Finding My Alpha

I Concede

Her use of the Ahrouni word nahnicci, meaning big sister, choked me up and I had to bite back tears. One of the few things we’d managed to save was the language of our pack. As with many of the older packs, we had our own language. Pups were only taught the goddess’ tongue, or English as the humans called it, as a second language. That being said, my sister and I had an accent that our current pack found interesting to say the least. Certain words had a twang to it that tended to give others pause. 

Before I could stop myself, I sent my sister a memory of our childhood, years before the veratus had ruined everything. The memory played like a movie in my mind. We were two years old and out in the field training with the warriors. It was weapons training, Annette’s favorite. We always trained with the warriors as did the other pups once they were of walking age. General Eliki had Annette facing off against Horus, a low ranking but very skilled warrior. They were both holding a bow staff. The staff was triple her height but she held it firm. I sat on the sidelines with two of our older brothers anxious to see how much her skills had improved. 

The general gave the signal and they swung into action. Annette used the staff to propel her tiny body into the air and brought her full weight down in the middle of Horus’ staff, snapping it in two. Knocked off balance, he recovered quickly but not quick enough. Annette’s small bare feet thumped lightly on the ground before she did a backflip that landed her next to her still standing staff. Keeping her body in motion, she grabbed her staff and took three steps towards Horus swinging her staff low as she did. Clack! Thud! Horus’s legs were swept out from under him and he toppled to the ground. The surrounding warriors tapped their staffs on the ground. She bowed to General Eliki, to the warriors and then cracked a giant smile at the grounded Horus.

“Did you see? Did you see me? I got better right Hory?” she asked excitedly as she jumped into Horus’ arms.

“Yes you did princessa, who’s been training you behind my back?” he asked as he playfully tossed her in the air.

“Nanette and I have been training extra before bed,” she whispered loudly. 

“Nanette, I should’ve known. And here I thought my training was the best,” he said as he got up from the ground while still holding her.

I felt my cheeks warm and turned away as the others looked in my direction. At our age, training without supervision was a big no-no, but most pups at our age weren’t as advanced either. General Eliki had started my training as soon as I could walk at our father’s insistence. Since Annette started walking after me, I had a head start. Most Ahroun wolf pups start walking at around one years old and could speak full sentences at thirteen months, but I had mastered both by six months. After four months of training he’d deemed me his most skilled warrior and he was anxious to see my skills grow as I reached my adolescent years. The general shook his head and tousled my hair before calling an end to the day’s training. 

I recalled every fine line of the general’s face. The crows feet that danced in the corners of his soft brown eyes and the smile lines at the corners of his mouth. His copper skin was marred from wounds of battles past, wounds too deep to heal completely. His waist length white hair was forever braided in six neat cornrows that looked to be freshly done every morning. What I remembered most were his large hands, one of his hands could swallow my entire head whole. 

A stray tear rolled down my cheek as the memory continued. Horus placed Annette on his shoulders and used his free hand to lower me to the ground. Horus’ yellow eyes were so warm and loving, especially when it came to us. His mate Alexxa was calling out to him as she approached us with a brown wicker basket at her hip. She was expecting their first pup any day so her belly was large and hanging low. She kissed his lips and our foreheads before handing us each an orange tinged apple from her basket. She grabbed my free hand with her own and walked with us to the lake. 

I abruptly stopped the memory as the tears flowed freely from my eyes. It hurt so much to think of them, but I knew it would hurt even more if I couldn’t remember them at all. I understood in that moment why Annette was so insistent on her bonding with the Theurge pack. Our bloodline had to continue on no matter what the cost. Alpha Kingsley knew this as well. I looked down at Casey and felt my heart swell. I wanted Annette to know this kind of love too. I resolved to let my sister go. 

‘I won’t fight it anymore. But please, you have to visit at least once a month and allow me to visit you once a month,’ I said.

‘I can happily agree to that nahnicci. We are strong. We are one. We are Ahroun,’ she replied.

‘We are strong. We are one. We are Ahroun. I love you tahinicci and I pray the moon goddess blesses you with love and many pups,’ I said using the Ahrouni word for little sister.

‘Now get your ass back to the pack house. The Theurge pack will be here soon and I’d like to greet my future mate with my Alpha sister at my side.’

I chuckled and gave Casey a shake.