The Female Alpha

The full moon is shining bright, lighting up the forest before me. I am running through the forest, following my mother. I just shifted for the first time and under the full moon, I am brimming with energy. I chase after her white figure, jumping over fallen trees and splashing in puddles.  My father is patrolling the perimeter, making sure no rogues or trespassers get onto our land. We stop at a stream and I run up to it, drinking greedily. My mother laps the water slowly, always keeping an eye out for danger.  Suddenly, there is a bright light. I hear a strange sound, it is loud and hurts my ears. Run! Hide in your secret place! I will come find you! I take off, tail between my legs and run to the hollowed out tree base near the edge of our territory. It is surrounded by bushes and shrubbery and provided the perfect hide out. I wait for mother to return, but it has been a long time and she still isn't here. I hear a voice calling my name, and I run out and straight into my father's chest. He looks down at me with tears in his eyes. "Where's mama?"  I jolt awake and am coated in cold sweat. I shiver and roll over, looking at my alarm clock. It's 6:40 in the morning. Might as well get up and get ready for school. I strip my bedding and throw the sweat soaked sheets in the hamper.  I walk into the bathroom and turn the shower on, letting the steam fill the bathroom. When the water is hot enough, I step under the cascading water, letting the scalding water relax my muscles. I let the effect of the nightmare wash down the drain with the soap and hot water. I have been having the same nightmare since I was 8 years old, the day my mother died, protecting me.  I finish in the shower and walk to my closet trying to decide what to wear. My cell phone goes off and I pick it up, putting it on speaker.  "Hey Kelsey, what's up?" I grab a sundress and throw it on, carrying the phone to the bathroom with me while I try to control my unruly curly hair.  "Did you ask your dad about the senior bonfire tonight? All the seniors are going!" I throw some product in my hair and apply some eyeliner and mascara.  "Not yet, but I will ask him before I leave the house. I have to go so I can get out the door on time! Love you!" I hang up the phone and grab my purse that is hanging on my door before I jog down the stairs. I sniff the air and follow the smell of waffles and bacon. My favorite cook, Helen, is setting me a plate in my spot, right beside my father.  "Good morning Mimi." After my mother died, Helen began staying at the pack house, caring for me day and night because my father was dealing with the loss of his mate, and having to deal with his Alpha duties. Helen lost her baby in childbirth and hasn't had another since then.  She became my surrogate mother without question and has raised me on her own these past 9 years. She gives me a kiss on my cheek and pulls the chair out for me. "Good mornin' baby, how did you sleep last night?"  I scoot my chair up and drink some of my orange juice. "Fine." I lied, and began eating so she wouldn't press the situation. No such luck.  "You having that bad dream again baby? Did ya hang that dream catcher I made you?" I finish eating the bacon in my mouth and take another drink.  "Yes ma'am, but sometimes they still sneak it, it's nothing." She tsks at me, but leaves it be. My dad comes in the room and sits beside me, reading through emails on his phone.  "Hey daddy, I was wondering if I could go to the senior bonfire tonight? All the seniors are going and I really want to go." He takes a sip of his coffee, giving me a stern look, but seeing Mimi over my shoulder, hands on her hips  looking at him makes him change his mind.  "Of course, honey. Make sure Matt goes with you though. And I want the mind link open the whole time and your location turned on. Are you planning on staying with Kelsey?" I nod my head, shoving pancakes in my mouth. A growing werewolf has to eat ya know.  "Okay then. I'll send Marcus to pick you up in the morning sweetheart. Do you have your debit card?" I put my dishes in the sink and kiss Helen on the cheek.  "Yup, I got it right here, Daddy. Can Kelsey and I go to the mall after school and get a few outfits? We have the senior trip and we need some new stuff!" He gives me a kiss on the cheek and nods.  "Of course you can sweetheart.Have fun." I know. I am spoiled. But that's what happens when you're the only child of an Alpha who lost his mate. The whole pack took me under their wing, teaching me, spoiling me, and loving me. I had the best life I could ever imagine.  I walk out to my escape and jump in, blasting the radio and rolling down the windows. I pull up to Matt's house and honk the horn twice, letting him know it's me. He runs out and jumps in, fanning himself dramatically.  "Girl, I swear to the Goddess, I am never going to survive these summers. They are killing me!" I roll the windows up and blast the A.C to appease the princess.  "So...my dad said I could go shopping today! Do you want to come with Kelsey and I?" He pulls his sunglasses down, looking at me from over the top.  "Is that seriously a question? You know I need some more heeled boots." If you can't tell, my best friend is very, very gay. And I love him to death. When he came out, his father took off, rejecting his mother. She was given a second chance mate by the Moon Goddess and he raised Matt from that point on, not caring if he was gay or not. In fact, Matt is as spoiled as I am!  We are a smaller sized pack, so it doesn't take us more than 5 minutes to get to the school. I put my car in park and grab my bag, locking my doors as we walk up to the school where Kelsey is waiting.  "So are you ready for the senior trip? I can't believe we get to visit the Mexico pack! It is going to be so fun!" I nod beside her, her excitement too contagious for me to contain mine. We walk into our first class, which is English and sit in our usual spots.  The last day for seniors isn't really necessary, but my father made it mandatory for us to go or he wouldn't let us have our senior trip. The teachers are just entertaining my father, really. So, we show up, they take attendance and we just hang out for the whole period. As long as we are quiet, we can go to the cafeteria and get food anytime, go to the bathrooms, library and even the outdoor quad, as long as we have reported to the class we are supposed to be in at the time.  I turn to Kelsey and smile at her. "So, my dad gave me the okay to go shopping today, as long as we take Matt." Matt looks offended and rolls his eyes.  "I have no idea where that man thinks that I am going to protect your ass." I giggle at him and slap his arm. He may be gay, but he is a very strong wolf, who takes his job as my protector very seriously, he just doesn't show it most of the time. But that's what makes him great, he is always there and nobody suspects him to actually be badass.  I talk with my friends until the bell rings and go through my day as per usual. When the last bell rings, Kelsey, Matt, and I hop in my Escape and head to the mall. It is almost summer time and I need some clothes for Mexico.  "Guys, we finally did it! That was out last day of high school!" We roll our windows down and yell "Yeah!" out the window as I pull out of the parking lot, laughing. We pull into the mall parking lot,  "Ok guys, we can shop until we drop, but first, I need some soft pretzel bites and cheese." They both nod excitedly and we head for our favorite pretzel place. Once we get our pretzel bites we hit store after store.