The Last Bears Daughter

CH 3

Leigh

It was well into the night when she strolled on into the Nightshade pack, felt the connection to her pack the moment she crossed the border. The moon had set hours ago, and she really prayed hard that, that fucktard of an ex-mate of hers had scented himself out one of their she-wolves. Or even one from a visiting pack. She didn’t bloody care which.

Was kind of hoping that he would find himself a highly ranked mate or an Alpha female even, so that he would up and move to her pack and away from her for good. Also knew that once he had a new mate, she would no longer concern him. He wouldn’t even bat an eyelid at her, only his Mate would be of interest to him.

She looked up at the moon and sighed as it dawned on her, that he might not like the new mate any more than he liked her. “Please, Selena, help me out.” She had stopped walking and pointed up to the moon. “Make him accept the next Mate he gets hey. Be good up there.” Then she’d chuckled softly and shaken her own head at her admonishing of the Moon Goddess. She had a feeling Selena found her funny at times.

She’d strolled along in no rush and showered and changed into the dress her father had purchased for her. It was a body contouring dress in dark green, with sheer black three-quarter sleeves and stopped just above the knee. She shook her head. The man did like to show her off. She also knew it was the complete opposite of what she would choose for herself.

Her own father liked to step her out of her comfort zone, and push her boundaries. She also knew he was out to punish Farley with every dress he bought for her. Liked to show that boy he’d lost something amazing and perfect. That the Goddess had created his Pumpkin perfectly, as he liked to state.

He was all stretched out on the couch waiting for her. “You could have attended without me.”

“Now Pumpkin, where is the fun in that for me?” He’d smiled right up at her before getting up off the couch. “Look at you all dolled up, so perfect.”

He was wearing light grey slacks and a soft pink dress shirt, had not worn a jacket, all his clothes had to be tailored for him, and he didn’t much like jackets. Hardley ever saw him in anything other than jeans and a simple tee-shirt or shorts and sleeveless muscle tops. He thought jackets were too confining.

She however, thought they made him look twice as big and imposing, and he was already six foot eight. He’d told her once, “I don’t like the reminder of the old days, Pumpkin.” She knew who he was before he came here to this pack. How he’d been required to dress and where he actually came from, he had no secrets from her.

Though he’d not shared his past with anyone other than herself and her mother, from her understanding. Not even her grandparents, Tori and Walker, knew who he really was, not even the Alpha of their pack understood much about him. Just that he was a bear and was much stronger than anyone here.

Leigh rolled her eyes at her father's smile, he linked arms with her. “I’ll escort you shall I?” he said and stepped them outside the two-bedroom cabin they lived in, she’d moved into it when she’d turned 18. Had spent 9 months of the year here with him and the other three with her grandparents, due to her father Hugo and his bear Silas hibernating.

He walked her around the first of the sandstone blocks and right on through the amphitheater that was right out the front of his cabin. He was an elite warrior trainer and this was where he trained them. Out here, away from the rest of the pack warriors, it was just what he liked, he was a solitary creature most of the time.

She mind-linked Alpha August to tell him she was back, and would drop that cuff off at his office on the way to the mating ball. He’d known she was back and gave a simple acknowledgment to her addressing him.

“Father, you know that I have not scented anyone at all since returning. I don’t actually need to go to this ball.”

“Neither have I Pumpkin,” he’d smiled right down at her. “But one of us might get some action tonight, got three other packs here, I heard.” He winked right at her.

Leigh shook her head. “You’re crazy sometimes, father, do you know that?”

“Yes, and you know the rules. It's Hugo when out at a mating ball. Father makes me sound old.”

Leigh snorted, “You are old, what 156 I believe now?”

“Ah, that’s still young as far as I’m concerned.” He nudged her playfully.

“Goddess help me.” She chuckled.

“Yes Selena, help my little girl to get some good action tonight.” He winked up at the moon playfully.

There was no point in talking him out of going, the man was six foot eight, muscled up to the hilt, was a little rough around the edges on a normal day, but tonight he’d cleaned up, shaved and combed his normally shaggy brown hair back and pulled it half up so the she-wolves could get a good look at him.

She’d seen many a she-wolf drool over her own father, had even seen a female Alpha climb right on top of him once, not something she’d needed to see. Her father liked mating balls, way more than he should. Though that was probably due to him getting some action, as he liked to call it, there was always some crazy-ass ranked she-wolf out there willing to take the bear in the pack to her bed.

It was also his preference, a fully ranked female, he’d told her once before it had something to do with the sheer size of him. She even recalled putting her hands over her ears and stating, “I don’t need to hear that.” and that he’d chuckled right at her, the man had no shame. Knew he was good-looking and smelled good to those around him even.

