The Forgotten Wolf Kin

Malachi’s POV Banging my head was becoming a common yet continually irritating normality in my life. You would think after I reached my full height of 6”7 at 18, I would be used to it by now, but it seems not. Only the packhouse and my home had ever accommodated for my size. Being in a foreign space now for almost an entire year, I still hadn’t remembered my bed was built for the average Alpha wolf. I rubbed my head, as I had become accustomed to doing, every morning, after forgetting when waking up where I was and hitting it on the headboard. There was a chuckle from the other side of the room from my roommate, Avery, who clearly enjoyed my pain and watched me do this without fail daily. “Dude, don’t you ever learn?” “Obviously not!” I drawled, as I stood and banged my head on the ceiling. “Ow! Dammit!” Another chuckle escaped Avery’s lips. “Every damn morning, Malachi, every damn morning” he shook his head in disbelief, while I shook mine trying to clear the stars that were starting to form in front of my eyes. “I swear Avery, one of these days I am going to clock you for your lack of empathy. Then you’ll be sorry, a light punch from me would knock you on your ass” “All talk Malachi, you’re just a puppy dog, a gentle giant, not a bad bone in your body.” “You would think after sharing a room for a year, you would know me better.” I threw on some joggers and a plain scruffy T-shirt. We had physical training today, no need to dress up, and getting clothes here that fit me was not an easy task. I was running out of anything decent to wear. Only a few more days and I will be heading home. Avery and I were both Alpha sons, our fathers were the current Alpha's of our respective pack’s. My pack, the Scafell pack, had an alliance with his pack, the Coldfell pack, but we rarely saw each other. Assistance from one another hadn’t been needed in years, so the only times we socialised were at big events. He was not that much shorter than me, at 6”5 and he was almost as well built, but he was no warrior. It was clear his pack didn’t focus on training. My assumption was, that due to the lack of rogues, wars and hostile packs in our region, his pack had become complacent. Avery and I were both 24, we had both arrived here as single males, unbeknown to us and, as we are from the same region, and in an alliance, the council had bunked us in together. I guess it made sense to them somehow, but it could easily have backfired. A year in the same room as another Alpha, could easily have ruined any chance of our alliance continuing in the future, if we fell out. Luckily, I had a calm temperament, and his incessantly irritating ways washed over me for the best part. “Looking forward to claiming your title?” He asked curiously. “I won’t be taking over anything if I don’t find my mate!” I retorted, a little marred as I made my way to the bathroom to get a few minutes' peace, not wanting to hear Avery’s response. Neither of us had found our mate yet, which was unusual for an Alpha. At 18, all wolves received their wolf abilities, although they were dulled. We could also find our mates. At 21, we were deemed adults, and came into our full abilities . For the likes of Avery and I, reaching 21 also meant we could take our rightful title and take over the pack. Only for us, we could only do that if we were mated. An old-fashioned, long-standing traditional independent law of my pack prohibited me from being Alpha without a Luna, which I intended to quash when I could. Regardless of this, for me, it remained in place and, therefore, I was stuck watching my dad continue with his duties until I found her. Avery, on the other hand, didn’t have a pack law to abide by, but his parents’ wishes. They both agreed it would be advisable for him to have a mate before he took over as Alpha of his pack, and therefore, was in the same position as me. Usually, but not always, young Alphas come here with their mates. Alpha and Luna training would occur side by side. However, two years later, with neither one of us having a mate, we were sent off on the year-long Alpha training programme in the hopes that on our return, we would find our mates and be ready to commence Alpha duties promptly. Our Luna’s, having on the job training by our mothers. Stop procrastinating and get your huge lumbering ass downstairs for breakfast. I’m starving, and we have a busy day of ass kicking ahead. I’m looking forward to it, and I need a full stomach to fully enjoy it. Morning to you too, Eero. What made you so grumpy this morning? A bump or two to the head, you i***t! It’s getting a little tiresome Well, we only have a few more days left now, so you can quit your moaning. Yeah yeah My wolf, Eero. A great big hunkering beast, who is endlessly hungry and never happy. I say never, he used to be. That was, until, at almost 25, we still hadn’t found our mate. Now he just moped about in the back of my mind, unless we were fighting, hunting, or running in wolf form. None of which we have done much of over the last year. Much to his disdain. I loved Eero, his shiny black coat was almost blue in some lights, his silver eyes iridescent. He was impressive and fierce, his heavy bulking frame caused fear just by sight, much like me. His humour used to keep me entertained for hours. But he had become restless, and I knew the only way to make him happy was to find her. Eero and I shared