The Alpha's Daughter

Looking around, I search for something which might give me an indication of exactly where in the forest I am right now. It is just on dawn, or maybe late afternoon? I am really not sure. I can see the sun peeking lazily over the horizon, casting a stunning array of red, orange and pink hues up above the beautiful mountain range that I know I call my home. The air is so still and I can see my breath coming out in short, sharp ragged gasps, soon dissipating into thin air. Where the hell am I? The snow is thick and fresh, blanketing the trees like a white magic carpet as I take in my surroundings. I suddenly feel a chill run up mine spine like I am being watched, followed by the sound of a twig snapping underfoot. My heart starts to race as I spin towards the direction of the sound. Slowly but surely, I can make out two piercing blue eyes that seem to stare right into my soul. I feel a subtle pull in the direction of those shining blue orbs but for some reason I can't move? What is happening to me? "Who's there?" I whisper, "Show yourself!" I feel afraid to move in case I scare my observer away forever into the dark depths of the forest. I take a tentative step forward, careful to hold my head high and show no sign of weakness but it all feels so wrong. Do I stand my ground? I can feel the Alpha blood pumping through my veins.. Why on earth does it feel like I should submit, roll over and start licking myself? I open my mouth to speak again, to demand the owner of the most beautiful blue eyes I have ever seen show themselves but all that comes out is a loud "BEEEEEEP! BEEEEEP!" What the... I sit bolt upright in my bed, a thin layer of sweat glistening on my tanned skin. The sheets are a tangled mess of lilac and legs and I can only imagine the absolute birds nest my wild chocolate locks are in atop of my head. A dream - it was all just dream. A bloody weird one at that but a dream nonetheless. Where on earth did those blue eyes come from and what the heck is happening to me? I seriously hope this is purely graduation day jitters and not the start of me going insane. My wolf grumbles internally at the thought, clearly not impressed with where my imagination is going, and I am secretly glad that makes two of us there. Time to face the day! Shutting the alarm down on my phone and jumping out of bed, I race over to my closet and throw on a set of workout clothes. A run is exactly what I need to clear my head before today and I throw on a set of black three quarter tights, a baby pink sports bra and a grey zip-up hoodie before racing downstairs. It's 6AM and if anyone else in the house is awake already you wouldn't know it so in super stealth mode I sneak downstairs and out the front door quiet as a mouse. I can feel my wolf, Rosalind, busting at the seams to get out for a run but I push her back down inside. I need to sweat, I need to feel the burn of lactic acid in my limbs and I need to blow off some steam the good old fashioned way. The human way. Life with a wolf has never been overly difficult for me, especially as the Alpha's daughter. I experienced my first shift at 15, which is twelve months ahead of the norm, and everything since has come easy as breathing. I was fast, faster than most, and I loved a good spar. Training had easily become the highlight of my day and under the watchful eye of my father, I was always pushing myself to new limits. My father is James Lockwood - Alpha of the Moon Stone pack, whose territory is safely nestled in the mountains of North Montana. My mother, Grace Lockwood, is the absolute epitome of her name. She is everything beautiful and elegant rolled into the perfect Luna package; yet no matter how hard I try I just can't bring myself to follow in her footsteps. Everything about being a Luna seemed so safe and trivial to me - I live for adrenaline and I longed to stand side-by-side with my mate one day on the front lines of battle. I knew I would never be content to stand idly by in someone's shadow. That brings me to my next dilemma - my mate. I am currently three days away from my 18th birthday and what should be the happiest moment of my life today, is actually filling me with dread. What will he be like? Will I be happy? Will I have to leave the Moon Stone pack? This pack is my life and everything I have ever known - the idea of leaving is honestly terrifying and I shudder to think about where I will end up. With a jolt, I shake off my doubts and focus on my run. Step by step, one foot in front of the other, I adjust my airpods and feel the soothing effect of the burn as Maren Morris' 'Rich' blasts in my ears. I needed this. After about forty-five minutes I found myself back at my family home walking up the driveway. My parents and I, plus my older brother Maverick, don't live in the packhouse like most Alpha's and their families. My mother wanted a place to raise us as pups away from the hustle and bustle of pack shenanigans and my father could never say no to her. It was a modest, two-storey home, with white cladding and an elegantly-faded blue shingle roof. The house itself was nestled in a clump of breath-taking pine trees that provided the perfect privacy screen for the Alpha's family home, somewhat hidden away from the world. Wildflowers littered the lawn and a long forgotten tyre swing swung lazily in the morning breeze. "Well," I thought to myself, "Let's get this over with," and I sighed as I finished my trek up to the front door. Today was Graduation Day. The future was coming hard and fast... and good golly there was bugger all I could do to stop it.