Outliers

To survive, do what seasons do - change.

- Sarah Singhal

Things had been quiet between us all the next morning. Even Beta Adriel had quietened, exhaustion from travelling weighing heavy. Alpha Harris had remained silent for most of the trip as well, and thankfully he had said nothing on last night. That wasn’t a conversation I wanted to have with him, with anyone.

It took five hours more of driving until we finally arrived in Colorado pack territory, and an hour after that, until we arrived at the main house deep in the forest, away from human civilisation. By the time we arrived, it was already the afternoon.

The main house was a large wooden construction, much like the other seven pack houses, though by far the smallest I had seen. In the shadow of a canopy of trees, green moss bled across the sloped tiled roof and low-hanging branches kissed the wooden walls. By its height, it seemed like the house was only two stories, unlike the three-story cabin back in Idaho.

“The new trainees have arrived,” Beta Adriel murmured, eyeing the small group as he addressed Alpha Harris. I sat up from my awkward position, slumped against the passenger window with a wince, a knot in my neck the size of a fist. I ignored the pain and the fleeting scowl Alpha Harris threw my way as my tired eyes greedily took in every inch of the land that was visible to me.

At roughly one-hundred feet from the main house stood a collection of smaller wooden cabins, similar to the one’s families’ lived in back home, and the one I had shared with my parents. Another one-hundred feet from the cabins, in a near perfect triangle, was what I assumed were the training grounds. There, gathered a large group, some in their human form some in their wolf form; and separated from them was a much smaller group of ten looking too stiff to be comfortable, no doubt the new trainees.

“You’re late!” A female’s voice called out from the primary group towards us. I saw some wolves she was with flinch at her tone. She was someone of importance then, if she could command such a response from other wolves. Especially if she dared to speak to an Alpha and Beta in such a way.

Alpha Harris was already out of the car and stalking over to said women. Beta Adriel nudged me over towards the small group stood separate from the others, the new trainees, before he left me to follow his Alpha, to where the female was impatiently waiting with her arms crossed.

Despite her short size, the short blunt cut of her thick black hair and vicious curve of her grin was intimidating, I suppose. From where I stood, I noticed there were tattoos spread across her toned arms, on show by her loose white training vest.

Beside her, turned away as he faced the rest of the people on the training grounds, stood a frighteningly muscled male with rich brown skin and a head of short, black hair. I couldn’t see his face, but it was clear from the way the others focussed on him he was someone else who held a position in the pack.

Apart from the basics, I knew very little about the workings of the Colorado pack. There were no mated pairs here, no children. While they had an Alpha and Beta, did they divide power between hunting, training and patrols like the other packs?

“Hey,” a voice from beside me caught my attention, dragging me from my musings.

“Uh, hi,” I uttered, surprised by the boy suddenly stepping up in front of me, blocking my view. His gaze held no apprehension and his composure was that of confidence unlike the others stood by us whom practically pulsed with nerves. He was shorter than me, by a couple of inches or maybe more, his curled brown hair sticking up in disarray, matched by his thick messy eyebrows.

“Wow, you’re young. You’re a child,” I blurted out. He didn’t look like he was older than sixteen. His bright green eyes stood out against his pale freckled skin and features were soft.

“Wow, you’re a woman.” Even his voice was far from the usual deep timbre of a full-grown male wolf. At my blank stare, he shot me a biting smile. “Sorry, I thought we were pointing out the ridiculous, annoying things people say to patronise us.”

A wry, sheepish smile caught the corner of my mouth and I felt a flush creep cross my cheeks. Luckily, he was also smiling, seeming unbothered by my crudeness. He thrust out a hand towards me in greeting.

“I’m Nero, I’m nineteen. I realise I look a lot younger, but it doesn’t mean I can’t hold my own in a fight.”

