The Alpha's Runaway Queen

Chapter 5 - First shift

Reagan POV

As the day of my eighteenth birthday was fast approaching, my emotions were a tangled mix of excitement, anticipation, and a hint of sadness. I was on the verge of shifting into my wolf for the first time–a monumental event in any werewolf’s life. My wolf, Conri, or Con for short, had been a comforting presence in my mind for the past few weeks. His wisdom and humor reminded me so much of my Grandpa River, one of the former alpha kings. Our conversations had been like calming sessions, especially with the recent changes and pressures.

“Mom, can we keep the celebration low-key?” I asked her, hoping she’d understand my need for simplicity. “We can probably go all out on the food and drinks, but none of those ridiculous decorations. Less is more, right? I hope you did not invite anyone who should not be invited. Let’s keep everything simple. Besides, Kaia and Jasmine won’t be here, and it won’t feel right without them.”

Mom smiled and agreed. Despite her own excitement for my big day, she respected my wishes, knowing how much my sister and best friend meant to me. True to her word, she kept the plans modest.

The past few days had been filled with phone calls to Jasmine, updating her on the preparations and just talking about anything and everything. I missed her terribly, and her absence weighed heavily on my heart. Kaia, too, was away, and it felt like a part of me was missing.

The day of the party arrived, the eve of my birthday, and as the sun began to set, the excitement in the air was wild. Pack members gathered in the palace gardens, the soft glow of lanterns casting warm light. The scent of grilled meat and baked goods wafted through the air, mingling with the earthy smell of the forest. I took a deep breath, trying to calm my nerves.

“Are you ready for this, Con?” I asked my wolf.

“More than ready,” Conri responded with a chuckle. “This is going to be amazing.”

The party was in full swing. Laughter and chatter filled the air. I moved through the crowd, accepting well-wishes and congratulations, but my mind was elsewhere. Despite the festive atmosphere, I couldn’t shake the feeling that something, or rather someone, was missing.

My parents were nearby, talking to the elders, but their eyes kept darting toward me. My other best friend, Luis, hovered around, offering encouragement and joking to lighten the mood.

“Man, you’re going to be huge,” Luis said, clapping me on the back. “I bet Con is going to be a beast.”

“Let’s hope I don’t scare everyone off,” I replied with a nervous laugh.

As the night wore on, a few of the pack’s young females made their interest in me known. First was Elara, a striking teen with auburn hair and bright green eyes. She approached me with a confident smile, her gaze lingering a bit too long.

“Happy birthday, Reagan,” she purred, stepping closer. “You look…different. Stronger.”

“Thanks, Elara. I feel the same though. Maybe we haven’t seen each other for a few months and that’s why you thought I looked stronger. Anyway, it’s been an eventful night. Enjoy.” I was about to go away, but she spoke again.

“How about we take a walk?” she suggested, her voice low and suggestive.

I shook my head, keeping my expression neutral. “I appreciate the offer, but I have a lot of people to greet tonight.”

Her smile faltered slightly, but then she tilted her head to the side. “Can I come with you, then? I’ll greet them with you.” She tried to touch my chest, but I took a step back.

“No.” I rarely cursed, but I cursed in my head. She was annoying. “But thank you.” I turned around and left her with her mouth hanging.

As I moved away, another young female, Lila, appeared by my side. She had a bubbly personality and a quick smile, but tonight her usual cheerfulness seemed tinged with something more.

“Hey, Reagan!” she exclaimed, her eyes sparkling. “This party is amazing. Your mom really outdid herself.”

“Yeah, she did,” I said, not really knowing what else to say. I agreed so she would be off my back soon. “Glad you’re enjoying it.”

“So, I was wondering,” Lila began, biting her lip. “Maybe we could dance? Just one dance?”

I sighed inwardly, feeling the weight of her expectation. “I’m not really in the mood for dancing tonight, Lila.”

She looked disappointed but tried to hide it with a forced smile. “Okay, I understand. See you around.”

As she walked away, I felt a pang of guilt, but I couldn’t bring myself to pretend to be interested where there was none. Brutal honesty was better than leading them on.

