The Girl The Alpha Chose (18+)

Chapter 4

Sharp nails dug into her shoulder, pinning her to the mossy, damp ground. She could hardly breathe as gold eyes glared down at her as razor-like teeth neared her face.

Tears sprang to her eyes as she felt herself zone out, not wanting to see her own death coming but instead looked to the sky that shimmered with bright lively stars, happy and unbothered unlike her situation.

The beast raised its head up, most likely to strike and attack and only a single thought filled her mind as the sky exploded into a shower of shooting stars.

Dad…

Earlier

Once the bell rang, Sunni immediately jumped up from her seat and raced, wanting to get to her locker before the hall became ground zero of excited students itching to get home. She noted that Archer wasn’t there but she thought nothing of it as she opened her locker and pulled out her board and replaced it with a few textbooks. Once she was finished, she closed her locker door and paused, looking around for...what? She didn’t know. Shrugging she left school and made her way back home, putting more force in each push of the board as excitement filled her.

Once she got home, she called out to her brother and noted the silence. Her mother was most likely still sleeping but would be up soon. Running upstairs, she changed into a pair of cargo shorts and thick turtleneck sweater and wrapped one of her dad’s old flannels around her waist. Then she replaced her socks with a pair of thermal socks, despite it being just the near end of summer, she didn't feel like having wet thin socks if she stepped in a puddle. Once she was finished, she went downstairs to start packing her mother’s lunch. She assumed her brother would be eating at his friend’s and she wasn’t all that hungry so the only one that was in question was her mother.

As she was finished placing the lunchbox into the fridge, her brother came storming in, swinging his backpack around before launching his body face first into the couch, groaning. She snorted lightly before walking over to the couch and leaned over, running a hand through Cal’s thick hair.

“Long day?’’

“I need sixteen shots of espresso to survive game night with Benny and Kyle tonight.’’ He says, his voice muffled by the cushion. The two jumped in surprise when their mother’s voice entered the room.

“No espresso until you’re your sister’s age and even then, look at her! Do you want to be short?” Thais said, a teasing tone taking over as she shuffles in the living room, ruffling Sunni’s already messy curls. Sunni playfully glares at her before pointing to the fridge.

“I packed you lunch so you don’t have to drive somewhere filled with grease and nastiness.’’ She said, giving her mother a knowing look. Thais looked away nonchalantly, as if she had no clue what her daughter was talking about. Sunni shakes her head before ruffling Cal’s hair again. “We’ll leave in about two hours, I want a nap and I’m sure you do too?’’

Cal doesn’t respond, a slight snore filling the air and Thais lets out a chuckle.

“Like Mother like Son huh?’’

“Hmm someone had to get your gene’s and it wasn’t going to be me.’’ Sunni teases, ducking as her mother swiped at her head. She holds her hands up in surrender. “I kid, I kid! No go back to sleep!’’

Thais pouts. “Buuut I don’t want to! At least tell me about your day! If I have to go through one more night of cranky customers and wack computing systems and my only gossip is Ms.Bertha’s cat’s latest colon cleanse I. Will. Go. NUTS!’’

Sunni laughed at her mother's exhausted expression before nodding. Curling up on the couch facing each other, she smiled shyly. "So...there's this boy, Archer…"

Thais stared at her daughter with her full attention, excited to hear what her daughter had to say.

It wasn't often that Sunni was interested in a person, let alone a boy. Or at all.

"He seemed so sad today, apparently he's in love with someone but he's afraid about how his family will react! That's crazy!"

Thais nodded "It is, but at the same time, I can understand. He is the Mayor's son so appearances are everything."

Sunni was shocked that her mother knew Archer, then realized Archer wasn't a common name and that the only Archer in a ten town radius is Mayor Woods' son.

"Yeah! And I was even shocked he told me of all people! He even hugged me and was going to say something before we were interrupted by Aster..."

Thais covered her smile with her hand as her daughter continued to her story. She had met Aster once during on of their school's open house and while the boy was very stoic and cold, she had seen how the blonde stared at her Sunni.

She didn't know if it was contempt or adoration but it was funny watching his face twist like it was constipated whenever he had spoken to Sunni.

The two continued to talk, with the Older woman teasing the curly haired teen about the Mayor's son, before the teen claimed she needed to nap before the meteor shower.

Watching her daughter go upstairs, she felt her chest tighten, turning to walk to the fire place, a picture on the mantle.

A young handsome face with curly black hair, rich, umber skin with uniquely striking grey eyes staring back at her. The kind smile her daughter shared with her late husband. In fact, everything about her daughter was a carbon copy of her Ezra.

She wanted to stop her daughter from going but deep down she knew that If she did that, she would rebel.

She also knew that this was Sunni's only connection to her father. They all had their own.

Cal, with his monthly game day with the very first console Ezra got for him when he realized that Cal wasn't outdoorsy. The preteen took care of the console so that it would run perfect for his day.

Sunni with her weekly hikes, with her hunting knife that her father made for her, to keep her safe. A 7 inch blade perfect with a beautiful wooden handle with an intricate design carved in.

Her with date night. Just her and Ezra's picture at the beach where they first met, just enjoying the sunset and calming sound of the ocean.

It's been years, and while most would have moved on, Not Thais. Ezra was her one and only and she never wanted to forget her connection with him.

None of them did.

So, despite the fear of her husband's death moving to their only daughter, she knew she couldn't (and wouldn't) stop it.

She just hoped that whatever high being in the sky would protect their baby girl.

She pressed her index and middle finger to her lips before gently pressing it against the pictures, threw a small blanket over her son and went upstairs to go back to sleep for work.