“Fair enough,” I nodded. His hands, while larger than mine, lacked the callouses that decorated my palms from endless training with Jack. Despite his small size for his age, I imagined with proper training, Nero would be a force to be reckoned with, given his apparent confidence and bold nature. “That was rude of me. I’m sorry. I just meant it surprised me how young wolves came to train here.”

“You seem pretty old to be starting your training,” he commented in return.

Well, he sure was quick with the retorts. I definitely believed he could hold his own against others in at least a verbal capacity. I would not correct him about the basis of my arrival here though, that I wasn’t starting my training but hopefully expanding on it as an official pack member.

“I sense a lovely friendship blossoming between us,” I bit out somewhat sarcastically, cocking my head. I wasn’t sure whether I liked this wolf. But he was definitely someone I wanted to get to know more.

He laughed, deep dimples visible from his wide grin, making his face look even more boyish, if that was possible. He nodded behind me with a jut of his chin, some of his loose curls of hair bouncing with the movement.

“You arrived with the Alpha huh, you someone important?”

“No,” I rebuked, “Just from Idaho, I travelled back with them from the Alpha Meetings.”

“Oh-”

“So,” a loud clap of hands jolted Nero and me out of our conversation. Somehow, without me noticing, the petite, intimidating women had snuck up beside us, openly appraising me.

“You a hunter?” She asked bluntly, no introductions made as she titled her head slightly, her slick hair shifting with the movement, and assessed me from head to toe. No doubt my lack of bulging muscle, despite my impressive height, lead her to believe I was a fast runner, and a quick opponent. If I had a wolf, I probably would have been a hunter.

“No,” I brushed off, not expanding on my answer.

“Pity. A warrior?”

Again, I offered her a short, “No.”

“An omega then?” She was frowning at me, taking a step back as if the tiny extra distance would help her assess me better.

“Yes. I suppose I am.” Omega was the lowest rank for a wolf. I didn’t want to expose myself as a non-shifter so early into the introductions, not until I had gaged how well Colorado would receive my nature. Not all packs were as welcoming about non-shifters as Idaho. I really hoped Colorado proved to be as, if not more, accepting.

“You suppose?” The female shifted on her feet as she crossed her arms, the muscles in her pale thighs exposed by her loose training shorts contracting impressively. She was everything I expected an enforcer to be, trained and sculpted to perfection, acutely aware of her own body with an appearance as fierce as I assumed her training to be.

If she was trying to intimidate me, however, it didn’t work. All I felt was a massive amount of respect for whoever this female was that could command the attention of so many wolves.

“Emily.”

Alpha Harris didn’t have to raise his voice for it to cut across the distance. From over the female’s shoulder, I could see he was staring at me across the field, beckoning me with a nod. There was a wide berth given to him from the other wolves. Most now stood tall and to attention while Alpha Harris towered over them.

The respect and intimidation the Alpha wolf commanded was impressive. To see a wolf as strong as Alpha Harris fight would be an honour. I had dreamed endlessly of the Colorado pack and its Alpha, but I had yet to see the mighty enforcers in action.

“Sorry,” I excused myself, shooting Nero and the female a sheepish smile that felt entirely false, before hurrying over to where Alpha Harris waited for me, seeming impatient.

***

Alpha Harris had taken me to his office in the main house, a small room in the attic. Apparently, the attic was split between Alpha Harris’ bedroom, his office and a large conference room - though I wasn’t sure what they used the conference room for as I knew that none of the other Alpha’s ever visited Colorado.

He and Beta Adriel had walked me through some of the information for staying with their pack over the past hour. I would stay in the main house with other official pack members - though I was under a probationary period for a month, as was standard, until I could become an official pack member. I would have a small bedroom on the second floor that they expected me to keep clean, and I would have to pull my weight in the kitchen where there was a rota for who cooked each night. Unlike Idaho, they didn’t have any wolves officially appointed to cooking. Luckily, I would only have to cook for the official pack and not the trainees, who had a rota amongst themselves per cabin.

