5

"And since when is a brawler designated as a Pack Diplomat? That is unheard of!"

"It's complicated."

"What the hell it's that supposed to mean? It's MY LIFE you are playing with! I was the best brawler; I should have been assigned at least to the Home Guard, if not as a Personal Guard. "

"I guess you do have a right to know."

"Damn right I do! Change my assigned position!"

"I can't."

"You mean you don't want to! Did I do something wrong? Have I offended you in any way? If I did I'm sorr... "

"No. I mean I can't."

"What do you mean you can't? You are the one assigning the positions, the Beta only reads them. So assign me to Personal Guard. Or at least Home Guard."

"Only Brawlers can be assigned to Personal Guard and you have to be at least a Pack warrior for Home Guard. So I can't. It's not allowed."

"You said I qualified for brawler. So I don't understand what the problem is!"

"Stop raising your voice at me! I'm not one of your friends, nor am I your training group mate. I did say that, though I shouldn't have said it, but that is my issue to deal with. Did you hear your role called along with your assigned position?"

Jena gasps, realizing that...

"He only... he only said 'Jena – assigned Pack Diplomat'. He... he never actually called any role with my name. I am nothing."

"Not true. You are Jena Abbyline Rork, first daughter of Alpha Magnus Rork of the Oasis Pack, Pack Diplomat and one day Alpha of the Oasis Pack."

"Yeah, right. And what is this crap with the Pack Diplomat. No diplomat ever needed to go through warrior training. There's never been a diplomat coming out of warrior training. Any well spoken wolf can become a Pack Diplomat. Why did you assign me like that?"

"I never said I did."

"BUT YOU – OK, not yelling, but you are the one assigning the roles and positions."

"In your case, I was overruled."

"Everybody knows that you can't be forced to do anything you don't want to."

"Unless it was a direct command."

"Lindator? Why would he... "

"Oh please, like that... wolf could ever order me around."

"NO!"

"I'm sorry, Jena."

"He wouldn't!"

"He did."

"But MY FATHER WOULD NEVER do that to me!"

"I'm afraid he had to."

Jena's eyes were brimming with tears, her wolf was howling in the back of her mind.

"Please explain."

"I can't," – Jena wants to say something but he continues – "let me finish please. I can't but I will tell you a story. Take it as you will."

Conall sits down comfortably and motions her to do the same.

"In a theoretical pack, much like this one, where the Alpha had a daughter but no sons, the Alpha decides to enroll her daughter into warrior training which is unheard of for a future Luna, since it doesn't seem he will ever have a son to pass down the pack.

"The elders oppose it but he convinces them that it is only for her protection, and some training couldn't hurt anyone. He also promises that as soon as his daughter finds her mate and future Alpha for the pack, all training will stop.

But she doesn't find her mate in time. So she finishes warrior training. Not only that, but she is a damn good brawler as well.

The Elders are afraid she will endanger herself. They have repeatedly tried to have her removed from training either by talking to the Alpha or trying to order the Master at Arms to remove her from training, but with no success.

One day, they summon the Alpha and the Master at Arms and force the Alpha's hand into denying the brawler role for his daughter. They only accept a support role assigned to the home guard, arguing that is the best way to keep her safe and away from any danger. They remind him of the favor he owes them for letting her go through the warrior training in the first place.

In the story, the Alpha calls the favor even and commands his Master at Arms to remove his daughter from the brawler role. Actually he forbids him to ever assign her a role for as long as he lives, and calls for the assigned position to be Pack Diplomat.

The elders try to argue, but the Alpha says they have no favors left over him. Besides as the Pack Diplomat she will be assigned a Personal Guard and if she will ever leave with a delegation on pack business she will have a security detail to accompany her, not to mention going under the protection of inter-pack law in which diplomats are inviolable.

So, I hope you like my story. It was completely made up" – he pulls out a pouch from inside his vest and takes a swig, smiling – "by a drunken wolf."

"I see." Jena says. Her face is now void of emotion.

"Funny thing is, Diplomats only answer to their Alpha, and once outside their home territory, they kind of become the Alpha of the group they are with and can pretty much decide where to go and how to represent their pack to the other packs, while not disrespecting the orders given to them by their Alpha. So no answering to the elders, no other higher wolves to worry about, they kind of run their own show. Not to mention the best chances to find their mates since they travel so much."

"I understand the story now, Master at Arms. Thank you for sharing with me. I'll keep it to myself since it sounds pretty farfetched," she smiles knowingly at the older wolf.

"Good girl! Meet me tomorrow before sunrise, 3 miles beyond the Windy Rock," Conall adds, winking at her.

"OK." That sounds odd. She thought to herself. "But why?"

"Well in the story, you know that part about as soon as his daughter finds her mate and future Alpha for the pack, all training will stop? I'm just making sure the Alpha keeps his promise. Some things are not learned in warrior training."