Once Upon A Wolf Moon (The Shadow Pack Chronicles Book 1), page 2
“Maybe I can answer that.” I freeze as I realize that while my back was turned, Garrett had slipped up behind me and hear our conversation. Great, just great.
I swirl around to face him, and he’s giving me that look. The one that says you’re busted. I try to communicate with my eyes, pleading to not say a word, but I can see that will not work out in my favor.
“Since you will not speak up, I will. She is my mate. That’s why she’s acting the way she is.”
I freeze in place, completely in shock that he just blurted it out for all to hear. I guess they don’t feel the same way as we do about them or there’s another reason for it.
Of course, they’d want one of theirs to mate within the Alpha’s family. What better way than to try to get into good graces and make connections? Then they can tear us apart from the inside.
I didn’t realize my brother had opened the mind link, and I had just projected my thoughts that loud.
Dakota finally says through the link, Leia, not everyone is out to get us. Maybe they want the same as us. A way of life and a way to go on. They haven’t pulled anything tonight and seem like alright wolves. Give them a chance and stop overthinking everything. It’s going to be okay.
As he receded, I sent him the one word that would change his mind. Dad.
As if on cue, realizing the same thing as I did, his face droops. Dad might not be happy though.
We close the link and I slowly relax the muscles in my back. I turn back to face Garrett, knowing I have to think of something on the fly.
“I wasn’t entirely sure, and I would not announce it just yet until I knew for a fact what you were. You didn’t seem to know what I was, or you weren’t acting like it, so I was just waiting.” Surely, they’d all buy that and give me some time to explain all this to my dad.
“What is this I hear you are mated to my daughter?” I jump at the sudden boom of my dad’s voice. Oh great. I didn’t even get the opportunity to present this to him lightly. I look back to Garrett and he’s just smiling like he doesn’t have a care in the world.
Seriously, fate? You paired me with some cocky wolf. I roll my eyes and groan. My father has run this pack like a well-oiled machine and gotten between two alpha wolves squaring off. He’s fearless. His six-foot-two stature is something to be reckoned with and still toned for his age along with seven kids. He just started getting salt and pepper through his hair last year. My youngest sibling put it there.
My father slowly approaches and starts to shove his finger into Garrett’s chest. “No, I refuse your bond. You will not have my daughter, ever!”
“Please, dad. Quieten down before everyone hears, I’m sure there is a way to fix this. I hope there is, at least.” I reach out and touch his arm, looking into his hazel eyes, pleading for him to stop this now. My admission gets Garrett’s attention, and he leans around my dad who is now in front of me blocking me from view.
“Would being mated to me be so awful? Sir, we just discovered our bond. You explained to us all the rules, and I understood that if we were to find mates that the rules applied to us as well, even though this is our probationary period. I also understand your concern, but you wouldn’t find a better mate for your daughter.”
“I’d beg to differ. With all the rumors surrounding how you treat the members of your pack, there is no way I’m allowing my daughter to be in it. We will find a way out of this.” His eyes light with the fury of his wolf and I realize he is very close to the surface as his skin ripples with the shift.
“Rumors aren’t always true. Let’s just say, we’re brutal in fights, but that doesn’t mean we are downright evil or are poor mates. You know as well as I do, not just anyone would do for her. I can sense that she is an Alpha from here. She needs a strong mate to protect her and who is better than an Alpha heir. She’d be the Alpha female while we rule. I could give her more than any other option. Would you truly doom your daughter to never know what it’s like to be with the one made for her based on what my pack is rumored to be like?” He arches his eyebrows and looks my father in the eye. His calm demeanor is a good sign, and less challenging at least.
I can see my dad is mulling over anything, but it doesn’t soothe his anger at all. If anything, it makes it worse as his skin ripples again. I can tell he is fighting the change hard.
“What this I hear? My son found his mate?” Just like that, I feel my insides completely bottom out. It was bad enough my dad was over here berating what was to be my new mate, but now, here is his father to gloat. Could tonight get any worse?
