Afflicted

by Novak, Ava

  “I said to pick now,” Zane demanded.

  “If you aren’t going to then you lead this pack like you say you are. You either be our alpha or get the hell out of our town,” someone shouted from the left side of the bar.

  “Let the man think it over,” Rick called out from behind the bar.

  Kaden started to feel like Rick knew the intentions of the pack and failed to speak about it. He had a decision to make. It was either stay indefinitely or leave for good. If he left that meant ending his crusade to better the pack and fix what was broken by Morgan. There was nothing holding him to this place but deep down he wanted the role of pack leader. How many times had he gone to sleep as a kid promising he’d be a better man then his father? To become the leader this pack so desperately needed. It was a dream like any other dream that faded away but not completely.

  I should just leave this fucking place. Pack up and go back to Alaska.

  “I have my way of how I want to do things,” Kaden began. “I think you should let me do that.”

  “Well since that son of bitch Morgan ended up six feet under we’ve turned into a more vocal pack,” a female in the front said. Laughter erupted around Kaden.

  “I can see that and I wouldn’t try to change that. At least it means nobody will be turning a blind eye to anything that’s wrong anymore. Say what you about that man. I hated him more than anybody in this room,” Kaden said as he stuffed his other hand in the front of his jean pocket. “Hell, I don’t blame any of you for the way you feel but I hold the damn title of alpha.”

  Kaden laughed. That’s right I hold the fucking title. It’s my birthright.

  “We are doing this the way I want to. It’s not debatable.”

  “You’d be wasting your time,” Zane scoffed.

  “I don’t care. I’m doing it my way and that’s final. If anyone wants to challenge me then meet me outside. We can settle it that way if you want,” Kaden said as he turned around and headed back out the door. Everyone quickly moved out of his way.

  He missed the smile playing on Rick’s lips. The man was proud of Kaden for not blowing a gasket. Everyone had expectations of Kaden to be an exact replica of Morgan. They’d prepared for the worst and had met in secret weeks ago planning on how to deal with his return to the pack and as their new leader. Only three people and that included Rick were betting on Kaden being able to prove people wrong.

  Kaden walked to a spacious area away from the parking lot. The last thing he was in the mood for was a fight. He’d tossed the challenge at anyone who was brave enough, who wanted his position, and had the fucking balls to take him on. Arms folded, Kaden stood there waiting for his challenger or challengers. The clock was ticking but he didn’t have to wait long as someone came forward.

  Chapter Six

  Kaden dabbed at the cut on his bottom lip that was almost completely healed. It was the only injury he suffered. The same couldn’t be said for the seven who’d accepted his challenge. Kaden closed his eyes as he recalled shifting into his wolf form. It had been a long time since he made the change. Since leaving the pack all those years ago he’d only shifted a handful of times. And damn it felt good to be the animal again. Everything shifted into high gear, his senses elevated beyond what was normal while in a human state, and he effortlessly defeated the two who tested his authority. No one would question him for the time being.

  “Now would be a great time to start speaking about your plans to change this pack? What’s your game plan, boy?”

  Kaden took the beer Rick held out to him. He sighed as he used his teeth to get the cap off the beer bottle.

  “Well for starters I would like for the original rules to be followed for once. Morgan never followed a damned single one. He broke them at every turn.”

  “Hmm, yeah rules would be good but the rules need a bit of updating. The rules that were laid out in this pack are ancient.”

  “I’ll work it all out.”

  “Yeah and you need to do it with a team of fellas who are on the same page as you.”

  “I think I can handle this Rick.”

  “See if you want to do this you are going to have to do this the right way. Morgan didn’t do things the way they were supposed to be done. There was at one point in time a chain of command but that went to shit long before your father stepped up to the plate to rule as alpha. Damn it boy you are lacking in your history.”

  “I guess that’s what you are here for old man,” Kaden said with a smirk on his lips.

  “For Pete’s sake please tell me that you know the alpha is the highest ranking member of a shape-shifter's pack and its leader,” Rick said as he shook his head from side to side.

