Michael P.O.V

The only reason I left Charlie was because both my father and my brother were texting that there was some sort of an emergency. I seriously doubt that there actually is one, but I can't neglect to show up. The Pack Master will probably already be upset with me for staying out all night with a human. He wouldn't understand that I care for this human.

I drive quickly and carefully until I get home. The snow is dangerous to drive in. A good bit of it has melted, but there's still over two feet. In reality, I shouldn't be driving at all. However, I thought Charlie would think I was insane if I left for home without my truck.

"Where have you been?" my father snaps as soon as I get out of my truck.

"I told you. I stayed with a friend while the snowing was at its worst," I lie and say Charlie is a friend to protect him.

The last thing I want is for the rest of the pack to go snooping around Charlie's house. He's seen me as a wolf and trusts me. It would not be wise to trust the others. They could easily rip him to shreds if they saw it fit to do so.

"Who did you stay with? You weren't with anyone from the pack," my father has correct suspicions. I was not with anyone from the pack.

"Just a friend from town," I tell him again, getting irritated.

"Who?" my father obviously wants some form of identification so he can track whoever I've been staying with to make sure that it's no threat to the pack.

"It's that human boy he's always following around," James pipes up, a smirk on his face.

It becomes clear to me that James has been keeping track of what I've been doing just for such a scenario. He may not be as dumb as people make him out to be. Unfortunately, he still wouldn't be a very good leader.

"What human boy?" my father snaps.

I throw a glare back at James and sigh. "He's just a friend from high school, it's no big deal," I assure him.

"No big deal? You are risking exposing our existence to humans! What kind of future Pack Master behavior is that?" my father is furious with me at this point.

He's throwing characteristics for Pack Master in my face when he should be throwing them directly at James. He doesn't have what it takes to be a good Pack Master. I'm not saying that I would be totally perfect, but I wouldn't be as bad as James.

"Don't try to give me your 'Future Pack Master' speech again! If you're going to give it to anyone, give it to James! He's the one who actually needs it!" I growl.

Having a temper when you're a wolf is bad. The angrier you are the easier it is to shift without control. You learn to control your shifting with age, but almost no wolf can completely overpower anger. It's a strong emotion.

James growls at my statement. He knows that I targeted him on purpose. I wanted to call him out for making the situation worse. That's all he does. He lives to stir the pot of life.

"You think you're better than me because you're a few minutes older? Is that it? You think you have what it takes to be Pack Master and I don't?" James is clearly attempting to start another fight.

"Don't try to turn this into something it's not," I snap.

We're both on the verge of shifting without control. Our tempers are growing more and more with every second. If we shift there's going to be a brawl.

"Admit it! Everyone wants you to be Pack Master! Even Dad!" James yells.

I can see the raging emotions in his eyes. He's angry and hurt. Deep down, we all know what he said was true. Most of the pack would see me as the more fitting Pack Master.

"James, calm down," our father puts his hand on James's shoulder, but James shoves him off.

"You won't even deny it! You want Michael to Pack Master!" he screams.

"Calm down, James. That isn't true."

"I'm tired of being lied to! Let's settle this, right here, right now!" James is instigating a losing fight.

If I had to, I could easily take him down. We aren't supposed to fight until next month's full moon. Unfortunately, his anger is forcing him to want the fight sooner.

James suddenly shifts to his wolf form and jumps me. I don't hesitate to shift in order to fight. He manages to get a couple good bites at me, but nothing that will cause any serious damage.

I quickly roll him off and take several snaps at his throat. He manages to move back each time. Now we stare at each other, snarling while trying to interpret the other's next move. Fighting is never easy when you're close with who you're fighting.

James launches himself at me. I bite down on his leg and force him to the ground. I have gained the upper hand in the fight.

"That's enough! As your father and Pack Master, I command you to stop!" Our father yells.

I back away from James and bow my head. It's a sign of loyalty to the decision of the Pack Master. Wolves are to be loyal to the decision of the Pack Master. James slowly bows as well. I can tell he doesn't want to because he'd rather go back to trying to bite my head off.

"No more fighting until the full moon," our father says sternly.

James and I shift back and nod. I can see his glare from my peripheral.

"Now go inside and clean yourselves up."

James and I head inside and go our separate ways. I bandage up the wounds he managed to leave on me and sigh. These bandages will be hard to explain to Charlie.