“A fine match, I see. Alpha Nathaniel, I think this may be the beginning of a beautiful alliance between packs.” Alpha Jerome seems to be on cloud nine for his son. His green eyes lit up like Christmas lights. He looks truly happy for his son.
“She will not mate with any son of yours.” Once again, my father moves to block me from view. I peek around and from what I can see, this is getting tense, and I know deep down we can’t go to war with them.
So, I do the only sensible thing I can think of.
“Dad, I think I should give it a chance.” I hear the air rush out of him along with the air from apparently all the people who’ve now decided we’re more interesting than the gathering. Just what I needed. More of an audience.
My dad turns to me and looks me in the eye, still glowing from his wolf. I open our link and quietly try to console him. If we upset them, we could start a war. Our alliances are maintained through mate bonds. It is in the rules the female goes to the male’s pack and maintains the balance. If we don’t do this, this could cause a ripple effect. It could affect the alliance with everyone.
“We’ll give you a few minutes.” Alpha Jerome dismisses himself and his son and then gets everyone else to leave. I watch as go and I realize they both have the same tall stature, black hair, and that their eyes are the same shade of green. He seems to take a lot from his father.
My dad waits until it’s all clear, then looks back down at me. The light of his wolf has gone down, and his eyes have returned to their normal hazel.
“I can’t let you do this. I knew one day you could find a mate outside the pack and would have to go, but I hoped not. Hear me out, yes, I want you to have a mate, but part of me wishes you didn’t at times. You are destined to do great things. You are more of an Alpha than even your brother. Just don’t tell him that. I know he knows, but it’s sometimes harder to hear in words. I kind of always hoped you’d bring your mate into our pack, though I know that’s unheard of. A father can dream, right?” He smiles a half-smile, looking saddened by his admission.
He slowly hugged me. I knew things would be okay, but right now, I just didn’t see how. My life had been flipped upside down. I wasn’t too sure of my decision myself.
“Fate will decide. We can hope all we want, but ultimately, it’s fate. I’m going to be okay. You know my wolf is huge and very dominant, not just any male would do. I doubt he could even hurt me if he tried. Plus, we both know females don’t rule.” That rule I never understood and hoped that it would change before my adult days came.
“I know, and that’s the only reason I can allow you to try. If your wolf was as small as you, I’d be more concerned. As much as I don’t want this for you, I know you will. The pull will start to be too much. Eventually, you’ll have to go with him.”
I hugged him a little tighter, breathing in his juniper scent.
I always dreamed of the day I would find my mate and even made a wish on a wolf moon as silly as I felt it was. The equal match for my wolf. I guess in a way I thought it’d be like a fairy tale. He’d come in gallantly, sweep me off my feet. My family would be thrilled, and then at the end of our ceremony, we’d run off into the sunset. All romantic like the movies, but the thing is I’m not a princess. I’m a wolf shifter and this wasn’t a fairy tale.
Chapter 3
Leia
It was finally time for the pack run. As we gathered around the fires, my father had said there would be an announcement before the run.
The Shadow pack is what I assumed it would be about. I only hoped he didn’t mention I was their Alpha Heir’s mate.
I look around the crowd and find Garrett and his father standing close to the front with the rest of the Alphas. I make my way toward the front as well so I can join my family.
“Tonight, I’d like to give a formal welcome to our new alliance. Shadow Pack has decided to join ours and we couldn’t be happier. All twelve-packs of the human realm will finally be under one alliance. This will be good for the packs and hopefully also for those who have not found mates. Tonight, only Alpha Jerome and his chosen few have come. Next month, the rest of the pack will join us.”
My father paused, and he looked at me in the eyes. He took a deep breath, and I knew then he was about to announce that I found my mate. It was customary to let everyone know as alpha mates were found.
