One month later
POV - Alpha Kyas
I tapped my pen on the table.
Another council of Elders. Four young pups to deal with. One of them is mine.
The pack had been busy this last month. They all came together to help me rebuild the bonds Elias had broken, and the pups still helped by pushing the bonds. CALE showed ME how push them for the pups, in case I ever needed to.
Alpha moved forward with the transfer ceremony. He had cut his hand and mine with a ceremonial knife and made me Alpha. Just like that. Luna did the same with Ember. Bedrooms were shifted, seats moved around, the former giving way to the current. I still don't know what to call them. I could see maybe… Carlisle making it to Papa someday, but… Ruby, never really tried. Maybe I'll just do that. Use their names. Just feels wrong still.
Elias was told that his murder attempt succeeded, to reduce the danger he posed. He was sentenced to prison in the captial for it. As the victim and an alpha, the choice for death or prison was mine. He was lucky - the usual sentence is death, but I couldn't request it, I couldn't kill him. It was hoped that if he thought I was dead, he would redirect and maybe one day, be rehabilitated. He would never be allowed to come home. It wouldn't be the first time I played someone's ghost.
Throughout all of that, these four young pups thought we had forgotten that the reason they found me was because they had decided to dump glue on poor Cole's head. It had not gone well. Cole had suffered chemical burns and all of his hair had to be cut, which required surgical means because the glue went all the way to the scalp.
Since I knew this would be another council issue, I skipped the middle man, me, and pulled all four boys right into the council, let the council hear it from them. Their parents waited outside.
"Let us begin at the start of it." Jasper said.
"What I know about it is," I said, "That all four boys ended up in the dungeon because they all wanted to know what the glue would do if it solidified on someone's hair. I also know they actually did it. As to how they decided all toghether that this was something ok to do… you'll have to ask them." I said.
"Who's idea was it?" Asked Atticus.
Three boys pointed to Tipton. Tipton pointed to Sean.
"Ya'll said you wouldn't tell!" Tipton said.
"Why'd you point to me?!" Sean asked.
"Tipton…?" I asked.
"Okay, it was me." he said.
"Yeah, plus you said your Papa had the glue. And you brought it." Cale supplied.
"Why did the rest of you go along with it?" Basil asked.
"Tipton is seven, he knows how to do stuff." Sean replied.
"I really did wanna know what would happen." Cale said.
"I just did it cause they were gonna do it." Cole answered.
"Why were you the one with the glue in your hair, Cole?" Eileen asked.
"I lost at rock, paper, scissors with Sean." Cole said.
"Did any of you think about what might happen to Cole with glue in his hair?" asked Clara.
"Um… that's what we wanted to find out." Cale answered.
"What about asking someone? A grown up could have answered that for you." Darcy said.
Three boys looked at Tipton again. He shrugged his shoulders in an 'I didn't know' fashion.
"Did you learn anything?" Harvey asked.
"Yes," Cale answered. "Don't listen to Tipton. And glue is really hard to get out of hair."
"Yes," Sean said. "Don't lose at rock, paper, scissors."
"Yes," Cole answered. "Don't let other people put stuff in your hair."
"Yes," Tipton said. "Don't take Papa's stuff without asking."
Quite a few of us had to hide amused smiles.
"I think, these young men need to learn how hard something is to clean, before making a decision to create that kind of hardship for someone else." Eileen said.
"We believe that help is needed in the kitchens, housekeeping, daycare, and laundry. Each of you boys will spend a week in one of those tasks, helping to see the value of hard work, so you think before adding more with your actions." Said Atticus.
"Please not the daycare, Elders!" Cale begged. "I can't deal with daycare pups!"
"Wait, we can choose?" Tipton said. "I want laundry."
"No, you don't get to choose." Said Darcy.
"Tipton, you will help in the Kitchen, Cole, you get housekeeping, Sean, you will help in laundry, and Cale, you absolutely will get daycare. It's not a punishment if you like it." said Jasper.
"Awww, man…" Cale said. He leaned over to Cole. "Wanna trade?"
"Cale!" Clara shouted.
Uh huh… I'm going to have to keep an eye on that pup. He just played a council of Elders - Cale loves the daycare.
"One last thing, for all of you pups." I said. "When you decide to lead or follow, you take the responsibility of your actions. Tipton, when you lead others, you're responsible for what they do at your direction. For the rest of you, when you follow without thinking, you're responsible for what happens because you didn't think to question it. That is what we are hoping to see you learn from this."
"Yes, Alpha." The boys said together.
"Thank you, Elders. Once again your guidance in these matters is appreciated." I said. Dismissing the meeting.
"Cale, a word before you leave." I said. I waited until the room emptied.
"Yes, Papa?" he asked, all innocent-like.
"First," I said. "In these rooms, when I have to be your Alpha more than your Papa, and make sure the pack knows what happens when you misbehave, you address me as Alpha, Ok?"
"Yes, Alpha." he said.
"Not the daycare?" I asked.
He grinned, completely unashamed. I like it.
I smiled back. "I'll let you have your win, but you're going to do each of the other chores for one day each as well, for pulling it off."
"Yes, Alpha." he said.
We exit the room.
"Cale… wait." I said.
"What?" he asked, confused.
I knelt down, pointed to a clean spot on his shirt. "Is that dirt?" I ask.
"No. There's no dirt on my shirt, Papa." he said. Immediately he's guarded.
"It looks like dirt, Cale, best let me look closer." I said.
He grabs the bottom of his shirt and pulls it down.
"There's no dirt. Leave my shirt alone." he said, defiantly. I like it.
"I think you're lying. I need to check." I said again, reaching for it.
"WHY do you always want my shirt!? He asked, annoyed.
"It's not just your shirts. I want lots of stuff that's yours." I said.
Get your own shirt!" he shouted.
"But I like yours. I want it." I said.
"NO. You're not getting my shirt." he said. Firm. Adamant. I like it.
"I'm getting that shirt." I said.
"No you're not." he said, and took off running.
I caught him just before we got outside. I heafted him over my shoulder like potatoes.
"I hate you, Papa! Put me down!" he yells.
"Fine, keep your shirt. I'll play with these instead." I started pulling off his shoes.
"NO!" He screamed. Good Goddess he could wake a banshee with that. "No no no, take the shirt, Papa, take the shirt!"
"I don't want the shirt anymore, I want these instead." I went to work on those little toes.
He lost it.