The Alpha's hidden daughter

Chapter 5

* 13 years old Ashley P.O.V. *

I was running in the woods of our territory and I was running for my life. At least, that was how it fell since I could hear a large crowd following me in a try to catch me. Since a year I had joined pack training and one of the games we always played was ‘Catch the Rogue’. This role I played now and we had to get away from the group by running and hiding from them. It was as much a training for the one playing the Rogue as for the ones being the Pack because you had to work together, well.. When you were part of the Pack of course. As the Rogue you worked on your stamina and hiding skills.

‘’There she is! I can see her!’’ I heard one of the kids call out and saw they were closer than I had thought. ‘’s**t!’’ I exclaimed and ran into the other direction. I looked around in search of something. ‘’Where... is that’’ I said and suddenly saw what I was looking for. Mint! I quickly ran towards the patch of wild mint and rolled through it. After that I ran away and climbed a tree. While I was hanging in the tree, hidden by the leaves I could see a few stop right under me. I saw how they searched but they didn’t look up. I smiled happy and couldn’t understand how those two would be wanting to become border patrol, as border patrol you always had to look up too.

Suddenly I heard a familiar whistle and looked behind me. Evan. I knew I would get caught now. My sixteen year old nephew or cousin.. I liked cousin more especially because we were not even truly related knew exactly how I worked. He jogged towards the two that stood underneath me. ‘’Have you found her?’’ he asked and they shook her head. He didn’t always help and often was the assistant of our trainer just like today. ‘’Well.. What do you think she did then?’’ he asked. ‘’I think she masked her sent again with mint..’’ one said and Evan nodded. ‘’That is a good set of her indeed but what else could she or any rogue for that matter, have done when she saw you were quite on her tail?’’ he asked and they started thinking.

‘’Jump down on them in ten seconds..’’ I suddenly heard as a whisper and I suppressed a chuckle even though it was hard. I counted down in my head and looked at them. ‘’Maybe she..’’ one started right when I let go and I landed on the boy on the right. He fell on the ground but quickly turned around and tried to grab me but I gave him a kick in his stomach and he coughs a few times. The girl that was with him was so surprised that she didn’t know what to do. I got up and tackled her on the ground and she got out her moment of surprise but it was too late. I had her on her belly with her hands on her back. ‘’Rogue one.. Pack zero’’ I said proud and got up. Evan chuckled and helped the other two up, we then walked back together. Once back at the gathering spot, I sat down on the side with two others that also were chosen as ‘rogue’. ‘’So.. Which of the pack groups got their rogue?’’ Charlie, my uncle and our trainer asked. Two groups put up their hands, my group looked down at the ground. ‘’Good good.. What did you guys do to catch your rogue?’’ he asked.

‘’First we searched for the tracks together, after we found it we split up but stayed close to each other so we could easily change directions. He had taken a swim in the lake to take away part of his scent but it actually helped us because he also left a trail of deeper footprints because of the weight of his wet clothes’’ a blond girl said. I believe her name was Diana but I didn’t know for sure. I could see Evan smile and saw how she looked at him. ‘’Good good.. And the second group?’’ uncle Charlie asked. ‘’We stayed together and used each our best skills to find our rogue and then surprise her.. She was using her own hiding skills to wait us out but we had a good tracker in our group’’ the boy said and then looked my way and winked. I raised a eyebrow but could feel my cheeks burn up a little. ‘’Next time we want the best rogue you have Sir’’ he said in a slightly cocky way and I couldn’t help but chuckle. Uncle Charlie also grinned and nodded. ‘’We will see, maybe next time she will be in the pack teams and chosen as your leader’’ he said and looked at me. ‘’And you didn’t get caught again huh Ashley?’’ he asked then and I shook her head. ‘’No sir.. I wasn’t caught’’ I said and looked at the pack that had to hunt for me. ‘’What happened?’’ he asked and looked at the pack. ‘’We.. didn’t work together’’ the only girl in the group said and looked down a bit. She had been one of the two that actually almost had me. ‘’We did but you two insisted on going the other way’’ The chosen leader, a male with black hair said in defense. ‘’But.. Her scent was going that way and I knew for sure she went that way’’ the girl said but wasn’t as strong in her defense. ‘’Yeah well it still is your fault for breaking the group’’ he said and I coughed. ‘’No it is your fault’’ I said and looked at him. ‘’You are the leader but being leader doesn’t mean that everyone only has to listen to you.. You also should listen to the group especially because she and the boy next to her almost had me... It was that Evan came to say that the time was over that they knew they had not gotten me but if he wasn’t there, I am sure they would have found my hiding place’’ I said. ‘’Shut up, you are just a rogue.. Nothing special’’ he then said and I snapped.