  “Duh I know that.”

  “Good at least there is something that you know. Jeez!”

  “Come one man don’t start busting my balls right now.”

  “Look to make this process easy for you when you decide to walk away from this pack for good you need to get a beta, find a delta, and then an omega.”

  “Why?”

  “Having a beta will make it easier when you leave. A beta is someone who is like second-in-command or a deputy, manages things for the alpha from time to time, and a person that can step into the role of alpha. Something you need in your case. There is no order around here and never will be if you don’t do this the way it needs to be done.”

  “I was just going to find someone and allow them to take over when I leave.”

  “Yeah well for now they will be your beta. And the delta well they are just someone who is training to become the beta, kind of like a backup person. Now the omega, you really don’t have a need for them, they are just someone who does chores kind of like a secretary, but important nonetheless. Get you a team together and you’ll fix this pack in no time.”

  “Seems like a good idea,” Kaden said, rubbing his chin, he thought deeply about it, and so far it sounded like it would make things easier.

  “And I just so happen to have a few guys you might want to check out.”

  “Why am I not surprised?”

  Rick said a few names of some men he thought would be great as a beta, delta, and the omega. Kaden remembered a couple of the guys. He hadn’t seen them in long time and he didn’t know how they would respond to the idea of stepping into those roles and joining him in his quest to rebuild the pack.

  Growing up within the pack Kaden mostly alienated himself. It wasn’t until he became a teenager when Morgan forced him into being what he considered was the right way to be a man. Kaden couldn’t forget the late night betting on fights that happened behind a barn on a deserted farm, the women; he would never forget the women Morgan paid to have sex with Kaden. It pissed Kaden off that his father forced it on him to prove his manhood by having sex with those females. He was grateful they were just females that weren’t in the pack and were just wanderers.

  Wanderers were shifters without a pack, either from leaving or getting kicked out. People, who he didn’t have to see again the next day because they never stayed in one place too long before moving on to camp somewhere else, and the woman wanderers didn’t care that he was just fifteen. Morgan tossed them enough cash not to give much of a damn. Hell they needed the money. Now it wasn’t like Kaden didn’t enjoy some of it because he did. Kaden just didn’t like the part where he had to do it. It was Morgan’s way or you were on his shit list. It was all a part of proving he was a man to Morgan.

  “Hey, you want another beer,” Rick asked as he got up from the table.

  “What?”

  Kaden broke away from his thoughts for a minute to listen to what was Rick asking.

  “I said do you want another beer?”

  “Nope I am still working on this one.”

  “And you call me old,” Rick mumbled as he headed over to the bar to retrieve another beer for himself. “So what you thinking about those fellas I recommend to you.”

  “I think I will check them out, ask them if they might be interested, and
go from there.”

  “FYI, they want to clean this pack up just as much as you do.”

  “I kind of figured that by the way you bragged about each one of them and what they can bring to the table.”

  “Glad to help. You boys should be able to get the job done without any hiccups. I take that back with minimal hiccups.”

  Kaden glanced down at the watch on his wrist and almost spit out the alcohol he’d just now sipped out of the beer bottle.

  Shit! Victoria and that damned fucking door.

  “Hey, Rick I got to go just text me their address when you get the chance.”

  “Where are you running off to?”

  Kaden shrugged his shoulders and smacked a bill down on the table even though Rick always offered him free drinks.

  “I have something I got to do.”

  “Would it involve that mate of yours?”

  “No,” Kaden responded quickly. “I just got something I got to go do and its doesn’t involve a mate”

  Rick chuckled.

  Kaden rolled his eyes and got up from the table. He stretched and flexed his muscles.

  “See you later old man,” Kaden tossed at Rick over his shoulder as he headed for the exit.

  “Yeah, and make sure you don’t piss anyone off. I thought this place was doing to be ripped to shreds today.”

  “This dump is still standing,” Kaden said with a grin on his face. “It wouldn’t hurt to give it a face lift. It’s been long overdue for a makeover.”