“I have one more announcement before our run. Alpha Heir Garrett is the mate of my daughter, Leia. We have not decided when the ceremony will be just yet, but as we find out, you will be informed. Thank you all for coming again tonight and let the run begin!”
My father stepped down off the stage. Gasps were all around, and then the murmurs started. I heard a variety of things from different people all at once.
“Oh, that poor girl.” Alpha Derrick from Sunset pack said.
“Wow, I can’t believe it. I wonder what will happen to her?” Alpha Garrison from the Delta pack mentioned to his Beta.
The comments went on and on. Only a few had hoped that everything would be fine, but even they did not sound convinced.
Everyone was starting to move toward our starting point for the run when we heard a throat clearing. We all looked back to the stage and notice Alpha Jerome was on the stage.
“May I speak a few words?” He looked at my father. Dad just gave him the approving nod.
“We came here tonight in hopes of joining the alliance. We never expected the turn of events that my son and heir would find a mate. I know there have been rumors swirling about us and our brutality. Yes, we are gruesome in combat, but only defending what is ours. The High Alpha gave me the approval to explain a couple of things. The rumors you have heard are mostly generated from the vampires because they’d rather start disruptions between all of us so that there is an attention split. Even though you all haven’t been around us, we have kept you all safe behind the scenes. I realize you all are also here to keep the peace between supernaturals, but where each pack monitors its own pack and supernaturals, we monitor them all across the globe. They call us hunters. These so-called rumors have kept us from being fully united all these years. It’s time to put it behind us. Thank you for your time.”
Everyone was silent at this admission. Hunters? Keeping us safe behind the scenes?
What is he even talking about? As my thoughts wander, I realize everyone is moving toward our starting point once again.
Alpha Jerome catches up with my father. He clasps him on the shoulder and says, “Alpha Nathaniel, as a sign of good faith, I am leaving my heir here with your family after the run so he may get to know your daughter appropriately. I wouldn’t expect her to be his mate without at least knowing him first.”
My father looks at me, and I nod my head in agreement.
The next thing I know, Garrett is standing beside me and smiles. “You ready for this?” His black locks slowly moved in the breeze.
“I should ask you if you’re ready?” I cock my head and smile. He has no idea what he’s in for. Garrett looks completely baffled.
I find my spot and strip. I crack my neck from side to side and let the familiar power roll from my head to my toes. Letting her loose is the best feeling in the world.
I look up at the moon and then close my eyes. My bones begin to break and rearrange themselves. Oddly, it hurts a little more than usual tonight. My knees snap backward, my back breaks and elongates, and finally, my tail grows. My face finally stretches and my snout forms. I let out a howl as I finish my transformation.
I come out of the woods black as the darkest night. My blue eyes glowing. In the darkness, I can look very terrifying because usually, all you see are my eyes.
I freeze in my tracks as I see Garrett’s wolf. I wouldn’t have known it was him if it wasn’t for his scent.
His wolf is bigger than mine! He stands at least three inches taller and has more muscle mass. I can’t believe it. He even has the same coloring as me. I slowly eye my siblings and parents while not turning my head fully. Their jaws drop open, which looks rather amusing in wolf form.
My father is the only wolf who was ever close to my size, and I still was taller by a few inches. Garrett completely dwarfs my family with his enormous size.
I look back to the five other Shadow pack wolves, including Alpha Jerome, and realize they’re all this size. Maybe fate knew what she was doing.
Garrett walked over to me and started to rub down my side. I had to stop myself from rolling my eyes. Of course, he’d take this chance to scent me and establish that I was his.
Even though we couldn’t mind link yet, I felt appreciation and pride come from him. He was proud that I was his mate.
Part of my demeanor softened. Maybe they weren’t that bad after all. Maybe they were just misunderstood all these years.
My father yipped and signaled the start of the run. I ran behind the Alpha females along with all the other Alpha children. Then the rest of the members followed behind us with the Alpha males at the end to protect the rear.