I jumped up and jumped at him right away. ‘’Just a rogue!’’ I said as I punched him in his face. He tried to grab me but I was faster and grabbed his hand before he could and we rolled over the grass. ‘’I was the rogue that could have killed your best fighters’’ I said and kicked him in his stomach. He coughed and as I had to let go of his hand, he suddenly grabbed my hair and pulled on it very hard. ‘’Ha, you have no spirit to kill anyone... You are just an pathetic she-wolf’’ he said and I pushed my elbow between his ribs. ‘’I’ll show you what pathetic is you bastard’’ I said and got up. ‘’Bastard? I at least have parents!’’ he said and that was the drop.

Suddenly it got black before my eyes and I am not exactly sure what happened and what I did but the next thing I know was that I felt two strong arms wrap around me and a splash of cold water. The moment when I could actually see again, I saw the boy that I had this argument with on the ground with quite a messed up face. He didn’t get up and our pack doctor was sitting next to him. ‘’Are you calm?’’ a male voice asked and I looked up. I had expected to see my uncle but it actually was our Alpha that was holding me. He too was totally wet from the splash of water and I nodded. ‘’I.. I am really sorry’’ I said and looked at the boy. ‘’He..’’ I started but Alpha George just nodded. ‘’It is alright.. I know Darryl can be a pain.. I’ll inform his parents about what happened and that they can expect their son to be at the doctor for a while’’ he said and I looked down. ‘’I don’t know where that came from’’ I said and I felt a warm hand on my head. ‘’I heard what he said before you blacked out.. I actually just had walked over but you had not noticed because of your fight with him.’’ he said. Evan walked up to us and looked at me with sad eyes. ‘’Are you alright?’’ he asked and I nodded. Alpha George let go of me and Evan pulled me in a hug. ‘’Don’t worry.. He will not be trained in the same group as you again.. All though I am sure he will shut his mouth from now on towards you’’ he said with a chuckle in his voice that he couldn’t hide. ‘’I mean, even I got scared from the way you were handling him’’ he said and I looked at him. ‘’Come, I am gonna take you home so you can take a warm bath’’ he said and I let him take me with him to our house.

We walked and when we reached the house, the door was opened by my aunt. She looked at me and hugged me the moment I was in her reach. I let her do but felt tears burn behind my eyes when she let go of me she looked at me. ‘’Sweety, are you okay?’’ she asked and I shook my head. Evan was still there but I didn’t care anymore, I let the tears go and cried in her arms. She pulled me close again and clearly didn’t care that I was wet and made her clothes also wet. ‘’It is okay sweetheart.. cry all you want’’ I heard her say and my tears kept coming. I had been able to handle the comments some of the teenagers made to me, I always laughed them off and made it look as if I didn’t care about it one bit. But they hurt, they hurt so bad. I knew I didn’t have parents and the only thing I knew is they died shortly after I was born but how or where I came from I had no idea. Aunt Charlene pulled me into the house and Evan went upstairs. I was guided towards the living room and we sat down on the couch. When Evan came back I felt a towel drop over me and on automatic pilot I started to dry my blonde hair.’’Maybe it is time to tell you a bit more about your parents..’’ Aunt Charlene said and I had not noticed that she had gotten a book. It looked like a photo album and I looked up a little curious. ‘’I promised to tell you how they died and why when you are eighteen and I keep that promise but I can tell you a bit more about them now that you are thirteen’’ she said and I nodded. ‘’Can I first change in some other clothes?’’ I asked and she laughed. ‘’Yes of course, then I’ll make some tea’’ she said and I nodded.