  “Over my dead body,” Rick shouted.

  “See you later old man.”

  “Hey boy, remember an alpha’s word is law.”

  “I got it.”

  Kaden laughed as he headed for his truck. The parking lot had emptied out minutes after Kaden defeated his opponents. Everyone who’d showed up left disappointed. Everything from here on out was by Kaden’s command, his word, his actions were the law, and Zane made sure to voice his displeasure. He was just as upset more than anyone else; demanding that someone else step up to the plate to take Kaden on, but no one did. Zane quickly zipped his trap when Kaden told him to come forward since he had so much to say. Zane was the first to leave in his vehicle. It didn’t matter anymore what anyone had to say. Kaden showed he had the power to lead this pack physically. The last thing he wanted them to do was fear him. He wanted to make sure that no one thought of him as the man his father was.

  Big ass baby steps man.

  Now Kaden just had to finish everything he’d come here to do before the summer was over.

  ***

  To say she was mad was kind of a understatement, Victoria was livid, and out of fear of not having a door up by the time it got dark, she called up someone to put it back up. Luckily there was someone who was available to come and install the door. Within two and a half hours after the local repair guy arrived at her cabin the brand new door was installed as it started to darken outside. It didn’t help any that she had to dish out three hundred dollars for the installation.

  As soon as the repair guy was driving away Kaden was pulling up in his truck. Victoria was busy trying to find something to watch to take her mind off of the money she just had to fork over. She didn’t want any bit of her energy wasted over something that was already fixed. Victoria was sitting down at the small kitchen table scrolling through shows currently available on Netflix.

  Orange Is the New Black, I suppose I will take a chance on it, see what the big deal is.

  Victoria’s lip tightened at the knocking on the front door. She hurried over to answer it hoping it was Kaden so she could say call all the colorful things she’d called him earlier in her head.

  “Who is it?”

  “It’s me Kaden.”

  She quickly unlocked the door and yanked it open.

  “You are a complete utter jacka-” She stopped and was staring at the rose he held out to her.

  So he found the time to stop and pick up a damned rose when my door needed to be up.

  “Sorry for being late. I didn’t mean too. I had every intention of putting this damned door up myself.”

  “Yeah well you can keep that rose and fork over the three hundred bucks I just dished out to the guy who did put it up.”

  “Alright I can do that.”

  “Good leave it in the mailbox. Bye then,” Victoria said as she went to close the door.

  Kaden held his hand out and stopped her from closing the door.

  “What,” she said in an agitated tone.

  I have every right to be pissed. Don’t look into his eyes damn it. Argh does he have to look so damned remorseful and he got me a freaking rose.

  “I am really sorry. I got wrapped up in some heavy shit. I didn’t mean to take so long.”

  “Whatever. I don’t care. Goodnight.”

  “Let me make it up to you.”

  “Oh, let you make it up to me,” Victoria mocked. “I got a feeling you don’t give a damned about making up for anything. Seriously, you are a man who kisses women without their consent, leaves them without a fucking door, when they have anonymous people scaring the leaving shit out of them. I don’t care if you were Gerard fucking Butler but it’s not happening José.”

  “Who,” Kaden said with a frown on his face.

  “Argh, just forget it. Look the door is up and thanks for purchasing it. I shouldn’t even be mad the thing is up and I’m not going to be staying here anymore in the first place.”

  “Yeah, I forgot you said that.”

  “Well goodnight.”

  “What time should I be here tomorrow?”

  “Why are you coming over here?”

  “To give you the money you want me to pay you back. I seriously didn’t mean for you to pay someone to get it back up and I accept all the blame. I shouldn’t have left without finishing.”

  “Okay, whatever goodnight.”

  This time Kaden didn’t stop her as she shut the door. Victoria locked the door. She blew out a frustrated breath as she walked over back to the table. Victoria dropped down on a chair. She ran a head through her hair and avoided thinking about the man she’d basically just slammed the door in his face. It wasn’t like she meant to shut it so hard.

