The Small Whisperer

POV: JACKSON

"Alpha, there's a rogue attack at the borders," my Delta, Sam, communicated through our mind link.

"Gather some warriors and head out; I'm on my way," I replied, stepping out of my office.

These relentless rogues never seem to learn. Each one that has dared to attack my pack has met a grim end-death. I refuse to let another rogue attack threaten my pack, not this time.

Changing into my wolf form, I raced towards the borders. My wolf, JJ, is a massive grey beast. I sprinted swiftly until I reached the frontline. My warriors were already engaged, killing rogues as instructed. There would be no mercy shown today.

The scent of rogue blood permeated the air, and I wrinkled my nose in disgust. Without a moment's hesitation, I sank my teeth into the gut of one who lunged at me, ending its life instantly. I fircely pinned down yet another, viciously biting into its face. The blood splattered onto my fur, igniting a primal rage within me. I seized another rogue by the neck and tore it from its body.

Moments later, the battlefield was silent-every last rogue lay dead. "Strengthen our security patrols. Increase the number of warriors stationed at the border; this marks the fourth rogue attack we've faced this month. I want this to end," I declare, frustration evident in my voice.

"Understood, alpha," the head warrior responded before departing with his team. They are important to our pack's safety, and any lapse in their vigilance could put us in a terrible situation.

"I've contacted the neighboring packs to see if they've been facing similar rogue threats, but they all reported nothing. It appears that our pack is the only one currently under attack," Sam, my delta informed me.

"I can't quite grasp why these attacks keep happening. Are they gearing up for something big? If that's the case, why send them out in small groups when they're bound to face certain death?"

"Instead of wiping them all out, why not capture one and get information? We could use interrogate them until they reveal what's really happening," he suggested.

Honestly, I hadn't considered that approach. The mere presence of rogues ignited a desire in me to send them back to the moon goddess.

"That's a solid plan. Just remind me when the next attack occurs," I replied as I continued on my way.

"Of course, Alpha," Sam acknowledged.

As I walked toward my home, pack members greeted me warmly. My parents passed away eight years ago in a tragic plane crash while returning from an international conference in Mexico.

Just a months after their passing, I was sworn in as the Alpha of the New Moon pack at the age of eighteen. I managed everything pretty well with my mate, Anto, by my side. But I lost her when our son, Tom, was just three during a sudden attack by rogues.

For months, I couldn't muster a smile; I became distant and cold, finding joy only in my son's presence. My hatred for rogues grew deep, and I took them down on sight.

"Daddy!" Tom shouted as he rushed over for a hug. His hair was a mix of colors-blonde on one side and black on the other. The blonde came from me, while the black was inherited from Anto.

"How's my boy?" I asked, wrapping him in a tight embrace.

"I'm good, Daddy! I made a new friend," he replied, subtly signaling he wanted to be set down. I obliged, and he dashed off to introduce me to a boy he had been dragging along. I recognized him immediately.

"Daddy, meet Blakey! He's my new friend!" Tom exclaimed, bouncing with excitement.

"Hey Blake, how are you?" I asked, crouching down to his level.

"I'm good, sir," he replied shyly, looking adorable. I playfully tousled his hair before standing back up.

"Daddy, can Blakey come over for a sleepover on Saturday?" Tom asked, giving me his most irresistible puppy dog eyes. I couldn't help but chuckle.

"We'll need to check with his parents first, Tom," I replied.

"Good afternoon, Alpha," came Evelyn's voice from behind me.

"Good afternoon, Evelyn. Are you finished for the day?" I inquired.

"Not quite. I'm just here to pick him up," she explained, and Blake rushed over, wrapping his arms around her. She is mated to Sam, my delta. Together, they have Blake who is eight years old and also an Omega. After three challenging years of trying for a baby, Evelyn unable to conceive, they chose to adopt Blake two years later.

"Would it be alright if Blake joins us for a sleepover with Tom on Saturday?" I asked.

"Oh, that sounds perfectly fine," she said with a smile.

"Yayyy!" Tom and Blake cheered, their hands clasped together as they bounced with excitement. Evelyn and I shared a laugh.

"Alright then, see you later. Goodbye, Blake," I waved to them as they left.

Once I got home, as usual, I felt a pang of sadness at Anto's absence. The house felt too empty without her. I tried to shake off that feeling; I didn't want to let it show in front of my son.

Tom took out his homework, while I still had some tasks ahead of me. I suggested he complete his assignments in my study. I dove into my work. After two hours, I wrapped up my tasks and noticed Tom had dozed off on the sofa.

In that moment, it was just the two of us, and I felt a deep sense of contentment being with him. And I wanted it to stay that way.

