Alpha's Prophesied Mate

APM5

Over the last couple of days, adapting to my changing body has been very difficult.

The night after my discharge, I woke up suddenly to find fur-like structures all over my arms and legs. I had to swallow my scream so I wouldn’t wake up my sister, who had turned herself into a designated nurse and was sleeping by my side. I ran to the bathroom to get a shaving stick and cream; however, just before the blade touched my skin, I could feel the hair receding into my body.

I sat down on the floor of the bathroom and burst into tears. That was the position my sister found me in when she woke up to use the restroom. She thought I was crying for a different reason and tried consoling me.

About two days ago, I was alone in my room, surfing the internet on my phone, when I heard a tiny female voice.

"Hello."

I looked around and saw no one. I looked out my window, thinking that maybe someone was trying to get my attention from the ground floor, but it was just people milling about, going about their daily activities. I chalked it up to an overactive imagination; maybe because I was bored and wasn’t going to work, I was starting to see and hear things that weren't exactly present. I wasn’t at work because I had been instructed by my superiors to take the rest of the week off, implying I would resume work in about two days.

"Can you hear me?"

"Kira? Is that you? This is not funny!" I remember quickly that my sister went to school, as she had missed enough classes already and I insisted she go. Apparently, this was not a very wise decision.

"No, it's not Kira. My name is Star; it is nice to meet you officially, Emily."

"Star? Who are you, Star?" I looked around the room, trying to locate the source of the voice. "Where are you talking to me from?"

"Well, this might be a bit difficult to explain, but I will just come right out and say it." It seemed like she was steeling herself for something. "As I said, my name is Star, I am your wolf, and I am talking to you from your mind."

I burst out laughing; perhaps it was laughter at all that has gone wrong thus far, or perhaps it was laughter at the fact that I am now hallucinating someone or something talking to me through my mind, or laughter simply because tears have refused to fall.

"I don’t know why you are laughing; I am new to this as well. I just woke up in your body five days ago, and I have been trying to get used to you." She took in a deep sigh. "I believe you must have seen me before."

A flashback ran through my mind, and I recalled the white and black wolf I have seen on two separate occasions now, although in dreams.

"Yes, that is me; I am Star." I was hurt when you ran away from me the first time I saw you, but you made it up in the forest. I wondered how she knew what I was thinking.

Can you read my mind? I didn’t say a word, but I was very surprised when she answered.

"Yes, I can, but only because your mind-link is open."

‘Mind-link? What is that?’

"I am trying not to scare you, but let me figure out how best I can explain this."

I chuckled at the conversation going on in my head. I could not believe this was happening.

“Have you ever heard of telepathy? That’s kinda like what a mind-link is. You essentially can speak to me and other members of your pack through your mind.”

‘Pack? What is that?’

“I will tell you more about all those later. Now you have to prepare for your first shift. It is supposed to happen in 2 days’ time on the full moon. It is going to be so exciting!” I could feel her prancing around excitedly in my mind. She shook her tail vigorously before settling down to continue. “The major problem now is where to change because you have to do it in a familiar land, but also a place away from your family and friends so they don’t meet a wolf in the center of their living room and call animal control.”

“Ha, was that your attempt at being funny?” I chuckled dryly.

“Did it work?” When I refused to c***k even a smile, she continued. “You don’t have to be so grumpy. I am only trying to reduce the tension and make the best out of the situation we are in.”

“I hear there is a changing spot on the outskirts of town. I just wish there was someone we could ask to confirm.”

“What do you mean ‘you heard’? Are you talking to other people in my mind? Can other people hear my thoughts? How do I turn off this darned thing?” I covered my mouth in shock. I hated cursing and tried not to do it. My swear jar had been on the same level for almost two years, and now, just a few days into my transformation as a werewolf, I could already feel myself changing so much. How on earth was I supposed to do this?

“Stop freaking out; people cannot hear your thoughts. The mind-link is a whole living, breathing organism put in place by Luna, the moon goddess, so you can find information on it as well. That was what I did.”

“With regards to turning it off, that can only happen after your first shift.”

“You keep mentioning this shift. If it is anything as I read in the novels, it is supposed to be very painful.”

“Well, I cannot completely say it is not painful, and that is why I want us to do it on somewhat familiar ground.”

“Oh, my God! Why is this happening to me? I was a good child. Why are you letting me go through all this?” I asked towards the sky.

“Emily? I feel sleepy. I don’t have so much energy yet, seeing as we have not shifted. The closest pack to us is the Blackstream Pack. Find… their… changing…room.”

Third Person POV

“How did he get onto our territory?” Alpha Sean of the Blackstream Pack asked furiously.

The Blackstream Pack is the third largest community of wolves located in Montrill, with a population of about five hundred members. The members are well spread between men, women, and children. The borders of the pack land are, however, enveloped by a territory-free area where wolves who do not belong to a pack can at least live. His captain of guards, Nolan, looked away for a bit.

“I asked you a question, Nolan. How in the name of Luna did a werewolf hunter get onto our land and knock out two of our warriors?” Sean furiously slapped his hands against the table. “I demand a reasonable answer, or your head might just be the next to go.” Getting up in a threatening fashion, Nolan cowered back a bit in fear of the power he was exuding.

“Alpha, we are at the border of no man’s land. Our pack needs all the security it can get,” Nolan took a deep breath before continuing, “especially after you withdrew half the patrol guard recently. I think that was how he was able to kill the two guards. One of them was shot with a wolfsbane arrow; he could not even react before he dropped dead,” another pause followed. “The other was only able to send a mind-link message before his throat got sliced.”

“f**k!”

“We rushed there as soon as the mind-link was sent, but the bastard was gone without a trace.”

“What do you mean without a trace? Get your best sniffers on the f*****g job. Let them sniff out the bastard who thinks he can continue running rampage on my pack grounds.”

“We already did that, but it appears like he covered his track with wolfsbane as well, and you know how sensitive we are to that stuff.”

“All I hear are excuses, Nolan. Excuses! You are not just a warrior wolf; you are my captain of guards. Do I need to find someone else for your job?”

“No, Alpha.” Head bowed and neck exposed as a sign of submission.

“Good. Then find me the f*****g hunter who thinks he can waltz onto my land and leave me two dead bodies as a birthday present.”

“Yes, Alpha Sean.” Nolan took his leave, shutting the door behind him. Sean sank his body into the pack office chair and turned off the mind-link. A part of him wondered if this was his fault, but he shrugged off the thought, dismissing it as a flippant excuse.

After all, just like Nolan said, he withdrew some guards to help him watch a very precious resource, but they should be able to function well without those people. What if they had died in battle? Would Nolan still give the same excuse?

‘Perhaps I should work on someone else to take over his position.’

Turning the mind-link back on, he called for one of the best knights of the guard, someone he had been grooming in secret for a while now.

“Brandon, get into my office now.”

There was a bigger picture in mind, and only those with the ability could be part of it. Liabilities like Nolan may just have to be eliminated.