Prompt's for 2018 - 2. A Mother's loyalty

“Do you have any idea what that brat has done now?” Alpha Steven demanded as he strode into the bedroom. Dee continued folding clothes instead of answering him. “Dee, are you going to answer me? Do you realize what that boy has done and what it could mean for this pack?”

“Yes Dear,” Dee replied absently as she refolded a shirt that wasn’t done to her liking.

“Hey, mum. Have you seen my favourite red shirt?” Dee turned to see Harry had stopped and was staring at his father.

“You red shirt is already packed, sweetheart,” Dee said into the ensuing silence.

“Thanks, mum.” Harry turned to his father. “I’ll be out before my twelve hours is up, don’t worry.” He then spun and strode out of the room.

Steven stared Dee a while before speaking. “I take it you already heard then that he has decided to leave the pack?”

Dee spun around and thrust a finger into Steven’s face. “Don’t give me that bullshit. I heard how you threw him and Freddy out of the pack. Don’t try and put this on him.”

Steven’s face went red. “I gave the boy a choice. He could either give up his stupid obsession with the Carter boy and mate with the daughter of the Jermain pack’s Alpha, or he could leave the pack and take the Carter boy with him. They decided to leave.”

Dee snorted and returned to folding the pile of clothes.

She heard the sound of Steven pacing the room. “You know you shouldn’t be helping him pack. He got himself into this mess he should be responsible for making sure he has everything he wants to take with him packed and ready.”

“I’m not doing his packing, I’m doing mine.”

“Yours?” Steven stopped pacing and came to stand by Dee. She carried on folding nightclothes and placing them into the open suitcase on the bed. “What are you packing for? Has something happened in your mum’s pack?”

“No, they’re fine.”

When she didn’t elaborate Steven huffed a frustrated breath. “Then why are you packing?”

“A smart Alpha like you should be able to work it out. After all, you’ve led this pack single-handed for over twenty years. You built it from the ground up, sourcing the land, vetting the people who wanted to join, and assigning jobs to everyone. A big strong Alpha like you, one who bested all those challengers and was still able to run the pack meetings the next day alone, should be able to figure out what is happening.”

Dee spun as she spoke and glared a him. He winced as Dee threw back at him everything that had been said at the meeting where Harry had told him to shove his pack where the sun doesn’t shine. Unlike Steven she knew where to stand to hear everything that was happening in a meeting that she wasn’t even supposed to know about, she wasn’t going to leave her son to face the pack alone.

But Dee wasn’t finished. “What would your precious pack say if they all knew the truth? Hmm? Who found this land and sourced the funding for us to buy it? Who does all the accounts when you can’t even balance your chequebook? Who schedules all the food deliveries? Who taught you how to use computer software, so you could vet new members before you accepted them? Who treated your wounds, so you could attend the pack meeting after winning those challenges? And lastly how long do you think your pack is going to survive with no cooks, laundresses, or seamstresses?”

Steven’s mouth had dropped open. “What do you mean how is the pack going to survive? We have people who cook, and clean and mend clothes.”

Dee shook her head. “Fine, I’ll spell it out. Since you men can run this pack on your own that is exactly what you’re all going to be doing. The women—including me—are leaving with Harry and Freddy. Oh, we will also be taking any man or child who wants to come with us. Last I heard you had lost all the women plus twenty adult men and fifteen children ranging from babies through to seventeen years old. Now, excuse me I have packing to finish. My mum is expecting all of us by the morning.”

Steven stood frozen for a few moments more before asking in a tone that reminded Dee of a whining toddler. “But, why?”

Dee sighed and rolled her eyes. “Because you are throwing out the two most important boys in the pack. Harry is the next in line for Alpha and Freddy is the best hand to hand combat teacher we have. He has taught most of the current youngsters to protect themselves in human form if anyone starts to pick on them in a place they can’t shift. Luckily my mum’s pack has no alpha willing to take over when she steps down, so she is willing to let Harry prove he has what it takes to take her place. As for Freddy, mum is looking forward to instituting a full training regime for her youngsters and maybe a few adults that have jobs working with humans. She is very impressed with what he has accomplished for such a young shifter.”

“But, how can your mum take Harry in as her possible successor? He can’t provide a future successor if he mates with that boy.”

“Successors don’t have to be a blood relation to the Alpha. They have to be someone who has integrity, a willingness to put the good of their pack first, and most of all they need to be honest. Something you seem to have a problem with. Now, you can either help me pack or you can get out and stay out until I’m finished—and for your information, I prefer the latter. Maybe when you realize what an idiotic, lying, coward, you are, you can think of a way to rebuild your pack. Of course, whenever that is, you will be doing it without me. I’ve already filed the papers with the council, as of now our marriage is ended and all concessions agreed to by my original Alpha—my mother—are ended. There will be no more discounted food, there will be no more help in the winter to clear the snow from the roads, and there will be no more financial help when your money runs low.”

Finally finished with her packing Dee closed and picked up her case while Steven stood there glaring. “I’ll send for the rest of mine and Harry’s stuff as soon as we get settled at mum’s.”

She walked out of the room leaving Steven gaping at the empty doorway.