The Code Of The Alpha

“Luca?”

I stepped into the garage through the open door to see the back of his shoulders and head as he removed the canvas top from his Jeep.

“I’m over here, amore,” he said.

Luca kept his attention on the straps he was pulling off the interior crossbar as I walked over to where he stood.

“I figured we could take the Jeep,” he said.

“It’s supposed to be done raining for a few days so why not take your top off.”

My eyebrows furrowed.

Luca stopped what he was doing and laughed at himself.

“I meant to say why not take the top off” he said, gesturing to the Jeep as he shook his head.

“Mhm.”

I walked over to the car parked beside the Jeep that was still under a dust cover. I couldn’t help but try and deduce what kind of sports car it was by studying the curves and angles that were hugged by the canvas.

“What’s this?” I asked.

Luca put a hand up on the side of the Jeep and propped himself against it.

“Used to be my favorite thing in the world,” he answered.

“Used to be?”

“It’s my second favorite now.”

We made prolonged eye contact as he said this and I couldn’t help but turn away. Luca folded the Jeep’s top and put it on a utility shelf at the other side of the garage. As I hopped into the Jeep, I noticed the

sunglasses that sat in the passenger seat.

“Whose are these?” I asked picking them up, noticing the feminine craft of the glasses.

“My sister’s, probably,” Luca answered, getting into the car.

“She was the last one who drove it.”

I hummed and placed them into the cup holder. Luca was quiet the whole time we pulled out of his driveway and onto the street. He turned in a different direction than that which would have taken us to the gate to leave the pack. Instead, he followed the unmarked road down a hill and beside a lake that I realized was the one behind his house.

We drove for several minutes before he pulled into a gravel parking lot where several other cars were parked along a split-log fence.

The parking lot sat on the edge of the tree line that opened to a clearing. There were a few wooden storage sheds scattered along the tree line. They were settled behind wooden platforms of varying heights and sizes.

One of the platforms, on which stood two fighters, looked like a boxing ring. There were several people standing around them, watching the altercation and coaching the fighters through it.

On another platform were a handful of people who sat on yoga bolsters, appearing to be meditating. I found this odd given the commotion going on around them, which I thought would make it difficult to concentrate on anything.

There was a small gravel path extending off of the parking lot that looked like it would be suitable for runners or mountain bikes, not cars. This circled the clearing and disappeared into the trees on the other side of the parking lot.

As we got out of the car, I noticed a tall climbing wall that had been built up against a handful of trees. Extending from it were ropes that were connected by small wooden handlebars.

“Are those monkey bars?” I asked Luca, pointing in that direction.

He nodded. “They’re part of the initiation course,” he explained.

“When people apply for our pack defense team they have to be within a certain fitness range to qualify for training. If they complete the course, run three miles unshifted and nine miles shifted in under

fifty minutes, we admit them into our training program.”

“Are you training Navy SEALS?” I asked sarcastically.

This earned a laugh from Luca.

“It’s not as hard as you think,” he assured me. “I can do it in thirty.”

I scoffed.

“Yeah, right,” I said in disbelief.

As we walked across the open field, I stopped to watch the fight that was still going on. One of the fighters was a girl, maybe my height but definitely a

slimmer build. I could see the outline of her biceps under the long-sleeved compression shirt she wore.

Her quads, exposed by running shorts, rippled with every step forward and backward that she took.

She could squash me like dog poo under a tennis shoe and not be nearly as inconvenienced. A bell sounded and she backed away from her opponent,

dropping her glove-wrapped hands.

She turned towards me, tossing her blonde braided hair over her shoulder and wiping the sweat from her forehead. We made eye contact briefly and she stopped mid-stride to stare at me.

I smiled, earning a nod of respect from her before she turned to the woman who was training her from the sidelines. It was then that I looked around and noticed Luca had continued walking and was several yards away. I awkwardly jogged to catch up with him.

“Who is that?” I asked, gesturing to the girl.

Luca didn’t even turn around to see who I was referring to before answering: “Fallon Richardson.”

“What’s her time doing the course?” I asked.

“Forty-seven minutes.”

“Damn. So she’s a badass?”

He turned to look at me, a slightly amused smile on his face.

“I can do it faster than that and you don’t think I’m a badass,” he said presumptively.

I ignored him as we walked towards the other side of the clearing which happened to be the edge of the lake. There were a few canoes and kayaks that were flipped over, laying on the stones that lined the shoreline. Beside them sat a large barrel that oars

and paddles were jutting out of, along with a handful of lifejackets that were haphazardly thrown over the canoes and boats.

7

As we got closer, I saw a group of around twelve people jogging on the path towards us.

They were led by a man who looked to be around Luca’s age and was also in extraordinary shape.

I suddenly felt like I was on the Biggest Loser ranch.

