Beyond the Pack

Chapter 1

Mae's P.O.V.

Being an Omega is not the easiest task, but everyone has their place to make it a thriving and great pack. My dad has been saying lines like that to me for the last 17 years. My parents are Omegas to the Indigo Valley Pack, and since I am still in high school I technically am considered an omega as well. In our pack, it is very common for offspring to follow tradition of what your parents do (or at least a similar field). My dad is a farmer, and my mother is a cook for our packhouse.

Now, I have quite a good life. It consists of going to school, my family and friends, and training to be a guard for our pack one day.

"Hey mom I won't be able to help you in the kitchen tonight. I promised coach that I would train with the others today after school." As I gather my things for school after breakfast.

My mother without stopping continued doing the dishes from breakfast and states, "Mae, you know that I don't like you fighting. I don't want you getting hurt. You should be working on your cooking or gardening skills with me instead."

Ugh she says this every time I mention fighting. 

I get so bored with helping her cook for the packhouse. I don't want to complain, but I just really don't know how she does it day in and day out. I really don't mind cooking. I am actually quite a good cook and enjoy it a lot. But, I am not passionate about it at all. I couldn't see myself doing this for hundreds of werewolves a day. 

What I am truly passionate about is fighting and training. Something about getting stronger everyday and knowing that you can defend yourself is just an exhilarating feeling, and that is a feeling I want to chase. 

"Oh Katherine..." my dad says to my mother as he starts helping her with some of the dishes, "you know that it is good for all werewolves to know how to fight a little bit. What if we go to war or get attacked by rouge werewolves?" He looks over at me winking at me. My dad and I have always been quite close. He still lets me spare and fight him once in awhile. He also encourages me to follow my instincts and try and become a guard.

My mother clearly annoyed states, "Why yes I think it is important to know the basics, but you shouldn't focus all your extra time on it like you do. With the alliance, no one is dumb enough to go to war with us or heck even attack us."

I can't argue with her there. Our pack is located in Southern Canada and is part of a great alliance with two other local packs, the North Peak Pack and the Emerald Lake Pack. The North Peak Pack is located north in the Grand Mountains which is overlooked by North Peak. Then just southeast of them is the Emerald Lake Pack that has the beautiful lake, which they say turns a beautiful greenish-emerald color in the summer sunset. Then finally, Indigo Valley, my home is located in the valley to the west of Emerald Lake Pack. Each pack is known for something important which brings diversity and strength to the alliance. It also makes it very dangerous for any outsiders to attack any of us.

"Don't worry Mom," I say "I'm not going to get hurt. I just really like the workout." Saying that seemed to please her for the time being. Eh it was sort of stretching the truth, but at least she stopped for now. While yes I loved the workout, I would love nothing more than becoming a warrior after graduation. The issue is it is very hard for any Omega to be anything other than an Omega, unless you are mated to a ranked member or a ranked member chooses you to be one of their warriors/guards. It is highly unlikely for that to happen, but I am doing anything in my power to be able to change one of their minds.

Trying to change the topic I turned to my dad, "So Dad, what are you going to do about our little sparring sessions when I turn 18 tomorrow and get my wolf?"

He says chuckling, " Well, I'll get you a new sparring partner," he looks over and gives me a smirk. It was no secret that I was pretty good at fighting. I was very strong and my father struggled to keep up with me before I even have my wolf. When you turn 18 and get your wolf, some of the stronger wolves get special abilities like: extra strength, speed, or agility... things of that nature. That is one of the reasons I work so hard during trainings, and work. I want the Moon Goddess to bless my wolf and I with a special ability. Well that and she of course gives us all a mate. 

I don't know how I feel about all of that mate stuff to be honest. I know that us werewolves should be thankful that the Moon Goddess blesses our kind with a true mate, but I didn't want anything to get in my way of my goals. Sure, I liked the idea of falling in love and yada yada yada. But not as much as I want to train, fight, and do things for myself. I definitely didn't need a man to do my fighting for me.

My mother interrupts my thoughts, "Ah that's right your birthday's tomorrow! See another reason to enhance your cooking skills. You need to make sure when you get your mate that he is....well fed." She says the last sentence while eyeing my father. He then winks at her in return.

"Omg stop... Okay with that I am leaving," I left before I could see anything else. I grabbed my bike outside our cottage, and started towards the school.

As I rode my bike to school, I thought of turning 18 and all the events that followed was exciting and scary all at the same time. I was excited to gain my wolf. It is one of the biggest moments in every werewolf's life. Then it hit me. 

'What if I find my mate tomorrow?' I thought to myself, 'Or worse I never find my mate and I am alone forever.' 

I shake my head to try to snap out of it. This is one of the reasons I don't like mates. I am too much of an emotional person to begin with, I don't need to add any unnecessary worry to my day.

My parents were great examples of how mates should be. Kathleen and Dale Mitchell, mated since high school. Even though they were different in many ways, they were alike in others, and that is what made them work so well. It seemed so easy for them. That is so unfair because I know that means it won't be easy for me. They always were so different than me, even since I was young, but they never made me feel weird or bad because of it. We respected each other, but that always did bug me.

I finally pull up to the bike rack in front of our high school, Triad High. Our high school is quite large since our high school includes the Emerald Lake Pack and North Peak Pack kids as well. Triad High is located in the Triad. The Triad is right in the center of the alliance so each of the three packs' land touches it. There are some shops, restaurants, bars, and our high school. K-8 schools are just within packs so when you are old enough to go to high school it's exciting because you could finally meet people from the other packs.

'I wonder what it's going to be like here after I turn 18,' I think to myself, 'Well at least I will have my wolf to help me.'