I laughed. I’d taught him that word. Mom and Dad hadn’t been happy with me. “Yeah, he’s a fart.”
“Fart, fart, fart,” Kelly said. And then he closed his eyes. “I don’t know if I like little brothers.”
“I do,” I told him. “I like little brothers a lot.”
But he was already asleep.
I kept my eyes
open for as long as I could because Dad was with Mom and Kelly needed me to protect him. I wasn’t an Alpha, but I could pretend.
“I have red eyes,” I whispered in the dark. “And I’m big and strong.”
I didn’t remember falling asleep.
IT WENT LIKE THIS:
“His name is Joe,” my mother said.
“Joseph Bennett,” my father said. “Your little brother.”
“Joe,” Kelly whispered in awe.
I wasn’t happy about it.
Then I saw him.
And I knew him for what he was.
What he would be.
I said, “Alpha.”
My mother was startled.
My father took a step forward. “What was that, Carter?”
“Alpha,” I said again, and my voice was filled with so much wonder, I thought I would float away.
“How do you know?” my father asked.
I shrugged.
Mom and Dad looked at each other for a long time. Then, “Yes,” my father said. “Yes. Joe will be an Alpha. Can I tell you a secret about Alphas?”
Kelly and I turned to him. This was important. I knew what that word meant now. Alphas had many secrets, and when they shared one, it was important.
Dad crouched down before us. He took our hands in his. He said, “An Alpha is a leader. But we cannot lead alone. He will look to you, to both of you, for guidance. He can be nothing without his brothers. You will be his pack, and you’ll make him strong. You matter just as much as he does. There will come a time when weight will be placed upon the color of his eyes, but you mean just as much. You cannot make red without orange. Do you understand?”
We both nodded, though we had no idea what he was talking about.
Joe cried.
We went to him.
Kelly touched his cheek.
I kissed his hand.