The Alpha's Daughter (Book 1)

Chapter Five

It's been a week since my 21st birthday, since Noah proposed, since Oliver lost his temper, since Noah became Alpha. Noah and Olly have been bestfriends all their lives but since last week it's been cold between them. The only time Noah speaks to Oliver is when they are discussing the pack but Olly hasn't missed a chance to apologize every single day. I couldn't even be mad at him because he was right. When it happened I shut everyone out and wallowed in self pity for a month then pretended nothing had happened. Which is what i'm doing now because if i act like nothing happened then i don't have to acknowledge it.

"How are you?" Amy asked while we walked to the obstacle course.

"I promise I'm fine but I won't be if you keep asking me that." I spoke exasperated. 

"Okay! Okay. I hear you." She raised her arms up in self defense. "Are you up to running training today?"

"I'm actually happy about training." I smiled as we continued our tread through the woods.

We had already been walking a while so it only took about five more minutes before I reached the destination to see everyone standing and ready. Amelia took her spot next to Sebastian and Will as I stood before everybody.

"Today we focus on inner strength and working together! You may think it's easier working together but i know firsthand that some of you don't know how to do anything but work alone and in the event of an attack we must work as one! Don't think you get the day off from the course because what we will be doing is much harder!" I began yelling loud enough to assert dominance and for the group to hear. "We will all be working in pairs! Before you act like middle schoolers you cannot pair with your mate, you need someone who will challenge you without fear of hurting you because I assure you, you will all get hurt! Now go!" 

I watched them scramble to find partners and ended up with a well put together group, I smiled to show agreeance on their choices.

"We will focus on mental abilities. Our first activity is hide and seek." I could see everyone looking confused like this was a stupid activity so i explained further. "One partner will go anywhere in the woods and hide while the other partner has to find them without moving. You will stand in one spot and you have to hear when the person went. Once you've determined where your partner went you must go directly to them and if you go to the wrong place or get lost you'll run the obstacle course 5 times before trying again. Does everybody understand!" 

"Yes ma'am!" I heard confirmation from each person while they stood there.

"What are you waiting for? Go!" I yelled, blaring the speaker I had William bring up here.

I watched each individual, some pairs got it on the first try such as Dylan and Zachery and Danielle and Blair but most didn't. 

"Go!" I yelled to Seb as I watched him stop for a split second on his way to William. I saw Will come out of hiding and both of them head to the course. 

Everyone kept switching places until they had all been able to find their partner without hesitation which took at least 2 hours. 

"Good work muts!" I yelled. "Now you will find a new partner if your duo is from the same pack. I want every group to have one person from each pack." I waited a second while some changed and some didn't. 

They all awaited my instructions for the next exercise. "Now you will run the course together! No man left behind! You run at the same pace, you help each other up and over the wall, you just each hurdle at the exact same time! Once you show me you can do it as a team you are done for the day. Go!"

They all began going and literally no one was at the same pace as anyone else, it's like they didn't hear a word I said. When everyone was about 5 rounds in they realized they needed to slow down and work together. It only took a little over an hour and there was only one pair left: Hayley and Amelia. Sebastian, Oliver, and Dylan were waiting for them at a nearby tree.

Amelia was trying to keep pace with Hayley but she wanted to show off so everytime Amy would get in stride with her she'd run faster.

"Stop!" My voice boomed through the forest. "Can you not handle simple instructions?" I walked up to Hayley and asked but before she could respond I spoke again. "Obviously not. You were told to work as a team! You keep this up and you'll be running by yourself until you can’t feel your knees! Am I understood?" 

I could see her trying to decide whether to argue or comply so she just stayed planted to the ground.

"I said, am I understood?" I asked louder.

"B lay off." Oliver came up behind me and put a hand on my shoulder softly and in that moment I lost it.

"Who the hell do you think you are? You are nothing but an incompetent, inconsiderate, insubordinate, man child who knows nothing about my training so back off!" I growled out causing everyone to look at me with wide eyes.

I couldn't control it, my breathing got heavier, my eyes turned red, and i let out a loud growl before yelling, "Dismissed!" With that I shifted and ran. 

I felt the breeze through my fur as I bolted through the forest not paying any attention as to where I was headed, only running as fast as I could. 

Who does he think he is?  I am the one in charge when we are training! I make the rules!

My anger kept rising and rising until I was seeing red and completely out of my surroundings, it only took a second for me to miss the large tree in my way and run straight into it letting out a cry. 

I quickly shifted back to assert any damage and saw that my ankle had already started swelling so I took in the area and realized I wasn't too far from the waterfall. I ended up quickly getting dressed and limping the quarter of a mile too and falling into the water as soon as i got there. It calmed me and felt nice on my burning foot. I floated and wade around in the water for what felt like mere minutes but had to have been closer to 2 hours seeing as the sun was already going down. 

I heard the same footsteps I had heard last time I was here and smelled a familiar scent. Dylan.

"Hey, I thought I'd find you here." He smiled, coming to sit at the edge of the water. 

I didnt respond, only looked away not in the mood for some stupid heart to heart.

"You spazzed earlier." He laughed and I shot him the best death glare I could, causing him to raise his hands in surrender. "What? It's true." He muttered.