POV: JACKSON

The cool breeze brushed against my skin, causing me to shiver slightly. The morning air was still crisp. The training ground wasn't far from my home, and as I walked past the pack house, I looked at it. It was designed for warriors and provided a place for pack members, especially struggling or unmated wolves, to eat and rest during breakfast and dinner. The cooks were already bustling about, preparing meals.

Upon arriving at the training ground, I felt a sense of approval as I observed the training session in full swing. With the recent surge in rogue attacks, the intensity of our training had ramped up. We weren't a small pack; we numbered in the thousands.

New members often joined us thanks to our unique system. We didn't adhere to traditional werewolf hierarchies; omegas were free to pursue any roles they desired. Everyone had to work hard to earn their place, whether they were Alphas, Betas, or Omegas.

Eli, our head warrior, acknowledged me with a nod, which I returned before he continued directing the warriors. He was exceptional at his role. Normally, I train alongside my Beta, Chris, but he wasn't around today. That thought reminded me.

"Eli," I called, gesturing for him to approach. "Do you know when Chris will be back? Wasn't he supposed to return this morning?"

Chris is not just my Beta; he's my closest friend-no, scratch that, he's my brother. He has been by my side since we were five years old. I still remember when he famously declared he'd rather munch on sand than call me Alpha Jackson. I was furious at the time, but our playful bickering became the foundation of our lifelong friendship.

"Yes, he was supposed to return this morning, but he called to say he ran into some issues. He mentioned that everything is sorted out now, and he should be back by noon," Eli replied.

"Why didn't he inform me? That fool! Well, it's no big deal," I said. Eli nodded and returned to his training. I took the time to evaluate the techniques, weapons, and combat skills of some of the younger warriors. Three hours later, the morning training session wrapped up, and everyone headed to the pack house for breakfast while I made my way home.

POV: SAINT

"Isn't it a pity?" A voice drifted from behind me as I made my way home. The meeting regarding my mother and me had just wrapped up, and we were finally leaving.

"What do you mean?" I glanced back at the man.

"Nobody's had the chance to enjoy that delightful, curvy figure of yours." He grinned, a playful glint in his eye. He appeared to be in his late 40s.

Fury surged within me, and I clenched my fists tightly. Without another word, I dashed toward my house.

"I cant stand this stupid pack! Why can't they just let us go and find our happiness?" I muttered while hastily packing my bag.

"The situation has been settled, Saint. Let's just gather our things quickly before they come up with another issue," my mother said, carrying out some bags.

I let out a heavy sigh. This despicable pack. I had always dreamed of becoming a warrior, ready to defend my mother and my future family, but this pack only confines omegas to roles like cooks, cleaners, and daycare providers. I had raised my voice about omega rights, but it fell on deaf ears.

Some Alphas even claimed my lack of conformity to omega expectations was why I hadn't found a mate yet, despite being twenty-two. That was simply untrue. I would find my mate when the goddess deemed it right, not because of their nonsensical justifications.

That's why I eagerly anticipated the annual volunteer mission with the New Moon pack. I had heard wonderful things about their system, and I was truly excited. However, my stubborn alpha was making a scene about letting me go, insisting that I was valuable to the pack. That was just another lie. I refused to accept the pack's mistreatment of Omegas, which left me struggling to find work. It was a terrible situation.

Fortunately, the Beta of the New Moon pack, I believe his name is Chris, advocated fiercely on my behalf, emphasizing that it was my choice to leave. The Alpha eventually relented.

The New Moon pack was vast and stunning-definitely larger than my previous pack. We passed an array of impressive buildings and landmarks, making a mental note of ones I wanted to explore. It wasn't just my mom and I the Beta brought; we were a group of twenty in total, including several from other packs.

"Make yourself comfortable here," the Beta said, pulling me from my thoughts. He gestured to a man nearby."He will guide you to your rooms. Get settled, and we'll gather on Monday for your introduction and initiation into the pack." With that, he left.

"Come with me," the man instructed as he stepped inside. I couldn't help but wonder why he seemed so grumpy. He handed us the keys to our rooms and laid out some basic rules.

My mom and I got ourselves settled in a two-bedroom apartment, with the living room and kitchen a bit distant from our bedroom. Overall, it was satisfactory, and I felt a wave of relief at leaving my old pack behind.

I sincerely hoped to find my mate here. I had always yearned for someone to love and cherish me. Witnessing the deep affection between my parents growing up made me long for that kind of connection.

A mate was what I truly desired and I hoped to find my mate in this pack.

POV: JACKSON

As I returned home from training, I noticed some unusual sounds coming from inside the house. It was already 10:15 AM, and typically, Aunt Cee and Beth would have finished their tasks by now and left. They had their own key, so they always locked the door behind them.