  Hell what does it matter? He took down my door, then ditched, and I had to dish out money.

  Victoria tapped her space bar on her laptop to bring it back to life. She clicked play on the website for the Netflix series she’d been trying to decide whether or not watch before Kaden showed up.

  He did say he was sorry. I wonder what was so damned important that he ran off like that.

  She finished one episode without even really watching it. Kaden was the only thing she was able to concentration on and the guilt she felt for the way she responded to him. The blaring funky melody that she’d assigned to her sister Vivienne’s phone number started blaring as Victoria got ready to replay the episode she’d barely paid much attention to.

  “Hello,” Victoria answered.

  “I just got your voice message. Are you really coming back home?”

  “Yes. I am. I will be putting in my two week notice on Monday.”

  “Why bother? Come home tomorrow. You know you didn’t have to move to a small backwoods town to get away from that creep and that fake friend of yours.”

  Victoria winced. Her sister couldn’t help but bring up Victoria’s ex and supposed best friend. Vivienne had never liked Mark and gloated when she found out about the affair between him and Hannah. Vivienne made sure to rub it in that he was no good and she’d known it all along. She didn’t like Mark from day one. Victoria brushed it off because Vivienne felt that way about every man. Yet her sister was right about him.

  “Vivienne, please don’t even go there. Every time we talk on the phone you have to say something about it. For the one hundredth time can you stop doing it,” Victoria half yelled.

  “Well it’s the truth.”

  “And so what I did. I moved clear across the country and you know I nee
ded space and I got it. My head is clear and I’m coming home.”

  “Good it’ll be nice to have you back.”

  Neither one of them said anything. With a sigh Viviane broke the silence.

  “I miss the mall.”

  “I’m not surprised. You are the one that decided it would be awesome to live somewhere that was lacking in civilization.”

  “It hasn’t been so bad. It’s been peaceful.”

  “What’s the plan?”

  “What?”

  “What is your plan? You know work, living situation, you know all the important stuff.”

  “I know. I am working that all out. My condo is still being rented out. The guy has a two year lease with me but I’m sure I won’t have a problem finding a place. As far as a job I am going to do job applications when I get there but I am going to search and joint down some places that are hiring.”

  “You can always come and stay with me and Skylar.”

  “How is the little guy?”

  “Jesus, his teacher is getting on my last nerve. He has been having more tantrums at school lately but he has been making improvements at speech therapy. He has been inventing these futuristic spaceships out of Legos. Some days he surprises me when he starts an actual conversation. And other days I can’t believe I have a kid with autism”

  “It’s going to be good to see him again. Tell him his aunt will be visiting him real soon with some more Legos.”

  “Yes bring all the Legos you can to this kiddo. It’s all about the Legos and that includes Lego movie.”

  “Soon it’s going to me, the little guy, a giant bowl filled with popcorn possibly two bowls, and the Lego movie.”

  “Oh you don’t know what you are asking for Vic. You are going to be stuck until the middle of the night watching it over and over. I know it by heart.”

  “Hey the kid knows awesomeness when he sees it.”

  Victoria and Viviane laughed.

  Chapter Seven

  Three days later Kaden had his beta, a delta, and an omega. Tristan Oates, David Hayes, and Adam Hayes were more than happy to help Kaden. Now that made two things Kaden had checked off his list. He felt good that he’d managed to also win the auction that had been over the weekend. Kaden was lucky he even got his hands on the properties. The area was good for hunting and a lot of hunters showed up from out of town for it. Kaden thought he was going to lose until he bid high enough that had everyone else backing off. Some of the pack members were happy and he was the hero for the day but others were still wary of Kaden. He was expecting it and it came as no surprise. He wasn’t the least bit concerned about individuals extending nothing but guarded feelings towards him. Kaden guessed it was going to remain that way for a while. He didn’t mind it as long as no one did anything to jeopardize what he had set out to do.