I went upstairs to my room and grabbed one of my warmer pajamas's even though it was almost summer and put it on. I quickly brushed my hair and put it in a ponytail again. I then walked back down stairs and saw aunt Charlene and Evan sit on the couch and dropped myself in between them. ‘’Do you mind that I stay?’’ Evan asked and I shook my head. ‘’You can stay..’’ I said and then looked at my aunt. ‘’This album is yours.. But I also put in a few photo’s I had from your parents.. I haven’t known them as long as your uncle did, he was in the same pack as your father before we went to this pack..’’ she said and I nodded. Then she opened the album and showed me a picture of my parents, I had never seen the picture because like most teenagers I was not interested in seeing my baby photos and I had never known that this picture was there too.

My mother had blond hair with blue eyes and on the photo it was in a festive up-do with white and blue flowers. She was wearing a white dress with a blue flowers embroidery on it. My father had brown hair and green eyes, the same eyes as me. He was wearing a white suit with blue bow-tie and blouse. ‘’So.. I have my mothers hair and my fathers eyes?’’ I asked and aunt Charlene nodded. ‘’Yes.. All though your hair have gotten darker over the years.. You used to be even more blonde than your mother and now you have the same.. It wouldn’t surprise me if you would get brown hair eventually’’ she said and I smiled a little. ‘’I like my hair this way...’’ I said and then looked at the picture again. ‘’Was this their wedding?’’ I asked and she nodded. ‘’Yes, your uncle Charlie was his best men and because your mother never really had a best friend until I came to the pack of your parents, I was her bridesmaid’’ she said. ‘’It was a amazing day.. Until it started to rain, it wasn’t just a little bit, it poured quite a bit and messed us all up quite a bit’’ she said. ‘’At that moment I was pregnant with Dylan’’ she then said and I kept looking at the picture from my parents. She then turned the page and I saw a picture of the four of them together. This clearly was after they had gotten inside the house because the hair of my mother was messed up and their clothes were all wet. ‘’When did they marry?’’ I asked. ‘’In October, your mother was a big fan of the Autumn colors and really wanted the wedding then’’ she said. ‘’I’m also from October..’’ I then said and Charlene chuckled. ‘’Yes, she almost jumped a hole in my office ceiling when she heard she was due in October’’ she said.

‘’Her first name idea for you was Autumn.. But your father didn’t like that.. He said he wouldn’t be able to keep his promise to your grandfather’’ Aunt Charlene said. ‘’You see.. Your mother was that daughter of a beta from a different pack.. And when your father found her, his and her pack were in a fight over territory...’’ she explained. ‘’When your father went to your mother’s parents to ask them for permission to take her with him, her mother said okay but her father said no because he would never see his daughter again..’’ Charlene explained and I felt sad when I heard this. ‘’Then your father went home and reasoned with his alpha.. He explained that he would change from pack if his alpha wouldn’t help him.. You see, your father was a very important asset in the pack and so his Alpha did what he could and there actually came a ally from the mate bond between your father and mother.. Then your father promised your grandfather he would name their first child after him’’ aunt Charlene said. ‘’Was my grandfathers name Ashley?’’ I asked confused and she laughed. ‘’No.. His name was Ashton.. Your father had promised this also because he found out that even though he had been against it at first, your grandfather had talked to his own alpha to ensure the fight would stop.’’ aunt Charlene then said. I nodded and looked at the picture again. There were a few more pictures from the wedding, I saw my mother with her father and mother and my father with his parents. ‘’Why.. Am I not with them?’’ I asked. ‘’Well.. your grandparents both died before you were born... You see, it took your parents a while to actually get you’’ She explained and I nodded.