"You don't know what youre talking about." I had hatred in my voice.

"And she's back." I heard him scoff so I looked in his direction. "I should have known the happy and genuine Blake wouldn't last more than a day."

"Wow." I laughed bitterly. "You really think you know everything huh? Think you're some hotshot who has me all figured out? Come on then, tell me who I am. Tell me why I'm angry! Since you know everything, wiseass." I tried to stand and winced at the pain radiating from my foot only making me sit back down in the water, ruining my dramatic exit.

"Okay." I could hear the hint of challenge in his voice. "You're spoiled. You're the Alphas first daughter so you're his little girl and he gives you everything and anything you want and you didn't want to come to this town so you're taking it out on everyone else. You're so determined to prove something to everyone that you refuse to let anyone new close to you and it makes you cold. With the rate you're going you will end up sad and alone so if i were you id learn to chill out." There was venom dripping from his every word and i just nodded my head with an expressionless face.

"Spot on Marshal. Spot on." With that I got up from the water, ignoring the pain that shot from my ankle to my knee and left. 

I walked wherever I was going on what I assumed was a broken ankle with his words repeating in my head.

You're so determined to prove something to everyone that you refuse to let anyone new close to you and it makes you cold. With the rate you're going you will end up sad and alone.

I've been called worse but for some reason his words stung. To think that that is what Dylan thinks of me made my heart hurt. I'm so tired of everyone telling me what's wrong with me when no one has a clue.

I winced as I stepped funny but kept walking through the pain, it would heal in a couple of days so i'm fine. I got lost in my mind just walking aimlessly when Austin popped in my head. Sometimes I missed him, he didn't deserve what I did. Nobody did. 

I decided I should head home before it got too late seeing as we were having a meeting tonight but I still took my time. I ended up seeing some rabbits and other fluffy creatures and I was so busy watching them and walked right into someone causing me to look up.

"Amy sent me looking for you, she's worried." Seb smiled.

"I'm fine, I just needed to blow off steam." 

Sebastian was like another older brother to me but different, he was all jokes and fun with everyone else but when we were alone he would always make sure i was okay and be a shoulder to cry on and sometimes he was the only one i wanted to talk too because as much as i love Noah, he felt everything i did. All of my pain and sadness and fear and i just felt horrible unloading on him when i knew he already felt it.

"What happened?" I could see the concern wash over his face as he bent down to touch my bruised and swelling ankle causing me to flinch.

"I wasn't paying attention but I'm fine." Instead of a response he turned around and kneeled down signaling for me to get on his back and I laughed for a second before doing so.

"Talk to me, B."

"Im tired." I whispered, laying my head on his shoulder as he walked. "Emotionally, physically, mentally. Exhausted."

I heard him sigh, "You know you're not alone. You keep pushing us away and acting like you're on your own but you’re not. I'm right here, Amy is here, Will, Noah, Ivory. Blake you're not alone." I could hear sadness in his voice as he spoke.

"Thank you." I yawned before letting my eyes drift shut for the remainder of the walk home.

It was only about 30 minutes from where I was and once he stepped foot in the house I woke up. Sebastian let me off gently so not to hurt my foot and I got home just in time for the first real representatives meeting with Noah, Oliver, William and I. Each group of representatives has one person and a gamma to be the voices of the pack and that was William as gamma and me as a representative so i got to take my mind off of things but i walked in to see not only Noah, Olly, and William but to see my father, Elijah, Alpha Mason, and Benjamin as well. With their faces I knew something was wrong.

"There is a threat."

I looked my brother in the eyes as the rest of the room started jabbering on and on with what we needed to do and what they were after.

“Quiet!” Olly commanded the room and instantly there was complete silence. 

“Our previous Alpha, my father, has neglected some information that was crucial to our coming here.” I had never seen my twin disappointed in our father but watching him watch our dad, that was all his gaze held.

“Dad?” 

“Sweetheart, there are some things we haven't discussed.” He looked at me trying to get me to understand but if we moved across the country because of a threat he didn’t tell us about then there would be no understanding. 

“Alpha Mason called me a few months back and told me they were experiencing a threat. I wasn’t worried because his pack was strong but then he explained it was a pack of rogue healers. They were originally after Mason’s father but he passed long ago so they waited to get their resources up to attack a younger stronger alpha. It started with one healer who was angry our packs split in half all of those years ago and just grew from there on.” 

“Why didn’t you tell us?” I roared. He decided to move our world and put our pack's children in danger for some random wolf pack that he and the previous beta were the only ones with an affiliation too.

“Because I was the alpha and that was my decision Blakely.” I knew from his tone of voice I should have left it alone, he was my previous alpha and my father so he had command over me but I was angry.

“You made me leave my home. My Sammy’s home for some random pack!” 

“They aren’t some random pack Blake. Our packs used to be one so we reside with them, never mind the fact that at least 10 of our unmated wolves found their mates in that pack. I understand your anger but we will still fight with them and for them.” William tried to reason with me.

His words made sense but I was too enraged to agree.

“I will fight with and for them as they were my own because that is who I am, but after this. I am done.”