Sweat drenched the collar of the gray t-shirt he wore yet, somehow, he looked much more composed than the group of joggers behind him.

He had dark brown hair that was cut short on the sides in a military-style crew cut. Blue eyes sat just under bushy, brown eyebrows. While not quite as tall as Luca, he was broad-shouldered and just as muscular.

As soon as the man saw us, Luca stopped walking and stood patiently, waiting.

“Take five everybody,” the man said.

“Get some water.”

Exasperated sighs of relief could be heard from the group as they scrambled for the bright orange ten-gallon water dispenser that was propped beside the fence, eagerly grabbing at the cups stacked on top of it.

“You must be Caroline,” the man said to me as he approached us.

“I’m Blaine. I’d shake your hand, but I’m a disgusting sweaty mess right now.”

“I appreciate your consideration,” I laughed.

“You can call me Carrie.”

Blaine nodded, before turning to Luca.

Luca nodded in the direction of the men and women behind Blaine-who were now gulping water as if they had been wandering through the wilderness for forty years.

“How far have you gone?” Luca asked.

Blaine checked his watch.

“Twenty-two,” he said.

“We’ve got a little more than four to go.” I grimaced.

Mady and I had tried to train for a marathon before. Neither of us got more than eight miles at a time.

“Give us a minute,” Luca said to me.

I looked between him and Blaine before turning to walk away. My ears strained to hear their conversation as I walked along the path, down towards the water.

“Have you spoken to Lincoln?” I heard Luca ask in a hushed tone.

Blaine must have nodded.

“He said that he connected the VPN to her phone, but someone had been actively tracing it before you had her turn it off.”

Luca inhaled deeply.

“I wouldn’t worry about it.” Blaine said.

“You were almost fifteen miles outside the pack when the signal died. That’s a lot of ground to cover if they were to come looking for her.”

My ears strained to hear what Luca said next.

“Still, I want the security doubled for the next few weeks. Make sure all the clearance checks at the gate are performed thoroughly. I don’t want anyone inside the fence that doesn’t belong here—”

“Hey!”

I froze in my tracks. When looked up to see who had yelled, I saw the blonde fighter approaching me.

“Do I know you?” She asked, coming to stand in front of me, hands crossing over her chest.

“I don’t think so,” I said, trying to figure out if her tone was threatening or if she was just intensely curious.

“I just got here two days ago.”

Her eyes flashed over my shoulder to look at where Luca and Blaine were still talking. I saw her glare dissipate.

“You’re…” her voice trailed off as she looked back at me.

“Carrie,” I said, extending a hand to shake hers.

“I’m Fallon,” she said, uncrossing her arms and shaking my hand.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to come off harsh. I’m just not used to new faces around here, especially girls. There are only a few who are able to pass the defense team test.”

“It’s not a problem,” I assured her.

“So… do you fight?” She asked.

“I saw you watching us.”

I shook my head.

“No, I wish I did,” I laughed.

“I’m not coordinated enough for martial arts.”

Fallon suddenly looked very intrigued.

“It’s not hard to learn,” she said.

“I’d be happy to train you.”

“Really?”

She nodded eagerly.

“Of course. I’m here every morning. You should stop by.”

I shrugged.

It’s not like I have anything better to do and it would be nice to know someone here other than Luca, I thought.

“That sounds great.”

Fallon began to say something else but stopped herself as she looked over my shoulder. I turned to see what she was staring at and noticed that Luca

was watching us.

“Anyway,” she said, “I’ve got to get back to the mat. I’Il see you tomorrow, then?”

I nodded.

“See you then.”

Fallon jogged off of the path, back towards the boxing ring. I continued to walk along the path, now out of earshot of Luca and Blaine’s conversation.

Wondering who had been tracking my phone, I tried to think of anyone I knew that was tech savvy enough to be able to do something like that.

I couldn’t think of anyone.

The path led me around the edge of the clearing and back towards the parking lot, just in time to see a bright red Jeep without a top or doors pull in next to Luca’s.

Bates hopped out and pushed his sunglasses on top of his head, watching me suspiciously.

“Are you lost?” He asked.

My eyebrows furrowed.

“No.”

Lincoln stepped out of Bates’ Jeep on the passenger side. I immediately noticed my phone in his hands.

Bates hummed, grabbing my attention again as he walked around the Jeep to where I stood.

“Odd” he commented.

“Why?”

Bates shrugged.

“I thought you were somewhat normal,” he said.

“I don’t know very many normal people that intentionally end up here at Satan’s Playground.”

“Satan’s Playground?” I repeated.

“That’s what we call it,” he said, gesturing around us

“Interesting.” I noted.

“I’ve yet to hear anyone say that.”

“Just take my word for it,” Bates said.

