The Alpha Kings Fairy Princess

Chapter 1 - Lilly POV The sound of dead leaves and twigs being snapped in the distance pushes me to run faster through the forest. Leaves, branches, and bushes whiz by me as I try to put more and more distance between whoever, or whatever, is closing in on me. “It’s pointless to run, little girl!” The dark, gravelly voice yells from behind me as I push myself further and faster. My top continuously gets snagged on branches, slowing me down, as I try to navigate through the thick forest spread before me. The canopy of the trees is so incredibly thick, even the sunlight can’t penetrate. I’m relying on instinct, which is where my problem lies. I’m a werewolf, without a wolf. In an instant, I’m falling, having caught my foot on a protruding tree root, tumbling over the edge of the ridge. My body tumbles down, hitting boulders, shrubs and trees as I fall end over end down the side of the ravine, my body sliding to a stop at the base, every part of me is sore and aching. How I survived, I’ll never know. As I try to pull myself up, a twig snaps close by, too close. My head whips towards the sound and I hear a subtle growl. “Found you, princess.” A new voice says, followed by a deep growl. The way he said the word princess sent a shiver down my spine. The smell of death and decay invades my nose, meaning only one thing…rogue. Even without a wolf I would know that smell. I scrambled onto my back, trying to face the direction of the voice coming from the dark. I see his eyes first, red, crazed, glowing, and locked on me. “Please don’t hurt me.” I pleaded out in a whisper while trying to put more distance between us. A large, haggard looking, brown and black wolf emerges from the trees, the rotting flesh stench increasing tenfold. Before I can react, he lunges towards me. I sprang from my bed, instinctively grabbing the closest object to defend myself. It takes a moment, but I realize I’m in my room, in my home, still within the Crescent Moon Pack, and the hairbrush in my hand is the worst weapon possible. Letting out a deep breath and placing my brush back down in its spot, I let out a deep sigh. “It was just a dream.” I tell myself, walking into my bathroom to clean myself up. I start the shower and turn to look at myself in the mirror, and I’m shocked by what I see. I have small cuts everywhere, almost as if I had truly been running in the woods last night. I look like I lost a fight with a thorn bush. This isn’t the first time I’ve woken up like this, but this is the worst it’s been before. Shaking off the lingering memory of my dream, I hop in the shower, taking the time to properly clean all the little scrapes and cuts just to avoid any possible infection. Most wolves wouldn’t even bother, by the time they’d be done with their shower and ready for the day, the cuts would be healed completely, leaving no trace they were ever there. I, however, am not so lucky. At 20 years old I still haven’t shifted; I have never heard from my wolf. I’ve learned how to get little things like this to heal quickly, but I don’t have the natural healing of normal wolves. My parents say I could be a late shifter, and that I still have time. I threw that thought out the window two years ago. Almost all wolves shift by 16, Alpha and Beta bloodlines shift almost always before they’re 14. In the other shifter communities, the latest is normally 18, even though that’s rare. As I’m drying off, my wrist starts to tingle, which starts to burn and an electric shock shoots up my right arm, down my left and into my fingertips. I rub my wrist where the pain radiates from, staring at the tattoo-like birthmark on my wrist. A crescent moon with a diamond, holding a blue star in the middle, dangling from the bottom of the moon, like a charm. My parents don’t have any answers, and I’ve spoken to the pack elders time and time again. They say they don’t know more than I do, but I don’t know if that’s true. I get this feeling deep down that it’s not. I applied my make-up to cover the remaining scratches on my face, after applying a healing salve that should have them healed by lunch. My long silver-blonde hair gets thrown in a messy bun on top of my head, and I go pick out my outfit for the day. I decided on a pair of gray leggings and a purple tunic tank top. It should help keep me cool in my lab coat while I work. I finish the outfit with a light cardigan to hide the cuts that remain on my arms. I’ve been working in the pack hospital research lab, almost exclusively for the past three years; helping to create healing elixirs and working in the pathology department. I started off as a volunteer while I was still in high school and my healer training. I was dual enrolled in my final year of school and I did nothing but live and