Later that night, I found myself near the bonfire at the clearing, seeking a moment of solitude. But it seemed even there, I couldn’t escape attention. A third female, Tessa, sidled up next to me. She was older, had no mate yet, more experienced, and her approach was less subtle.

“Reagan,” she said in a sultry voice. “I’ve been watching you tonight. You’re quite the man now.”

I laughed at her words before shaking my head. I could not believe the ladies! “Thanks, Tessa,” I replied, not looking at her. “But I’m really not in the mood for company.”

“Come on, don’t be like that,” she teased, leaning closer. “We could have some fun.”

I turned to her, my expression hardening. “Tessa, I’m going to be straight with you. I’m not interested. I have other things on my mind.”

She blinked, taken aback by my bluntness, then shrugged with a slight smile. “Fair enough. You know where to find me if you change your mind.”

As she walked away, I felt a mix of relief and frustration. I knew my demeanor might come off as cold, but I couldn’t bring myself to play along just to avoid hurting feelings. I wanted to be with Jasmine, and the attention from these females only highlighted her absence.

Conri’s voice echoed in my mind. “You handled that well. No point in pretending.”

“I know,” I replied silently. With a heavy sigh, I went back to the party.

Just before midnight, we all gathered in a circle. The moon hung high in the sky, its silvery light bathing the clearing. I stood at the center, feeling the weight of everyone’s eyes on me. Mom, Dad, and my grandparents stood nearby, their expressions reflecting pride.

“Go on, Reagan,” Grandpa River encouraged. “This is your moment.”

Taking a deep breath, I focused inward, feeling the familiar presence of Conri. It started as a warm sensation in my chest, spreading quickly through my body, The shift happened faster than I expected. It was painful but tolerable. The quick shift helped. My bones realigned, muscles expanded, and my skin rippled as fur sprouted. In seconds, I stood on four legs, gazing at the world through Conri’s eyes.

“You’re one handsome wolf,” I heard someone say, and it took me a moment to realize it was my mom.

A massive mirror was brought up on stage, and for the first time, I saw my reflection. Conri was a dark silver wolf, his fur shimmering under the moonlight. His eyes, my eyes, glowed with intelligence and curiosity.

“Let’s get the run started,” Conri said, his excitement bubbling over.

I didn’t need to be told twice. I led the run, taking off into the forest, feeling the wind rush through my fur, the earth under my paws. The freedom was exhilarating. We ran for what felt like hours but was likely just a few minutes. When we returned, I looked around and saw the joy and pride among the faces of the pack members.

I shifted back to my human form, my body still tingling from the experience. I pulled on the robe handed to me and turned to face the crowd. The moment of truth had arrived. My heart pounded in my chest as I scanned the faces, searching for any sign that my mate might be among them.

I closed my eyes for a moment, sending a silent prayer to the Moon Goddess. When I opened them, I felt a pang of disappointment. No spark, no connection. My mate wasn’t there. But I refused to let it dampen my spirits. The best was yet to come. I had faith that the Moon Goddess had heard my prayers and that I would meet my mate when the time was right.

The crowd seemed to have a mixed reaction. A lot of them were disappointed, but then a lot were hopeful that perhaps I would take a chance mate. There was no way it would happen.

As the crowd dispersed, going back to the party grounds, my parents approached me, their faces beaming with pride.

“You did great, Reagan,” Mom said, hugging me tightly. “Conri is magnificent.”

“Thanks, Mom,” I replied, smiling as I pulled back.

Dad squeezed my shoulder. “Your mate will come when the time is right.”

“I know. I just hope it’s sooner than later.” I gave him a small smile.

As the night wore on, the celebration continued. I mingled with pack members, accepting their congratulations and well wishes. Despite the absence of my sister and Jasmine, it was a memorable night. I found myself constantly checking my phone, hoping for a message from Jasmine. She had promised to call as soon as she could, but so far nothing. Then I remembered it was already late at night, so most probably, Jas was already asleep. She had a big day at the academy and probably got tired.

I decided to take my exit from the party. I still had a lot of things to do the following day. There was no training, so there was no reason to wake up early. Although it was my birthday, it was not a reason to miss a day of work.