I was yet to find out just how many people were in the official pack, but considering the unusually limited amount of housing, I didn’t imagine it was a lot - which made their fierce reputation even more impressive. This was the pack the others feared, the pack who enforced the rules and ensured every wolf kept in line.

There was an abrupt, concise knock on the door, cutting Beta Adriel off from another one of his ramblings, before they entered regardless it of invitation.

“Sorry to interrupt,” the female from before apologised as she ducked her head into the office, seeming unafraid of reprimand. She didn’t bother to look at her Alpha or Beta, instead her gaze fell immediately to me as she addressed me directly. “I’m taking the newbies out for a hunt and then some training exercises with Lorcan to test where everyone’s at skill wise. You joining Emily?”

Before I could respond, Alpha Harris cut in.

“I’ll be assessing Emily myself.”

“Alright,” she drawled, eyeing me in amusement. She was no doubt still curious as to my standing within a pack and presumed me to be just another trainee. I had given little away to her earlier today. Her attention shot back to Alpha Harris. “Are you stopping by tonight?” She asked bluntly, again tilting her head slightly and keeping her expression cool.

It took me a second to endure an awkward silence until my cheeks heated as I realised what she was probably referring to. Especially when I noted Beta Adriel cringing from beside me.

“I’ll talk to you later about it.” Alpha Harris’ response was sharp. I felt like I was intruding on a conversation I shouldn’t have been privy to.

After she had quickly left at the gruff dismissal, I caught Adriel’s wide eyes.

“That’s Sandra Leung, our Head Hunter. It’s... it’s not what it seems...” He urged. I only quirked an eyebrow at him. “Uh, what I mean is, ah-” He looked towards his Alpha, gesturing to him as he fumbled between his words. “Not that I have to defend you of course, you can do that yourself, and well, I’m going to stop talking because you’re both just staring at me in silence and Harris, it looks like you want to kill me.”

“No one needs to be defensive.” I assured, shaking my head vigorously. Alpha Harris’ usual stern expression had somewhat darkened, but I wasn’t sure if I was imagining it. I couldn’t remember the last time I had felt so damn uncomfortable.

Adriel froze, uttering a quiet, “They don’t?” He eyed his silent Alpha.

“You don’t need to be worried about my opinion or formalities. Things weren’t as formal or official in my pack either, not in that way,” I corrected myself quickly, “but you don’t need to worry, it isn’t my business. I mean, I hadn’t expected it, but I admit it makes sense, none of you are mated anymore, no one can expect you all to stay celibate. I won’t pry. Whatever happens here, happens. It wouldn’t be my place to judge, you know?”

Sandra Leung, while entirely terrifying, was certainly an attractive, powerful wolf. It made sense a wolf as strong as Sandra would be involved with an Alpha male in his prime.

There was a beat of silence where Beta Adriel simply stared at me with what I could only imagine was surprise in his expression.

“Wow, uh, right...”

“Sorry,” I cringed. “I didn’t mean to come across as insensitive.” I didn’t know how recently any of the pack members had lost their mates.

“Okay,” Adriel laughed slightly, easing tension in my shoulders that I was unaware of until now. “One; I wasn’t offended and I’m sure Harris wasn’t either. Two; please don’t think we’re some big orgy pack. I have never, and I can safely say I never will, sleep with Harris. Whatever he and Sandra have going on, I am certainly not invited to,” he joked. For once I didn’t find his humour to be annoying. I was damn thankful for it.

“You sound a little bitter there. You fishing for some action?” If Beta Adriel was surprised that I was finally returning one of his jokes, he didn’t let it show.

“Please,” he scoffed, turning his nose up at the sight of Alpha Harris reclined in his chair with his arms crossed and an unimpressed purse on his lips. “I could do way better than Harris. Look at him.”

The problem was that I had looked, and as much as I hated to admit it, the Alpha was attractive.

