I think it's going to happen, and I'm worried it will happen before the world is ready to accept us."
"Son," David said, catching my eye for permission before continuing. "You've seen how easily humans hate. For race, gender, or sexual orientation, humans divide themselves into groups, and each group hates all the others. It's not like that when you're born into a pack, but it is for those of us who were changed. Now, just imagine what they'd do if they thought we weren't even a part of their species."
"I know, Dad, but it's not right."
From the mouth of babes always came the purest wisdom. I wished it was really that easy, but it wasn't. "I know it's not," I assured him. "Trust me, I want to see this change. I really do. I've also sworn my life to protect our pack. I'm sorry, but that means you cannot tell Gabby about what we really are. Probably not for a while."
"Ok," he mumbled.
"You want to date a human girl?" Kim asked her son.
"Mom!"
"Answer me," she all but growled.
He threw himself back into the chair. "Not a human, ok? Just Gabby. She's cool, Mom. She gets me."
"And she's cute, right?" I looked over at Kim, deciding I might as well go for broke. "You should be aware that I've taken an interest in her mother. I think it's safer to integrate humans into our lifestyle than it is to violently convert them, and breeding pure isn't a realistic goal." Well, I thought most of that. Ashley thought the rest, but close enough.
"Might need some banjos playing if we try to breed only wolf to wolf," David agreed, chuckling. "Kim, it's fine. He's old enough to know what will happen if he tells the girl. She'd dump him in a heartbeat and tell everyone he's crazy."
His wife nodded. "So long as the alpha doesn't have a problem with it." She glanced at me. "I just don't want to lose this home."
"You're fine," I assured her. "And Roman? If Gabby has problems at school, I want you to tell me, ok? Bullying, racism, or anything. You come to me first, whether Gabby wants you to say anything or not. I give you my word that I will not betray you unless there's no other option."
"Thank you, Alpha," he said.
I offered him my hand, the same way I would his father. He looked shocked at first, then clasped my palm with enthusiasm. It made me wonder exactly how their previous alpha had treated these people, if something as common as a handshake between men was such a reward. Then again, some would still call Roman a boy, but he was on the cusp, and there was no better way to make sure a wolf grew well than to nurture him with respect. That was how my father had raised me, at least.
As I took my leave of the Whelan family, it made me appreciate my old man that much more. I'd grown up hearing stories about sons having to kill their fathers to keep their packs intact. I'd dreaded being run out by my sister because of my own dominance. Instead, we'd found a better way to do things, and we'd invited others to join us.
They had. Just like the Whelans, they'd come from across the country to live a better life. My goal was to give it to them. I just hoped I could figure out how, and I knew this wouldn't be easy. Wolf's Run was meant to become a place where we could honestly be ourselves without having to whisper in dark corners and risk our lives to run with the moon. Here, we were safe.
The question was how long it would last. Moving Elena and her daughter into the community was stupid. I knew it was, but I wouldn't ask my sister to kick her out now. Instead, I'd just look at the situation as one more thing I could fix.
Because that was the kind of Alpha I intended to be. While I could defeat anyone inside the gates, I shouldn't have to. I didn't need to draw blood to get my point across. No, I was as much man as wolf, and I had every intention of proving that the barbaric tactics the Whelans had run from weren't the only way to lead my pack.
CHAPTER 15
On our third Saturday in Wolf's Run, two weeks after we'd moved in, Gerardo finally demanded his visitation rights with his daughter. Gabby wasn't