Finding the Alpha Queen

Ceremony

Yvonne

“I, Cameron Laurence Marsh, future Alpha of Morning Star Pack, reject you, Yvonne Blackburn, as my mate and Luna,” Cameron states with a slight smirk.

Elpis howls sadly, but I stand tall and look him in the eyes.

“I can’t have a weak, wolfless orphan as a mate,” he says coldly.

“Understandable,” I mutter. “I, Yvonne Elizabeth Blackburn, accept your rejection,” I state, feeling a little bit of pain but also relief.

Cameron’s eyes widened as he realized I was not on the floor crying. “Do you not care that I rejected you?”

“No,” I shake my head. “Not really,” I smile. “Excuse me,” I say and walk away, feeling Cameron’s eyes on my back. Elpis whimpers. ‘He wasn’t the one,’ I tell her. ‘We will find our place.’

“Von,” my best friend Vicky calls to me down the hallway. Wearing a pink dress, she trots up to me. Her blonde hair is in little curls. You look gorgeous,” she hugs me.

“Thanks,” I say, looking behind me to see Cameron staring.

“What’s his problem?” Vicky asks.

“Never mind,” I sigh and take her arm. “Let’s go outside,” I say.

Behind the massive packhouse is the field where the pack gathers for special occasions and meetings. There is a temporary stage set up in the middle of the field.

“Yvonne,” My mother walks up to me with Angela, “Where did you go?”

“I saw Vicky,” I say, “And we were talking.”

“Okay,” Mom smiles and nods at Vicky. “Excuse us,” she says and takes my hand. “Your grandparents are here.”

I sigh as my father’s parents have never liked me. They have made it perfectly clear that they don’t see me as one of their grandchildren. I am just the random orphan their son adopted.

Mom takes me to our seats, and Angela talks to her grandmother. The old woman looks at me with mild disdain.

“At least she dressed nice,” Arlette remarks as Mom and I sit down.

“I think she looks beautiful, Nana,” Angela smiles at me.

“Thanks,” I mouth.

“Charlotte, Angela, you,” Rudolph, my paternal grandfather, sits beside his mate.

I nod and try to ignore them while the ceremony gets underway.

Alpha Thomas Walsh walks down the middle of the field with Luna Shannon on his arm. My dad, Beta Derrick Blackburn, and Gamma Steven Terry follow them. I hear snickering and look across the aisle at the Alpha’s daughter, Heidi. She is sitting with Gamma Steven’s daughter, Iris. The two of them made my life hell all through school. It got worse when I didn’t shift at sixteen like I was supposed to.

I look away from them as Alpha Thomas raises his hands to begin the ceremony. “Good evening, Morning Star Pack,” he says. “Tonight is a momentous occasion as I step down as your Alpha and welcome my son Cameron as the new Alpha.” The pack claps. “It has been the greatest honor of my life to serve you. But I believe my son will take Morning Star far into the future. We will also witness Beta Derrick Blackburn and Gamma Steven Terry stepping down tonight to welcome their sons Aidan Blackburn and Dylan Terry.”

I tune out momentarily as I watch Cameron come down the aisle, followed by my brother and Dylan. Aidan nods at us as he passes. His mate Callie is sitting behind us with her parents.

I glance back at her and smile.

“I don’t know why I am so nervous,” She whispers.

Cameron, Aidan, and Dylan all line up on the stage beside their fathers while Elder Bradford Clemmons steps onto the stage. “Cameron Marsh,” the elder says in a deep voice.

Cameron takes a deep breath as he and Alpha Thomas stand beside the altar.

I tune out as the elder does the ceremony. Elpis is my head whining for her lost mate. ‘We are better off without him.’ I shudder when I feel the new bond with Cameron as alpha. He looks right at me before turning away.

‘Aero doesn’t agree with the rejection,’ Elpis says, mentioning Cameron’s wolf. ‘He is fighting it.’

I say nothing and smile slightly.

Cameron steps to the podium, “Hello, Morning Star Pack,” he says. “I am honored to be your new alpha. I promise to take good care of the pack and bring it into the future. I will listen to all your woes and troubles and do my best to solve them.”

I try not to laugh at his words.

“I would also like to name my Luna,” He looks right at me again. “She is a beautiful, strong woman that I believe will serve well at my side.”

I steel myself as he looks away.

