8 Tradition

SILVER LAKE PACK

In less than a week, it would be two years since Sirius took Celeste to the recruiting station before she went off to bootcamp. Now, he was making plans to go to the Nohoch Mul Pack in the Yucatan peninsula of Mexico. The last time he had been in Mexico, it had been to retrieve his sister’s body.

Aria was three and a half years younger than him, and seven minutes older than her twin, Aries. Around the same time that Aria died, Aries found his mate. Had he not found Kaliegh when he did, Sirius doubted that his brother would have survived the death of his twin.

Shaking his head to dispel the memories, Sirius once again looked at the list of those who were going. Halfway down the first page were the two names he did not want to see, Aurora Moore and Danika Moore, his identical twin sisters — both named for the times they were born: Dawn and the morning star.

Smiling, he thought of the two starring in the community play last night. The dig at their father nearly went straight over his head. He thought of Hodel and Chava in Fiddler on the Roof when the two defiant daughters of Tevye and Golde chose their own husbands. He knew his sisters wanted to pick their own husbands themselves; his sisters wanted a chance to make their own choices.

Suddenly, the tunes from the night before were playing in his mind. Whistling, he checked the list again and prepared to send the final count to Alpha Miguel. The Hunt had a different feel for Sirius now. Although it had made him uncomfortable before, he never realized how bad it was for the “Maidens” in the Hunt.

His Omega, Charles, sent a quick warning through the mind link that Malachi was headed into the office just before the door burst open. Hiding behind his papers and computer screen, he rolled his eyes at the impending drama.

“I came to help you coordinate the travel plans for the Hunt.”

“It’s under control.”

“Is it? You told me that you had everything under control once before. And do you know who was not at the Hunt? The one that we hosted. I’m surprised we’re not still the laughingstock of the world.”

The meme that had circulated around the were-community social media popped into Sirius’ mind. A picture of the Maidens walking through the woods with the caption Camouflage so good the Alpha’s daughter cannot be found. It and several others ran the typical course of any scandal and then died off with the next one. They had popped up a few more times over the past year and each time Malachi burst into his office threatening to take his position back.

The council and Elders would not even tolerate a discussion like that — Partially because Sirius had not done anything to warrant them stepping in. Although the parents had the ultimate say in whether their daughter participated in the Hunt, Celeste could petition for sanctuary. It was not something that many knew, and there was a process to it.

Celeste’s alpha and the host alpha had to agree to offer the protection of sanctuary. Since he was both, it was an easy decision. It would not be as easy with Alpha Miguel. Although he was only a year older than Sirius, he was an extreme conservative and adhered to traditions more than Malachi did.

“I told you, Celeste left with my blessing.” It was an old argument, one that they had had many times. Sirius was certain that they would have it many more times.

“Do not say her name!” Malachi bellowed.

“It’s my office, I’ll say or do whatever I want,” Sirius replied calmly as he made a sweeping motion with his hand encompassing the office and indicating the changes made since Sirius ascended to the position.

The black walls were now a light gray, and the dark built-ins and shelves were now cornflower blue. Navy geometric patterns on the wallpaper in the back of the shelves offered a contrast to the lighter colors. He did keep the giant crest behind the desk. Mainly because the large plaster medallion was part of the wall.

Even the imposing dark wood desk was replaced with a sleek glass and metal one. Most everything was on the computer and his papers were filed away in the drawers in the cabinets behind him. All the papers were scanned into the computer system. Malachi refused to use anything on the computer and his new, and much smaller, office was crowded with filing cabinets.

The black leather couch from his father’s time as Alpha was the only thing removable that remained. His wife, Laura, had added gray and light blue throw pillows and a matching striped blanket to soften the harsh lines.

The long conference table where Malachi had lorded over the officers of the pack had been replaced with a casual seating area. Four wing-back chairs sat at the corners of a square coffee table in front of the fireplace. A small bar sat at the other end of the room and Sirius wondered if there was a beer in the small refrigerator.

“Are you even listening to me?” Malachi demanded.

His son debated his answer. Deciding that honesty was not the best policy in this case, Sirius nodded and motioned for his father to continue. This time he actually paid attention to the rant of his father.

“Do you know how long we have been having the Hunt? It goes back generations. This is our tradition!”

Rolling his lips between his teeth, Sirius fought hard not to laugh. He could just see his dad throwing up his hands and doing the choreographed dance as he declared, “Tradition!” just as Tevye did in the play last night.

“Ya ha deedle deedle, bubba bubba deedle deedle dum.” Sirius sang under his breath.

“What was that?”

“I said that I needed to get these numbers done.” He shifted the papers on the glass top next to the computer.

“You have plenty of time to get that turned in. Do you want to be the one that destroys our oldest tradition?”

Coughing to cover the laugh that almost escaped, Sirius covered his mouth with his fist as he stood up to go to the bar. Grabbing two bottles of water from the minifridge, he offered one to his father on his way back to his desk. As he passed off the bottle, he saw the disapproving look from Malachi as his father scanned at the outfit Sirius wore.

Malachi still wore his dark suits, even though he was no longer the Alpha. The tie he wore today was a bright blue with silver-look thread creating a herringbone pattern. It was one that his youngest daughter, Portia, had given him at the last Yule celebration.

Meanwhile, Sirius wore relaxed faded jeans and a dark burgundy oxford shirt with his collar open and sleeves rolled up to his elbows. After a quick shower following a sparring match with his brothers, he had gone to his office for paperwork and two phone meetings in his flip flops.

He was not like his father; he understood that the world was changing. Traditions needed to be left by the wayside and new ones made. One of which was the damned Hunt.

The cell phone on the glass top rang and both men looked when the screen showed that it was the council offices in Philadelphia. Sirius was waiting on a call from Elder Alpha Marcus letting him know if the Council was going to be opening an investigation into Aria’s death. Grabbing the phone, he dismissed his father. The former Alpha needed to accept that his era had ended.

“You can let Charles know that I'm on the phone.” Pressing the button, he held the phone to his ear. “One moment, Elder.”

Yes, he could just as easily let his Omega know that the expected call had come through. But Sirius took the opportunity to remind his father that he no longer held a position of power. His child did.

With an angry growl, Malachi reminded his insolent son of his rank. “I am-“

“The former Alpha. You have no authority and even less right to be privy to this conversation.”

Looking into the face of the man who used to terrify him as a small boy, Sirius saw an old, defeated man. He was no longer fearsome and intimidating. Hanging his head in defeat, Malachi turned and walked out of the office that was once his.

At the door he paused and looked at his oldest son. “As Abraham said, I am a stranger in a strange land.”

Sirius smiled. His father may not have understood why his daughters had pushed for that play, but he had at least paid attention. “Moses said that.”