"Joey, why do we have to do this again? I've done it a million times already." I wined at my only companion.
"Because Deyna you're going to prove to your father he made the wrong choice. We will be ready and vigilant by your shift day. Your father has no idea what you even look like. Once he knew you were a girl, he handed you to me and sent us down here." Joey punches the wall making yet another hole.
"When am I supposed to shift? I am twelve already. I've been training since I could walk." I punched Joey in the gut, catching him off guard.
"Smooth. When your 16 you will shift. We will run a million different drills until that day. I want you to get what you deserve daughter and nothing less." He attempts to trip me, but I spring in the air and kick his chest.
"Well done. Breakfast is here." He went to the door and got two trays.
"What's up there anyway Joey?" I dug into my breakfast.
"Above us is where your father keeps all his criminals. And above that is the rest of the outside world." He said and took another bite of his food. I had read about the outside world in pack history journals. I have not read about mates yet; Joey says I am too young. I get to read about business of the pack and how it is constantly changing. I am even reading a human book called the Art of War. It is highly informative.
"When can we go outside?" I asked.
"Your 16th birthday. The pack will be away for the annual ceremony of mates. All packs go there, I will come in and introduce you as my daughter. You will shift and we will establish ourselves in the pack. I have a house that I haven't been to since you were born, but everyone believes I still reside in." Joey said and I smiled. I do not know my father, but Joey is the only person I have ever known, he is my dad in every sense that counts.
"What will I go by when the day comes?" I rake in the last bite of food.
"Adena Clarke still, your father and I share our last name. He's my cousin as you know." He smiles at me as I chug my orange juice.
"Ahh. Back to training?" I perk up.
"Yes, mam. So, when someone comes at you like this you..."
~approximately 4 years later ~
"Plan in action. We will go up the stairs and past the rogues. Then outside the pack house. It is not as guarded as usual, even rogues go to the mate ceremony, so it should be easy. Remember everything I taught you. Stay in the shadows." Joey instructed.
He opened the door and we exited. We went briskly up the stairs and past the rogues. We were in the pack house. I saw light and followed it staying away from any sound I heard. I went through the door where the light resides, and it was a room with a bed and drawers. I saw a window and opened it. I stepped out; we were on the first floor still.
I then walked about until Joey found me. "Good now follow me," he beckoned. We went to a house which looked incredibly old and unkempt. We entered and it was decent inside.
"You’re going to enter the pack as a warrior, okay?" He spoke.
"When do I claim my title?" I asked.
"When you turn 18, challenge your father for his position and then defend it when a million people come to challenge you. Establish yourself as a fierce warrior and all will be well." He said and I nodded.
"So, I'll be shifting today, we should go outside." I look at Joey with excitement filling my being. I had never been outside until a little bit ago.
"Go ahead. I have told you how it works, do it on your own. You’re ready." He gave me a half smile. I ran outside and continued running around. Everything felt amazing. The sunlight on my skin was better than I had imagined.
I let myself enjoy everything until I felts the first crack in my spine. I threw off my clothes and imagined all the images I had seen of a wolf. I was transformed. I ran for miles around the pack. I could smell where our border ended. I stayed in our border until I smelled something nasty.
Another wolf approached me at the border, I am guessing a rouge, only a rouge could smell like that. Killing a rouge would be the best thing to do. All Alphas did it if the rouge presented a threat.
The wolf growled at me and I returned the growl.
Joey there is a rouge. I will take care of it though.
No! I will be there in a minute. You have not trained in wolf form yet.
I have studied these strategies for years, do not worry.
I cut off the line.
The rouge lunged at me and I took the hit. He began clawing, but I threw him off me and then bit his hind legs.
He whimpered and then growled back going for my neck. I jumped at him grabbing his neck until another wolf came giving me a drop it looks.
Adena, drop him. I will kill him.
No Joey, I can establish myself by killing the rogue.
That is true, but it is not the plan.
I can show them I am good at a young age and I will not have to train till I can become a warrior.
I bit into the rogue until he had no more life in him.
Shift Now! There is a shirt and leggings behind that tree.
