Birthright

Chapter 1: Meeting Finley

“Finley! Finley, are you okay?”

I heard a voice yell from beyond the darkness.

“s**t, Finley, wake up!”

I was struggling to wake up, but I could feel somebody shaking me.

“Finley, I’m sorry, baby.”

Finally, I was starting to wake up. I can feel sunlight on my face, and I start to blink away the darkness. Slowly, the world is coming into view again. It is almost too bright after the darkness of sleep. I look up and see his gorgeous face, my mate, Sampson. I look around and realize I’m on the ground in the training area outside the packhouse. 

“What happened? Did I get knocked out?” I ask Sampson, while getting up from the ground and dusting myself off. 

“Yeah, I’m so sorry, I didn’t think I hit you that hard,” Sampson replies, nearly tearing up. He can be so sensitive and sweet sometimes, but sparring is no holds barred and I need to up my game.

I had found Sampson shortly after I turned 19, at an Alpha Conference that took place on my pack grounds. Sampson’s father had taken him to the conference in hopes that he would find his mate at the meeting, as Sampson was already 20 without a mate. As werewolves, we are able to shift into our wolf bodies and find our mates at 16. Typically, our kind is able to find a mate within a year of coming of age, but it can take years or it may never happen at all. Being that the laws have changed in regards to Alphas and their heirs, I took over the pack from my parents when I turned 18, and my father helped me organize the Alpha Conference.

It was very awkward finding my mate during the conference, because I was supposed to be gaining experience running the pack and taking care of the conference. Instead of gaining the experience I needed, I ended up being relieved of my duties as Alpha by my father so I could spend the few days of the conference getting to know my mate and figuring out who would move packs. Luckily, Sampson already had younger brothers at his pack who were eager to take over, and Sampson was happy to move here. He hadn’t wanted to take over his pack from his father just in case he met his mate and had to move, and his father was happy to keep running things. I’m an only child, so if I moved packs the Beta and Gamma would move up a rank and they’d have to appoint a new Gamma, which is really a lot of paperwork for everybody involved. 

To reassure Sampson, I say, “Honey, you know how rough sparring can get, don’t worry about it. I’m fine, I promise! I’m already healing, okay?”

I can tell Sampson is still concerned, so I decide we can go get something to eat from the kitchen and rest for a bit. My face is already completely healed from where Sampson hit me, and I want to get back to sparring, but I rarely ever get knocked out so maybe I need a little break anyways. I take Sampson’s hand in mine, and we walk towards the kitchen. 

We’ve been together now for almost a year, him and I running the pack together. Since the Alpha Conference, I have done my best to live up to my parents’ expectation as a leader, and we have grown our pack a lot since then. We even had to upgrade our packhouse and expand our territory! 

The packhouse used to be an eight bedroom house, and all the ranked members lived there. Now we have a packhouse big enough for the ranked members and anybody who works full-time in the packhouse, with extra rooms for visitors. There are 30 apartments in the packhouse, with 4 floors. The main floor consists of the kitchen, the dining room, a large living room area, public bathrooms, an office space, and the conference room. The upper 3 floors each have 10 apartments, with all the ranked members and their families on the 2nd floor so they can easily get from their private work areas in the apartments to the conference room and office space on the first floor. We also have smaller houses and townhouses on the territory for those who only work part-time in the packhouse or have jobs outside of the pack. Even some who work full-time in the packhouse sometimes choose to live in their own homes around the territory.

As we enter the kitchen, we are greeted by Ava, the pack member currently assigned kitchen duty.  

“Finley, Sampson,” she greets us and waves, “how are you two today?”

Sampson answers for us both, “I’m fine, thank you, Ava. Finley, however, just took a hit during our sparring session and passed out! Would you please get us something to eat, and maybe a gatorade for Finley?” Sampson asks, raising his eyebrows at me in a questioning way, not sure if I even want a gatorade. He knows me so well, and he always wants to make sure I get what I want.

“Yes please! Gatorade sounds great!” I reply, and give Sampson a small kiss, letting him know I appreciate the gesture.

“We have southern style chicken breast and mashed potatoes for lunch today, does that sound good?” Ava asks from the fridge, looking for the gatorade.

“Absolutely, thank you!” Sampson says, and I nod vehemently in agreement, my stomach growling. No wonder I got knocked out, I’m starving.

I’ve been training so hard lately, because my 20th birthday is coming up. Since my family is descended from Lilith, the mother of all werewolves, my 20th birthday is very important. We come into our full abilities at the age of 20. My father, who was the Alpha before me, his side of the family is descended from Lilith. He has the ability to see threats in the near future. His mother, my grandmother, was telepathic. I just want to do my best to live up to everyone’s expectations, especially my father.

Ava hands me the gatorade, and starts to prepare our lunches. It smells so delicious, and my stomach is making all sorts of whale noises. 

“Finley, is that you? I can hear that from across the kitchen!” Ava exclaims, while adding the finishing touches to our meals.

“Yeah, baby, no wonder I was able to knock you out! You normally kick my ass!” Sampson says, while holding me tight. I can tell that he’s trying to hold back his laughter, but he’s still concerned with how hard I’ve been pushing myself lately. 

