A New Alpha

"Andy!" Aaron yells jumping on my back as I lay in bed.

"What da you want ya little twerp!" I laugh tossing him on my bed and tickling the 5 year old boy. He squeals laughing uncontrollably.

"I heard father say another Alpha is coming!" He says between fits of laughter. I stop abruptly and jump out of bed. "What's wrong Andy?" He asks in his sweet little voice.

"Nothing buddy." I smile at him. "Just Alpha stuff. Father will expect me to be at his side so I need to get ready."

"But he didn't tell you about it. How can he expect you to be ready?" So innocent... he still thinks our father is a good man.

"He must have forgotten. It's okay... hay why don't you go find momma. Stay out of the pack house today alright?" I tell him.

"But I wanna meet the Alpha!" He whines.

"Aaron!... just do this for me alright pup?" I ask.

"Fine!" He pouts and runs out.

I quickly shower and dress. Within 10min. I am out of my room heading downstairs.

Last year father moved me to the pack house. He said momma was coddling me and I needed to be a man. At the same time he pulled me from public school opting to tutor me at home so he can train me to become Alpha.

I go to the kitchen for breakfast where I find my little brother.

"Aaron! What did I say about avoiding the pack house?!" I ask nearly yelling.

"I ran into Clay! We're gonna play hide and seek here!" He grins at me putting an arm around the Beta's son.

"No you're not Aaron! Take Clayton and go home, Now!" I order him.

"I don't wanna!" He yells.

"You stubborn little boy! Go Now!" I growl. Both boys jump up and run out the door.

I breath a sigh of relief until I hear a crashing followed by a growl. I run out to see the pups surrounded by a shattered vase.

"Both of you run upstairs Now!" I tell them. Wide eyed they nod and run off just as my father appears.

"What is this!" He roars stalking up to me.

"Apologies Father... I wasn't paying attention and bummed the stand. I'll clean it up now." I say looking over his shoulder. Standing tall but not meeting his eyes. I can't afford to challenge him but if I look weak it's just as bad. A fist to my ear sends me flying sideways. I land in the broken pottery slicing open my arm.

"Clean this and yourself. We have a guest coming in an hour. Be ready." He orders.

"Yes sir." I mumble pulling the vase remnants from my skin. He growls and returns to his office.

I clean up the mess and wash my arm in the kitchen sink. It stopped bleeding but still looks nasty. I run up to my room and see the two oblivious boys jumping on my bed.

"Alright you two, out!" I say hiding my arm behind me. "Take Clay home... and please stay OUT of the pack house. At least for a few hours."

"Of course Andy... I'm sorry I didn't listen." Aaron says frowning and looking at his shoes.

"Its all good buddy... it's fine now. All cleaned up. Just go." I tell him with a smile which he returns as the boys run out of my room.

I remove my shirt and replace it with a crisp white button up that covers the bandages on my arm.

"Hurry up Alpha Mason is here!" Father growls through the mind link.

"Crap!" I run out of my room and downstairs where I see my father and a tall dark haired man talking. He doesn't look that much older than me but hes an Alpha so hes at least 20.

"I apologize for my tardiness Father, Alpha Mason." I nod to each man as I approach.

"I told you to be here to meet him, boy!" Father growls at me. Alpha Mason chuckles.

"Lighten up Carson!" Mason says to my father. "My pup may be a newborn but I know how much a father loves his child... don't come down on him on my account." Father smiles.

"Of course not Mason." He smiles. I have to suppress a flinch as he intentionally grabs my bandaged arm to pull me close to him. "Meet my son and Heir Carson Rose Jr."

"Nice to meet ya pup!" The Alpha smiles and holds out his hand. I reach out to shake it and he turns my arm revealing my bloody sleeve. "What happened here?" He asks. I quickly pull my hand away.

"Nothing sir... got clawed during training. Guess it reopened." I shrug.

"Well let's get on with this meeting Mason." My father says.

"Alright... you got a first aid kit in your office for the boy?" He asks.

"Naturally, well get him patched up in no time." My father smiles at me which scares me more than his scowl.

