The Warrior's Child (Completed)

Chapter 1

Kamaria

I run through the station, my heels barely making contact with the floor before I lift them up again. Running down the escalator I have to politely, but aggressively push past a couple of people. I apologize as I do so, but don’t let it slow me down. From still a distance away I hear the train announcement “Mind the gap” I’m cutting it close so I speed it up. Enough to not miss my train, but not quite in the realm of the supernatural. I slide through just before the doors are closing.

A man with a backpack manages to slip in too, but barley as the doors close on his backpack. I see two average height guys pull to try to help free him. These doors are vicious, they’d take your arm off if it means staying on schedule. I try not to notice, but he’s wedged in there good and the other two men are struggling. Finally, I step in to help just enough so it appears that they are doing all the work. We manage to get him free and the now free man thanks us all. I give a kind nod and head to the other end of the train car.

Truth be told, I didn’t have to do all the dramatics with running and making it just on time before the train departed, but the adrenaline is good for Stella, my wolf. I don’t get to let her out much so it’s good that she gets this little bit of activity at least. She is also the reason why I took this job. My title is secretary, but I am very rarely sitting at a desk. I am really the assistant to the office, handling all of the busy work. Need a contract wet signed from a client on the other side of the city? I can handle that. Need a product picked up and want to save money on a carrier service? I can do that too. How about coffee or lunch? Give me your order. I’m a werewolf and we strive in jobs where we have to use our hands, strength, and endurance.

I have been living in London for the last six years so that makes me a real life American werewolf in London. It was a horrible movie depiction of my kind, but it is one of those movies that are so bad they are good. I moved out here immediately after graduating high school, finished my degree in business management, and have been working with this company ever since. I get up at 6:00am six days a week. Usually work all day in and around the office until 10:00pm and then check emails and return international calls at home until about midnight. I try to wind down and get in bed by 1:00am and then I am back up to do it all over again the next day. It’s really just busy work for Stella. She needs to be active. Sometimes I think she is a bit more active than most. I have met some other werewolves around here and they have a more relaxed approach. They only let their wolves out for a couple of hours two times a week and just relax the rest of the time. I do all of this running around for her and then on my day off I let her out to explore for the entire day. Maybe it’s because of who my parents are or who my dad is, more likely.

Both of my parents are werewolves living in the midwest of the U.S. No real shocker there. The most shocking thing is that they are not mates, not married, not even boyfriend and girlfriend. I guess they have become good friends over the years, but that was only because they had me. My mom, Clara, and my dad, Abe, had a one night stand under the full moon while the moon goddess herself looked down, pleased, and blessed them with me. That is the account my mom has always told me. The bedtime story rendition of how I came into existence. There were a few other details that surround that beautiful fairy tale.

My father is a warrior wolf. The moon goddess doesn’t often give mates to warrior wolves. I mean it happens from time to time, but she doesn’t make a habit out of it, and I definitely understand why. Warriors fight, they get badly injured or die. Leaving the ones who love them to worry and hurt. So I guess not mating the warrior wolves is the moon goddess’s way of caring. My mother is a doctor. She is mostly a general doctor who handles a few splints, some rare stitches, and pup births. I mean we are werewolves who are self healing so there’s not much that can get to us in the way of sickness. But she is a doctor nonetheless. My father is a tall man 6’2” and very broad. His dark curly hair he keeps cut low, high cheekbones, and deep brown skin are the tell tale signs that he has an ancestral lineage to West Africa. My mother is average in height with a strong frame. Her brown latin skin matches perfectly with her thick brunette hair. Side by side they make a cute couple, but don’t say that within their hearing.

-My parents are from different packs. My mom from the Howling Moon Pack and my father from the Dark Moon pack. One night a group of rogue wolves led by a rabid rogue attacked my mom’s pack. One of the lookouts just barely escaped to the nearby Dark Moon pack to seek help. My father was still a young warrior then. His Alpha, Nathan, sent him and a few others to assist Howling Moon. Alpha Nathan chose to help because the two packs were always civil to one another, plus having a rogue pack in that close of a proximity would not had been in his pack's best interest.

-Meanwhile at my mother’s pack the rogues held them hostage. My mom had just returned to her pack that morning from graduating med school and here she was a hostage in a rogue takeover. They were all sitting in the main meeting room of the pack house. A few of their warrior wolves’ bodies lay dead on the floor. The young Alpha, Tobias, was being held back by five rogues as he was forced to watch the m******e. The older wolves were doing the best they could to shield the young pups in the room from the gory scene. At that moment my mom smelled the most amazing aroma come into the room. Her heart started beating faster, not out of panic like it had been since the rogues appeared, but out of excitement. Somehow in the chaos her wolf was able to recognize their mate. The scout who had initially gone to seek help ran into the room thinking he had the element of surprise. He went straight for the Rogue leader who reached out and grabbed him by his neck with his claws out.

