Bear's to Mate

New Story Chapter 1

Chapter 1 THE WOLF RAN FOR HIS life, a handsome grey that pushed the wrong button and landed himself in a lot of trouble with the pack. He had been a simple Beta, and was not permitted to mate with the females. He slipped through the cracks, and earned himself a spot on the list to be chased out or killed.

The prior was being implemented, what with an entire pack of wolves hot on his tail. He refused to allow them to kill him. He wouldn’t be remembered as the one who had been killed despite his best efforts. He would not go down in history as a coward.

His downfall had been a gorgeous black wolf, with flecks of grey in her fur that shone in the moonlight. Her hair, as a human, fell down past her hips, blanketing her and shielding her from curious eyes. Her pale skin was well complemented by her dark hair, and it made her sapphire eyes stand out more than the average wolf’s. It was uncommon for wolves to have blue eyes, but somehow she had managed to get the dying gene.

He had fallen in love the moment he saw her, but rules were rules. Betas were prevented from passing on their genes; they were weak and/or deformed in some way. His problem was a small chest, which was not ideal for running for long periods of time. The most he could manage were short bursts of speed that barely took him anywhere.

The wolves in his pack were merciless, using hunting tactics to try and pin him down. He kept moving, though, wanting to stay alive for as long as he could. If he could only reach the river that separated the packs from the free wolves, he would be saved from the tyranny.

Luck was not on his side.

He stumbled and fell, tripping paws over nose. Halfway through his tumble, he shifted into a human and tucked his arms and legs close to protect himself. He barely had enough time to regain his breath and sit up before he saw the first wolf: an Alpha male, lurking at the edges of the trees. He was powerful, and ruthless when he hunted. No doubt he would want the Beta male for himself. He slinked forward on huge paws that allowed him to push from the ground and give himself more speed, his long, sharpened points of claws glinting in the low light.

The Beta scrambled to his feet, holding his arms in front of his face as the Alpha lunged. The wolf’s jaws caught around the Beta’s forearms, and he screamed in pain. Far off in the distance, he could hear the howling of the other wolves. They heard his scream, and could smell his blood. The Alpha tightened his jaw, ripping and dragging at the flesh on the human’s arm with voracious teeth. He was bred to kill, and he had no other intent than to do just that. The Beta stared up in fear; he had never once been so scared in his life.

At the edges of the forest, other wolves began to emerge, a variety of them, though all Alphas. They were there to end him. They were there to write him into history as a coward who was unable to run fast enough, a coward who broke the rules, and tried to escape his fate. The packs made sure that never happened. Not a single mouse could get out of the territory without them knowing about it, there was no way that they would let a wolf get through the cracks.

***

ALEXIS JUMPED AWAKE from her own dream, screaming, her eyes wide open; her younger siblings, only two of them, stirred and kicked at her. They didn’t wake, but were able to register the ruckus that she caused. Her mother was across the den sound asleep. The four of them lived together to conserve space and warmth, especially while the twins were in such a frail time of their lives.

Sweat dripped down Alexis’s back, and she wiped a light sheen from her forehead. The nightmare had been the most vivid she had seen in weeks. Whenever it got close to her designated time, the nightmare became more and more realistic. She didn’t know what it meant, but it scared and chilled her to her very core.

Alexis rubbed at her arms, looking around her surroundings and reminding herself that she was with family. She was loved, and she was safe. Carefully, making sure not to disturb her siblings, Alexis stood up and left the den.

The moon was low in the sky, and the first tinges of sunlight were starting to appear. She knew that on such a vital day she should have been sleeping. She would need all the rest and energy that she could get if she were going to make it through the day. Instead of heeding her own advice, she stayed awake. A few wolves prowled the pack grounds, keeping watchful eyes out for any of those who might try and run away. Alexis shuddered, thinking of the Beta male in her dreams that had been flayed alive by the teeth of his brethren. She couldn’t imagine a worse way to go.

One wolf, the Alpha of the pack, growled at Alexis as she walked by him, she paused. He was a mottled grey wolf, older and on his last legs. He shifted into a human, towering over Alexis, his muscles and strength still obvious despite his age.

“Where are you going?” he asked.

“Nowhere,” Alexis replied. She met his eyes, and then looked away. It was the best way to show submission as a human. “I woke up because of a nightmare, and I couldn’t go back to sleep,” she explained.

The Alpha nodded, looking Alexis up and down. “Isn’t it your day?” he asked.

Alexis nodded, another flash of cold fear shooting through her body. She was hoping to think about it as little as possible. Thinking and worrying about it would only make the entire situation worse for herself.

“Yes,” she said, going quiet. The words were barely audible to her own ears.             

“You should be sleeping,” he said, as though Alexis didn’t already know that. “This is vital to our survival.”

“I know that,” Alexis said.

His gaze turned scrutinizing as he looked over Alexis. The entire pack knew about her failures after previous sessions. Some claimed foul play, others whispered about infertility. If it were the second, she would be chased out of the pack. Her mind wandered back to the dying Beta, his screams for help that went unheard. Her stomach churned in an uncomfortable, and painful way.

“You’ve have trouble before, haven’t you?” he asked.

Alexis had known the question was coming. “Yes,” she admitted.

He curled his nose at Alexis, and gave her a discontented snort. “I can’t believe we’re giving you another chance. How many times has it been now?”

“Seven,” Alexis whispered. The number haunted her.

Her mother had caught after the first time, and gave birth to four pups. Alexis was the only one to survive. When she was ready again, she caught after only the second time, and gave birth to the twins. The last few females in their pack averaged around two to three times. Seven was unheard of.

“Seven,” the Alpha sneered. He turned into a wolf, and trotted off, leaving Alexis to wallow in her misery and guilt.

She could only expect that the number would increase to eight.

*