“Destiny Rose Samuelson, daughter of one our best warriors, Stuart Samuelson, will serve at my side as your new Luna,” Cameron announces and claps cheers.

Destiny makes her way to the stage, wearing a gorgeous green dress. Her light blonde hair cascades down her bare back. I can’t help but smile. I feel no ill will towards her. She gets on stage and looks out as Cameron wraps his arm around her waist and kisses her. “I am honored to be the Luna of this pack.”

The ceremony continues with Aidan becoming beta and Dylan becoming Gamma.

We all then file towards the tents where the food and drinks are. I head right for the bar and order a beer.

“Hey,” Vicky walks up to me. “That was a nice ceremony,” she remarks.

“It was great,” I mumble as Cameron walks around with Destiny on his arm. She looks nervous and unsure of herself.

“I think Destiny is a good choice for Luna,” Vicky states.

“She is, isn’t she?” I smile and put down my beer. I march right over to Cameron and Destiny. “Congratulations, Destiny,” I smile and hold my hand out. “You will make a wonderful, Luna.”

“Thank you, Yvonne,” Destiny smiles.

Cameron narrows his eyes at me.

“Alpha,” I smile and walk away from him. I go back to the bar and order another beer.

A hand grabs my shoulder and pulls me away from the bar. I am faced with Cameron’s angry face. “What are you playing at?” He growls.

“What are you talking about?” I tilt my head and sip my beer.

“You,” he points. "You are acting fine after I rejected you,” he nearly yells.

“I am fine with it, Alpha,” I smirk.

“You are supposed to be writhing on the ground,” He snarls.

“Sorry, I am not in enough pain for you, Alpha,” I state.

He raises his hand and touches my cheek, “My damn wolf wants you,” he says through gritted teeth.

“Hmm,” I smile.

“Cameron,” His father barks.

Cameron growls and walks away from me.

I go to sit with my family as dinner is served.

“I saw you talking to Cameron,” Mom leans in.

“Yeah,” I nod.

“What was that about? He seemed angry,” she says.

“When is he anything but angry?” I ask, looking at the prime rib in front of me. “This food looks delicious, huh?” I smile.

Mom sighs, “Yvonne.”

“I’m fine, Mom,” I tell her.

After dinner, we all walk to the middle of the field to prepare for the pack run. I go to sit with my mother and the other wolfless members.

‘No,’ Elpis speaks up.

‘We can’t shift,’ I respond.

‘Yes, we can,’ She counters.

“Yvonne,” Mom beckons me over to her. She has Rylan on her hip. “Come on.”

I walk toward her, but Elpis takes over, and I find myself walking toward the other women in the pack.

“What are you doing here?” Heidi groans. “This is only for those of us with wolves.” She looks at Iris, “The orphan is trying to be like us.”

“What an i***t,” Iris laughs.

I sigh and stand momentarily while Elpis becomes more insistent, so I take off my clothes. ‘Why are we doing this?’ I wonder.

“Morning Star Pack,” Cameron says to us, “The moon is at her peak. It is time for us to come together and run as a pack,” he says before shifting into a large dark chocolate brown wolf with a white mark on his forehead.

A smaller silver and white wolf joins him, and they howl. Everyone else around me has already shifted while I am standing here butt naked.

‘Elpis,’ I mutter.

‘Freak,’ Heidi mind links me.

Suddenly, I am hit with immense pain and drop to my hands and knees. I cry out as I feel my bones crack and shift. “Holy s**t,” I say as a few others look at me.

‘What is going on?’ Cameron mind links us.

I nearly black out from the pain as my hands grow into paws and my nose elongates. I hear gasps and look around me as I am now level with them.

‘She does have a wolf,’ I hear.

I look at my new body and see stark white fur. Only royal wolves have pure white fur.

‘Is she royal?’ I hear another person say.

Cameron’s wolf lets out a howl, and the rest of the pack responds. Then they take off, and Elpis follows the rest of the pack. All eyes should be on Cameron and Destiny, but they are all looking at me. Elpis easily runs to the front of the pack, where Aidan’s wolf, Beau, looks at me with shock.

‘You do have a wolf,’ My brother states.

I say nothing as Elpis turns away from the pack, and we head to another part of the territory. We catch the scent of lemon bars and see Aero barreling toward us. Elpis teases him and puts on some speed. The alpha growls and catches up to him. He tackles us to the ground.

His teeth are bared inches from our throat, ‘You belong to me,’ He snarls.