Our Wolves Within

1.

Louisa

"How about this?" Jane inquired.

I quickly glanced at the top she was holding. The crop top was plum and off-the-shoulder. I was certain of the perfect match for it.

"Gimme," I exclaimed.

She gave it to me so I could change, laughing at my delight. Since we had been best friends since elementary school, Jane was familiar enough with me to understand my personal style.

In honour of the squad that our pack was sending off to the Alpha Games, there will be a large bonfire celebration. Every year, for a week, packs from all across the nation would come together to compete to determine who could put together the strongest pack. The Dark Moon pack had never performed badly. The gang was eager to see if their hard work would pay off after we finished third the previous year.

With almost a thousand members, our Virginian pack was one of the biggest packs. I adored living here at Dark Moon and was really proud of it. Back in the day, when they had just mated, my grandparents became part of the pack.

As I walked in front of the mirror, I noticed that the black high-waisted, slim pants with a few rips down the front of the thighs went extremely nicely with the top. They fit my frame just right. I was 5'8 with a trimmed waist, a solid C-cup, and muscles from my father's training. Being a well-known fighter, he made sure I could defend myself and keep my When my mother was murdered, I was a puppy. My dad was constantly concerned that I may find myself in a similar situation. We were a little family, and I knew he was scared of losing me, so I took it very seriously since I was all he had left.

I got to work finishing up my appearance. My auburn hair finally fell to the middle of my back in cascading waves. With a smokey eye, bright pink gloss, and black eyeliner, my makeup was straightforward.

Jane was wearing a black bodycon dress that was incredibly tight on her.

Her trademark silver accents adorned her asymmetrical black bob.

Despite everyone thinking she was making a fashion statement, she felt that it came naturally to her.

I said to her, "You look hot."

"Ditto," she grinned and said.

I spotted my father working the grill when I peered out the rear door and grinned. It was his man night on Thursday night. He took great pride in this heritage. Every week, he got together with two of his closest pals. After my mother passed away, it really helped him. He continued to have periods of difficulty, but as the years passed, the intervals between those episodes grew longer. It would be the seventh year this year.

My parents were the love of my childhood. It was before the mate-bond ever solidified that they fell in love.

They had made a vow to break up if the other person's mate ever appeared, as the mate-bond was a holy bond selected and approved by the Moon Goddess.

Fortunately, that never caused them any problems.

I called out, "Have fun with Clint and Tony."

"That will work. The girls enjoy themselves by the bonfire. "Is Seven accompanying you two?" he inquired.

My second best friend, Seven, was also one of the coolest guys I would ever met. Ever since we were in diapers, we had been inseparable.

"Huh. He is going to meet us on the way. I walked over and pecked his cheek, saying, "I love you, Dad.

"I also adore you, my dear."

When we got to his house, Seven was already waiting for us on his porch. He resided a few streets away from the packhouse and just down the street from me.

Leaning over the railing, he remarked with a sleepy smile, "Who do we have here?"

I scoffed and continued, "Surely you recognise your colleagues in mayhem and mischief."

He gave us a sidelong glance and down the stairs.

In his leather jacket, white tee, and dark jeans, he looked really dapper. Although Seven was a pack favourite, he was quite picky about the women he hung out with. He detested being bitchy and petulant. refusing to put up with pretend she-wolves.

who were incapable of managing their own insecurity.

"For that reason. I shrugged, saying, "I do not need to add additional drama to what I already have to deal with.

Jane gave me a cheek kiss and hurried out to meet her partner. She launched herself at him, and both Seven and I chuckled. Trevor, poor guy. If he was her mate, he was in for a very messy situation. Nevertheless, they would make excellent partners. They had been dating for a year, and they got along better than any male Jane had ever dated. He also made her feel better, which was almost unthinkable.

Since this was a huge affair tonight, most of the pack showed up. Tomorrow was the team's early departure for the Alpha Games. It was not too bad—the travel took around four hours.

Alcoholic drinks were available for anyone who desired them, thanks to the bar setup. We ran over there and awaited our moment. I still did not drink much, but it was very hard to get a shifter wasted.

I apologise, Louisa. Dustin made fun of me, saying, "You are not eighteen yet."

Dustin was a couple years older than me and a fierce warrior. Since my father had been his mentor, they were close. Because Dustin had a bad upbringing, my father became more of a parent figure to him and supported his accomplishments.

"Come on. It is only a few hours away. How long will it take? I asked, putting on my best bargaining stance as I leaned against the counter.

Since I will not be there this year, tell me who is competing against you in the Main Event, he begged.

I wrapped my arm around my closest friend with a menacing grin on my lips. I got pre-victory butterflies when I heard him moan once more.

I replied confidently, "Seb's the Main Event victim."

The warriors surrounding us were all aware of what the Main Event was.

I was unbeaten, and my father frequently boasted about it to his men and women. I knew that if they gave in to me, I would kick their asses even worse, therefore they never gave in to me. I had requested my father, who had given me unrelenting training, to identify and test my boundaries. My goal was to become the best fighter I could be.

Though everyone could see he did not mean it, Seven's laughing made the warriors laugh, and he growled at all of them.

Dustin customised my drink to my preferences. Cherry with light ice in a vodka cranberry drink. With a wink, he slid it over to me.

"Ensure that your father forwards it to me. Dustin winked at my friend and said, "I will be spending a few days with my sister. She enjoyed the video of the bloodied mess that was last year's victim."

"I am not out of the picture yet. Seven remarked, "I have some tricks up my sleeve," taking Dustin's beer.

He felt a tap on his shoulder. He pivoted and

observed Jerry. Jerry's expression of pure delight made me giggle. The casualty from last year was Jerry. Compared to Seven, he was bigger and a more formidable fighter. Jerry was a skilled fighter, but seven was good too.

He patted Seven on the back and added, "I thought the same exact thing."

We moved over to the campfire that was going to be lit after Alpha Tom called for everyone's attention.

I was a couple years older than Alpha Tom. He was twenty-three, but since I was advanced and tested out of classes, he had only been a grade above me in school. Having completed two years of psychology school, my goal was to assist trauma survivors on their journey towards recovery. Considering my past, I felt strongly about it. Whatever I accomplished in life, I put my all into it.

Alpha Tom was the person I have always had the biggest crush on—well, crush was a mild term—but he never paid me any attention. He was this pack's leader and an incredible dude. Even before he formally assumed the role of Alpha two years ago, he was great.

In addition, my Alpha was a very good example. Honestly, I had never seen a man more beautiful than him. His green eyes, chiselled muscles that seemed carved from stone, and broad shoulders all exuded a sense of power.We are proud of our team for all of their hard work in getting ready for the XXII Alpha Games tonight. Every single person who has trained harder than I have ever seen deserves my admiration.