The Alpha's Heart

The Next Morning

"Where are they?! My jeans!" I growled, digging through my dresser angrily. I had to find them, they were the stretchiest pants I owned, which was just what I needed for the ceremony I would be participating in. It was to show off prowess, to prove to other packs that you were worthy of becoming a hunter, a scout, or otherwise. Many werewolves used this day as an opportunity to find their mate, since many of the packs in North America would be attending, or at least the alphas and their most trusted members. While others, like me, would be performing in the battle arena.

I heard my mother's voice from the kitchen as I checked yet another dresser drawer, making me pause. "I washed them before you woke. They are folded on the dryer, stop your panic and come get something to eat." I gave a relieved sigh and ran my hand through my raven colored hair, a habit I learned from my father.

"Sorry, sorry." I hurried out of my room, passing by a plate of bacon in the kitchen, wearing nothing but an elbow length blue shirt and my underwear. I snatched a few pieces of bacon, to appease her, and scarfed them down as I popped into the laundry room. Our house was a modest one, it definitely wasn't the biggest, by far, that was Alpha Harrison and his family who took that prize. Of course. They owned the mansion we would be having the ceremony in today.

I liked our house though, I had my own room and my parents littered the walls with photos of themselves and of me, mainly mother's idea. In the laundry room it was no different; the photo there was of me as a pup, playing in a hamper of clothes. I smiled wide as I glanced at the picture, while grabbing my pants. "I'm not very hungry," I stated, my nerves were making my stomach churn; I was already beginning to regret the few pieces of bacon I had eaten.

I slipped into my jeans, then pulled on a pair of socks and my most comfortable combat boots. "I do wish you would have done up your hair at least," My mother chuffed, pouting as I looked up at her with one eyebrow lifted. "ACH! I know! Ever the rebel, ever the Tomboy! But what if your mate is there?! A nice male for you to settle down with!" She giggled, smiling at me over her cup of coffee. My heart sank and my insides churned even more. My face contorted at the thought of my mate being there, which made my mother frown.

I didn't want to find a mate I just wanted to hunt. I wanted to fight, to protect, to prove that I didn't need some male werewolf to give me worth. She didn't know my secret, the one I keep buried deep inside because I was already labeled a freak: I didn't like males. I tried to be attracted to them, I really did, I even looked through porno on my phone, but it accomplished nothing. I felt nothing. When I turned eighteen I though, maybe I would change since I was able to mate, but still, nothing. What worried me most was... Did the moon know this, thaty wolf and I didn't want a male as our mate. Would life really be so cruel as to give me a mate that I wouldnt ever, truly have feelings for?

"Oh honey! Finding your mate isn't all bad! And maybe, since he will see you fighting, he won't get in the way of your desire to be a hunter eh?" My mother had interpreted my expression wrong, but I nodded anyway, which made her face light up once more. She put her coffee cup down on the clean white countertop and walked up to me, arms outstretched for a hug. "Plus Ive seen some of these Alphas," She chimed, giving me a warm hug, a hug I tried to enjoy despite the subject. "Some of them are rather attractive."

"But what of Blue Moon?" I whispered as she pulled back from the hug, wiggling her eyebrows at what she had said previously. She paused, probably trying to recall what pack that was, then she nodded slowly, a little concerned. "I heard they had a female Alpha! Are they coming to the ceremony as well?" I was genuinely curious, genuinely excited to see the Alpha as well. A female Alpha was truly rare and unheard of.

Blue Moon was a pack from Oregon, a place I had always wished to visit anyway. Willamette National Forest was there, 1.6 million acres of forest. 1.6 million! And it was near Portland, the 'weirdest city in America's some said. I could only dream of going there, being stuck here in California. Some loved it here, but not me, I suppose a lot of that had to do with my lot in life; being in a pack that didn't understand me at all.

"I heard they were going to be there, as well as Blood Moon," She frowned then, as did I. Blood Moon was known for their blatant violence, not towards their pack members but towards rogues and other packs they deemed weak or lowly. The fact that she coupled the two together kind of concerned me; did she have something against Blue Moon? "Hopefully Blood Moon doesn't cause trouble this time, last time the blood they spilled took days to clean up." She chewed her lower lip, going to wash her cup in the sink.

"I promise to be careful, if that makes you feel any better," I stated, meaning my words. I would definitely need to be cautious around the Blood Moon pack, they probably wouldn't be competing in the ceremony games, because they already thought themselves stronger than everyone, but they'd still be keeping an eye out for any fresh hunters for their pack. If two or more packs were to claim the same werewolf for their pack, the choice would come down to the competitor. Unless the Alpha's really wanted that werewolf, in which case, the Alpha's would have to fight for said werewolf. I had no expectations of that happening, but Blood Moon's Alpha was said to have a mean temper, so going against him would be dangerous; he didn't know when to stop.