Chapter 1 - Wolfless
What would you do when you found out that everything you knew about your life was a big fat lie?
“Aleena, come to my study now,” I heard Alpha Andre’s voice through the mind-link.
“I need to go meet the Alpha now,” I told my friend and waved goodbye at her as she nodded in understanding.
I walked fast, changing course from the ballroom toward the Alpha’s study- more like rushing. No one liked to keep the Alpha waiting after being summoned.
Reaching the study's door, I heard hushed voices of people inside, so I decided to knock; then I heard the Alpha asking me to wait for a while before I heard the shuffling sounds of papers being hidden.
I couldn’t care less about it. It wasn’t my place to ask about the pack’s matters.
“Come in,” the Alpha’s voice sounded from inside the room, and I reached for the doorknob to open it.
Opening the door, I saw the Alpha seated on his usual chair behind his desk, with Luna Rose on his right and Beta Erick on his left.
Beta Erick then nodded to me in acknowledgment before passing me by to exit the room.
“Is there something wrong, Alpha?” I asked with my head down as a sign of respect and submission.
He barked out a laugh before saying, “You know you don’t have to stand on ceremony when we are in private, Aleena. You are my daughter, after all.”
My body relaxed at his words, and I lifted my head to see him.
“Father,” I greeted him with a grin.
He stood up to his full height, and I involuntarily stepped back. Standing all tanned and bulky at 6 feet 5 inches, everyone would be intimidated by him, and I, as his daughter, was no exception.
“Still scared of your own father, huh?” he joked before coming to stand in front of me.
“Who wouldn’t?” I countered back, and we laughed at our banter.
“Come give your old man a hug,” he said with a silly grin on his face, and I gladly stepped into his arms.
We kinda looked like a giant and a dwarf. He was big while I was... well... tiny. I was even tinier than other she-wolves I’d ever met. No matter how much I ate or exercised, my body seemed to not be able to grow. You could mistake me for a 15-year-old female if not for my womanly curve - big breasts, tiny waist, and wide hips.
But I was so fortunate to have a father like Alpha Andre. He spoilt me rotten - giving me anything I wanted and was very affectionate in a fatherly way.
And all that despite my one biggest weakness. I had no wolf. Yup, you read it correctly - I’m wolfless. I had never heard any wolf voice in my head, and I was nearly 18 years old now.
With the way my body had stopped growing, wolfless and not even being able to cure any wounds, no matter how small it was, I believed there was something wrong with me. I might even believe it if some people said I was a human instead of a she-wolf.
But in reality, I was still a she-wolf, minus all the abilities a werewolf should have... Except for mind-linking, I could do nothing else.
“Come sit with me, Aleena.” I heard Luna Rose’s voice suddenly coming from the couch area.
I turned my head toward her and back toward my father, who nodded. I then strode to sit beside the Luna while my father sat on the single couch, which seemed to be too small for him and creaked under his weight.
“Have you thought about what you are going to do after graduation, Aleena?” I heard Luna Rose asking me.
Contrary to popular belief, despite being human-like, I was not shunned by my pack. My father doted on me while Luna Rose, his chosen mate after my mother, the rightful Luna, passed away, was polite to me. Everyone else in the pack was also polite toward me, although I knew it was because I was the Alpha’s daughter. I might have been treated differently if I wasn't, but I loved them for not shunning me for whatever reason.
And also, my father and the Luna allowed me to be human. As in doing all the human stuff except that I had to stay in the pack’s ground, train, and attend school there. After high school, I was free to do whatever I wanted to do. Thank Goddess for that!
“Umm... I’m still not sure about it, but I’d like something to do with the environment. So, I might take a major along that line,” I replied to Luna Rose after thinking for some time.
“You DO always love nature. Sand, water, wind, even fire. I had to keep my eyes on you most of the time when you were little, in case you burned down the pack.” Alpha Andre barked out a laugh again while still sitting on that too-small couch, which I feared might break at any moment.
I laughed at his words. I did loved nature since I was just a little child. You would always find me dirty with mud, wet with water, or even playing with fire. I was such a nature girl.
“All right then, just tell us once you have decided what you will do and where you will go. You can go and do your duty now,” my father said and dismissed me with a wave, going into Alpha-mode again.
I stood up and nodded respectfully at him to bid him goodbye. “Alpha,” before I then turned to the Luna to do the same, “Luna.”
She nodded to me in return, and I left the room to go to the ballroom.
Honestly, I couldn’t wait to graduate, explore the human world, and live with them. I wouldn’t have to train or do werewolf stuff; I would just be an average adult female and maybe find love the way humans did.
The current Luna, Luna Rose, was a witch. She predicted I might not have a mate since I was a singularity amongst the werewolf population. But even if I had a mate, I was sure he would reject me for being the way I was.
I let out a hopeless sigh. That thought would always sadden me. How I wished I was a normal she-wolf. I should have even wished to be a strong Alpha she-wolf since I was the Alpha’s child, but sadly, the reality was not as great as expected.
Just as I was thinking all that, I felt someone bump into me, and my lips curled into a smile. I didn't have to see who it was; I knew him - Greg.
“Where have you been?” he asked as he ruffled my hair.
“I know I’m small, but don’t treat me like a child!” I huffed out and ran my fingers through my hair to tidy it out.
Greg was the same age as me. We were actually born on the same day. We had always done everything together. He was my best friend and my secret crush. I had always hoped that even though we were not destined mates, he would choose me as a chosen mate.
He laughed aloud at my reply and re-asked his question.
“Alpha just called me to ask me what I would do after graduation,” I told him.
“Still thinking of living in the human world?” he asked.
“Yeah...” I replied, and we both fell silent as we walked toward the ballroom.
“I’m gonna miss you, you know,” he said after some time.
“I’m gonna miss you too. We could still mind-link and tell each other everything like usual,” I told him calmly despite the way my heart was fluttering. He wouldn't know how sweet his words were.
He hummed in reply before asking me, “How are Alpha and Luna today?”
“Still the same as usual,” I replied with a faint smile.
“Still the same cuddly wolf in front of you?” he asked.
This time, I was the one who laughed aloud at his reply.
My father, Alpha Andre, was the strongest alpha as of now. He was feared by most werewolves. He chose a second mate, Witch Rose, after my mother died.
The appearance of Witch Rose brought about the triumph of the Black Heart Pack, which was labeled as the strongest Pack ever. With my father's strength, ruthlessness, and Witch Rose's witchcraft (which we call her 'Luna Rose' now), no packs would dare to attack, much less take over the pack.
So, to see how the great Alpha Andre behaved around me, his daughter, was indeed amusing.
He’s my father, after all,” I replied, and we fell into a comfortable silence after that.
“Have all the packs decided to attend the prom this time?” Greg asked as we crossed the threshold to another area of the pack.