A New Friend

"Alic!" Dad calls as we head out of the airport.

"Dad!" I run up and give him a hug. Trent follows behind me.

"I'm so glad to see you!" He looks at me and I can see the tears in his eyes then he pulls me into another hug. "Who's this?" He asks finally noticing Trent.

"A friend... he needs a place to stay for a bit." I tell him.

"Have you talked to Aaron about this?" Dad asks.

"No... but it will be fine... right?" I ask. Dad sighs and looks over at Trent.

"What pack you from pup?" He asks.

"Red moon." Trent answers.

"Dad know you're here?"

"Ummm... no sir."

"Seriously Alic! His father could think we are kidnapping his heir!" Dad yells at me.

"It will be fine... Trent just needs a break! We can call his dad and let him know where he is... it will be fine!" I am getting mad. Why is he yelling at me?

"You never think do you boy! This could hurt the pack! What are you doing! How can you not see that!" Dad yells.

I growl loudly and before I know it I am holding him by the throat. I snap out of it and release him quickly.

"I'm sorry Dad! Are you okay? " I say as he catches his breath.

"I'm fine buddy... come on boys let's head home." He dips his head a little as he gestures to the door. I walk past him and he follows. Great now my dad is acting like Uncle Rhy! I don't want this!

Dad walks along side me as we walk to the car. He was silent the entire way home and I can see the bruising start on his neck. Trent hums nervously. It is irritating but I try to ignore it. I think he may regret coming back to my pack already. I see dad's eyes go foggy so I'm sure he is telling Alpha Aaron that I've snapped... It makes for a long car ride.

"Welcome home Alpha Alic!" Alpha Aaron says wrapping me in a hug.

"Thanks Alpha... but I'm just Alic." I tell him.

"You are Alic... and you are an Alpha... you are also king so would you prefer I call you Alpha King Alic... or I could make it even more offical and go with Alpha King Alaric Grayson?" He says.

"I get your point Alpha Alic is fine." I grumble.

"Good! Now that that's settled who did you bring onto my territory?" He asks.

"This is Trenton Frasier sir... he needed a place to stay... I figured you wouldn't mind for a few days." Alpha Aaron raises an eyebrow at me then looks to Trent.

"And I'm guessing Alpha Gavin has no idea his heir is at my doorstep." He says. Trent looks away and mumbles a "no sir."

"You can stay as long as your father approves... you can train with Alic." Alpha smiles and walks into the pack house to his office.

"I was trying to get out of training not thrown into it by the strongest Alpha and the King!" Trent complains to me.

"Come on boys we need to get the guest room set up for young Trent." Dad says walking off and we follow.

"At least it will be less boring with a friend." I tell him with a smile then turn to Dad. "Hay we don't even know if Trent will be allowed to stay yet!" Dad just laughs.

"Many Alphas have tried to get Aaron to train their boys and he always refused... this will be the first time he's said yes. No way Alpha Gavin will reject this offer." Trent shoots me a worried look. I smile but it doesn't seem to help. "Set him up in the room across from you... I'll send someone to get you some new clothes... you definitely have the build of an Alpha now."

I know I am larger but Dad pointing it out makes me self conscious. My old clothes should fit Trent tho considering he is two years younger... I guess that will work out well.

"I can't believe you drug me into this!" Trent says flopping on the bed. "I mean I was care free traveling the country!... well I hadn't left an airport... but still I was away from all the Alpha stuff! And now! Now I'm gonna have to train with the scariest Alpha on the planet competing with the frickin' King! You suck man!"

"Sorry Trent... that wasn't my plan... and anyway Alpha Aaron isn't that scary. You aren't competing with me... and please don't call me king." I say.

"Yea... I know... but if Alpha Aaron goes all Terminator on us I'm bolting. I still got enough money for a couple of plane tickets I can be gone in a second." He says sitting up.

"Please come to my office Alpha Alic." I get a mind link from my Alpha.

"Sit tight Alpha Aaron wants me." I tell Trent.

"As long as it's not me I'm happy." He says.

I run downstairs and out the door straight for the pack house.

"Yes sir. What's up?" I ask as I enter.

"Have a seat Alpha." Alpha Aaron says. Addressing me by title only makes it even weirder. I sit opposite him at his desk.

"So based on my conversations with your father and uncle I understand you are having trouble with your wolf." He says.

"Ummm... yes sir... but its really just bursts of rage... like when someone talks down to me or yells at me... it comes quickly and fades just as quick." I explain.

"Typical... most new Alphas have to adjust to the increase of power... your wolf becomes prideful... its normal... however for a born Alpha the power builds gradually maxing out when they turn twenty. They still have to work to control themselves but it is easier. In your case you just got eminence power dropped on you in a matter of seconds. I'm guessing that's why your wolf took over for so long and why it's hard for you to control." Alpha Aaron explains.

