POV - Chaos
Life with Grady and Darlene was different. Grady was the grounds keeper for the whole pack, and our days were spent caring for the plant life - flowerbeds, fruit trees, berry bushes and such. My job was to pull the cart of water to each one, following Grady. Darlene's job was harrass me if she thought I wasn't doing it right.
At the end of the day though, Grady turned us both loose, we were free to roam the pack grounds, ever vigilant for the whistle to return.
One day, while roaming, careful to stay out of sight, I learned that the Fire Moon Alpha was returning to see the witch soon, to try again to speak to his dead son.
I heard two laundry maid omegas chatting through the open door of the wash room about him.
"He had twins you know, two boys." One said.
"Oh, no," said the second, "didn't know that, the poor man. At least he still has one, but to see the one without the twin, it can't be easy."
"I heard," the first replied, "that his visits to the witch is the only thing that helps him through it, but I don't know if he actually gets to talk to the dead boy or not...he's a good Alpha, but the whole thing gives me the shivers."
"Well, I heard," said a third who joined them, "that the twin isn't dead at all. I heard he was stolen and made an omega in another pack. Imagine, an Alpha's son, somewhere growing up as a nobody. Seems to me that they would have killed him if they got him though. If that's true, the pack that stole the kid really had it out for that Alpha."
"I don't know," the second replied, "I don't think an Alpha wolf would fool with witches unless there was proof the boy was dead."
This seemed to decide the matter for the women, who changed the subject to the latest stable boy scandal.
Kyas didn't know what was true about it, but Kyas remembered that the Fire Moon Alpha had been to visit the witch the day Alpha Silas bound us, though Kyas hadn't actually seen him in the garden. We couldn't believe it had already been that long, so much had changed.
On the day the Fire Moon Alpha arrived, we were working in front of the pack house, our last chore for the day, and Grady had just released us to roam.
A black car pulled up in the circular driveway, and the driver went around the front of the vehicle to let the Alpha out.
Curious, and having the anonymity of a dog, but more freedom than Kyas had gotten as a slave, I scurried around the back to get a look.
He was tall, dressed in a black suit, with a tie printed with a fire on black pattern. He wore sun glasses, but from my angle below him, I could almost see his face. He had dark circles under his eyes.
He stepped away from the car, then stopped, and looked right at me. I had been spotted. Kyas freaked out, his former fears as a slave, forbidden to have contact with anyone outside the kitchens coming to the forefront.
I quickly ducked behind the car's tire. I saw the man's feet follow where I had gone, and soon saw him kneel.
"Hey, pup," the Alpha said, "I won't hurt you, come here." He held his hand out to me.
Dispite Kyas' panicked emotions, I decided to obey, and moved toward him. I was rewarded with a scratching behind the ears. Like Sam and Lou, the Alpha gained a special place with me for that. Kyas settled at the action, and his eyes could be seen over the barrier in my mind.
The Alpha stood, and I moved forward and licked his hand, then quickly rolled to show my belly, allowing dominance - my way of making friends. Thanks Fred. The Alpha smiled, but then looked away, his face turning somber, and he entered the pack house.
Pack dogs were not allowed in the pack house, but acting on a tip from Kyas, I hurried around to the back, where the garden entrance was. I was intimidated here, considering my last encounter, but soon saw the Alpha following the witch into the garden.
Not daring to enter, but recalling what I knew of the layout, I circled it, listening to their footsteps to gage where they were. When they stopped, I slipped under the hedges to move closer, and found a thinning bit between the small branches that allowed a view of them. It wasn't perfect, but it was as far as I dared to go.
It wasn't the center of the maze, but a different area. There was a table set in the middle, with two chairs. A long cloth covered the table, with something round placed in the middle.
The witch took one seat, the Alpha the other.
"I need to hear him, Alma." The Alpha said, his voice pained with a trace of desperation to it.
The witch replied, "I know Alpha, I wish it wasn't true, but spirits only stay on the plain I can access for so long, their spirits weaken and become harder to reach. I don't know how much longer I will be able to channel him."
"Please, Alma," the Alpha begged. "Please try. I'll pay double for the extra effort. "
Alma thought it over, and then nodded. "Double will do. For that, if you care to stay the night, I'll try again tomorrow, while he's still close to the surface."
"Done." The Alpha said firmly.
Alma sat forward, took a deep breath, and concentrated on the round object on the table. It began to glow, and a breeze kicked up, blowing around the area.
Suddenly, the concentration on the witch's face slackened, and her expression became one of innocence. A thin, reedy voice came through her mouth.
"Papa? Papa, where are you?" It said.
"I'm here, son, I swore I'd never leave you, I'm here!" The Alpha said, excitedly.
"I can't find you, Papa..." the small voice said. "I can't feel my brother anymore. I miss him, Papa, I miss you and Mama too..."
The voice began to trail off.
"We miss you too, Sweet Boy! Not a day goes by that we don't think of you, son!" The Alpha said.
"Papa? I can't hear you? Are you there? I feel so weak... can't stay..." the voice responded
The Alpha panicked, he moved forward and touched the witch's hands.
"I'm here, son! I'm with you! Please don't go!" He cried.
"I heard you, Papa... miss you... weak...can't stay... sorry, Papa..." the voice said, fading.
The Alpha squeezed Alma's hands. "No, son, come back! Stay with Papa a little longer!"
The glow in the object faded, the breeze died, and Alma's face rested. She let out a deep breath, exhausted.
"I'm sorry, Alpha, I couldn't hold him any longer." She said.
"But, if I stay, you'll try tomorrow?" The Alpha asked, tears flowing down his face.
"Yes, Alpha, I must rest before trying again, but I will try. I know how much you miss him." She said, her voice dripping with sympathy for him.
The Alpha stood, and I heard his footsteps leaving the garden. I was about to follow him, but then I heard other footsteps, approaching from another direction.
Alpha Silas sat down with the witch.
"You need to end this, Alma, it's gone on too long." He told her. "I need your full attention on me, helping me with my magic lessons."
"So you've said, Silas, I'm working on it. I told him today that the end is coming, but he paid double, and I promised to 'try' tomorrow. There may be one or two sessions of failure, and it will be done." She said.
"Double, huh?" Silas said with a grin. "He really eats this up, doesn't he?"
"Oh, yes," she said. "I'll be sorry to see him go."
She then spoke again in the reedy, childish voice. "Save me, Papa! I'm dying! Fading fast!"
She chuckled, and continued in her normal voice. "Might make for getting triple from him before it's finished. "
Alpha Silas smiled for a second, then turned serious. "I mean it Alma, end it. I want this distraction gone."
Alma nodded. "Of course, Alpha Silas."
He got up from his seat and went around to her, cupping her cheek. "You know how much I like it when you call me Alpha."
She smiled and looked up at him. "Yes, I do."
I decided to leave at that point, unwilling to watch any more of that.