I stepped inside, trying to catch a familiar scent but couldn't detect anything. When I entered the kitchen, I found my older sister, Samantha, busy stocking the fridge.

"Oh, it's just you," I remarked, grabbing a handful of grapes and popping them into my mouth.

"What do you mean, just me?" she replied, feigning offense. "Aren't you excited to see your big sister, hmm?"

"It's not that," I explained. "I didn't catch your scent, and I usually walk into a quiet house after training."

"Aww, was my little baby brother scared?" she teased, a playful glint in her eyes.

I rolled my eyes. "I'm not scared of anyone."

"Alright, Mr. Big Bad Alpha," she chuckled. "I just came to replenish the supplies I got for you."

Samantha had stayed in behind in mexico when my parents died in the plane crash. She struggled to return for a year due to her fear of flying.

"Are you doing okay?" I often check in with Samantha, wanting her to know that I'm here for her.

"I'm fine, Jackson. You ask me this all the time. I promise, I'll let you know if something's bothering me," she replied, as she always did.

"Okay then. I'll just hop in the shower and get ready for work," I said, heading toward the stairs.

"I'm off now. I just stopped by to drop off what I picked up for you. Please say hi to my favorite nephew for me," she said, giving me a brief hug before leaving.

A familiar presence stormed into my office, and without even glancing up from the paperwork, I recognized it was Chris. He's the only one bold enough to do that.

"Back from your delightful vacation I asked, signing off on various financial decisions.

"Delightful? I'm very tired. Hopping from one gathering to another is exhausting," he replied, stretching his arms.

"Why not head home and catch some rest? There's no work until Monday."

"Yeah, but Lily would have my head. It's karaoke weekend, and you know how much she loves belting out tunes in her room," he lamented, resting his forehead on the table.

"Well, Tom has made a new buddy, Blake. You know Sam's son, right?" I said, and when he nodded, I continued, "They're supposed to have a sleepover at my place on Saturday, but I could start it earlier, from today until Sunday evening. Lily would have a blast with them."

"That sounds awesome! It'll just be Lynn and me at home," he replied with a broad grin. "Perfect."

"Speaking of which, what kept you up at the last pack?"

"Silver moon pack. The Alpha just didn't want an omega and his mom to leave. What's his name again? Saint," Chris replied.

At that, JJ's ears perked up. What's with that reaction? I asked my wolf.

"I can't say for sure; that name just excites me."

"What do you mean it excites you? It's just a name," I said, puzzled.

"You're asking too many questions. I already told you, I don't really know," he shut me out.

JJ had lost a part of himself when we lost our mate. He used to be bright and lively when Anto was still around. This was the first hint of excitement I'd seen in him since her death. All his frustration was directed at rogues, which is why I find myself losing my patience when dealing with them.

"Is something bothering you? You've been quiet for a while," Chris said, pulling me back to the present.

"No, I'm alright. Just lost in thought. You should really get some rest, Chris. Please let Lynn know I'll be picking up Lily from school and taking her to my place. I'll arrange for someone to bring her belongings," I informed Chris.

"Thanks, man," he replied, standing up. "Enjoy your time with those little rascals," he said as he headed out. By 2 PM, I set out to collect the kids, who were buzzing with excitement for the sleepover.

The doorbell rang, and I went to see who it was. Standing there were Evelyn and Blake.

"If you need any assistance, don't hesitate to reach out. I know they can be quite a handful," she said, giving me Blake's things. I only nodded.

I brought Blake inside, and the moment Tom spotted him, he dashed over and enveloped him in a hug. "Blakey, you're here! Come on, let me introduce you to Lily, my other friend," Tom exclaimed, taking Blake's hand and encouraging him to follow. Blake happily obliged.

"Lily, Lily, this is Blakey, my new friend Tom announced.

Lily looked at Blake with curiosity, inspecting him with keen interest before leaning closer to Tom and whispering, "He's really cute," followed by a giggle. It wasn't much of a whisper, as I clearly heard her, and I had a feeling Blake did too.

Tom frowned slightly. "Yeah, but he's my friend. I want you to be friends with him only," he insisted, and I couldn't help but chuckle.

"Alright, nice to meet you, Blake," Lily said, extending her hand with a bright, beaming smile that showcased her shiny teeth.

Blake shook her hand, responding shyly, "Nice to meet you too, Lily."

"Come on, let's show you our toys!" Lily exclaimed, taking Blake's hand, while he grabbed Tom's, and together they hurried off to their playroom.

I let out a sigh, knowing this weekend was bound to be filled with noise and excitement.