We made our normal loop around the property with all twelve packs. It felt good for us to be together under one alliance, but something was still gnawing at the bottom of my gut.
I could feel a change in the air. Something wasn’t right, but no one else seemed to notice.
After we finished our run, I went with the Alpha’s children to hunt. Even though some of us were early twenties, we had some as young as ten that went with us. Under ten years old, typically stayed around the Alpha females and played back at the packhouses.
We hunted and roughhoused with each other. Garrett kept trying to chase me across the woods, somewhat separating us from the others.
Once we were away from them, he yipped a quick bark and went behind a bush, and I could hear the cracking of his bones as he transformed.
I sat on my haunches and waited.
“Aren’t you going to transform back?”, he says almost breathlessly. I can see his beaming smile.
I rolled my eyes and let out a huff. I found the nearest tree and transformed.
“So why did we need to be alone, exactly?” Even though nudity wasn’t thought about with shifters, I wasn’t just going to let everyone see it all. It wasn’t the time.
“Well, I thought we needed to talk. Don’t you think we need to?”
“Yes, I know we do, but right this second?” My comment came about snarkier than I had meant it to.
“Didn’t you notice that our wolves are the same size?” I look around the tree and see him standing somewhat shadowed close by.
“Yes, but that’s because you’re my mate. Don’t mates match each other?”
“Mostly, yes, but I noticed the rest of your family doesn’t match you any at all. Even your hair color, no one has it. Also, don’t think I didn’t notice you are more dominant than your entire family, including your father.” His revelation made me gasp. I knew it's true, despite that, I never had spoken that out loud.
“I take your gasp, as you know. Look, there’s something we need to talk about now. Can you come out from behind the tree? It’s kind of hard talking to you like this.” His voice sounds sincere, like he’s not trying to catch a peep.
I move from behind the tree to the front of it and lean against it, still somewhat shadowed by the leaves blocking the moonlight.
“So, what do we need to talk about?”
“I’m not sure what all you know about why Shadow pack has been distant and excluded from the alliance until now. Do you?” I can tell he is moving side to side like he’s anxious.
“All we’ve ever been told is your pack is brutal. No one wins when they challenge your father. My father has briefly told us that your father has been in power for twenty years, I think. After that, there has been no alliance between your pack and any of ours. Honestly, no one has ever been forthcoming with information on what goes on.” I look around as I hear a crunching of twigs but realize it’s just a squirrel.
“Since we’re mates, you need to know. Yes, we are hunters. My father didn’t lie on that, but there is more to that story. The pack Alpha before my father was cruel. He was awful to his mate. The pack wasn’t very well taken care of. My father was his Beta. I was just a young pup when everything happened. The Alpha at the time, I just don’t know how to say this.”
“Say what? What could be so hard in sharing your pack history?” I kind of laugh it off. Surely it can't be bad to share. I mean, we all know everything about the packs here in the human realm.
“It’s nothing. Really. I’ll share with you what I know.”
Chapter 4
Garrett
“Our old Alpha, Blake was his name, was the brute of those stories you hear. When my father defeated him, the rumors continued. We’re not the way we’ve been portrayed. That reign ended with Alpha Blake. My father hated to kill him, but something had to be done. When he went to his home to find his wife and infant daughter, they were missing.”
“Oh, what happened to them?” She moves slowly closer as she speaks, but remains hidden.
“We don’t know. You see, we kind of put the pieces together and realized Blake was dealing with vampires. Supposedly, they made him a hybrid, and he survived. He went mad though, because he couldn’t handle the change. We never knew what happened with his wife or daughter. We always assumed maybe the vampires got them, but my father never scented any around on pack grounds. The only other thing is she ran with their baby. Then God only knows what happened to them. Hey, why aren’t there more packs included in the alliance like Canada and Peru? I mean, I know they are a way off, but they’re here too.” My curiosity breaks through and I ask the burning question in the back of my mind.
