“Apologize, pup. Now.”
She didn’t know who’d been more shocked, her or her brothers, because she remembered the wide-eyed look approaching horror on their faces, and Asia’s and Gillian’s, as Badger had corrected her.
And for the first time in her life, she witnessed Badger shushing Peyton when he tried to speak.
“No, lad. She might be yer baby sister, but she’s eleven an’ a Prime Alpha. An’ she cannae be sassin’ back atcha. Not at this age. She’s not a harmless, playful little pup anymore.”
She also remembered the deathly heavy silence that settled over the table, the hot tears rolling from her eyes because she’d exasperated Badger plenty of times growing up, but he’d never taken her up like that before, especially with his Prime.
Ever.
She hadn’t even meant to growl, much less bare her teeth—the reaction had popped out of nowhere, and she couldn’t explain it.
“I-I’m sorry, Pey?—”
“NO!” Badger roared. “Ye apologize to the Pack Alpha, pup. Ye may be a Prime Alpha wolf, but ye will mind yer place! Ye will show yer throat to the Pack Alpha and apologize proper!”
All with those thick, heavy fingers of his digging in. Not quite painfully, but with the threat of it riiiiight there.
Hot tears streamed down her cheeks as she managed to tip her head back—quite the feat with Badger’s grip on her scruff—and said the words. “I’m sorry, sir.”
“Ye tell ’im yer sorry fer disrespectin’ him!” Badger ordered.
“I-I’m sorry I d-disrespected you, sir.”
He’d released her with a final warning shake and stood, pointing at Peyton and Trent. “Office, if ye please, gentlemen.” Then he turned to Dewi and leveled a finger and dire one-eyed glare in warning. “Sit there an’ finish yer dinner. We’ll talk later.”
When the office door swung shut behind them, Gillian and Asia immediately stood and swooped in to surround Dewi, hugging her as she cried. Beck hadn’t been there to witness that humiliation—thank the Goddess—he’d been next door babysitting Trent’s kids, because Trent, Peyton, and Gillian had wanted to discuss pack business and, for once, had included Dewi.
She’d felt like such an adult, and then she’d felt like a shamed baby.
It didn’t help that she’d just started her first period a few days earlier, and it felt like her emotions were all over the fricking place.
“Shh, it’s okay,” Gillian said.
“I d-didn’t m-mean to d-do it!” Dewi sobbed. “I don’t know why I did!”
Asia kissed the top of her head. “You’re okay. Hormones can run crazy. You have to learn to control that urge.”
She’d mostly calmed herself by the time the men returned. Trent returned to his seat, but Badger and Peyton walked over to Dewi and leaned in to hug her.
“Ye cannae do that, fuzzball,” Badger gently said, making her tears return, hot and heavy. “I love ye, but I cannae let ye do that. Ye cannae challenge the Pack Alpha. We know ye didn’t mean it, but this is one of the things ye gotta learn, bein’ a Prime.”
Peyton stepped in to hug her. “I know the last thing any big brother wants to talk to his baby sister about is periods, but Badger’s right, Dewster. Dad pounded into my head growing up that at some point I’d start feeling like I wasn’t in control, and I had to expect it and train to remain in control. It looks like we’re heading into that with you now.”
“I’m sorry, Peyton. I don’t know why I did it.”
“We know.” He cupped her face in his hands, looking down at her. “I’d hoped we’d have a few more years before we start dealing with this. We need to talk about training. Not tonight, but tomorrow. Alphas have to help protect the pack. Prime Alphas doubly so. Dad and Mom both would crawl out of their graves and beat the everlovin’ snot out of me if I didn’t take care of you.”
That finally prompted a tearful laugh from her because it was common banter between them.
She remembered staring up into his eyes, eyes the same color as hers. “I love you, Dewster,” he said. “I’d die for you, but part of that is I’m responsible for your well-being and the well-being of this pack. I’m not trying to plan your future for you, but we’ll have to make some decisions over the next few months. Meanwhile, Badger will set up a rigorous schedule for you outside of school to begin serious training. I’m not talking basic judo throws with your classmates, either. I’m talking combat fighting, weapons, tactical skills, all of it. Enforcer training. Not saying you have to do that for a living, but until you’re mature enough to control yourself, we have to channel that energy in some way. And cooking and sewing lessons won’t cut it. You’ll have strong energy that needs strong control to master it.”
She nodded. Part of her had always envied the Enforcers as she’d crept through the shadows during night gatherings around the fire pit when stories were swapped.
Now that the reality was starting to sink into her brain…
A roaring buzz filled Dewi’s mind and she shook her head, clearing it, to realize she’d reached their back door.