"Sooo... how do I fix it?" I ask.

"Well... I had a shock when I turn twenty because I not only reached the max of my power but because my father was already dead the power of the pack hit me too... the best I came up with was running." He says.

"Running?" This does not sound like fun.

"Yes... didn't you wonder why your father and I so easily outran you boys when we started training?" I just shrugged my shoulders. "From the time I was twenty I've been running miles every morning at top speed just to calm my wolf... the excess energy will make him more prone to violent outbursts... so I run it out of him... after that the techniques your Uncle mentioned will help."

"I see you and Uncle Rhy have been discussing me at length." I say trying not to let the anger show. I mean seriously I can't be a part of their conversation? It is my life after all!

"Its not like that... we care about you and want you to be the best Alpha and King you can be. To do that I need all the information so I talked to your uncle. Your father is worried about you so he talked to me as his Alpha. No one is going behind your back. We love you." I guess he knew what I was thinking... his words help... I truly have the best Alpha ever!

"Sorry Alpha... I know you guys are trying to help... I love you too." I tell him.

"Get some rest My King... I will be running at 3Am should you wish to join me... let your friend sleep I'll have him up at 5 anyway." Alpha says and I get up to leave. As I reach the door he speaks again. "I'm glad you're ok... after seeing Tiberius... I thought they got you too... thank you for being there for him."

I dont know what to say to that. I have been pushing that day to the back of my mind. At the mention of Ti I can feel the water in my eyes threatening to escape. Eventually I close my damp eyes and give him a nod before heading home.

"5AM!" Trent meets me at the door. "I have a 5AM wake up call!? I'm more of a 12pm guy and you've got me into a mess where I have to be up and ready at freaking 5AM!"

"Hi Trent... and yes Alpha wants to start you at 5... be happy you don't have to get up at 3." I tell him calmly. I don't know why but him yelling doesn't make me want to punch him. Maybe because he looks goofy when he yells with his face all red and his ears that point out the side of his head getting red too. He honestly looks like an angry elf.

"3AM?... yea I'll take my 5 thank you very much." He smiles at me all anger gone. This guy is funny.

"Food boys!" I hear my dad call and we run to the kitchen.

"Thanks Dad"

"Thank you Beta Clay" we say as we take our plates.

"It's just reheated lasagna one of the pack ladies made me since my son died... again... you really need to stop doing that!" Dad laughs.

"Hay it's not my fault you keep underestimating me! If you don't find a body I'm not dead!" I joke back.

"How many times have you died or... not died?" Trent asks.

"Twice so far." I tell him.

"So far?" Dad asks.

"Yea... I was thinking of a big bang for my twentieth. Rouge attack and a silver bullet it's gonna be sick!" I say smirking at my dad.

"You better not! Scare me like that again and King or not I'm gonna beat you and ground you until I die!... no grown man wants his Dad to spank him in front of a friend." Dad smiles at me. I miss this just joking around.

"Like you could old man!" I tease him. I see his eyebrows raise.

"Oh really?... Come here boy!" He dives for me and I jump away grabbing the turner he was using to dish the food.

"Back!.... Back beast back! I warn ya!" I yell wielding it like a sword (or torch). Dad just laughs.

"Shreak?! Really?" He sits back down at the table shaking his head with a wide grin.

"Yes really. It's a classic." I say joining them. "Now can I eat Father?" I joke.

"Of course my king!" He responds with a laugh and a bow.

"You guys are weird." Trent says looking between us. We both laugh.

"Normal is no fun." I respond and we all eat.

"Time for bed." Dad says taking our plates. "We all have an early morning."

Trent and I run upstairs. He stops me as I'm about to enter my room.

"Your Alpha... he's a good man right?" He says and it shocks me.

"The best... why are you so worried?" I've never seen someone so scared of Alpha Aaron.

"The stories... they say he took over this pack at 18... that he killed anyone who opposed him... that he slottered armies single handedly when the other packs tried to take his land! They say he kills any Alpha that enters his territory apart from the yearly banquet... he's a scary guy!" Trent explains.

"Listen that is way over the top. Yes he was 18. No he didn't kill off his pack tho some did question him. Yes he fought other packs who tried to take over but it was far from single handed. He doesn't like foreign Alphas on his land but he accepts it when he is informed... I mean he agreed to have you here didn't he?" The rise of Alpha Aaron as I call it was my favorite story as a pup. I always looked up to him. Its funny how the rumor mill changed the narrative.

"Yea I guess... thanks Alic... I guess I just got a little carried away." He says looking at the ground. "Night man." He turns and walks into his room shutting the door. I do the same falling into my bed I'm out in seconds.