Chapter Five

I have never ever felt this level of bone tiredness before, I am absolutely exhausted and Val has only just got strong enough to pour some of her healing magic through our bond, to heal our wounds, due to the stupid wolfsbane and silver in our system.

After escaping the cabin, I had to intermittently connect to my brother due to the agonising pain it caused in my head and the fact it took way more energy to do than I had but it gave me enough guidance to get back to the pack lands. Halfway back the boys were so tired they started drifting off to sleep as they walked causing them to stumble and trip over the uneven ground, giving me no choice but to carry them the rest of the way. We must have covered miles and miles to get back, and another reason why I am so tired.

Readjusting them on my hips carefully to ensure I don't wake them, I move out of the forest into the sight of the packhouse where I find two male wolves standing on the front porch, they don't stay there long though. Their eyes go wide as soon as they spot us, and they are soon springing into action and flying across the distance in seconds to get to us.

Their scents reach me just before they get to me confirming that they are the pup's dads, feeling their aurora I know that they are one of the alphas and betas visiting the pack, bowing my head in submission I gently hand the boys over. I bow once more in respect and turn away making a beeline towards the cottage, I need to make sure the pups are ok. Sam must have felt my presence as I don't get far before the pups file out of the cottage and run towards me, Sam at the front with Scott in his arms.

Concentrating on the approaching pups I can hear the wails of Poppy, she must be hungry I will have to quickly gather the ingredients from the forest to make her some paste up before I head off to the kitchen, if I don't get there soon, I will be late in serving the packs breakfast along with the visiting packs and I don't want to know what punishment I will receive for that.

Stumbling slightly over my feet I open up my arms letting them launch themselves at me. "Sis" my brother's arms wrap around me first squeezing me tightly, more arms soon join his as they wrap around me, the impact almost sending me on my butt, luckily Sam and Conner manage to steady me on my feet before I can fall. "Knew you would be back."

"Always Sammy. Now are you all okay?" I ask searching all their faces.

"Yeah, apart from Poppy screaming" Liam groans and I chuckle as he rolls his eyes.

"Sorry pal. She's just hungry and her teething isn't helping. Try and get some more rest I will take Poppy and get her fed before I head to the kitchens."

-------------------------------------------------------------------

Clean as I am going to get without visiting the river, I leave the pups with the promise I will hunt for food as soon as I can, they are accustomed to infrequent meals and never complain but I normally manage to feed them at least once a day and yesterday they went without due to the rogue attack. Heading into the kitchen I start getting to work, the song I'm still standing repeats in my head over and over again but to be fair I think I'm lucky that I'm not passed out on the floor.

Thankfully I manage to get everything done in time and get the first lot of food out to the packs without any problems. I feel the fatigue setting in further after the first hour and realise some of the pups are just as bad and I know I need to find something to feed them today or they will be the ones passed out.

"Hi" a male voice says beside me not thinking the hi is to me, no one talks that polite to me and they try to avoid it where possible, so I carry on into the kitchen.

"All of you, head back to the cottage and rest up. I will sort out any other chores that need completing today."

"No" they whisper yell at me and step towards me in protest.

"You're all tired, you know what will happen if something goes wrong so go home and rest. I will be back soon."

"Sis" my brother starts but I just glare at him tilting my head slightly. They soon get the message and head off as I go to get the next round of plates.

"Excuse me?" turning around I wonder who is talking and come face to face with the beta from this morning and quickly bow.

"Sorry is something wrong? Was the food not to your liking? I can make anything you want." He looks confused before looking around the kitchen, I don't know what he is expecting I am the only one here now that I have sent the pups home.

"Where is the-" he starts to ask before shaking his head and thinking better of it "Never mind. Leave what you are doing and go pack. Please advise the others to do the same you will all be coming back to the Evergreen Forest Pack."

"Yes, Beta I will go pack and tell the others as soon as the breakfast service is over, I am sorry but cannot just leave in the middle of it." I bow down further with submission before getting back onto placing plates onto my tray.

"You do not work here anymore. I am your new beta, and I am telling you. you do not have to finish the breakfast service." He growls, looking at him confused I try to work out what angle they are playing to this time, do I leave and get punished for not finishing or do I stay and get punished for not doing as the beta says, I cannot afford any type of punishment today if they decide to do it discreetly, I need to pick up the chores of everyone and go hunting to feed the pups, shit what do I do Val? Asking my wolf who is trying to conserve her energy for the hunt later and recuperate from last night, I feel the beta's aurora wash over us which confuses the hell out of him when we don't automatically move to do as he has asked. I don't know Jen; he isn't giving off a vibe that he is trying to trick us like they normally do. That is exactly what I thought but we have miscalculated before. Before I can think more on it, he scrubs his hand over his face before almost pleading with us.

