All Chapters of Alpha of Smoke: Chapter 21 - Chapter 29

*Chet*The stares from the people whose group we’ve infiltrated grow more intense as the sun begins to set, like they are afraid we are really here to rob and butcher them in the middle of the night. Mr. Mackenzie, who insists I call him Mac, but I can’t wrap that amount of informality around my mind yet, has told them all we are there to help. Some of them seem to believe him. Others not so much. After all, they just met him not long ago, and while I’m certain he’s proven himself trustworthy, these people have left oppression from Alphas in foreign lands to come here, so they are a bit skeptical.I look at Kan and Mo and know that they are skeptical, too. They do not want to be here, but they are here because they are my friends.Takoda, on the other hand, has a different problem. He’s so love sick and worried about the girl, Ginny, as they call her, that he has hardly blinked for the last hour. He sits near the fire, staring at the flickering flames as if he might see a premonition

*Chet* The sound of my friends moving around what’s left of the campfire rouses me, though I’m not yet ready to open my eyes. I spent too many hours speaking to Unega through the mind-link last night. Even though I’ll be exhausted today, it was worth it. A smile spreads across my face before I even open my eyes.In our language, Kan says, “You’ve got it bad, Alpha.”He calls me that sometimes, even though I’m not the Alpha yet. It’s just another way he can try to get a reaction out of me. But not today. I blink a few times and look into his face as he hovers near me. “I know.”“Well, at least you admit it.” He laughs and finishes putting out the smoldering embers.“Her mother was very angry last night,” Mo reminds me. “Are you going to speak to her today?”“Her mother? No.” I don’t have any plans to. I sit up and lo

*Chet* Getting the wagons across the river at the place I’ve shown to Mac is no trouble whatsoever. It’s the second day of our journey away from the smaller group of wagons when we hit the shallowest point, and I tell him, “This is where they should cross,” through the mind-link.He nods and looks to the sky. “We’ve got a couple more hours of daylight. Reckon we can get everyone across?”Before I answer I take a few steps into the water. It barely covers my paws, so I wade deeper. The river is wider here than it was at the point where Sanders had the other wagons cross, but it’s not deep, and by the time I’m in the center of the body of water, I’m able to stand on the bottom of the riverbend and keep my head above water. “Yes.”I come back to meet Kan and Mo on the shore while Mac steps behind a tree to shift and get dressed. When I am close enough to my friends, I shake

*Chet* I am filled in about what happened by overhearing Mrs. Mackenzie shouting in the back of the wagon to her husband as Unega serves all of us a nice breakfast. My friends are thankful for a woman’s good cooking. She says it’s the least they can do since we’ve been so helpful.Robert and Alice eat in near silence. It seems they haven’t quite woken up yet. I like to watch Unega interact with them. She will make a good mother one day, a mother to my children.After Mrs. Mackenzie is done telling him about how Sanders and Burns tried to make everyone go off without waiting for us, she tells him about how Unega and Takoda got the wagon train to stop. Takoda’s absence is felt, but I’m not surprised he’s with Genevieve. I can see the two of them ending up together.Eventually, Mac comes out of the wagon. Unega wordlessly hands her father a plate of warm food, and he nods his thanks. His wife stays insi

*Isabella* St. Louis is amazing! I can’t believe all the sights and sounds. It’s what I imagine a county fair would be like, not that I ever been to one of them. Our family walks together down a crowded street, smellin’ all kinds of savory and sweet treats from street vendors. Shop windows are full of beautiful fabric and other trinkets. I see expensive jewelry and high end musical instruments. I pause to look at a violin in the window of one of the stores. I always wanted to learn to play the fiddle.“Come on, Izzy.” Robert tugs on my hand. “Pa said we can get some candy.”“Oh, you and yer candy,” I say with a laugh. I remember what it was like to be young and always wantin’ somethin’ sweet in my mouth, though. Now, Chet’s sweet enough for me. Still, I let my little brother tug me along.“Let’s go in here and look at the fabric,” Ma says to Pa. She kno