An Unexpected Wolf Rank

Samantha "Jason Wright - Alpha" Roaring and applause echoes through the crowd, and I try very hard to suppress this feeling of pride and keep my heartbeat steady. I guess that's how you feel when you get confirmation of who your future Alpha is. Ignoring the flutter in my belly, I scoff. "Pff, no surprise here." I tell Jennifer, my best friend. "Mhm... now focus. He'll call our names any minute now." She replies, but looks mostly absent. I'm starting to believe she is more nervous than I am about hearing our rank. Jennifer is the pack doctor's daughter. She desperately wants to follow in her father's footsteps and is hoping to get a rank that would help her follow that path. "Goddess, Ming! Settle down, you're way too jumpy today." I scold my wolf because she keeps whining and giving me a headache. We are about to start our last year in high school, and before that we are given our ranks by our headmaster, during this pompous ceremony. "Wolves and their ceremonies... " Marie, my other best friend, whispers in my ear. "I know, right?" I whisper back. Our kind never misses an opportunity to organise an event. We always have dozens of ceremonies, balls and parties. "Well, I guess Lunas do need something to focus on, now let's not ruin it you guys." Jen scolded us. Marie and I chuckle loudly at Jen's words and someone behind me angrily shushes us. That triggers an eye roll from me before I settle my gaze back on the stage. Marie, on the other hand, decides to give him the middle finger. Marie can get away literally with anything. She lost her parents when she was just a baby, and since her mother and our Luna were sisters, Alpha Jaxon and his mate adopted her and raised her as their own. Their own being Jason, but even though they basically grew up like twins, Marie and him barely tolerate each other. On stage, Mr Biggins continues reading the names and ranks. He is a tough looking man in his sixties. Right now, he is one of the elders that the whole pack respects. His rank is Kappa, and as a result he became a school teacher. Kappas are very smart and they usually become teachers, doctors, accountants, lawyers. Ranks are decided by the council of elders after our first 3 years of high school and our performances both in human and wolf form are reviewed. We also had to fill out a 50 page questionnaire over the course of the summer holiday. So yeah, our final test is actually before we start our senior year. The Council reviews everything and on the first day of our senior year the headmaster announces the ranks, so we know what to focus on and where to apply after that. I'm really not worried about learning my rank. I can't understand why Ming is acting like this. She is the most stressed I have ever felt her to be, and she is starting to make me feel uneasy also. I have nothing to worry about, right? My name is Samantha Bailey and I am part of Crescent Moon Pack. We are a medium sized pack located in a remote area in North England. Mostly woods and small towns and villages dotted here and there, this is werewolf Haven. There are 2 other neighbouring packs in this part of England, Blood Moon pack, which is smaller in numbers and territory and Silver pack which is about equal in size to our own. My mom is from Silver pack, but luckily there are peace treaties between all 3 packs. My parents are fighters, they are highly respected in our pack, but I actually have Beta blood in my veins from both sides. My parents are both Beta descendants, but since both of them had older siblings who took the Beta rank, they chose to join the warriors. Having Beta blood makes them superior to other fighters, so they are both commanders, which is really cool, and it also comes with some perks for little old me. Nobody messes with the commander's daughter and I always got away with not being your typical she wolf. You see, for starters I have pastel pink hair. OK, I have half my hair pink and it's a pretty dope contrast with the chocolate brown that springs from the roots towards mid length. I am really proud of my parents, they always supported me in any crazy idea that I had, and I can only hope they will be as proud of me when I get my rank. My absolute perfect scenario is to get ranked Beta. I would then learn the negotiating skills and business management that comes with the rank, and when I will meet my mate, who hopefully is Beta also, I would join his pack. I kind of want a change of scenario, I want to know more than what is inside my pack. For this I would follow my mate to his pack in a heartbeat. Susan Mannen -Omega Brian Richards - Beta "Quelle surprise!" I roll my eyes again, bored. "Can't we just move this along quicker?" Marie shouts getting a few disapproving looks from the elders. "Ssst, our names will be read next." Jen scolds us again. Brian is my cousin from my father's side. Brian's dad is the current Beta, so the rank was expected. Plus him and Jason have been best friends since they were babies. Again that flutter in my stomach starts when Brian walks on stage and gets a side hug from Jason. I must be hungry. Owen Clark - Gamma Rianna Sull - Delta Timothy Rhonson -Delta Claire Jetson - Omega Marie Gaston - Alpha "Yeas bitches!!" She screams while running towards the stage. Both me and Jen cheer loudly for her. Matt Britton - Sigma Jennifer Dixey - Gamma "Oh, thank Goddess!" Jen exhales and starts making her way towards the stage to join Marie and the others who already know their rank. I am very proud of my friends. I cannot wait to join them on stage and later celebrate our ranks. This is it. Only a few of us left. Evie Preston -Sigma Darla Stevens - Omega Samantha Bailey - Omega I smile brightly and begin walking towards the stage while Mr Biggins' words start registering in my brain. He didn't just say 'Omega', did he? I hear people gasp in shock, I hear whispers all around me and Ming just howls, outraged at the injustice. I'm starting to feel unsteady on my feet, but I still push towards the stage. I slowly get on it and join my friends. I will not make a bigger fool of myself. Neither of them are saying a word and I am truly grateful for this, otherwise I am sure I'll lose my composure and break down in sobs in front of most of our pack. I scan the crowd and see my mom's face. She looks so ashamed and disappointed that my heart completely breaks. I have let my family down, I am truly an embarrassment. Our eyes meet and instead of the loving support I was expecting and needed, I see hatred and disgust. My mother.. she.. she denies me. I keep my head held high for the rest of the ceremony. I don't need everyone to see how I feel. I am a proud she wolf, and always will be. I will figure this out. Whatever my rank means, I will figure it out and excel at it. "Unfortunately you're not the best cook." "Too soon Ming, too soon." "Sorry. We'll figure it out. And we will be able to meet our mate soon. He can save us. The Goddess always has a plan." "f**k the Goddess and f**k her plan." At my angry outburst Ming just whimpers and retreats into the depths of my mind. As soon as every senior has their rank and we are dismissed from the stage, I start running and running, not stopping until I am deep in the woods where I shift into my wolf, allowing Ming full control. She needs this, she needs to let her pain out also, and I need to think about what just happened and what it means for me and the rest of my life. Ming runs fast, jumping over dead trees and ducking from fallen branches, making sure we are far away from everyone. I take back control when we reach a clearing and hear the sound of a stream of water. I decide I'm far enough, so I shake off any leaves that got stuck in my thick fur and swiftly shift back into my human form. I use the clothes I carried in my mouth to dress myself back. Following the gentle sound of water, I pass the clearing and go down the small hill towards a beautiful stream. I find a good enough place to sit and start staring at the running water, alone in my thoughts.