The Animal Within

A Prologue: Part I

THIRD POV

A clear sky illuminated the stars on a very special night for one of the strongest packs in North America. There would be a new beginning and it all started with the shifting of an Alpha male. The next in line to become leader. Atlas McCann.

Atlas McCann born from Amber and Aaron McCann, has been raised to put his people's needs before his own. He was raised to obey the Goddess of the moon, Luna; and question the motives of the God of the sun, Phoebus. 

Atlas cares for those only from his pack and has no loyalty towards others. He is a spitting image of his father. He is their only son. 

"There's a full moon tonight, you know?" spoke a young mother as she combed through her sons long black locks, "a sign from the great Luna herself that tonight will be magical."

"Is this really necessary?" Atlas complained. What most boys did at the age of 16, "I need more training. Dad hasn't even taken me to the cliff side yet. I'm not prepared for this."

Atlas liked to be prepared for everything. It was all he knew. His father urged him to know about control. His mother urged that Atlas know what it's like to be a child, but the Alpha had a final decision on his heirs upbringing. 

"Patience, my sweet baby boy," she watched the emotions switch on his face through the giant mirror plastered in the master bedroom of an Alpha house passed down from older generations. The walls were a dark oak, as was the furniture. The Alpha female made sure there was dashes of color, mostly greens, around the room.  

"But I told him I wanted to check out the cliff side BEFORE all of this," he continued, "He never lets me have any say! It's my life!"

"Well sometimes it's nice to be surprised," she chuckled and gave him a quick hug before setting down the hair brush on the counter.

"No, I hate surprises. Plus dad always told me I must be prepared for everything..every attack..every consequence...every decision I make," he rambled as he disappeared into the closet of his parent's room with a traditional suit only worn by males of an Alpha bloodline. 

Luna Amber couldn't stop the frown that settled on her face. She knew her son struggled to keep up with his father's demands. She longed for him to be a child but as the next future leader of this pack that idea seemed impossible. 

She rolled her eyes and silently cursed at her mate, "he means that when it comes to important pack business no-"

"No I meant that as in always," it was like power had walked into the room. The luna gazed at her man with narrowed eyes, which only caused him to tilt his head towards the side in a questioning gaze. Alpha Aaron was challenging her as she was him. He continued, "always be aware, always make the right decision, alwa-"

"Always be a strong Alpha," Asher finished for him with a shallow sigh as he walked back out into the room finally dressed...or semi-dressed because this traditional attire only consisted of a sheep skin skirt. 

"Exactly," his father puffed his chest when his eyes met Asher's. He was proud of the young boy in front of him although he has never stated that out loud, "now....the pack is waiting for us at the pack house so let's go."

Luna Amber placed her hand on Aaron's chest, stopping him from stepping out of the room, "Go on without us, sweetie, we'll catch up in a sec." Atlas pressed a small sheepish smile on his face and made his way out of the room. Once the door was closed, she no longer held the calm and collected composure she had before. 

Aaron sighed and pulled his Alpha Female into his arms. "What is it now, my love?"

Amber held onto him for dear life because she needed to find peace somewhere. "You need to go easy on him, Aaron. He's our baby boy and he's hurting."

"He needs strict discipline. That is how my father taught me and how his father taught him."

She pulled away from him just enough to look him in the eyes, "He is also my son! I have a say in how you discipline him."

"DON'T use that tone with me, mate," remember that I am still your Alpha, "Atlas needs to be prepared-"

"He's 16 for sake!" Amber pushed out of his arms with a death glare in her eyes, "You may be my Alpha but we are mates and that is OUR CHILD. He deserves to know what it's like to be one." Before he could respond, she opened the door to the room and left. 

The small family headed down the stairs and out the back door in silence. Asher stood by his father side, he almost reached his height, but his father was still a little bigger than him. Asher couldn't help but noticed his father's aura was different in that moment. It was more dominant, like he was trying to show off his power and position. He wondered why. 

Luna Amber was at Alpha Aaron's side. The men in her life stood taller than her by a few inches. She held her ground next to her angry husband and she pretended as if she did not care that he was upset. Although she knew their discussion was not over. 

Once they'd arrived in front of the pack, respectable members of the council took a knee out of respect for the Alpha family. All others followed after them. Every single pack member was present and ready to witness the first shifting of their future leader. 

"Rise," Alpha Aaron called after them. Once they'd returned to their positions, he continued. "Tonight," he pauses and turns towards Atlas with a proud smile, "a pure blood shifts for the first time." The space erupted with cheers and whistles. 

A pure blood is a wolf conceived from two naturally born Alphas.

As his father speaks, Atlas's eyes are trained on a certain female, glowing in the dark of the forest. She smiles at him. Even though this female was not his mate, he was positive she was his future. She had always been there for him and he would always be there for her.

Alpha Aaron placed his arm around Atlas's shoulder, "This young man...will one day take my place as Alpha!" Again the crowd roared and clapped, "Now he must prove himself to be worthy."

Here on this cliff after being blessed by the great Luna, Atlas would run and jump off into the rest of the forest 1/4 of a mile below. As he travels through the air, his wolf would make its' first appearance and they would become one. Atlas's wolf is what would save him from death by fall. This is what a young male looks forward to as they are the only shifters among werewolves.

Atlas prepared himself mentally 1/3 away from the cliffside. He started at the moon, looking for a sign. A emotion. Something. He wasn't sure what he was suppose to feel in this moment but he wasn't feeling any changes. 

Cheering, singing, and music was happening in the background. He could hear his father's voice but couldn't make out the words. Everyone was watching him. His mother was at the front near the cliff with a giant supportive smile on her face. Her lips moved and he could clearly make out what she had said, "I love you, sweetie." He blushed but didn't say them back.

His mother always talked about how this was a moment where he would channel his wolf and his wolf would respond. Atlas couldn't feel anything though. He was confused. He turned to look at his father but his father was waiting for him to commence. 

There was silence in his head. If Atlas had known better he would have stopped his whole ceremony but he didn't. He assumed his wolf would save him. Atlas began to run. His heart raced. He jumped with his left foot. His heart skipped a beat. He felt free for a fleeting moment but after that nothing happened. The moment his right foot was a a distance from the cliffside he knew something was wrong. His wolf was no where to be found. Atlas screamed and he fell towards the ground.

Luna Amber cried out her son's name. A look of horror on her face. Out of instinct she leaped into the air to catch her son but she was a female. Females don't shift. Screams from the crowd of pack members was all she heard on the way down but her eyes were focused on her son, whom looked scared. 

In an instinct, Alpha Aaron and three other warriors had shifted. They raced after them but were too late. Luna Amber was on the ground a couple of feet from Atlas. Blood everywhere. 

Luna Amber was pronounced dead immediately but for some odd reason Atlas had survived.