforward to me." Mason says. "How did you even think to test Malak if Ti showed he could issue a comand? I mean if you didn't think it was possible they were both Alphas."

"Alaric." Alpha Aaron's one word response has all eyes turned to me.

"How did you know Malak was an Alpha?" An elder asks. I gulp. I'm not big on all this attention. When I'm clowning around it's one thing I like that attention but this is serious.

"Ummmm..."

"Speak boy!" The elder orders.

"Calm down you're gonna give yourself a heart attack ya old coot!" Mason says to the other elder. He looks to me. "Take a breath and just tell us." I breath deep.

"My wolf... he knew." I tell them.

"Impossible! No one can tell who an Alpha is until they prove themselves!" The angry old elder yells.

"I can't explain it to you but I knew. I knew that if I got him to command me it would work. My wolf said to test Malakai so we did. I was right! Why does it matter how I know?" I rant.

"It matters Alic." Alpha starts standing up and walking towards me. "Because no wolf can know something like that. I am the most powerful wolf around and I didn't know. So how you knew is very important... you are different Alaric and we want to know why."

They grill me for the next hour. They think I am lying about knowing anything. One of them said I was just trying to embarrass Malak. Another said it was just luck. Alpha Aaron kept watching me through it all. Examining me. Trying to figure me out. Eventually they gave up and just decided to accept the situation.

"We need to announce it to the packs. They are eager to know who their future Alpha is." Lilly says.

"How do we know who is Alpha of which pack? I mean grandpa said I got dads but how can we know?" Ti asks.

"You're Midnight Moon's Alpha." I blert out. I wasn't even paying attention any more. Why did I say that they just stopped focusing on me!?

"And we are supposed to take your word for it?" The angry elder asks.

"Just look at the packs! It's  not that hard! They already know! Midnight Moon is drawn to Ti as Red Rivers is to Malak. It's not even a majority rules thing, its unanimous. Their wolves know who their Alpha is. You just have to pay attention." I let out another rant. What's come over me? These are the elders and my Alphas and I'm talking down to them! I better control myself before one of them does it for me!

"You insolent pup!" The angry elder lunges at me and I side step him. The old man stumbles nearly falling over.

"Calm down Quincy he's right! You can plainly see which pack belongs to which boy." Mason says.

"Right don't fix disrespect!" Quincy growls.

"I think were done here." Alpha Aaron breaks in. "Ti, Malak I want you two in here 5Am. All of you are dismissed." The crowd shuffles out. The Alpha has spoken. I am at the tale end of the line leaving. "Not you Alic." He says and I stop. "Close the door."

Alpha Aaron is standing up leaning against his desk facing me.

"I've never seen you like that." He is still looking at me like he is dissecting me with his eyes.

"What do you mean sir?" I ask. This is it he's gonna put me in my place. I can't believe I challenged them all like that! I mean Elders, Alphas they know more than me. Who am I to yell at them? They run the packs!

"You were confident. You stood your ground. You spoke with authority, power. That's what ticked Quincy off. You spoke like you were in charge of everything. It's not like you." Alpha explains.

"I'm sorry sir. I didn't mean to challenge your authority. I know I'm not in charge here. It's your pack." I hope he's not mad at me!

"I know... your a good boy... or I guess I should say Man. You are an adult and a ranking wolf. I'm just glad to see you have a backbone. Ti's going to need you to help him run this pack. I know how much I've leaned on your father over the years.... I want you to shadow him. Starting tomorrow where he goes you go. What he does you do. You need to learn what being a Beta means." Alpha says.

"So I'm not in trouble? I mean Quincy..." I start

"Quincy is an angry old man who needs someone to shut him up on occasion. You may have been a little rude but you are right. Sometimes even Elders and Alphas need someone to slap them in the face with the truth... you'll make a good Beta." He smiles at me then gestures to the door. "Go home Alic. I'm sure you're father will want to talk to you."

"Thank you Alpha... I won't let you down." With that I leave the room. Beta training. This will be cool! I get to hang out with Dad all day and learn the ropes.

"Welcome home!" Dad says as I walk in. "I hear you had an eventful day."

"Yea." I respond grabbing a bag of chips. "Found out who our new Alpha is, ticked off an elder, got grilled for an hour on how I know things, and Alpha Aaron told me I'd make a good Beta."

"Yup! He linked me that he wants you to shadow me. He wants me to train you to be the best leader you can be." He is grinning ear to ear like he's been waiting for this. "That's not exactly a good dinner pup." I set down the chips with a growl. "Come on there's left over chicken in the fridge." I dig out the food and sit at the counter to eat.

"Ruby's coming back tomorrow." Dad tells me. Ruby graduated high school at 17 and ran off to California to go to college. She's been staying in Uncle Rhy's pack while there and hasn't been back. She should have one more year before she gets a degree but knowing her she probably doubled classes to finish early.

"Cool... I miss her." I tell him.

"Me too... anyway 4AM be ready to go." Dad says walking off.

"Alpha isn't making the twins show up until 5." I argue.

"I'm not Alpha Aaron... 4AM Alic or you won't like my way waking you."