The Alpha's Lost Daughter

Chapter7

Katarina walks down the stairs after shutting her door, she slowly walks trying to be as quiet as possible. She grabs two bottles of water from the fridge. After tossing them in her backpack she slings it over her shoulder and heads for the back door. She hears the wood floor creak from weight and pauses slightly, feeling her body tense. She grabs the handle and turns it. The outside air warms her face with a gentle breeze.

“Be back by five. It’s your turn to do dinner.” Mrs. Stanton says gruffly, her voice still full of sleep and the vodka she drank the previous night.

“I can’t. Sam called and he’s opening the diner for the dinner shift and needs me.” She replies calmly and then walks onto the rickety porch that has seen far too many seasons.

As soon as the door closes her feet carry her quickly out of sight of the house. Her heart quickens, the anxiety that fills her body thinking she will be called back and forced to remain in the house and used as free labor…or worse.

Soon she is a few blocks down the road and finds the trail that you wouldn’t know was there unless you were looking for it. The best thing about living in a rural mountain town deep in the Cascade Mountains, there is always a hidden trail and game path.

Her pace slows the more she walks away from town. She notices the smells are different. She can smell the rain on the trees from slight showers that occurred over night. The soil beneath her feet, the smell of a hayfield cut down to feed livestock freshly cut. But, the only farms are miles away.

“Do you notice that?” She hears. Katarina stops, and turns in a slow circle looking for the voice. Then she sees an image in her mind of a great copper colored wolf with black tips to her ears and crystal blue eyes. She blinks hard a few times and shakes her head.

“You can only see me in your mind, until we shift. Then everyone sees me.”

“Why? Am I losing my mind?” Kat mumbles.

“You are a werewolf, and a powerful one at that.” She replies.

“I can’t process that right now. What was I supposed to notice?” She asks, sighing.

“Do you notice that your senses are becoming more powerful?”

“Actually, yes. I can smell everything. All the flowers and plants fresh cut hay, soil, and rain on the trees.”

“That’s me. I am waking up.”

“This is crazy.” She says continuing to walk.

After what seems like hours of walking, Kat stops and gets her water and sits on a large flat rock to take a few drinks. She looks at her phone and checks the time before replacing it and standing to continue on the trail.

Finally, she reaches the top of a long hill where sits an ancient cedar tree overlooking a lake. She walks to the other side of the tree and takes off her backpack and sets it on the ground before lowering her body to sit in the shade of the tree.

She looks out at the lake, that shines silver in the light and is smooth as glass. Not so much as a ripple of movement. A local legend claims these waters to have some sort of healing power. Kat shakes her head and chuckles thinking about the supposed legend. “Hogwash, it’s just water.” She mutters to herself.

Katarina enjoys the peace and quiet. Mostly quiet of the forest. She feels herself relax once the earth touches.

Damon walks through the pack house, and into the dining room where there is a buffet style spread in the center of the room. He makes a plate, and walks to the table reserved for the Alpha and Beta families. He sits next to his father and takes a sip of his coffee.

“We’ll start you off tomorrow. I thought you could start working with the guards and see how the dungeons and punishments are handled.” Luke says before biting a piece of bacon in half.

“That sounds great. I am excited to start learning.”

“When I feel you are ready, then we’ll talk about when you take over.” He says before returning to his breakfast.

Damon looks around as he eats. He notices the Omegas doing their chores, sees teens leaving for school, including his spoiled half sister Heather who shoots him a dirty look as she walks by with her friends. He sees some of the warriors fueling their bodies before training. His mind starts to think of all of the people who live and work in the pack house.

After he finishes eating, an Omega comes to clear his dishes away. “Thank you.” He says earning a look from his father.

“Why do you thank them? It’s their duty.” Luke says.

Damon looks at him, “When I am Alpha, everyone will be treated with respect. Because they are people.” He says without dropping eye contact.

“They are weaker than you. Don’t let them think they are equal.” His father says flatly.

Luke sighs before getting up.

“Your mother was like that too. And look where that got her.” He replies as Luke walks away fuming angry.

Raglan growls inside Damon’s head. “How dare he speak of mother like that.”

“Things will change when I am Alpha. But, I need to be careful. Can’t go around mouthing off, he is STILL the Alpha. There is only so much a son can get away with, future Alpha or not.”

Damon walks out to the tree line behind the packhouse and strips out of his clothes behind a tree and folds his them into a neat stack. He shifts into a solid black wolf and then turns and takes off in a run through the forest.

Katarina stiffens as she hears footsteps, and she can smell another person coming. She smiles, when she can hear humming from a familiar tune. She smiles and then turns but sees nobody. She looks around nervously and then a moment Talia walks around a corner. She sees the upset look on her friend’s face and walks a little faster.

“What’s wrong, Kat? Did the dragon lady get you?” She asks, moving to sit next to her friend.

“I could hear and smell you coming before I could see you. It’s weird. The dragon lady says I have to be back to ‘help’ with dinner. But, I told her Sam called me in to do the dinner shift.”

“The diner is closed on Sundays.” Talia replies.

“I know, I didn’t want to be there to cook the crap she calls food while she yells at me the whole time. She just doesn’t want to do it, so she can get drunk all day.” Kat replies before rolling her eyes.

“I don't know how that woman is allowed to care for children.” Talia replies.

“Private foster care. She does it for the check.”

“What about social workers?”

“They don’t care. I am just a number to them until I age out.” Kat says.

“We will be out of school soon and can get you out of there.”

“I am hearing voices, well just one in my head. I think I am losing my mind.” Katarina says, taking a sip of water and handing Talia the other one.

“I brought some. Keep that one you’ll need for the trip back down. Tell me about this voice.” She replies, grabbing her own water from her backpack.

“Apparently, her name is Jade. Then I could smell everything in nature, hear things from far away, and my sight is clearer than it’s ever been.”

Talia smiles, “I wondered when that was going to happen.”

Katarina looks at her shocked. “That doesn’t sound crazy to you.” She asks.

“No. I have one too, her name is Seline. That is your wolf awakening.” She replies.

“Wolf?” Katarina nearly shouts.

Talia tries to stifle a giggle. “You are laughing? What do you mean wolf? Like a pet?” Katarina says in a panic.

Jade sits up and becomes alert. “Pet? I am no pet.” She says and then disappears.

“Apparently, not a pet.” She says and looks out at the lake. “That explains the dreams.” She says and then drinks her water.

“Dreams?” Talia asks, raising an eyebrow.

“Some woman walking in the woods with long silver hair. And then there is a battle between people turning into wolves. A woman was killed. Her throat slashed with huge claws. It was quite terrifying.”

“That wasn’t some woman, Kat. That was the Moon Goddess. She is showing you something.”

“Jade is there as your other half. Once you can shift, you and her will become one. You’re a werewolf, Katarina. So am I, and so was your mother and all of your family. I don’t know how you ended up in a human foster home.”

“Before, I didn’t really give it a second thought about my parentage or origins. I just assumed I was given away. I think I might have questions soon.”

“Well, when you need answers let me know. I’ll bring you to my house on the pack lands.”

“Wait, is that what the fancy mansion on the hill is?” She asks.

“Yes, it’s the pack house. That’s where the Alpha lives. He is our leader. Sort of like a king. But, we won’t go there.” Talia replies.