breathe school for a little over a year; graduating with my diplomas and clearances to work at the hospital and the lab. I’m one of the main healers of the pack, but that doesn’t take up all my time. In fact, it took up so little of my time that I started to work in the lab. We develop the elixirs we need for healing, research new and effective ways to help our pack members with a number of possible ailments, though we get sick so rarely, and recently we’ve been working on a drug that can help our warriors resist the negative effects of wolfsbane. My parents never understood me wanting to be a healer. I’m the pack Gamma’s oldest daughter, we’re supposed to be the heart and protectors of the pack. They always expected me to go into warrior training like Sasha so that one day I could fulfill my Gamma responsibilities here, or in my mates' pack. When I didn’t get my wolf, I felt that wasn’t the right move for me, solidifying how I already felt about being a pack, Gamma. Besides, I can protect the pack by learning to be a good healer and I have enough training to protect myself and others if need be. Everyone trained, even if it was just for self-defense. Once I’m ready for the day, I head downstairs to the kitchen where I can smell the delicious aroma of coffee filling the air. As I round the hall into the kitchen, I noticed my older brother Andy and my younger sister Sasha sitting at the table finishing their breakfast. “Morning.” I yawned, reaching for my favorite coffee mug; it could pass for a soup bowl. “Mom and dad leave already?” “Mmhmm.” Andy replies with a mouthful of pancakes and bacon. Once I finish making my cup of coffee, I return to the dining room and sit at the table with my siblings. I’m so tired, my mind still lingering on that dream. Subconsciously, I hope that my make-up covers the little cuts I woke up with. No one seems to notice, so I try to brush the feeling off. “You look like s**t, Illy.” Andy, kindly points out, using my childhood nickname…I hate that nickname. Lilly I get, but Illy? “Thanks, and don’t call me that.” I replied, rolling my eyes. I just want my coffee, no talking, just this delicious bowl of energy right in front of me. I bring the cup up to my lips and inhale the smell, my body relaxes more as the remaining anxiety from my dream dissipates. “I have some future Gamma training in about an hour. Sasha, do you want a ride to school? I can drop you before I head to the training area.” Andy says as I practically make love to my cup of liquid deliciousness. “Yes. Let me go get my stuff.” Sasha replies quickly leaving the room. “What’s the plan for today, sis?” “The lab until 11 and then I have a few appointments at the clinic this afternoon. A few pup check-ups, one elder. We also have a new healer joining us, part of the witch family we just initiated. I’m excited to meet her. Other than that, I need to find time to do my run.” I stand to gather my things, grabbing my to go lid for my mug in the process. “When do you have to be at the lab?” “In an hour.” “Go for your run now. Got your training gear on under that shirt?” Andy raises an eyebrow. I roll my eyes in response he’s one of the only people who know how fast I am. It’s the only werewolf quality I have. I can complete a 5-mile run in just over 20 minutes. I’m trying to get it down to 20 flat. “I guess I could drop my things by the lab and then go.” “Or you can leave now and have time to swing back. You and I both know if you go to the lab first, you’ll take the extra time to walk to the café with Macy for more of that.” He says looking at my bowl of coffee. “UGGGHHHH. You’re so annoying when you make sense.” I say as I drop my bags and place my mug in the microwave for a quick reheat when I get back. I ran upstairs to change into my running shoes and take off my top to put with my bag and shoes for when I get back. I know my brother is right, but I was hoping to wait until later. I come back downstairs with my armband so I can put my phone somewhere and listen to music while I run. “Where are you going? I thought you were going to work?” Sasha asked curiously. “Run first, then work.” I say as I tighten my hair into a bun and stretch. “Why? You don’t even have a wolf, why would you need to go for a run?” “Sasha!” “What? I’m honestly curious. I have never asked you, but when you stopped training, I never thought you’d keep up a crazy run schedule like this. I’m sorry for the wolf comment.” she says, truly apologetic. I pull her into a hug and she wraps her arms tightly around me. “Sasha, it’s good exercise. Besides, I can run 5 miles in almost 20 minutes, so I’ve got something going for me from this family, right?” I say into her curly sandy blonde hair. She’s a bit naïve, I don’t hold it against her. “I’ll see you guys later.”