"Look my alpha, well your alpha now too, Alpha Joe wants to give all you orphans homes in our pack. Please will you go get ready to leave this-" he breaks off his sentence trying to find the right word that will not get him in trouble from the prying ears on the other side of the door "along with all the other orphans too." Raising my eyebrow, I take in his posture and the way he is holding himself tilting my head to the side I take a leap of faith.

"Does Alpha Rick know?"

"Yes" he says exasperatingly but also with relief that I am finally considering what he has said rather than brushing him off "now can you please get everything together. We plan to leave at noon" nodding I get back to work and I hear a growl come from him in frustration. I know that I do not need until noon to pack and if this is a joke, I do not want to get a beating for not finishing the breakfast service. Moving to grab the last plate the kitchen door suddenly slams open revealing two pissed off alphas.

"Why are you ignoring my beta, Jenni?" the alpha questions softly, how on earth does he know my name, narrowing my eyes at him I suddenly realise I haven't bowed, quickly rectifying it I dip my head in submission again.

"You impossible mutt. Why are you always making my pack look stupid?" Alpha Rick spits at me, I have to stop myself from physically rolling my eyes at him, if anyone makes the pack look stupid it is him and his expensive fitted suit that does absolutely nothing for him.

"Why would someone want to take on all the Orphans of the Red Moon Pack? And I am in the middle of the breakfast service-" I snark back at him forgetting myself. The alpha and beta from the other pack frown as they glance around the kitchen not paying any attention to Alpha Rick as he steps forward, he doesn't hesitate for a second as he delivers the brutal blow to my face and suddenly, we have the others attention again as they emit low growls.

"How dare you speak to a higher-ranking wolf like that" if only he knew who the higher-ranking wolf was around here "Now go do as Beta Dean told you" Nodding I leave, oh well you're the one not getting breakfast this morning just means I can go hunting earlier than expected to feed my pups.

Alpha Joe POV

I had only gotten halfway up the stairs when Dean linked me to come to the kitchen, I assumed someone was causing problems aka Alpha Rick, but he was still loitering in the dining hall, well that was until he saw me and joined me at my side as I headed into the kitchen. I may have pushed the door a bit harder than necessary as it slams into the wall, oh well. Looking at my beta I find exactly what the problem is, Jenni. She seems to be ignoring Dean and placing plates onto a tray, taking a quick glance around I soon notice that there is no one else in here, where the hell were the rest of the staff. I can see Ricks brow starting to form a layer of sweat out of the corner of my eye and wonder what has got him so nervous.

"Why are you ignoring my beta, Jenni?" I ask jumping straight to the point I don't want to be on this territory any longer than needed and I definitely want to be as far away as possible from Alpha Rick.

"You impossible mutt. Why are you always making my pack look stupid" Alpha Rick spits at her, pulling back my wolf I am stunned at how the alpha is treating the she-wolf.

"Why would someone want to take on all the Orphans of the Red Moon Pack? And I am in the middle of the breakfast service-" glancing around the kitchen I wonder again where the rest of the staff are. Beta where are the staff?

It was only her and the pups, Alpha. She sent them home as they were exhausted. Just as I am about to find out what is going on Alpha Rick smacks her in the face, our wolves growl as they try to push forward to shift and rip him to shreds, fortunately we manage to keep them under control.

"How dare you speak to a higher-ranking wolf like that" he snarls at her "Now go do as Beta Dean told you" Nodding she leaves out the back door and out of sight. Dean get everyone moving I want us gone pronto nodding his head in acknowledgment he leaves us to it We will go help the pups pack if necessary.

"There was no need to hit the pup" I snap at Alpha Rick with everyone gone.

"She is trouble along with the rest of them mutts. Perhaps you should reconsider and leave them here. I don't want you to think badly of our pack" too late for that sunshine you do that on your own Godric snarls out, thankfully he doesn't say it aloud, but I totally agree with him.

"We will soon iron them out Alpha Rick. We will get them into a routine and hopefully with the families they are placed with they can have get into some sort of normalcy." I can see anger flare in his eyes and find it suspicious that he is not happy that he no longer has to worry about the pups and that they are going to be placed in loving families. "I better get off to my mate and pups"

Taking my leave, I see him glaring at the kitchen door as though he is waiting for the she-wolf to come back in, stepping through the door I am nearly bowled over by two omegas muttering about having to work in the kitchen. Strange were the pups really the only ones working in the kitchen? Seems that way.

Let's get them home to our pack I tell Godric.

Yes, and we need to make sure that they get anything and everything they want. Do you think we should build that treehouse now there is more pups and-.

Woah Godric chill. Let's get them home first. Bless him he has already took them under his wing.