Crimson Moon

One

"Let's get the patrols back out there," Cain barked. His warriors and Beta grumbled softly to each other. Not one was looking forward to bounding through three feet of snow today. The blizzard had lasted only a day, but it had dumped a lot of white shit on their territory. "I'm going too, and whoever can't keep up is on kitchen duty for the evening. I think Jack and Kristine could use a break."

That got all four of the warriors, Ryland, Darryl, Vince, and Paul, and the Beta, Will, to their feet. No one wanted kitchen duty, not when it would suddenly be their job to feed a pack of fifteen as well satisfy the youngest member, who was as picky as they came.

They moved toward the door to the deck of the large log-wood cabin the pack lived in. It was the only door that hadn't been snowed shut since Cain made sure to shovel the deck off every couple of hours during the storm. He had done it himself; the physical labor invigorated him as well as kept him busy. He had wanted to bond with his pack, who had made an event out of being snowed in, but he'd always felt like just a little bit of an outsider. Partly because he was their Alpha, and partly because that's just who he was from a personality perspective. He'd never fit in well, preferring his own company.

"Will, remind me to clear off the solar panels when we get back," he called to his Beta, who was in the process of shedding his shorts.

"We can take care of it, Alpha," a feminine voice told him just as he was about to step outside. He turned to look back into the massive kitchen and found Kristine, one of only four female members of their pack. She wasn't a Lycan, but she fit in well because she was Will's mate and a part of their pack, human or not. In fact, she was the Beta female, which if she were a wolf would make her the third highest ranking member of their pack. But, as a human, she simply had power because of the respect the other member's gave her.

Kristine met his gaze fully for only a moment before she glanced away; as much as she didn't want to be wary of him, she still was, even after five years of living in the same house. Lycans were large by human standards, the majority of the males standing over six feet. That being said, Cain was larger than all of them at six feet six inches tall and 275 pounds. Kristine was a small woman, though most women seemed small to him, so he didn't blame her for her timidness around him. He also didn't entirely blame it on his size. She wasn't afraid of his warriors, not in the slightest. In fact, she loved to boss them around. On her hip balanced the youngest member of their pack, three-year-old Henry. Henry was afraid of nothing, not even Cain. Even now, in his sleepy state, he gave him a large grin.

"Mornin', Baldy," the child taunted, his large blue eyes shining. Cain frowned and ran a hand over his buzzed hair. He wasn't bald, his dark hair was just about as short as he could get it before he really was bald. He preferred it that way.

Despite his sass, Cain couldn't help but have a soft spot for the pup. It was a gift that the boy had been born at all, even if he was of half-blood. Bloodlines meant nothing to Cain. Purebred or not, a Lycan was a Lycan, and their numbers were falling.

He rubbed a hand over his dark, trim beard, as if to reassure himself that his facial hair was still there. "One of these days, young pup, you'll learn to respect your Alpha."

Henry giggled and rested his head on his mother's shoulder, his feathersoft brown hair falling into his face as he grinning impishly at the imposing man. "Okay, Baldy."

"Henry, be nice to the Alpha," Will admonished gently, moving toward his mate and son, kissing the former and nuzzling the latter. Henry pushed his father away to give Cain a giant toothy grin.

Cain gave him the smallest smirk in return, ignoring the warmth he felt in his chest whenever the pup was around, and turned back to Kristine. "That would be much appreciated Kristine, thank you. Make sure they're facing the sun as well, if you could. The snow might have turned them. We need as much charge as we can get these days, at least until the sun's out all the time." It was early April, but that meant the sun was only up for a few hours before they were in full dark again. Soon, though, it would be sun up all day long.