He looked around us for a moment before turning back to me. “Where is Luca?”

“Talking to Blaine,” I answered, pointing over here the two men still stood talking.

Bates began to walk that way with Lincoln and I following.

“So, you met Beefcake, huh?” Bates asked me.

“Blaine?” I asked laughing.

He nodded.

“The dude hasn’t skipped a shoulder day since second grade and his idea of dessert is a chocolate-flavored protein shake.”

I laughed.

“Glad to know someone else thinks he’s in abnormally great shape,” I commented.

As we walked past the climbing wall, I pointed that way.

“So how long does it take you to complete the course?”

Bates responded by throwing his head back and letting out a bellowing laugh

“Jesus,” he said, still laughing.

“I’m offended you think I’m dumb enough to do that stupid course.”

I turned to Lincoln in an effort to include him in the

conversation.

“Have you ever tried it?”

His eyebrows furrowed between his thick-rimmed glasses as he scowled. I could already tell Lincoln was a man of few spoken words, but he certainly knew how to get his message across.

“Thankfully, the two of us have more cerebral jobs,” Bates said. gesturing between himself and Lincoln.

“What does Blaine do?” I asked.

“He is Luca’s Gamma.”

I raised an eyebrow.

“Gamma?”

“Yeah, third in command,” Bates said, looking at me.

“You’ve never heard of a Gamma?”

I shook my head.

“We don’t have one in my pack.”

“Oh. Well, he basically helps Lincoln run the entire security team They report to him directly. He also acts as Luca’s right-hand man when it comes to more… how should I say it? Aggressive negotiations.”

I wondered if he was referring to the territory Luca’s pack had forcefully acquired in the past few months.

We were quiet as we walked over to where Luca and Blaine were standing, still talking in muffled tones.

“I found your mate,” Bates said, interrupting their

conversation,”…again.”

“She wasn’t lost the second time,” Luca remarked.

“Or the first time,” I added under my breath.

Luca shot me a wink before noticing Lincoln.

“You have her phone?” He asked.

Lincoln reached out and tried to hand it to Luca, but I caught it before Luca could grab it.

“Thank you,” I said to Lincoln, turning the phone over in my hands.

As I turned it on, I noticed all the missed calls and texts. My heart dropped to my feet as a scrolled through all the missed calls and texts from teachers I worked with, my boss, Mady and my mom.

“Shit,” I whispered.

I had forgotten to call my mom when we arrived.

Backing away as I tapped the screen to call her back, Luca grabbed my arm.

“Wait,” he said quickly.

I shot him a sharp glare before he let go of my arm.

“Calls shouldn’t last longer than about a minute and a half,” Lincoln told me.

“It’s my mom,” I defended.

“He’s right,” Luca said.

“Keep it short.”

I turned on my heel, feeling my feet stomp against the gravel path as I walked away from the group of men and down towards the water.

Finding a spot where I knew I was out of Luca’s earshot, I sat down on the bottom of a flipped canoe and held my phone to my ear as it rang.

“Hello?”

“Hey, Mom, it’s me. I’m so sorry I didn’t call you,” I apologized quickly.

“Things got kind of crazy here.”

I heard her sigh.

“Mom?” I asked after a few moments of silence passed.

“I’m still here,” she said.

“I’m happy to hear from you.”

Something about the dull tone of her voice made me think otherwise.

“Everything okay?” I asked, eyebrows furrowing.

“Everything’s fine,” she said quickly.

“Okay, well.

I awkwardly tried to think of something else to say.

“Is Dad around?” I asked.

“He’s busy right now.”

Too busy to speak to the daughter he was ready to die for two nights ago?

“Oh, okay. Well… could you tell him I called?”

“I will”

“Thank you. Love you, Mom. I’ll talk to you soon, okay?”

“Okay.”

With that, the line went dead before I could even say goodbye. I stared at my phone as I pulled it away from my ear. Trying not to think about the weird conversation that I’d just had with my mother, I dialed Mady’s number.

It rang a few times before I was sent to voicemail.

I then made another dreaded call: to the school.

The conversation between myself and the vice principal only lasted a few minutes.

She very politely informed me that I had would be removed from my position both as the assistant elementary librarian and art teacher due to my sudden change of address and inability to carry out the duties of my employment contract.

When I hung up, I dropped my phone on the ground in front of me, wishing Lincoln had never given it back.

I stared at the phone until a pair of black boots came into my peripheral vision.

Looking up, I saw Luca standing close, watching me.

“Can I help you?” I asked him.

He seemed taken back by the attitude before his surprise was hidden by a cold expression.

“Time to go home.” I stood up, grabbing my phone off of the ground.

“I’m five hundred miles from home,” I told him.

I brushed past him, my shoulder knocking his arm as I walked back to the car.