our hair colour. My short, cropped black hair was shaved on the sides, and slightly longer on top, allowing the slight wave to roll through it. However, unlike Eero, I had sharp green eyes, as did all four of my brothers. My lightly tanned skin was solely due to spending so much outside, which I loved and did as much as I could. Eero had retreated once again to the depths of my mind. Coming out of the bathroom, Avery was waiting by the bedroom door. I sighed loudly, making it known I was not amused. This, however, seemed to please him. “Oh come on Malachi, be a sport.” “How many times, Avery! Just because we share a room, we don’t have to go to breakfast together.” “Everyone else does,” he teased. “Everyone else are mated couples, you moron.” “ Well duh, obviously, but winding you up is easy, and soooo much fun.” “I feel sorry for your pack. Having you as Alpha, you are supposed to set an example and be a definitive leader, but you seem more intent on joking about and being an idiot.” “Oh Goddess, would you listen to yourself! When I am Alpha, I will be strong, fierce, and a great leader. Right now, I am not the Alpha, so while I can, I will have a little fun. You should try it sometime; you may find you enjoy yourself, goddess forbid.” He winked before heading out the door. He actually winked! I wanted more than ever to punch him so hard he would never wink at me like that again. I shuddered; it was disturbing. Yet, like the dutiful young Alpha I was, I refrained from physical violence outside of the arena, and followed him to breakfast. Every door I walked through, I had to duck slightly. The average Alpha was around 6”2-6”3, but even Avery, at his slightly taller 6”5, was not deemed a threat here. I, however, had been the number one target since the day I arrived. After almost a year, I still found it unbelievable that they felt threatened by me. I was by no means cocky, rude, or entitled, yet for some reason, they all wanted to see me fail. I would unlikely ever see these men and woman again after Friday, so their jealousy seemed misplaced and irrelevant to me. Avery found it amusing. I found it irksome. Today was a huge day for us all. We had completed all the fundamental Alpha training, learnt the Law, bylaws, and the history of the werewolf shifter community. We also learnt combat, tracking, hunting, and healing skills throughout the year. But today, we were in the arena. This was the one and only time we could fight with one another. It was meant to be a bit of fun, a healthy, non-competitive duelling session to end the year. However, it was clear that everyone took it very seriously. A loss meant nothing in the real world, or to our ability to complete the training and gain their Alpha entitlement, but for men, it was a sign of weakness, failing and limitation. No-one wanted to lose. None of these men had seen me in wolf form, except Avery. We would go out late at night on the odd occasion to let our wolves run and hunt, but we didn’t do it often, and we made certain we were alone. I had a target on my head from the day I came here, and I had no intention of being sent home without my entitlement because some jackass tried to get me to fight them outside the arena. It would be an instant failure, and one I was not prepared to put myself at risk of. Without completing this training, I could not gain my Alpha title. The higher werewolf council wouldn’t allow it. Eero was not as controlled as I was, and goaded. I would almost guarantee he would take the bait. Oh Yea, of little faith Eero, you know as well as I do, you would rip anyone’s throat out if they gave you a reason too. That’s exactly the point. If I had reason, I would be in the right. Not here! Which is my point. Try explaining an unprovoked Alpha death to the council on their grounds It wouldn’t have been unprovoked though. They wouldn’t know that, and with the victim dead, how would you prove otherwise? You are not exactly a wall flower. Neither are you! Hence, the reason they all want our blood – they haven’t seen me yet I could feel him grinning like a Cheshire cat. A CAT! It’s just a saying Eero! Sometimes, you could try not to interfere with my thoughts. I have nothing better to do right now. Pipe down, I need to eat, I want some peace Fine After inhaling my third plate of eggs, bacon, sausages, beans, mushrooms and hashbrowns, a few glasses of juice and a couple of coffees, I was full and ready to do some light warmups. “Mother Goddess, how does your pack afford to keep you fed!” Avery’s dulcet tones glided through the fresh late spring air and caused an earache as it hit my eardrum. “We all need to eat Avery. How do you expect to gain muscle mass if all you have to eat is fruit and cereal?” “I have speed and agility on my side.” “I doubt you have much agility at your size, you great big buffoon. You should always work to your strengths, and yours is your size!” “Since when did you become such an oracle of the warrior?” “Did you not go through our pack history with your father?” “Yes. It said nothing about you being warriors. It said your pack excelled in healing, ours in hunting and Blackfell tracking.” Apparently, Avery was going to need more than Alpha training to get him up to speed. I seriously worried about how this man was able to get through to the end of his training in such high stead, he clearly didn’t take in and retain important information!