Chapter 3

• “Welcome to Crimson Dawn.” The young man calls our attention back to him.
• “I am Alpha Damian Black, son of Alpha Demetri Black, leader of this pack. I will be one of several trainers you will be interacting with during your stay here. Alpha Dominic Cullen is another.”
• Alpha Black has started walking slowly towards the back of the bus as the footsteps of another is heard climbing aboard. A second young man appears at the front of the bus, standing calmly next to the driver’s seat. He appears older, of an appropriate age to be a prospect if he wanted to be. His physical appearance is almost opposite of Alpha Black though much more common. He appears to be of a similar height to the first alpha but sports a buzz cut dirty blond hair with dark brown eyes.
• My anxiety is growing at an alarming rate as none of the previous packs had the alpha greeting us as soon as we arrived. I can feel my eyes starting to dart around, looking for a quick exit that I know doesn’t exist while sitting on the bus. I’m finding it hard to focus on either one of these two alphas. Knowing that they are both alphas has me on edge as I struggle to keep the thoughts of them punishing me at bay.
• “Since it’s late and I’m certain you’re all tired from such a long trip, I will save most of the details of our rules and expectations for Monday’s orientation. All prospects are given the same general introduction to our pack before they get off the bus. The time and location of the orientation meeting will be announced Friday evening once we are certain that all five buses have arrived. I believe that Alpha Black will be running three different meetings due to the larger than normal response to this run. Alpha Black will be the primary speaker but myself, Alpha Dominic, Alpha Lucas, Beta Patrick and Beta Parker will also be there to cover anything that he misses as well as to answer any questions you may have.
• All of us will have some involvement with you during your training here at Crimson Dawn. As I am certain you have already heard, we are a strict and when needed, unforgiving pack. We do implement physical punishment in accordance with council laws when we feel it’s appropriate.
• If you are caught in the act of raping or assaulting anyone; male or female, a member of your pack or a non-pack member, be prepared to present your bare ass to Alpha Black in his office where he has a leather belt waiting with your name on it. The penalty for rape or assault starts at ten full strength hits but he is allowed up to half your age. I can assure you from personal experience you will not sit comfortably for a few days afterwards. For those of you who can’t do math, and you will be tested on your level of education, that means if you’re twenty-four years old you can receive up to twelve full strength hits to your bare skin before you are sent home and a report filed with the council. Odd numbered ages receive the lower amount.”
• “We also have a zero-tolerance policy for fighting, stealing, unauthorized drug use, and alcohol abuse.
• Stealing and fighting that is not directly witnessed by a credible source will be penalized until an investigation is completed. If the investigation shows that you stole something you will be sent home and a report filed.
• For those of you who are twenty-one or older, limited alcohol consumption is allowed on Friday and Saturday nights. However, we will not tolerate anyone getting shitfaced drunk. This is the only intolerance that we have a three strikes rule on. Your first offense will earn you a full lap around the original fifty-mile perimeter of our territory, the second offense is a week on house arrest and your third offense will get you sent home and reported to the council. We expect you to know your limit or don’t drink at all. Underaged drinking will get you sent home on the first offense and don’t try to lie. It takes less than ten minutes to verify your age.
• Both blood and urine will be collected during next week's physical. We will be testing everything. Drugs, sexually transmitted infections, and nutritional deficiency levels just to name a few. It is important to keep in mind that random urinalysis for drugs is permitted so do not think that you’re going to stop using just long enough to get through the initial drug screen then you can start again.
• If you have not disclosed to the council any prescription medication that you are on or if you have recently been placed on long term medication, you need to request a private meeting with my father. Bring with you all medications that you are on so he can record the type, dosage and doctor that has prescribed it. Also be prepared to discuss why you are on medication. It is important that you disclose this information so that we can maintain you on the medication you have already been prescribed.
• All of you are warrior prospects, training while you are here is your job. You will be tested mentally and physically so we can put you into groups appropriate for your skill level. You will have physical training, eight hours a day in various disciplines Monday through Thursday and you will have a mix, four hours of physical training and four hours in the classroom, on Friday. Training happens outdoors no matter the weather so dress in layers appropriately. Saturday and Sunday are your days off, which is why we will allow light drinking on Friday and Saturday nights as there is to be no alcohol in your system when you report to training on Monday.
• Dominic and I will be giving you your room assignment before you leave the bus to collect your belongings. There are twenty rooms per floor, ten on the east side and ten on the west, so four of you will be randomly assigned rooms on the second floor. No one will be bunking together. Each room is an efficiency apartment complete with a full bath, small apartment sized refrigerator and medium sized microwave. First floor apartments have a stacked washer and dryer while the second and third floor ones have a large laundry room located on the southern end of the building. When using the communal laundry room, you are expected to know what items are yours. Taking someone else’s clothing is stealing and will not be tolerated. Forcing your way into another wolf’s room also will not be tolerated.
• Each floor has two closets that you can get everyday supplies from. There are two sets of stairs. One is on the east side of the building the other is on the west. Both are on the north end. The closet containing basic cleaning supplies and a variety of laundry detergents and conditioners is in front of the eastern stairs. The closet on the western side contains personal hygiene products as well as bottled water and shelf stable food and snacks that you can take back to your room. The closets are stocked every Saturday and once again, please be adults and do not hoard items from the closets. There will be a total of sixty wolves living in this building by Wednesday.
• Second and third floor recreational areas have a television. The second floor has an Xbox hooked up to it, the third floor has a PS4. Failure to share the game systems will result in the games being taken away. We took them away during the last run we had so don’t think that it won’t happen. The air hockey and foosball tables are on the second floor and a full-size pool table is on the third.
• You are all adults, and we expect you to act that way. We do understand that disagreements happen, especially when multiple packs are housed together. However, fist fighting is assault and will not be tolerated. If fist fighting is the only way you feel a disagreement can be settled, then you are to report it. If by the time you make the report you still want to fight, then we will arrange a sparring match for the next day. A controlled one on one spar, without shifting, until one party submits with no major injuries. The council mandates that no spar is to exceed one hour and is to be done with full protective gear being used. If you cannot adhere to this standard and take the issue into your own hands it will earn you a one-way ticket out of our territory.
• Sex is allowed, although I don’t smell any she-wolves on this bus so at least for this first night I don’t think that’s going to be much of an issue. Sex is always protected no matter if she claims to be on the pill or not. A variety of condoms will be stocked in the personal hygiene closets in buildings A and B. Building C is reserved for the female warriors and personal hygiene products are changed accordingly.
• All sexual activity shall be performed in your room, penalties will be given to those who don’t comply. You are expected to remain focused on your training. If you are in a relationship that impairs your focus, please alert us to it so we can accommodate you better. We want to see the best side of you that you can present.
• Do not present us with false claims of theft, rape or assault as all accusations are thoroughly investigated and if we find a false claim was made with malice, you will be sent home. Bullying is not tolerated and will be promptly penalized.
• Cigarette smoking is not permitted indoors. If you are a smoker, please approach Dominic or I about a third-floor room. These are the only rooms set up with a butt can outside on the balcony. Improper disposal of your butts will revoke your smoking privilege.
• Monday through Friday, you are expected to be up, showered and dressed appropriately for training outside of the dining hall by seven which is when Alpha Black will start morning announcements. Training will start promptly at eight, penalties will be given to those who are more than five minutes late and those who abuse the five-minute allowance. We will stop training at eleven thirty to give you time to make it to the dining hall for lunch at twelve. Training resumes at one and will end at five thirty. Dinner is at six.”