-My mom doesn’t know what happened next as the tears filled her eyes and made it impossible for her to see, but when she was able to wipe the tears away she screamed and howled in horror as her mate's body joined the other warriors on the ground, dead. Before she could even feel her heart flutter, it was broken. Her eyes never left her mate even when the warriors from Dark Moon came in and attacked the rogues. She didn’t pay attention to the commotion around her as she crawled over to her mates body. Her hands shaking as she checked for a pulse. It was no use. He was gone.

-My father and the other warriors were able to annihilate the rogue group and only suffered some minor injuries. After they discarded of the rogue bodies and found a respectful place for the deceased of the pack, Alpha Tobias insisted that the visitors stay for the night and have their wounds cared for. My mom and her staff cared for wounds that were too deep to heal immediately and otherwise just ensured the warriors were comfortable. She was doing her best to mask her emotions and distract herself from the events that had occurred that night, when she came up to my father. He remembered her as the she-wolf that had made a loud mournful howl as they came in and attacked the rogues. He was the least injured and somehow convinced my mom to go outside with him and get some fresh air. They walked for an hour in silence as the bright moon shone down on them. Suddenly my mom stopped in her tracks, eyes on the ground. All she could say was, “I didn’t even know his name.” At those words the tears came out like a flood. My father stood there for a moment before going up to her and hugging her into his chest. She sobbed for a few moments more before she calmed down enough to look up at him. My father is a rather handsome man, and I can only assume he was even more handsome 24 years ago. According to my mom, the moonlight reflection in his eyes was entrancing. So right there as the moon goddess looked down smiling is where my story began.

-A few months later my father accompanied Alpha Nathan back to Howling Moon Pack to see how they were adjusting and to offer Alpha Tobias fighter training for his members. My parents happened to run into each other. My mom surprising my father with a very round belly. She wasn’t planning on telling him about me. She thought I was the moon goddess’s gift to her broken heart and didn’t want to complicate things with my father. She had no interest in getting married, or marked, but was prepared to raise pup me as a single mother. My father begged her to reconsider saying that he wouldn’t pressure her to marry him. He just wanted to be a part of pup me’s life. My mother was ready to turn down his offer, but then I jumped in her belly.

-They had to take the matter up to the Alphas. It was a rare situation. My mother didn’t want to leave her pack and Alpha Nathan was not too keen on giving up my father as a warrior. They decided that I would have a sort of dual citizenship within the packs and would leave the decision of allegiance to me when I become of age to meet my mate. They left visitation for my parents to figure out.

-My father was assigned to Howling Moon full time to help train their fighters. He ended up staying within the pack training and recruiting warriors for three years. Once he was confident that they were strong enough to protect their pack on their own he moved back to Dark Moon. My parents agreed that I would stay with my father whenever school was out and stay with my mother the rest of the time. That doesn’t mean that I didn’t see him often, though. Since our packs are within an hour of each other, my father would often pop in on random days in the week. It wasn’t the most ideal situation, but they made it work beautifully. The commitment issues are just some things I managed to pick up on my own along the way. Obviously I’m currently living in London and not with either pack for a reason.

Brendon

I am very confident that death by paperwork is a thing. I have been glued to this desk all morning. Every time I try to get away, something else urgent grabs my attention. My wolf, Miko, is begging to get out, but I’m stuck doing paperwork. I am the Alpha of Dark Moon pack, a rather large pack with more than 300 of age members. We own a construction company and a few rental properties, commercial and residential. So paperwork is to be expected. I only sound grumpy because Miko is being a pain in my ass right now.

I am very appreciative that our businesses allow our pack members to have dependable employment. Our warriors are the best in the region, and we are able to host training events for allied packs. Another stream of income for us. The extra funds also allow us to distribute aid when needed to wolves in distress. Our efforts don’t just affect fellow werewolves. Although wolves do make up the majority, the construction company also hires humans. This grants us the opportunity to have a good relationship with the nearby human city. They don’t know what we truly are, but still a good relationship is established in their ignorance. We would never do anything to hurt the humans, but they don’t know that or, as history has shown, often believe it. So it’s best to keep all of this a secret.

Working in the human town has other advantages. It allows our scouts to have information about potential threats. Rogues, enemies, hunters of the supernatural and regular. Usually they are more of an inconvenience than a true threat, but either way it’s good to know what they are up to.

Still, the construction company, the rental properties, even the pack isn’t my biggest concern at the moment. It’s the fact that I haven’t found my mate. Werewolves usually realize their mates between the ages of 18 to about 25. If they haven’t found their mate by 25 that means the moon goddess didn’t mate them. I just turned 24 a few months ago so time is running out for me.

An Alpha without a mate is a bad look. It’s not that I’m not strong. I have been Alpha for 4 years now. Protecting my pack from rogues, rabid and otherwise. Leading my pack with intellect. Growing my pack into a respectable size that asserts dominance throughout the area. But still, a Luna makes an Alpha stronger, more focused, more responsive. There is a strength that I can reach only with the help of my mate and Luna. When I find her I will be a better Alpha for my pack.

“Sir, Samuel is here to see you.” One of my Deltas tells me through our mind link that allow us to communicate with other pack members telepathically.