“Okay, I guess I’m a little bit hungry,” I say softly, also trying not to giggle.

Ava laughs at me, shaking her head, and puts our food up onto the counter. 

“Thank you so much, Ava!” I say, taking my plate and Sampson’s from the counter, and walking to the table outside. Sampson and I like to eat outdoors, especially when the weather is as nice as it is today.

Sampson and I scarf down our food, moans of delight escaping my mouth. Ava’s cooking just can’t be beat. 

ONE WEEK LATER

I’ve been training nonstop this past week, getting ready for my 20th birthday and gaining my abilities. My parents have set up a ceremony since I will need to take an oath of goodness and bravery before I officially gain my abilities. Normally all that’s needed for one to come into their abilities is to make an oath in front of only one witness, typically a parent, on the night of your 20th birthday, but my parents are very excited. I wonder if they know something that I don’t or if they are just happy for me because I’m their only child. Either way, my parents love me so much and I’m incredibly grateful for them.

I’m currently getting ready for the ceremony, doing my hair and makeup. I look into the mirror and realize how much I’ve changed in the past few years. I used to be such an awkward and lanky kid, but now I’m muscular and fit. My hair is long, straight, and black, reaching to my hips. My skin is a light golden beige, and clear of blemishes, thank the gods for my werewolf genes. People always tell me that I have strong features, and that I look a lot like my dad. I couldn’t agree more, as my cheekbones are sharp, my jaw is strong, my nose is straight, and my eyebrows are very angular and full. I am the spitting image of my father. Except for my green eyes, I get those from my mom. I finish doing my hair, and look at the time. It’s nearly time, and I find myself getting nervous and antsy.

I make my way downstairs and outside of the packhouse, to where everyone is waiting. The entire pack is there, under the moonlight, with my parents and Sampson waiting slightly apart from the rest of the pack. I go over to my parents and Sampson, my legs turning to jelly with every step I take. I am so nervous, worried I’m not good enough to be blessed with any abilities, but very curious about what kind of abilities I might get. My father takes my hand once I’m in reach, and gives me a small nod. 

“Finley Maeve Robertson,” my father starts, his voice strong and bold, “Do you swear, as a daughter of Lilith, to do your utmost to remain good and true and pure of heart for as long as you live?”

“I swear it.” I respond, doing my best to keep my voice level and strong as well.

As soon as I finish saying my piece, my eyes start to go out of focus, and my vision is starting to turn white as the moon in the sky. I feel a warmth emanating from inside my body, and I can hear the gasps of the pack. I have no idea what is happening and I’m scared, but excited too. Suddenly I feel myself shifting into my wolf, although I have no control over the shift. My wolf body leans towards the sky and lets out a long, loud howl.

“Is that supposed to happen?” I can hear my mother ask my father from somewhere in front of me.

“No, I have no idea what’s going on.” My father says with confusion in his voice.

“What’s happening to her wolf?” I hear Sampson ask.

My vision clears suddenly, and I’m still in my wolf form. I can see the confusion and concern written on the faces of every single pack member, including my father. That can’t be a good thing. I remember that we have a small pond on the pack grounds, so I quickly run over to look at myself in the reflection. What I see before me stuns me, and takes my breath away.

My wolf used to have entirely black fur, but I see that my fur is now completely white and almost sparkling in the moonlight. My eyes are still the bright green they always have been, thank the gods, but I’m very confused about my fur. I’ve never heard of that happening when a child of Lilith gains their abilities. I run back over to my parents and Sampson, and command the rest of the pack to go disperse with a quick bark in their direction. Sampson quickly takes off his shirt and hands it to me, understanding that I want to talk with him and my parents, as shifting ripped away my clothes. I duck behind a tree, shift back into my human form, and slip on Sampson’s shirt. 

“Dad, what happened? Nobody ever told me that I would shift into my wolf spontaneously or that my fur would change color!” I try to keep calm, but I can’t help my voice from rising in fear and confusion and a bit of frustration. I liked those clothes too!

My mother and father take a quick look at each other and they both have small smiles.

“Sweetheart-” My mother starts to say.

“We think that you are a prophecy child.” My father finishes for her, clearly excited.

“What do you me-” I start to say, before getting cut off by my father.

“There is a prophecy that the most pure werewolf to live will help unite and heal the werewolf packs back into one pack, and that their wolf would turn completely white on the night of their 20th birthday when they gain their abilities.” My father seems rather excited about this, but it has to be a mistake. 

“Dad, I can’t-” I get cut off by my father, again.

“Sweetie, you can and you will. The prophecy also states that you will gain every single ability that a child of Lilith can have. You can do this.” 

I just can’t believe what I’m hearing, and I start to freak out. I can feel myself hyperventilating, my legs feel wobbly, and I feel nauseous. My vision starts to get blurry, and suddenly everything is sideways, and I’m on the ground. I can see mom and dad and Sampson rush to my side, and I can see their lips moving but I can’t hear a thing. Darkness is encroaching upon the rest of my vision, and in a very short amount of time I can’t see anything at all. I let sleep claim me as my vision goes entirely black.