Chapter 6: Alpha Rising

Agatha sat on the barstool, sipping a glass of merlot as she recited her story to Jed, still not believing the phone call she received earlier today. "Marilyn Bowman was the last witch in Bull Creek. They're all gone now, and she says none of them plan on returning, not while Neal Porter is the alpha. She's already made plans to move to St. Augustine." Agatha lifted her glass and took a small sip, the frustration of being so far away and unable to do anything to help the other witches filling her. It was only three in the afternoon, and usually she'd be drinking tea on her porch, but after Marilyn's phone call, Agatha needed something a little stronger. She also needed advice from other leaders of the community. "What is Neal thinking by driving away the witches? They're a great asset to the defense of Bull Creek."

Jerah Hale, alpha of the bear tribes in Draven Falls, spun his beer on the bar's surface as he shook his head of thick red hair. "From what I've heard from Alanna Bradbury, it seems the current regime thinks witches are just humans with parlor tricks. She called me the other day asking for the Council to step in and do something." He shrugged. "I have no idea what that something is exactly, though. We're a long way from Florida."

The door to Shades opened as Parker Evans, alpha of the hyenas and a member of the Paranormal Council, entered. He gestured for a beer from Jed as he slid onto a barstool a few places down from where the others talked, pretty much ignoring them, for which Agatha was grateful. While one alpha from each faction sat on the Council, some were there because of fairness and not really desired. He was the lesser of the evils when it came to the others.

Jed acknowledged the man with a nod as he finished drying some glasses Drey washed and stacked in front of him. "Sounds like someone needs to go visit Neal and remind him of his mission in Bull Creek," he said as he tossed the towel he used on the bar and reached for a beer from the basin of ice under the bar, popping the top, and sliding it down the wood top to Parker. "We created this haven. We can't ignore its struggles."

"Has anyone said why they think he's suddenly trying to make Bull Creek a shifters only club?" Drey asked. "I mean, something must have caused this switch all of a sudden." He washed another glass and added it to the rows already lined up on the bar.

Agatha shook her head. She wished she knew why Neal did a flip-flop and was no longer the man they sent to Bull Creek. They had hoped by choosing a fox, instead of one of the more threatening of the predators, everyone would get along, and things would remain peaceful. Apparently, the Council had figured wrong. "I'm not sure," Agatha admitted, as she lifted her wine and took another sip. Taking a deep breath when she finished, she set the glass back on the bar. "Neal seemed like such a solid man for the job as alpha of the community. I can't imagine what changed."

"You talking about your little pet project in Florida?" Parker asked after taking a swig of his beer. "The problem was you sent a fox to do a wolf's job." He shrugged. "Or a hyena's."

"And you have some insight on the matter?" Jerah asked, turning to face the other man. Agatha knew the others didn't care for Parker. Truth was, she didn't care for the man, either. The hyenas, much like the jackals and the coyotes, always seemed to cause trouble and unrest wherever they went, scavengers and bullies.

Parker slid off the stool, his beer in one hand as he tapped the bar with his other. He leaned over the bar, taking in the others, but not taking another seat. "What usually happens to weak men? A woman." Then Parker laughed as he shook his head. "With all the women down there, your little fox fell for a coyote, and coyotes hate humans." He shrugged. "I'm pretty sure she's jerking more than just his chain, if you know what I mean?" He tapped the bar again and walked toward the back of Shades where a couple of others sat around a table sipping beer and laughing.

Agatha watched the man walk away, her brows furrowed in thought. Was it really that…that stupid? She turned back to the others. "Is he really suggesting Neal is ruining our mission in Bull Creek for the whims of a woman?"

"Didn't the Greeks go to war because of Helena?" Jed asked with a shrug. "Men have done far stupider things for the prospects of a good time from the fairer sex."

Jerah downed his beer, sliding the bottle to Drey when he finished and taking a deep breath. "Coyotes. That means Bane Kastner is down there. That's a problem that won't go away overnight."

"Or without a fight," Jed added, brushing his shaggy ash-gray hair out of his eyes. "The people down there are already broken to some degree. They went to Bull Creek for sanctuary and to hide from the ills of the world. They didn't sign up to be harassed or threatened. We may need to go down there, whether we want to or not."

"Or, at the very least, to send them a new alpha who will stand up to Bane and his pack," Agatha said, turning back around to the others. "But who do we send? I thought we had a good candidate in Neal. Who else is there?"

Drey turned off the water and leaned on the bar with both hands, bouncing his gaze around the others. "What exactly would be the alpha's duties?"

"No," his father said as he finished drying another glass, his expression firm as he shook his head. "You've got your hands full with Caitlin, Gavin, and the three kids. You're not taking my grandkids to Florida. Your mother would kill us both."

Drey held up his hands in a gesture of surrender as he stood there laughing. "I wouldn't think of it," he said. "Caitlin's parents would kill me, as well. Besides, Florida is too damn hot." He slid his hands to his hips. "However, I know someone who's looking for a change, wanting to get out of Draven Falls. He's a pretty solid character with a strong belief system as well as a firm grip on what's right or wrong."

Agatha looked at the young panther shifter. Young, she thought with a slight laugh. He was married, in a triad actually, with three kids, and was next to run the panthers after his father and here she was calling Drey young. Man, I've gotten old. "What makes you think this friend of yours would be a good candidate for alpha of Bull Creek?"

"We all know how Daniel Everest forced his eldest son, Fitz, into an arranged marriage. As I hear it, Daniel intends to do the same with Dimitri and Lainie. Dimitri flat out told his father in no uncertain terms that it wasn't going to happen. Dimitri plans to leave Draven Falls, and Lainie will more than likely go with him. Since he's already planning to leave, and you need someone to go there to be the alpha of Bull Creek, it just might be the solution you both need. Plus, if Lainie goes with him, you're really getting a team and not just one person." Drey shrugged. "If Dimitri Everest can stand up to his father, I don't doubt he can stand up to this Bane character. Trust me, he's your man."

Jed nodded. "Dimitri's a good candidate. I've watched him grow up. He'd be great for the job."

Agatha hoped so. Bull Creek was a time bomb that needed diffusing quickly. "Let's talk to him then."