Damn it! I was just about to head out. I can hear my wolf, Miko, whimpering in my head. “Sorry, Miko, you have to wait just a little bit longer.” I say to him in my mind. He has been dying to get out more and more lately. I have to shift at least every other day or else he is unbearable. I would say that it’s an Alpha thing, but it seems like it’s more than that.

“Send him in.” I link back to my Delta.

Minutes later, detective Samuel comes into my office. He puts a fist to his heart and bows his head. I give a nod in acceptance of his greeting. He’s average build, around six feet with rugged features. Something we have in common. I am almost half a foot taller, but we both have dark hair with scruffy beards. His facial hair a little longer than mine with his hair cut short. My wavy hair I keep at shoulder length with my close cut beard.

Office visits at the pack house are not for everyone, just fellow wolves like Samuel. It’s good having a wolf on the police force. We actually have a couple from the pack as deputies. We never handle our issues in the human courts, but sometimes things get intertwined and we have to have a means to handle our pack members breaking the law. Detective Samuel and the other wolves on the force help make that possible.

“Good morning detective. Have a seat.” I greet. Samuel takes a seat in one of two vacant chairs in front of my desk. I wait until he is seated to take mine. Even though Samuel is my wolf I try to respect his position and not use my Alpha authority on him.

“Sir, I wanted to inform you about some strange occurrences we have found.” I nod my head for him to continue. He is straight to the point today which makes me a little tense. “There have been some reports of odd animal attacks.”

“Odd animal attacks? Like supernatural?”

“I don’t think so, but they also don’t seem to be natural either.”

“Have the deputies reported any rogue sightings?”

“No sir. None in at least a year.” He was referencing the last small packs of rogues that came through here about a year ago. They soon got the message that this pack and this area is not to be f****d with. We haven't seen a single rogue since. Our reputation wasn’t the best amongst rogues to begin with. We aren't known for taking prisoners, so they don't tend to come onto our territory unless they have a death wish. “The recounts of the incidents are interesting at least.” He continues. “Some say they were lured out by a seemingly injured animal and then attacked from behind. When they come to, minutes or even hours later, there is no animal and the only injury caused is by the initial attack. Then there are other accounts of people being attacked going for jogs in the park. In our more wooded areas they hear the sound of an animal moving and then suddenly, they are attacked. Again from behind.”

“Any claw marks or bites?”

“No.”

“Well, that doesn’t make sense.” It’s strange that a werewolf would attack a human without cause, but how the humans are just left there is even more odd. A regular animal wouldn’t even leave their helpless body. And the attacks from behind each time. It all sounds weird.

“No, not to me either. Can I request that you have a patrol out tonight? Just to look around where the woods meet the city. Maybe catch some things I can’t. With everything, it has kept me too busy to shift and investigate fully.”

“Sure, I can handle that.” I really like Samuel. He’s older than me, about ten years, but he has always been very respectful of his unique place.

Samuel stands up and I join him, seeing him out. I link my warrior Abe to come to my office. A very quick five minutes later, Abe is sitting in front of my desk, occupying the same chair Samuel was, just moments before. I fill him in on what’s happening and he agrees that it sounds odd.

“So, I need a patrol tonight, just to look around.” I tell him.

“Yes, sir, I will personally take out a couple of the lower ranking warriors.”

“It’s not a big problem, just need to have someone look around. You don’t have to go personally.” I like Abe. He is around my father’s age and the most dependable warrior I have. He is the reason our fighters are as strong and skilled as they are. I know he has a unique family situation. I grew up with his daughter and always found their family dynamic odd, but it doesn’t get in the way of work so I have nothing to say against it.

“I’d rather take them out myself. They need the practice and I need to stretch my legs.”

“Okay, anything you find will help detective Samuel make sense of this situation.” This is exactly why I like Abe. He is very hands on in training the warriors and fighters and not against doing a lower ranking job to get in an extra teaching lesson.

I head out the door with Abe to avoid any more interruptions of me shifting to let Miko out. If I hold him in much longer he would probably go ape s**t crazy all over the office. Abe and I walk out of the office, down the stairs and out the front door of the pack house. Once outside we take a right to go around the front of the house towards the training grounds. This is a bit of a longer way, but if I would have gone through the house, I for sure would have gotten stopped by someone for something. I part with Abe at the training grounds and keep walking towards the tree line, unbuttoning my shirt as I go. By the time I make it to the tree line my shirt is fully open and my pants are already unbuckled. I kick off my shoes, drop my pants and throw my clothes in a pile. I’m usually more organized than this, but Miko deserves my urgency today. I shift into my wolf with a jump and Miko takes off running through the trees. I don’t know what is with him lately. I know that the later you find your mate the more intense it all becomes. Also I’m Alpha so that is enough to intensify things on its own. Maybe he was just anxious because we are on the countdown and there is no mate in sight. I don’t know what it was, but hopefully I can get him under control soon.

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*Welcome readers! Thank you for starting out on this journey with Kamaria. Feel free to leave your comments. Also f.ol.low me on Face.book under TNikki Writes for updates and conversations.