Finn, who was also on periter runs, found Grae brooding at the border of Woodside and the Grimm. Since when did the returned Alpha go on periter runs? Maybe he was a part of the scout team that was keeping an eye on Eliade.
He approached the much larger lycan who he had admired since he could rember, and made himself an echo of Grae's quiet, contemplative stance, staring pensively out into the darker woods beyond.
After a few monts like this, Finn broke the silence, "What are we doing Alpha?"
Grae chuckled. "Finn," he finally acknowledged the young lycan's presence.
"Are you with the scouts?" Finn asked.
"No. I ca to run," he answered. "But it seems like the scouts are close. Is Calix here?"
"Yes, how did you know?" Finn cocked his head to the side. Calix wasn't a scout, so his presence wouldn't be expected.
"I scented him," Grae replied gruffly. "I'm going to speak with him. I'll see you on the run," and Grae turned to leave toward where so of the scouts were huddled in the distance. It seed half of the team was remaining at the border while individuals were scattered in the Grimm with eyes on Eliade's search team.
"See you in a bit, Alpha!" Finn called before turning and shaking off his human form to run the periter in his wolf.
Grae could hear the scouts talking before he saw them. It sounded as if Eliade's search team had spent the night in the Grimm the previous night and was still circling in the area, though making no real advancent.
"How is the Grimm affecting them?" he heard Calix's distinctive voice, the smooth charm of the man who was in charge of pack relations.
"They have grown quieter and so seem to be fearful. Nothing extre," one of the scouts reported.
"Calix," Grae called as he approached.
The slender lycan with shoulder-length wavy golden hair turned with an eyebrow raised. "Grae!" He chuckled. "How did I not scent you?"
"You are busy," Grae replied with a smirk. The two shook hands. "Are we expecting visitors that you have co to greet?"
Calix was responsible for overseeing pretty much all lycan communication—between packs as well as within it. He had a natural way of anticipating and thwarting tension that naturally arose whenever many lycans were in one place.
"No, I was on my way back in from so business with an ally," Calix answered.
"Concerning ?" Grae asked for Calix to chuckle.
"No, brother. No other packs are aware that you have returned," he replied. "It was negotiating trade."
"They will be aware soon, I am sure," Grae grunted.
"Not from our side. The last thing we need is all of the packs knowing that our Alpha has returned with a witch as his mate," he said in amusent.
A threatening growl made its way out of Grae's throat before he could stifle it, and Calix raised his hands in surrender.
"It is not my own thoughts I am relaying, Grae, but only how it may be perceived. And you have not fought for dominance, so what use it is to worry our allies?"
"And who would I be fighting for dominance, Calix?" he asked.
No longer had the sarcastic question left his lips than he realized how curious he actually was for a straight answer. This was an unusual situation. Surely if anyone knew the appropriate way to regain his official standing in the pack, it would be the man before him.
Calix cocked his head to one side and clasped his hands behind him. "A good question. I suppose the Alpha power has been widely dispersed among many in the council with you gone."
Calix thought about it so more. He was always one to take every question literally, if only for the fun in in puzzling over it. "The allies like dealing with Andreas. He has a head for business. But not so much a heart for his own people. The pack has co to fear him. And they fear Marius."
"Why do you only speak of Andreas and not the other elders?" Grae asked thoughtfully.
Calix shrugged. "He is the head elder. He makes the final decisions always."
"The decision to allow the role of consultant when I left was set to a vote amongst all council mbers," Grae recalled.
"That was then," Calix said simply. "He enjoys more power now. Perhaps he is slowly evolving into our Alpha. Or at least fancies himself so."
Grae resisted the impulse to snort in equal parts disgust and amusent. He should not openly disrespect the elder. Plus, why was it so wrong for Andreas to consider himself in that role? Grae had left.
"So what is the status with Eliade's search?" he asked, returning to the more pressing subject. "I was about to run the periter just to have my own nose on the ground."
"It doesn't seem anything will co of this," Calix waved dismissively toward the Grimm. "The scouts and security are on it, though. Everyone will be alerted if things change." Grae nodded. "I have to report back to the council now that I've returned. It really is good to have you back, Grae," he said with a smile before departing.
Grae watched him go before turning to approach the tree where most Woodside patrols started. It was only a little after noon, which ant August had likely finished with the pups and would soon be on her way to Sylvia's. Grae had at least an hour to run.
He let out a long exhale as he rolled his neck and pulled his shirt off. It would feel good to finally run like this again. It had been so long. He missed running in the animal form that allowed him such a quiet peace and tranquility.
There was nothing like letting the forest co to him with its scents and sounds—feeling the cold, firm earth as he t it and lifted away on all fours. It was freedom.
In addition to getting a better sense of the pack land and its border, perhaps this run would help him work out so of the other issues regarding his and August's role here. From what Calix said, it seed Andreas would be the one Grae needed to challenge for Alpha if it was not offered to him freely.
But how could he possibly challenge Andreas? The elder who had been a guardian to him and who had, with the others, taken on the greater responsibility in Grae's absence?
Grae huffed as he ran in his wolf and let the questions beco like the wind, ruffling his fur pleasantly as he sliced through it. They were ant to be here, he and his mate. That was the assurance he needed to feel, like the earth under his paws—always there to et him. That was the path he would trust as he ran the border between two worlds.. The rest would beco known in ti.
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