Chapter 14: Simon

“Alpha, you need to take it easy!” Jared shouted at me through labored breath. “Doc’s orders!”

“I’m fine! Healthy as a horse.” I said as I wrestled Bruce, one of the biggest werewolves in the pack. And he was the head of the guards. He obviously struggled as I flipped him over my shoulder, he landed on his back and groaned in pain. “See.”

“You are supposed to take it easy.” Jared repeated as he walked toward me.

“I feel amazing.” I said as I ripped my shirt from my chest and threw it away. “Who is next!” I looked around to the others that were training. All of which were struggled to catch their breath, they looked worse for wear, they averted their eyes as I walked in front of them. “Oh, come on! I’ll go easy.” I said as I clapped my hands together and shuffled my feet.

“We are done! Everyone go get cleaned up and grab some grub.” Jared shouted over to the pack. I continued to do a boxer shuffle and punched at the air.

“Party pooper.” I said over my shoulder at him.

“I may be a party pooper, but I don’t want you killing your best guards. Now, go get cleaned up and get some food.” He picked up the shards of my shirt and tossed them at me. “It should take some time cleaning those locks of yours anyway!” Jared laughed, turned, and walked to the pack house.

I lingered behind. I looked at the forest, I could feel it was full of life. I breathed in, the smell of evergreen and dew filled my nostrils. Did it really smell this good in the morning? Was it always like this or did I really gain some new senses? This was my land; I was the alpha, and this was mine. I have never felt so proud to be Alpha.

I turned and walked toward the pack house and saw Nana. She walked toward the door with her nurse a few steps behind.

“Nana!” I shouted and trotted toward her.

“There’s my handsome grandson.” She said and smiled. “What type of trouble did you get yourself into now?” The nurse snickered behind her.

“Nana, I’ve told you before you can’t talk to me like that.” I said as I offered her my arm to escort her into the house. “At least not in front of people.” I whispered.

She took my arm and started walking along side me. “It’s like every time I see you, you are in some sort of debacle.” She stopped. “Look at me,” she said sternly.

I stopped and turned to her.

“Get down here so I can see you.” She pulled hard on my arm making me bend down. Though she may be old she was still a strong she-wolf. “Shut up. Let me look at you.” She grabbed my face in her hands. She stared into my eyes. “Hmm.”

I looked away and then back at her. I felt my eyes being filled with the electricity that filled them last night. “What?”

“I knew it. The winds are changing boy, be on the lookout.”

“Lookout for what?”

She lifted my chin and gave my cheek a light slap. “Your mate of course.”

“What?” I said, rubbed my cheek, and laughed.

“There were signs throughout your life. I knew it. But she’s coming. Be on the lookout.” She said as she started to walk toward the door. “But you shouldn’t miss her, she will be a storm. Unless you continue to sleep around with those sluts.” She shouted over her shoulder.

“Nana!” I said and jogged after her. I looked around and only a few pack members were in earshot but didn’t give a second glance. “You can’t talk to me like that.”

I offered her my arm again. She pushed it away. “I’m serious, don’t you dare screw this up by being stupid. You haven’t made the best decisions in your personal life.”

“Nana, how would you know this?” I said as I walked next to her.

“I have my ways.” She laughed. “I’m ready to have grandbabies! So, you best get busy when you meet her.”

I only laughed at her. She would sometimes go off on these tangents. She was slowly slipping away. Doc would do checkups on her, and everything would come back normal. He was baffled by her tests. And when he left, Nana would curse him out calling him a quack. And too stupid to know what was really going on.

“Mark my words.” She said as I escorted her to the dining hall.

“Ok, Nana. I will keep an eye out. Enjoy your lunch. I have to go freshen up.” I led her to a table where her friends sat and chatted already. She sat down and gabbed along with them.

I walked to my room. I thought about what Nana said. What would happen if she was right? Maybe my mate was around the corner. Everyone has been saying that my mate was going to come soon. Maybe they were right. An Alpha could only hope.

On my floor I passed Jared. “Taking your time, Si?” He laughed.

“Talking to Nana.”

“Oh, how is she?”

“Good.” I laughed.

“What?”

“She has now predicted that my mate is on the horizon. And I better be on the lookout.” I said the last word with air quotes.

“I mean, it could happen. You are definitely ready for one.” Jared said as he leaned against the wall across from me. “But I’m curious on how she knows that your mate is on the horizon.”

“I’m not sure. She’s been going in and out of delusions more and more now. Her nurse says she can hear her muttering in her room at night. I’m not sure how much longer she would be able to live in the cottage with her nurse. And she refuses to stay in the pack house so I can keep an eye on her.” I said and rubbed the bridge of my nose.

“There’s always that really nice retirement home in town. The manager there is Pete’s wife, Beth.” Jared rubbed his chin as he thought through the predicament I was in. “Pack members would be able to watch her in a more controlled environment.”

“That could work. She’s going to raise hell when we take her there though.”

Jared laughed.

“What?”

“You’re still scared of Nana.” Jared continued to laugh.

“It wasn’t just me she would chase around the house with a rolling pin when we were kids. I wasn’t the only one she would smack across the head when we fucked up. So don’t give me that.” I said and laughed at him. “She may be small, but she is mighty.”

“True.” Jared said and laughed again.

“I think the best thing to do is wait. She seems to be with it more than not, as of now. If she gets worse, I will have to revisit this.”

“Good plan, Alpha.”

“I don’t know about you but I’m hungry. And I need a shower.”

“Uh, yes you do. I can smell you from here.” A female voice came from behind Jared.

“Hi, Greta. Always a pleasure.”

“I hear you kicked ass in training today. Maybe the superhero thing is true.” She said, walked by, and punched me in the shoulder.

“Not all heroes wear capes.” I said and smiled at her.

Greta was like a sister to me. Even though she has only been here a short time I felt connected to her. She was more like a bro than a girl in the pack house. I’m not sure how Jared got mated with her. All of the other girls he went after were petite, dressed up, wore make up, and were gorgeous. Always done up and emanating perfection. And always agreeable and always wanting to please.

Greta was gorgeous but the complete opposite of his past conquests. Greta was petit as well but solid. She could take any wolf down, that’s why she was a great guard. She had her hair cropped just below her chin and never wore makeup. She was feisty, someone who stood up for what she believed in and didn’t care if she stepped on toes. She was exactly what Jared needed. He needed someone to challenge him, and Greta was that challenge.

“I’m going to get some grub. Babe, are you joining?” Greta turned to look at Jared.

“Of course.”

“I’m gonna shower and I’ll meet you down there.” I said and shoved a finger toward my room.

“See ya.” Jared walked behind Greta and followed her down the hall to get lunch.

As I got ready, I thought about this mate that was supposedly on the horizon. What would she be like? Would she be the complete opposite of me? Challenge me like Greta challenged Jared? So many questions I couldn’t answer. I would just have to wait. And that was not something that I was good at.