I went behind the tree and shifted. I changed and then stepped out from behind the tree where Joey was standing with an angry look on his face.
"Do you know how worried I was?!!?It's your first day. You still need training!! If I lost, you!!" He yelled and pulled me into a hug.
"I'm sorry, but look I killed him. What do we do now, leave him at the border to ward off others?" I ask.
"Precisely that. Let us go meet some of the pack members." He gave a proud smile. We walked to the pack house and as we entered there were 5 members there.
"Hello, Joseph." One of them said.
"Hello, Keenan. I have come to introduce my daughter. Her name is Adena."
Start referring to me as dad or father. I know I am not, but for everyone else.
Yes sir, dad, sir. I joked.
"So, what are your names. I know Keenan's now, but the rest of you..." I trailed off and waited for them to answer.
"My name is John, this is Danny, that's Lila, and that's Janet." John, a muscular blond said. Danny's hair was black with two blond steaks. Lila looked like the girl version of Danny. And Janet was a redhead.
"Okay. Good to know. How old are y'all?" I asked and they looked at me weird.
"Really, Joseph, teaching her your southern slang." John looked to Joey.
"What do y'all say?" I asked.
"You all like a normal person." Lila laughed.
"Anyway I'm 19, Lila and Danny are both 17 and John is 34 and my mate, Charles, who has yet to speak up is 22." Janet said and everyone stopped laughing.
"Mind showing me around. I'm not very well versed with pack grounds." I look to Janet.
"Sure. Charles will join us, he's a bit shy." Janet said and we exited the building.
"What do you do for fun, Adena?" Janet asked.
"Train. Read a book. My father keeps me sheltered." I said referring to my biological father.
"I can see that your very pale. Almost like a blood sucker." Charles chimes in.
"Really? I have never seen a Vampire. Have either of you?" I asked.
"Only photos. They stay away from our pack. Want to spar, there's not much else to do until the Alpha allows us into the city again." Janet put up a fighting pose.
"Sure, but I haven't sparred anyone expect my dad." I laughed.
"Let's get started then." She said and swung her fist at me. I caught it and spun her around. I had her down. I pulled her off the ground with a swing to her feet. I pinned her downs
"I win." I smiled.
"That was quick. Your father taught you well." Charles said.
"My dad has been teaching me since I could walk." I bragged.
"See if you can take me, I was trained by the Alpha himself." Charles challenged. My father taught him. I had to win. I had to prove I was better.
"It would be my pleasure." I accepted. I took the first punch and Charles dodged. He swung his leg at my waist, and I grabbed his leg halfway to impact. I slammed it down and then gave him my own kick to the chest.
We exchanged swings left and right. I ended things with one final hit to the jaw. I had him pinned and that was that. "Again, I win." I said with a cocky smirk.
"Good fight. I'll win next time." He spoke.
"I'll take that bet. Anyway, tell me about the pack, who's the Future Alpha and Beta?" I looked to Janet.
"I'm the Future Beta. I will take over when Zale turns 18 in 4 years. Zale can't stop hoping time will slow down." Charles said. Zale must be my brother.
"Why do you say that?" I asked.
"Zale didn't get the Alpha gene. It does not present in his demeanor. He is unbelievably soft and kind. He would make for a good advisor, but an Alpha needs to be more driven and determined. Zale is not that. Alpha keeps pushing him to be something he is not. There's no other heir to take his place." Charles said. I wanted to say exactly who I was. I was the other heir. The true heir.
"Poor kid." I said instead.
"Yea. Too bad Luna had a miscarriage. The pack was devastated." Janet sighed.
I wanted to scream the truth at them, but instead I said, "That's awful, I couldn't imagine losing my first born."
"Yea. Well, the moon works in mysterious ways. Maybe Zale will be the perfect Alpha." Janet said with hope.
"Maybe. Only time will tell." I said and wondered when my father would stop lying to the pack.
"Let's go for a run." Janet suggests. We nod and shift.
Will I be a good Alpha? Only the moon knows.
ns 15.158.61.48da2
