A Birthday Party

"Haaappy Biiirthdayyyy to yooooooou!"

A family of six was gathered in their backyard with a grill to one side and a table of presents to another. In the middle, the youngest of them leaned down low to blow out a great big "18" shaped candle on top of a huge sheet cake. The family were all redheads -- father, mother, two daughters and two sons. The women were all wearing nice flowery sundresses, and the men were in polos and khakis, like a stock photo come to life.

Jason paused for a moment. With a father and adult sons present, he'd expect one of them to be the family's Alpha. But they were definitely in an Orphantown neighbourhood, and none of the men in the family carried wore an Alpha bracelet. Still, there were a few reasons why such a family might not have an Alpha, and if there was one somewhere out of sight, they could always step in to say something.

Jason couldn't resist. He hopped the fence and crashed the party, holding up his Alpha bracelet before anyone panicked.

"What a heartwarming, Normal Rockwell tableau," he sighed, circling the family slowly. "But something's missing..."