-----

Three hours later, Sunni had finished dropping off her brother at his friends and drove off towards the preserve a half an hour away from their sleepy little town, bobbing her head to some grunge music.

Once she neared the opening, she noticed a handful of cars parked. Looks like she wasn't the only one excited for the shower.

Once she parked, she grabbed her backpack and made sure she had everything before locking her car and walking towards the treeline. Hooking her flashlight to her pant loop, she walked out off the trail, having to know these woods like the back of her hand, knowing she won't get lost.

About thirty-five minutes of leisure walking, since it wasn't dark quite yet, she made it to a slight cliff. Making sure that her shoes were on and tied correctly, she quickly made her way up, scaling the cliff with ease. Once she made it to the top, she walked across the flat terrain and paused, taking a deep breath.

The sky was clear of clouds, the purple red of the sky slowly turning dark blue as the stars started to illuminate. The wind blew against the trees, the rustling creating a comforting atmosphere.

It was perfect.

Taking off her pack, she opened it and pulled out a blanket, spreading it on the ground before settling on top of it. Once she was comfortable, she pulled out a portable C.D. player and headphones and set a timer on her phone before looping the headphones on her head and pressed play.

The intro to 'Stand by Me' filled her ears as she laid on the ground, her hands behind her head to cushion it. Her grey eyes stared up at the darkening sky as she quietly hummed along, missing the fact that there was no one around despite the cars.

Not did she hear the multiple howls off in the distance.

----

Archer stares at the array of teens to young adults crowding at the entrance of the preserve.

The Mating Run. Werewolves all over the nearby allianced packs between the ages eighteen to twenty five joined to find a mate, well those who don't have any plans that require them to leave the pack like College or already having a mate from another pack. Of course with him being next in line to be Alpha he had to join, needing a Luna once he took over.

He frowned at that. He hated tradition and his parents were BIG on that. If they weren't, he would have protested years ago and maybe even introduced Sunni to their world.

He purposely ignored the stares of a handful of she wolves, hoping to join his pack as his mate, including Moira's expectant stares. His father stood in front of the buzzing group and started off his speech about 'Generations and today being the day you become respected members of their respected pack.'

Archer rolled his eyes, every established pack member claimed that once you found a mate you became a 'Valued and Respected member to their society'

It was bullshit.

He looked off to the side and saw a shewolf who looked distressed, he slowly made his way over to her and nudged her. She looked up with wide doe eyes. He frowns.

"You look sick, everything ok?" He whispers, luckily everyone is too enthralled with His father's speech to pay attention.

The girl looks down and Archer has to lean down to hear her whisper. "I don't want a mate…"

She trails off and he understands. He nods. "I know how you feel...the girl I want is…"

She looks up with a hopeful stare, that someone understands what she means.

In love with a human, someone she can't have.

He pats her shoulder before speaking in a joking tone. "Maybe something will happen and this'll get canceled."

He didn't know how true his words would be.

She snorts before rolling her eyes. "If only we were that lucky…H.P.."

He stared in confusion. "What about health points?"

She rolled her eyes again. "No, i***t, my name. It's H.P., short for Heather Paige. My parents couldn't decide which to pick so they gave both."

"Oh! Archer, the big man's son." He said, pointing to his dad. She sucks her teeth and gives him a pity look.

"Damn, that sucks! You really have to do this. All I have to do is hide, but you…" she shook her head.

"Gee thanks for comforting words." He deadpanned. "H.P. Well, if I'll see you after, hopefully? Unless my soon to be mate will allow it.'' he said, with disdain.

They both shared a chuckle, knowing how possessive shewolfs could be.

His dad finished his speech and soon was split off into groups, each age group as its own. He stood with the nineteen year olds (he was held back a grade, so what!). The eighteen years olds shifted and were let loose, the change in air as everyone buzzed with excitement as everyone started to shift into their wolf form. About five minutes passed and his group was let into the woods. He stared at his parents then to H.P. who was in the twenty one age group before shooting off.

He couldn't shake the nagging feeling in his gut.

----

The c.d. mix looped back to the beginning when Sunni took off her headphones. She took in the calming sound of the wind and crickets.

The sky was beautiful, filled practically to the brim with stars and she was positive if the shower happened, she wouldn't know where to begin.

Gripping her knife from her pocket, she sighs. She missed her father dearly. Missed spending these moments with him.

Tears pricked her eyes and she inhaled deeply.

A snap catches her attention and she looks to her left, not easily freaked out by the sudden noise.

Although she would freak out if a huge grey wolf the size of a bear was stalking towards her.

She froze as she stared into it's angry eyes and suddenly her mind went blank as she tried to remember what to do.

It launched and she went into action, rolling to her left as she dodged the massive jaw. Gripping her knife, she unsheathed it and booked it towards the edge of the mini cliff. She obviously couldn't fight it, so her best option was to flee.

She didn't make it five feet before she was knocked hard to the side. The knife dropped from her hand as she rolled a good few yards. She flipped to her back as she tried to catch her breath but the wolf clearly had it out for her as it dropped its heavy paw on her shoulder.

Sharp nails dug into her shoulder, pinning her to the mossy, damp ground. She could hardly breathe as gold eyes glared down at her as razor-like teeth neared her face. Threatening growls filled her ear.

Tears sprang to her eyes as she felt herself zone out, not wanting to see her own death coming but instead looked to the sky that shimmered with bright lively stars, happy and unbothered unlike her situation.

The beast raised its head up, most likely to strike and only a single thought filled her mind as the sky exploded into a shower of shooting stars.

Dad…

An angry snarl filled the air that didn't come from the wolf in top of her.

And suddenly she could breathe.