Their traded family

4. Possibility

Hope's P.O.V

I had done it, I realized as I watched my parents sit together, my mother's head resting on dad's body as they watched me try to figure out my balance.

I'd actually done it!

I let out a little happy bark, Aunt Dali following in, then the rest of my family and pack, as everyone who could had shifted as well.

"Good job, Hope, I'm so proud of you!" Aunt Dali said through our mind link, my gaze, much sharper than it had ever been before, snapped to her white wolf. With everything going on, I'd almost forgotten that I could now converse with the pack through my mind, but it was something I'd also been curious and excited about before. I dipped my head in acknowledgment and thanks as my gaze then turned to my uncle Knox, my Alpha, and I did the same, even though I knew he wouldn't require it of me.

Even though he was family, I respected him as a leader because he was so much better than most of the others, and because I'd heard enough horror stories about his father from history lessons and family dinners to be proud of him for not becoming like that.

Uncle Knox nodded, his terrifying to-the-world wolf grinning as he motioned for everyone to get in line so we could go on a run.

I practically bounced at the mention of a run with all those I held dear to me. I'd watched them do it for years, since I could remember, actually, and had dreamt of the day that I would finally be able to join on my own other than on my dad's back.

That day was finally here.

"Hi, Hope! It's so nice to be with you finally!" My wolf yipped happily as I froze. Goddess this was so much cooler than anyone had mentioned. The feeling of warmth and comfort that spread through me at the sound of her voice was something that I would never be able to go without anymore.

"Hi!" I almost yelled, and if I'd been in human form, blush would've spread across my pale-skinned face. "What's your name?"

"I'm Hadley."

Hadley, what a beautiful name. If I found her name this beautiful then I wondered how it would feel to see what she, what we, looked like in wolf form.

"Run," Hadley yipped again, "I want to run!" Indulging her, I followed after the rest of our pack, which had already made a significant dent between us and them.

I focused on my sharpened senses, paying them attention at last. Most wolves, my aunt included, said it was a bit overwhelming at first, yet either because of the adrenaline and excitement or whatever else, I didn't feel overwhelmed. I didn't feel like I couldn't handle it. Sure, it was making me even more tired, but I was so eager to witness what was so wonderful about being a werewolf after sixteen years of wishing for it, that it didn't even matter.

I sniffed the air, a wave of relief and disappointment hitting me as I still smelled no trace of my mate anywhere. It would've been selfish to wish for him, I knew that, but Hadley was like a pup on Christmas and I felt weirdly protective of her, although we were technically one, and wanted nothing to tarnish that happiness. Refusing to think about that, however, I focused on the rest of the smells around me. I could make out my family's scents, although faintly as I wasn't really putting in any effort to be fast on my paws and was rather exploring than running. I could also make out the smell of a deer nearby, my wolf urging me to go after it.

I promised her a hunting trip for another day, though.

I could smell each flower, each bush, and tree, and perhaps I was going crazy, but even the wind held a certain smell whenever a gust of it whipped my fur.

I could see surprisingly well, too. Of course, I knew that werewolves could see in the dark, but I thought everyone meant that they could see well enough to make out rogues should the need arise, not that we could literally see everything just as well in the dark as in the light.

It was awesome!

I could see perfectly clear even miles ahead of me. I looked at the stars, at the Moon, and marveled at all the sights I'd previously missed.

I could also hear everything, too. I listened to the sound of the chirping birds, their wings as if flapping right by my ears, making them cringe every time one of the wolves in front of me howled, still getting used to that particular heightened sense; I could hear the running stream pour into the lake where both me and my cousins, as well as our parents had grown up playing in.

Finally feeling satisfied with my exploration, I tried running faster to see what that would be like. Hurrying my pace, my paws moved with such grace that could only come from Hadley. I had the sneaking suspicion that I would embarrass us both right now if she left me to run quickly on my own.

The wind blew against us, our fur airy and cool. Leaves and twigs crunched under our legs, and I knew, I just knew that running in wolf form was the most freeing thing I'd ever done. And after the events of today, after the lies and secrets behind my existence, I just needed to be free, even for a little while.

After a couple of minutes, Hadley and I were exhausted. We wouldn't be tired this soon after a while of training, and after shifting hopefully became easy, so I didn't bother feeling embarrassed by something that was perfectly natural.

I had my mom's competitive streak and her stubbornness when it came to achievements, but that had been put to rest for the night, apparently.

I caught up to the others with a light trot, flopping my body on the ground as soon as I spotted them near our lake. I needed water, and badly, but damn me if I could muster up the strength to go drink some.

Mom gracefully sat next to me, causing Hadley to huff.

"Just because I'm young doesn't mean she has to rub it in!" She grumbled, making me smile.

"How're you doing, pumpkin?" The sound of Mom's voice brought me back to the scene two hours ago. Her yelling at Dad. Dad defending me and yelling back.

I loved my mom. I did. And I loved her all the more for not wanting pups but wanting me of all the ones she could've had. I loved her for the life she gave me and everything she taught me, but I felt betrayed and it hurt. I thought she loved me enough to tell me the truth about questions I'd asked since I turned old enough to want their answers.

"Okay," I replied, not really wanting to talk to her. In fact, I'd rather talk to anybody else at the moment, but preferably no one at all. Mom chucked my short response off to my tiredness, taking it upon herself to lick my fur clean and rub her head against my own.

I let her, enduring the touches that, at the moment, burned. And it wasn't only physical, her touches felt like mental blows as well and I wondered if maybe I was the one that was doing something wrong, feeling something wrong. There's no way I could be mad at somebody that loved me this much, right? But if she loves me as much as she claims, then why keep so many secrets?

Unable to handle being near Mom and what it did to me anymore, I pushed off the ground and walked to the lake, Hadley forcing me to jump in so she could cool off. I stared down at the water's reflection, curious as to what we looked like, coming face to face with beautiful red fur glistening in the moonlight and brown-yellow eyes.

Fiery, just like my hair.

Hadley was big too, I noticed as she stood amongst her, our, pack. While most of the pack members had water up to their bellies with all the rain lately, Hadley stood well above it, having to lower herself in order to properly sink her fur under.

Just then, Aunt Dali jumped in after me, splashing my face as Hadley grumbled.

"Had..." I trailed off as I saw us side by side. I knew she saw what we did. At sixteen, when most wolves weren't much bigger than average, my wolf was nearly as big as aunt's, who was a Luna and was therefore larger than the usual wolf.

I knew my biological mother had had Gamma blood after her parents, but was it possible that the male who forced himself on her was of high rank, too?

A/N

Hi, Treasures! Make sure you join my F-a-c-e-b-o-o-k group Teddy's Treasures for extra content and discussions! Do you think it's only Alana's blood that's making Hope's wolf big, or is it something else?