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How do you keep it under control?
 I always stay in the forefront of its mind. Never succumbing to the lure of oblivion.
 Oblivion? Why would you want that?
 You have to remember, most werewolves did not choose this path. They were made against
their will. The fact you volunteered for it will give you a greater advantage since you will have less
inner turmoil and a purpose to your existence. Katrina took her hands.  Let us do an exercise.
She nodded. The noise in the shower, far below them in the basement, distracted her. Her
new and improved hearing made it possible for her to hear that Sugar was doing more than just
washing Daedalus s back. She smirked until Katrina squeezed her hands.
 I want you to close your eyes and focus inward. Try to& introduce yourself.
50 The Alpha
Crossing her legs, Spice tried to get comfortable. Meditation wasn t on the list of things she
liked to do. She closed her eyes. How did someone look inward? Roll their eyes back? Her parents
always told her to quiet her mind and stop thinking, but there was no  off button so how did
Something prowled in the darkness.
Her eyes sprung open.  Oh, crap.
 Don t be afraid. Remember it s part of you.
 It s a lot freakin bigger than me. Her heart pitter-pattered at the thought of becoming that
creature. Arnold Schwarzenegger, watch out. She took a deep breath. Nobody made her cringe
without a fight. Did she always win? No, but boy did she try.
Closing her eyes, she tried to remember what she did to get past the guard dogs to escape her
last place of  employment in Vegas. She pulled out a piece of imaginary meat and set it in front
of her. Not a moment later the beast appeared and sniffed at the offering, then swallowed it in one
bite. Covered in pure white fur, it eyed her with her own emerald green eyes.  Cool. It approached
and rubbed against her shoulder. She ran her fingers through its soft fur before it disappeared.
The phone rang.
Her eyes snapped open again. Katrina stood, then walked to the desk and answered it.
 Where? She nodded.  We ll be there soon. Stall them, Tyler. With a grim expression, Katrina
considered her and hung up the phone.  It s time. I know you re not ready. It may still be best if
I challenge Clair first.
Spice took a shaky breath.  No. It ends tonight.
Chapter 11
If Eric ever saved enough money, he d buy this abandoned warehouse and tear it down.
Empty and worn, it symbolized his pack. The Alpha was the soul of his werewolves, but this pack
didn t reflect him. He sighed. They needed him to have a mate. She would be the heart, and then
the real healing could begin.
His people, his pack.
He observed the large group as they gathered inside. Every lifestyle and race was represented
in the mix of the people who mingled in front of him. They owned Chicago after all. Some chose to
attend in their beast form, which he accepted. Not everyone wanted their human form to be known.
After searching throughout the night and day for Clair so that he could confront and deny
her, he d decided to draw her out instead. She wouldn t be able to resist the opportunity to try and
claim him in front of everyone. If he succumbed to her, then they d be mated in the eyes of the
pack for life. His stomach rolled at the idea. It could never happen, not with Spice in his life, but
the pack would remain damaged.
Raising his arm as he stood on a dais constructed for such meetings, the room became silent.
All eyes turned his way. It used to make him nervous to speak publicly. Not anymore, practice
made perfect, and boy did Daedalus make him practice. He recalled his advice each time he needed
to make a speech. A good leader must know how to sway his people to his way of thinking. Words
are power.
 My people, he cried out.  My pack, some concerns have been burning in my mind. The
foremost is the way I keep thinking of us. He rested his hands on his hips as he took a relaxed
stance on the stage.  I don t know if any of you do this, but I keep thinking of this pack as divided.
There s the original Ayumu, the Omegas&  He gestured to his friends standing on the dais with
him, except Katrina who should be arriving soon.  And those who recently joined us in the past
year.
Most in the group nodded their heads.
 This is wrong. We should be united. A family, that s what a pack is. When one of us falls
down, we lift and support them. Do we fall upon them and rip out their throats? Are we Jackals?
A few cries of  no answered him. Good, at least someone listened.
 Of course not, our souls have been mixed with those of wolves. Strong predators who hunt
together. Honesty, honor, and heart describe the wolf. Do they describe our pack?
A low mumble developed among his people. It was about time he made them think.
Pacing the length of the dais, he waited a moment.  No, they don t. Some may say those
aren t the true traits of a wolf, that wolves in their essence are vicious animals.
Someone shouted,  Yeah. He made note of who and would deal with them personally later.
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