Not always it was normal for wolves to get children easily. Some did and they often had big families, others got children on a regular base and other just like with humans, had more trouble or were even not able at all. I looked at a few more pictures from their wedding and smiled. ‘’From who do I have my speed?’’ I asked and aunt Charlene pointed towards my mother. ‘’She was the fastest from her pack, even when she had changed packs she still out ran most of the others’’ She said and I chuckled. ‘’And my strength? I mean.. I am stronger than most girls of my age’’ I said and Charlene chuckled. ‘’From your father, he was a fierce fighter and would never give up.. Quite a bit like how you were today with that boy’’ she said and I looked away. ‘’Well.. He did say something awful..’’ I said and Evan suddenly patted me on my head. ‘’Well, I was about to interfere with you two but then he said that and you went all she-wolf on him as if he was some deer and you a very hungry wolf’’ he said and I blushed. ‘’I would say he deserved it and I am sure everyone will think twice before making a comment at you again’’ he said. ‘’I am just glad I didn’t kill him.. All though I think I would have if the alpha wasn’t there to keep me on my spot..’’ I said. ‘’Yeah and even he had a hard time holding you down’’ Evan said and chuckled. That surprised me quite a bit and I looked at Evan. He shrugged and then looked back at the pictures. I looked back too and as I turned the page, I saw my mother with a little boy on her arm, he was around a year old and aunt Charlene stood next to her with a baby in her arms. ‘’Dylan and Evan?’’ I asked and she nodded. ‘’Yes, Evan was just three months old and we had a family day in the pack. Your father and uncle Charlie are like brothers ever since their youth and your mother and I became such good friends, it felt like we were sisters’’ she explained and smiled. ‘’It was a warm summer day and we were at the lake on the pack ground.. The whole pack was there, together with their family members even if they had originally come from other packs.. It was a yearly feast your mother had started because she really wanted to keep in touch with her family’’ she explained.

I nodded and smiled. ‘’They look so happy’’ I said and looked at a picture clearly made without my parents knowing because they only had eyes for each other. ‘’They were the happiest couple I knew.. Even if they had a argument, they always could settle it together’’ she said. I turned another page and then saw several pictures of my mother and father together. Every picture you could see my mother’s belly get bigger. ‘’Here she was pregnant..’’ I said and my aunt nodded. ‘’Yes..’’ she said and she got a little sad. I closed the album and looked at her. ‘’Thank you for showing me..’’ I said and put the album on the coffee table. I hugged her tight and she wrapped her arms around me too. ‘’I have the wedding picture twice.. Would you like it if I get you a picture frame so you can put it in and have it on your desk?’’ Aunt Charlene asked and I nodded. ‘’Yes, I would like that very much’’ I said and she nodded. ‘’Then we will go shopping for one tomorrow’’ she said and I nodded.

The door opened and Dylan ad uncle Charlie walked in. ‘’How is my terror wolf cousin?’’ Dylan asked. ‘’Hey!’’ I said but chuckled. ‘’What? It almost looked as if a actual wolf had attacked him..’’ he said and hung his coat away. ‘’Well he was a d**k.. So he deserved it’’ I said. ‘’Yeah, I heard what he said from dad.. He must be glad I wasn’t there, I would have ripped him apart for hurting my cousin..’’ he said and he walked over. He then hugged me which was surprising because Dylan wasn’t a hugger at all. Aunt Charlene looked at the clock and then went to the kitchen, she had of course finished preparing dinner already as always and would only have to warm it up. I walked to the kitchen and was followed by Evan. He grabbed a cloth and started to clean the table while I grabbed the plates and cutlery. I put them on the table while Evan grabbed glasses, once he put those down I took the large water jug from the fridge and put it in the middle. ‘’We are done aunt Charlene’’ I said and smiled. ‘’Good work, and just in time’’ She said and we sat all sat down. ‘’Aunt Charlene?’’ I asked. ‘’Yes sweety?’’ she answered as she filled our plates. ‘’What were my parents names?’’ I asked and she smiled. ‘’Maurice and Patricia’’ She answered and I nodded. ‘’Thank you..’’ I said and then started eating my dinner. It had been a eventful day and I was quite happy. I looked around the table and now, with all the new information about where I actually came from, I was more than happy to be here. I knew my parents probably had not other choice than to give me away but they gave me to the two people they had trusted the most. I smiled and felt happier than I had ever felt before.