They walked into the mating ball that was going on, he didn’t mind arriving late, the party would go all night and plenty of those that weren’t mated off were just now standing or sitting around eating and drinking with others of their own pack, or making friends with others from the other packs that were here.

He strolled her right past an unhappy looking Farley, who had clearly not yet gotten another Mate. “Now Pumpkin, I spy many a good-looking ranked member over there not mated off, go find one to have some real good fun with.” He’d practically drawled as he’d walked her past Farley.

She knew it was coming and had to bite down on the laugh that was trying to escape her. She knew it really did tick Farley off to see her on a date with someone else, that boy had rejected her but still hated seeing her with another inside the pack, getting along or kissing even.

“Now, Hugo,” she tried to admonish him just a little, “internalize your words.”

He’d looked at her and raised an eyebrow at her. “What for, you didn’t issue the rejection, so he should be all good with you moving on. It’s no longer any business of that whiny baby, who you chose to date or f**k. I also encourage you to go f**k vigorously.” He’d smiled down at her, then his eyes had moved behind her and a low snarl had come from him.

A direct warning to Farley to stay the hell away from his daughter for the evening. It would be adhered to, Farley rarely came at her when her father was awake. The day before yesterday had been odd behaviour even to her, where he’d been concerned. But she’d put him right in his place and that was all that mattered.

She smiled at wolves she knew and danced with quite a few she didn’t, could feel eyes on her and even had one young Delta, a man by the name of Seth, who she was dancing with, ask her what that Alpha’s problem was, she knew he was talking about Farley.

“He’s my ex-mate.” She stated simply. She didn’t deny who he was, stating it did not cause her or Jara pain anymore.

She’d watched Seth look right at her neck, “Who rejected who if you don’t mind?”

“He rejected me, I accepted it without hesitation.” She answered simply.

“He’s still got issues about it.”

“Not my problem. It’s been eight years, ignore him, I do.” She’d smiled up at Seth.

“Will do.” He nodded and smiled right down at her, pulled her that little bit closer to his body as they continued to dance, and the music slowed right down.

Seth was young, 19, he’d told her, he was the fourth child of his mother and father, and was aiming to became an elite warrior. It was his first time here in the Nightshade Pack, they were getting along well, though she had no intention of sleeping with him, she did not voice that for Farley to hear.

He’d asked her out of curiosity what rank she was and Leigh had smiled up at him, “Elite Warrior on my way to War General.”

“Oh.” He’d sounded confused to her, and she knew why.

She did not entirely scent of Elite Warrior status to everyone, because she was a half-breed, wolf and bear cross, she smelled slightly different to all. Though mostly he was curious, and she knew it because he was thinking she was Alpha-blooded, some did get that from her. But she was an Elite Warrior. It was her rank here inside the pack. She liked the title as well.

Her father was a fully fledged War General, and she was aiming to make him proud and become one herself, would likely see it happen as well. Her strength was good like his, even Alpha August was expecting her to become a War General here for him inside this pack. She took the ranking up challenges seriously and only had three more to go to become a War General here.

Three years was all it would take. August only allowed Ranking up once a year, it was several days of competition here in the pack for any and all that wanted to rank up, from Omega to Elite Warrior. It could take days for all the challenges to be completed.

But once you ranked up and even if you won easily, you had to spend at least a year training and showing Alpha August that you were as good as you’d shown in the competition, she’d seen him de-rank a few that had by chance won and then hadn’t been able to hold their own over the year. Or refuse to allow them to try and rank up the next year.

The process here was quite simple. The month before ranking up was to happen, one just filled out the form, stating name and rank, how long you’d held that rank and what rank you wanted to challenge for.

No one got to pick the person you had to fight for that rank, it was all done randomly or most of the time, depending on what was being challenged for. Like her grandfather, he was a weapons specialist and anyone wanting to challenge him for his rank had to be able to beat him and with all the weapons, not just the one they wielded with expertise.

He’d held onto that rank for the past 10 years, the man never stopped training, was an expert and wanted to stay as the packs trainer. Not that many challenged him either. If you did and lost the first fight, that was it. The match was over.

Leigh had thought about it herself, only to have her grandfather smile at her and state, “You’re not yet ready sweetheart.” She knew she wasn’t but wanted to make him proud of her, and he was, he’d told her. Also told her it takes decades to perfect even one weapon, to just be patient. She’d likely take over as the weapons trainer one day.

He’d even smiled about it, liked the idea of passing his title down to her.