In the office father sets me in his chair and begins rebandaging my arm. He is obviously putting on a show of love in front of the visiting Alpha.

"Threr we are." Father says pulling the bandage tight causing me to wince before loosening it to an appropriate degree and securing it. "Now on to business." He pulls me out of his seat and I take the one opposite him beside Alpha Mason.

"You wantedto tell me something. " Alpha Mason says.

"This years pack ranking." Father responds handing him a paper.

"My pack is larger." Mason states.

"It is... the sickness hit my pack hard." Father scowls at the thought. "You are now the leading Alpha in North America." He growls.

"Hummm..." Alpha Mason grins. "Well isn't this interesting... hit your pride hu Carson?" My jaw drops. No one speaks to my father like that! Father growls.

"Don't mock me Mason! I wanted to inform you in advance so you can plan the annual banquet. I'll send out the list tomorrow." Father says.

"Or..." he responds still grinning. "We could make a deal..." he glances at me a moment before continuing. "An alliance of sorts... I will not claim your title of leading Alpha provided we live at peace. We will be friends, Carson... And you will keep your position."

My father ponders this a moment before extending his hand.

"You have a deal Mason... dont make me regret this boy!" Father says as he shakes Alpha Mason's hand.

"I'm an Alpha now Carson. You can cut the boy stuff. We're friends remember?" Alpha Mason says smiling.

"Of course Alpha Mason." Father responds.

"It was nice meeting you little Carson." I flinch at the way he ties me to my father. I'm nothing like him! "Take care of that arm." He glances at my father and back to me. "I'll be by for visits as often as I can. Stay safe pup." With that he leaves the office and I turn to see my infuriated father.

"That pup!" Father roars once Alpha Mason is well out of earshot.

"He is letting you keep your rank! Shouldn't you be happy?" I ask.

"Youn know nothing!" He yells holding me to the wall by my throat. "I can never go against him! Even once we reclaim our rightful place as the largest, strongest pack! If anyone finds out we lied I will lose all respect from the other Alphas! Mason can do as he pleases and have us at his beck and call!" I cough as he releases me.

"Than why did you accept the offer?" I ask trying to breath.

"I am the most powerful Alpha... Mason is weak. I can not let him take my title. This is better than war... I can control Mason... he won't challenge me." Father speaks more to himself than me so I slip out of the office.

"Run?" My wolf asks as we escape the deranged man I call Father.

"Read my mind!" I respond to him and take off into the woods.

°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°

"He hurt you." I hear behind me as I sit near the border of my pack. I turn to see Alpha Mason sitting just across the border in a clearing.

"No." I say knowing if he confronts father it will only be worse.

"It wasn't a question Carson." He responds as I approach him.

"I met your brother on my way out... cute kid... your father hit him too?" He asks and I growl.

"I'd never let him lay a hand on Aaron!" I yell.

"So he does hit you." The Alpha smirks. I nod.

"Don't meddle... you'll only make it worse." I tell him.

"I'm gonna work with your father... maybe I can change his mind on some things. With a friend like me I'm sure something will rub off on him... don't worry Carson. I won't tell him we spoke. I won't comfort him directly. That would start a war and I don't want more deaths... I'll try to help you but if it gets out of hand come to me. I'll protect you even if it means war with your father." He says.

"Thank you Alpha... no one outside the pack sees it. He puts on a show... he's good at deceiving people." I respond.

"More see it than you think. That's why your pack is feared. But it's no way to lead. Be better than him Carson." He looks at me like he truly cares.

"You can call me Andy... Ma and Aaron do... I don't really like that I have his name." I tell him.

"No." He says and I look up into his eyes. "I'm gonna call you Carson because it is your name. Embrace it. Redeem it. It will only prove your strength when you survive him. It is your badge of courage reminding you of who you want and don't want to be."

"Thank you Alpha... I've never looked at it that way before." I smile.

"My name is Mason and you can use it... get home before he notices you're gone." He tells me and turns to leave.

"Thanks Mason." I mumble at his back.

"No problem Carson." He responds and I run back home.