I nodded to Luis as I left. “I’m heading out,” I told him. “Still a lot to do tomorrow.”

Luis nodded back. “Take it easy, Reagan. See you tomorrow. Gym.”

The cool night air was a welcome relief as I walked back to the palace. It had been a long day. I got inside my room and prepared for bed. I fell asleep hoping for a message from Jasmine, but it didn’t come.

The next morning, I woke up early as usual and saw that I had missed a call from Jasmine in the middle of the night. She might have thought I was still awake partying. She had also texted, greeting me with a happy birthday and promising to call during her free time. Knowing she had classes, I figured she would be busy the whole day.

I got up and headed to the gym, where I met Luis. It had been some time since we had a proper chat, so I took the chance to ask him about life with his mate.

“It’s fun at first. It’s still fun, don’t get me wrong,” Luis said, lifting a set of weights, “but you really have to put in the work after the mating period. We had an argument last week about something silly, but we worked it out. Understanding, patience, and communication are key.”

I understood what he meant. I knew my parents were putting a lot of work into their relationship. “It does sound like a lot of work.”

“It is,” he agreed, “but it’s worth it. Lorna is worth it.” Lorna was his mate, a warrior from another pack. She was nice, and we believed she was a perfect match for Luis. Jasmine and I hadn’t had the chance to get to know her better, but for the most part, she was as level-headed as our best friend.

After our workout, I had a light breakfast with my family. There was nothing much happening, but a lot of greetings and gifts came my way. At some point, I had to tell one of the palace staff to take the gifts to my bedroom. It would take me the whole day to open them all.

After the entertaining breakfast, I went to my office. Even it if it was my birthday, it was no excuse not to work. I spent most of the day in front of my laptop, dealing with pack business. My lunch was brought to my office, but when dinner arrived, Mom insisted I join them. We had a simple birthday dinner, complete with a birthday cake. Mom made me blow out the candle, her eyes glistening with pride and love.

“Happy birthday, Reagan,” she said, kissing my forehead.

“Thanks, Mom.”

After dinner, I returned to my office and worked some more. I had a company report to submit the following week, and I wanted to get ahead. Midnight came and went, and I realized Jasmine hadn’t called. I had forgotten about it too, caught up in the day’s events or lack thereof. I decided not to dwell on it and planned to call her the next day.

The next morning, after training, I called Jasmine. I timed it before she went to breakfast. She answered, but her voice was off, speaking in short, clipped syllables as if she was being careful.

“Are you okay, Jas?” I asked, concerned.

“Yeah, I’m fine,” she replied, though it didn’t sound convincing.

I shrugged it off, thinking she might still be sleepy. I told her about the party, my first shift, and that I hadn’t found my mate. Suddenly, I heard a loud clap on the other end of the line.

“Jas? Are you okay?”

She yelled back, “Yes, I’m very much okay!” Her tone strangely became enthusiastic.

“Alright,” I said, uncertain. “Just checking.”

“Yes! Goodness! Well, I’m sorry for not calling you sooner. We were all busy and I just crashed when I got inside my room. I can’t wait to meet Conri! I bet he’s handsome! Aaaand…I’m sorry about you not meeting your mate. I’m sure you will meet her sooner or later.”

I had to take the phone away from my ear because Jasmine became more enthusiastic that she was almost screaming in my ear. I wondered what had happened to her.

“My birthday will be in a few weeks! I’m not sure what will happen. I haven’t talked to Mom yet. But make sure you will be there or else!” she exclaimed with a threat at the end.

“I wouldn’t miss it for the world, Jas,” I said with a promise.

We finished the call, and I went to the calendar on my phone to block off Jasmine’s birthday. My heart sank when I saw the schedule for the next month. It was packed with pack visits on the other side of the world. There was no way I could move those appointments; they had been meticulously planned around climate considerations, events, and other pack commitments.

I felt a pit in my stomach as I stared at the calendar. I couldn’t bear to disappoint Jasmine, but there was no way around it. I decided not to call her back, hoping I could find a solution before her birthday.