He had yet to change out of the wrinkled shirt and sports shorts he’d worn to drive in, the thin fabric grey t-shirt seeming too small as it stretched across his broad shoulders. His dark brown hair, long enough to stick up at odd angles from running his hands through it, had yet to be brushed and the dark stubble still dusted his angular jaw. His eyes seemed too dark under the dim light of his office, despite my sharp, inhuman vision; they held an intensity that would leave a young pup quivering.

He looked more rugged than Jack did, sturdier and more reserved compared to Jack’s clean-cut appearance and easy-going nature. Jack was relaxed and jovial, and while I knew he could intimidate wolves and command a room with the strength of his wolf, it always felt like a flicked switch with him - his wolf alternating between my friend and my Alpha. It was a role he was still adjusting to considering he had only filled the Alpha position within the last six years after his father’s death.

The same couldn’t be said for Alpha Harris. He had had decades to settle into his position. I knew he was the third eldest Alpha of the eight of them, though I didn’t know his exact age. He and his title seemed one, his formidable aura filling his very core. There was no question of the level of his power.

“Are you done?” The Alpha challenged dryly, finally speaking up against his Beta’s teasing.

“Never,” Adriel bit back, blowing him a kiss, nonplussed by the threatening glower being directed towards him.

“Get out of my office.”

“Yup,” he agreed shortly with a laugh, impressively shooting to his feet and out of the office within a few seconds.

“I can’t say I’ve ever seen an Alpha Male and his Beta Male ever interact like that before,” I commented, wanting to break the tense atmosphere that had immediately fallen without Adriel to steal the attention. Alpha Harris sighed, his shoulders slumping slightly, with his forearms leaning heavily against his desk.

I leaned back in my chair.

“We’re a small pack. I lacked the luxury of choice.” For a second, I wasn’t sure whether he was trying to crack a joke.

“You’re my best friend, too!” Adriel shouted through the walls.

Alpha Harris’s lips quirked upwards into a small smile, even if he only allowed the emotion to show for a second, before forcing his expression back into that dull, authoritative state of his.

I couldn’t be sure if the man across from me was the true Alpha Harris. It was certainly difficult to gage his persona when I couldn’t be sure if his personality - like his Beta’s - was just an act.

“You have something to say?” He questioned, narrowing his eyes as he noticed my thoughtful stare.

Was it my place to pry? The short answer was no. Had it been Jack asking, well, he needn’t have had to ask, I would have already spoken my mind. But my relationship with Alpha Harris could never be the same as my relationship with Jack. Alpha Harris had already proven that he didn’t take kindly to questioning his authority - something I knew I was going to struggle with.

“Beta Adriel was different for the meetings. Why is that?” I asked instead, choosing to bury my curiosity for Alpha Harris.

“You don’t have to call him Beta every time. It’ll certainly go to his head,” Alpha Harris almost scoffed. “We’re a lot more casual here, in the official pack anyway; We still expect the trainees to call us by our titles.”

“And what about you? What should I call you?”

Alpha Harris paused. “You can call me Harris, like everyone else.”

Harris.

It had taken me years to call Jack by his first name instead of Alpha Athan. Even then, to this day, I had still called him his proper title in front of others. Harris seemed far too informal. I had never experienced a pack that didn’t obey the strict hierarchy before in such a way, where any pack member, and not just the Beta’s and Alpha family, could address the Alpha so informally.

I nodded slightly, despite knowing it was unlikely I would follow his command. It would no doubt annoy him, my defiance, just like it had annoyed Jack. Hopefully, it would be one disobedience he could permit.

“So why does Adriel alter himself so much?”

“Given who we are, what we are, it’s important the packs view us in a certain way. We question their authority, can overrule their commands, so they’ll always look for weakness amongst us - whether they admit to it or not. No Alpha likes to be challenged. Adriel and I make the other packs uncomfortable, and it makes our jobs easier if we feed into that intimidation.”

I didn’t dare ask how much of himself Alpha Harris altered; if he altered anything at all.