Chapter 26

Ellie

I shut my eyes tight and reached out with my mind. The sensation of being watched was growing stronger. I hoped it was my inner voice...my wolf.

What’s your name?

I waited for an answer. This was all so strange. If everyone else had wolves, why didn’t they constantly have headaches?

My name is Nix...and I’m not the one giving you a headache.

She huffed in my mind.

I pouted.

Are you reading my thoughts? Besides, I didn’t have a headache until you showed up!

I scolded.

Rude, aren’t you! Anyway, I’m part of you, so I know what you think and how you feel. Just so you know, someone is trying to mind-link us, but your brain isn’t ready yet.

I opened my eyes, and my dad was looking at me, worry etched on his face. I remembered him saying something about their eyes turning black when they mind-linked.

I looked around but didn’t see any black eyes.

“Dad,” I started, “Nix said that someone is trying to mind-link me. That’s why I have a headache.”

Dad frowned.

“Nix?” he asked.

Nana chuckled and stroked my hair.

“That’s her wolf. What else did she say, sweetheart?” Nana asked.

I pouted.

“She said I was rude and that my brain isn’t ready yet. I don’t like her,” I huffed.

Grandpa looked at me and chuckled, which made me pout even more.

Dad rubbed my back.

“This might hurt a little at first, pickle, but then your headache should go away, ok?”

I nodded. I trusted Dad, even though I didn’t know what he was about to do.

I watched as his eyes turned black. Then I felt a sharp pain in my head. It was much worse than the pain I had felt before.

I whimpered and buried my head in Dad’s chest.

Then the pain was gone, and so was the headache.

I looked up and Dad’s eyes were back to normal.

“Is that better, pickle?” he asked.

I nodded. It was much better. I didn’t understand what had happened, but I was glad Dad fixed it. I was even more glad it wasn’t Nix causing it.

I didn’t want to have to deal with a permanent headache.

Dad smiled, “Good, now how about we go grab some food and you can meet some more people.”

I nodded again. I was excited about the food, not so much the new people.

Dad put me on the floor and then held my hand. Then he led me into the pack-house. We walked into a huge room. There were tables all around the edges and they were piled with food.

I had never seen so much food in my life. A lot of the people who had been in the crowd were coming into the room as well.

I saw ’lijah and I waved at him excitedly. He waved back and this time Jasmine didn’t scold him. I wondered why he was just standing there.

He wasn’t getting any of the food, nor did he come over to say hello.

“Dad? Why is everyone standing there, aren’t they hungry?”

Dad laughed and ruffled my hair with his hand.

“You’re the guest of honor, they're waiting for you to get food first. Then me, as I’m the Alpha, Then Jason and his family, as he is the Beta, then Murdoch because he is the second Beta.

“You’ll learn all about the werewolf hierarchy when you go to school.”

I frowned, it sounded complicated.

“Don’t worry about it pickle, let's get you some food and then you can enjoy the rest of your day.”

Once Dad had piled loads of different things on a plate for me, we went back outside.

Now that everyone had moved inside to get their food, the big grass area was almost clear.

I say almost because there were now a bunch of wooden tables and seats scattered around. Also some blankets on the ground.

Dad told me to sit on one of the blankets and he placed the food in front of me.

He sat at one of the tables nearby, and then ’lijah and Samuel came and sat on the blanket with me, with their food.

When ’lijah sat down, he leaned over and hugged me.

“I missed you Ellie,” he whispered.

I smiled, “I missed you too ’lijah. You didn’t get into trouble for waving did you?”

’lijah grinned, “not really...”

“Yes he did,” Samuel interrupted, with a smirk on his face.

“Not as much as you,” ’lijah retorted, “at least I didn’t have to spend my weekend running with Murdoch!”

I smiled remembering seeing Samuel when Murdoch picked me up. I’m sure he still didn’t like me, but maybe if I was nice to him…

“Did you enjoy your run?” I asked.

He glared at me.

“Are you trying to be funny?” he hissed.

I frowned, and ’lijah burst out laughing.

“He had to go running as a punishment for being rude to you,” he explained.

“Oh,” I replied, “Why is it a punishment? I told Murdoch I wanted to run too. He’s going to train me to be a warrior,” I concluded.

Samuel rolled his eyes, and ’lijah frowned.

“You can't be a warrior, Ellie. You’re a girl and besides, you wouldn’t be strong enough,” ’lijah stated.

“And besides,” Samuel added, gloating, “you need a wolf to be a warrior.”

I narrowed my eyes and stared at Samuel. I’d tried to be nice, and he kept on being mean.

Nix, can you growl?

I mind-linked my wolf.

I heard her chuckle as she took control.

A huge growl came from me. I didn’t realize I could growl like that.

Samuel shuffled backwards off the blanket. He looked frightened. I thought it served him right for being mean.

I glanced at ’lijah. He didn’t look frightened, but he looked shocked.

“What?” I asked, taken aback. “He was being a jerk.”

’lijah shook his head, his voice barely a whisper. “You shouldn’t...”

Oddly, his whisper was as clear as a bell to me.

“Ellie! Get over here right now!” Daddy’s voice boomed.

I glanced his way. He looked mad.

I got up and walked over to him. He was sitting with Jason, Jasmine, Murdoch, Nana, and Grandpa. None of them looked too pleased.

“Ellie? Did you just growl?” Daddy reprimanded.

I crossed my arms and pouted.

“He was being mean. He’s always mean to me,” I complained.

Daddy sighed and shook his head.

“We don’t growl at people, especially not your cousin,” he corrected me.

I glanced at Samuel. He didn’t look scared anymore. He was smirking. I wondered if he had done that on purpose to get me in trouble.

Nix seemed to think so, and she growled softly at him.

“Ellie, that’s enough! Now go and apologize to your cousin,” Daddy ordered.

I looked back at Daddy.

“No, I won’t. He did it on purpose. He made me growl at him, and he didn’t apologize when he called me stupid, weak, and pathetic,” I argued.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Grandpa. He was biting his lip, trying not to laugh. Nana shot him a glare, then her eyes went black. I figured she was probably scolding him.

I wondered if Grandpa was on my side.

“You either apologize right now, Ellie, or you’ll be punished,” Daddy warned.

I dropped my gaze to the floor.

“Are you going to hit me?” I whispered.

Daddy sighed, then I felt his fingers lift my chin.

“No, Ellie, I would never do that. You will be punished in other ways if you don’t apologize to Samuel.”

I huffed and glanced around at all the adults. They were all staring at me, waiting for my response.

What should we do, Nix?

I asked my wolf.

If Samuel apologizes, then we will. Otherwise, we’ll take the punishment. We are Alpha, Ellie. We don’t back down.

I almost nodded. Not in response to Daddy, but to Nix. Then I realized I didn’t need to. She knew what I was thinking. Daddy had said in his speech that I held the rank of Alpha. The same as him.

I doubted Daddy would back down if someone was rude to him. They wouldn’t dare be rude to him, so why should I tolerate it? Why should Nix tolerate it?

I let my hands fall to my sides and looked Daddy in the eye.

“I’ll apologize if Samuel does. Otherwise, I’ll take the punishment,” I declared confidently.

I glanced at Grandpa. He winked at me and smiled. At least I had his approval.