Alpha's Contract Marriage

Graduation One: Ellie            There’s a buzzing sound. What the hell I think as my hand flays on my nightstand searching for my phone. The stupid thing falls on the floor. I moan as I halfway lift my body up to reach for it. My eyes are barley open as my bedroom door flies open and my younger sister runs and jumps on my bed screaming. “Only one more day!!!! One more day until Ronan is home!” I moan at her loud voice. “Okay Izzy…. Okay…. I’m up will you stop please.” I cry as my mom comes to my doorway laughing. “Izzy, stop picking on your sister and go downstairs and eat your breakfast.” My mom says and my sister jumps off my bed like it’s a d*mn trampoline. Lands on the floor and goes running top speed out of my room past my mom laughing all the way.            I finally get my hands on my phone and turn off the alarm. Looking up at my mom she gives me a bright smile. “Today is your graduation ceremony. Are you excited?” she asks me, coming in to sit on the side of my bed. I sit up and smile brightly. Nodding my head. “I just wish Ronan would be here for it.” My mom pushes my long black hair out of my face and looks at me with a frown. “I know baby, but he will be here tomorrow with Caleb. They couldn’t get an earlier flight than that.” I frown at the mention of Caleb. He is my brother’s best friend and soon to be Alpha of our pack, The Silver Claw Pack. My brother has always been my hero. I look up to him as if he was a god and he has always put me and Izzy first. Protecting us and loving us with everything he has. “Now get up and get downstairs. Your father and I have a surprise for you.” My mom says walking towards my door. “Daddy’s here!” I scream and jump up running for my bathroom. I hear my mother’s laughter before she closes my door.            My father is a very important male in our pack. He is the Alpha’s Beta, and it seems he is always gone on assignment. I don’t get to see him often but when I do, he treats Izzy and I like princesses. I hurry washing up my body. My brother had left to go to a human college with our Alpha’s son. So, for four years I have not seen him. He calls once every Sunday to check in at home and talks to Izzy and me for a little. I miss him and I was pissed when he left for college with Caleb. I understand though because he is going to be Caleb’s Beta and needs the schooling in order to do so. I rush though my shower and brush my teeth. I pull my long inky black hair up into a messy bun. It is so inky that you see blue highlights when the sun hits it. I love the color of my hair. It matches my shiny green eyes to a tee. Dad always called me a black-haired Juila Roberts with my oval face, straight nose, and wide mouth.            I rush down the stairs and see my dad with his back turned towards me and I cannot help but to tackle him to the ground. His phone goes flying as he laughs while I tickle his sides. He rolls me over and picks me up princess style and twirls around making me dizzy as I laugh with him. He stands me up and pulls me into a hug bear hug. “I’ve missed you princess. I’m sorry I missed your birthday this year.” I pull back and see my huge giant bear of a father with tears in his eyes. “Hey, it’s okay. Nothing happened while you were away. And you are here for my graduation. That’s all that matters.” I say and hug him again as I feel Izzy slam into our sides and my mom wrap us up in her arms. “My babies.” She says and I can hear the tears in her voice. The only one missing is Ronan.            As we pull apart, we go into the kitchen where my mom already has all the food on the table with covers. My dad and mom take the end of the table while Izzy and I sit across from each other. “So” my dad says. “What are the plans for tomorrow when Ronin and Caleb return?” My mom looks up chewing the food she has in her mouth. “Well, I know Ronin wants to take Ellie out to celebrate her graduation.” Mom says looking at me seeing me hope up and down in my chair. “Really, I mean really, not joking right?” I say I cannot help how happy I am at this moment in time. My dad’s laughter echoing throughout the house. “Yes, and you may go with him on one condition.” My mom says looking me in the eye. “There is to be no drinking, understand.” I nod my head. “I promise.” I jump up and give my mom a huge hug. “Okay, okay…. Now eat before it gets cold.”            I wolf down my food and help my mom with the dishes as Izzy and dad talk about how her schooling is going. She still has a month until she is out for summer vacation. I’m just glad they are holding the graduation ceremony on Saturday’s. Today is the day I will get my rank and graduation certificate. Our rank used to be passed down through our family line and the strength of our wolves. Things have changed throughout the centuries. Now our rank is based on our knowledge and strategies as well as our strength in human and wolf form. I’m not worried though. I have always done my absolute best at everything I do. So, I know I should come out as a Beta.            When the dishes are done and the kitchen is cleaned, we join Izzy and my dad in the Livingroom. Mom sits next to dad on the couch as my sister is on the floor in front of them. I sit across from them in a chair. My dad gets up and reaches for a long white box that has a bright green bow on top. Green is my favorite color, just like my eyes. I take the box feeling my heart beating out of my chest. “This is for you to wear today as it is a very special day finding out your rank.” I smile at my father and open it to find a white dress as soft as a cloud with a bright emerald green belt. I smile but before I could get up and give out hugs. My mother shoves a couple smaller boxes to me. “My present to go with the dress.”            My breath catches already knowing what they are. “Mom, I can’t” I say with tears in my eyes. She just smiles at me. “Your Grandmother gave me those on my special day just as her mother had done to her. I am keeping the tradition going by giving them to you.” I open the biggest box showing the tear drop emerald necklace with diamonds. The next box holds the dangling emerald tear drop earrings. The smallest box holds a tear drop emerald ring surrounded by diamonds. I can’t help the tears rolling down my face. I sniffle loudly and my dad laughs. I feel my mom kiss my head. “Don’t forget to wear them today. I want you to outshine everyone there.” I just nod my head and try to dry my tears.            I had just got to the school all decked out in my dress and jewelry that my mom and dad have given me when my best friend shouts. “Elli!!! Oh, my God girl look at you!” Lexi screams jumping at me and pulling me into a big hug. “Can you believe it. We made it and finally after all this time we are going to find out our rank. I’m so excited!” she screeches in my ear. “Yes, yes I know but please stop yelling before I go deaf.” I laugh at her. I step back and just look at her as she looks me up and down. “Girl, you look like a princess going to her ball or something. Man, your parents really decked you out for this huh?” I laugh. “Yah, well my dad came home, and you know how he likes to spoil me. Don’t put yourself down. You look gorgeous in your yellow dress with all that golden hair.” I say as she twirls and smiles. “Yah, my parents are the same. Come on things are getting ready to start.”            As we are walking, I see Thad my boyfriend for the last three years smiling at me. He quickly walks towards me and kisses me on my cheek. “Are you ready?” he asks me, and I nod. “I’ll be sitting with your parents, okay?” I hug him. “Okay.” I watch as he approaches my mom and dad. He gives my mom a hug and shakes my dad’s hands. I’m so lucky to have met Thad. I have always had a crush on him even if he is two years older than me. I met him a year before my brother left for college. He became fast friends with my brethren’s group. We still haven’t told my brother that we are dating because like I told Thad it’s none of his business. Thad had got the ranking of a Gamma. Hopefully, I get one above or one below like a Beta or a Delta so we can get married like we want to. I blush just thinking about it.            We take our seats as things get started up on the stage. Lexi and I are towards the back as the higher-ranking family sit and we watch as the other families of the pack go first. “Why do we sit in the back instead of the front.” Lexi whispers to me. I look over at her and whisper back. “I think it’s because they want us to stand out more with our families being important in the pack.” She gives me an angry look. “Everyone is important though. We cannot have a pack without all of them.” I nod agreeing with her. As a matter of fact, we have this discussion all the time that everyone should be treated the same. Just like us having to bow to our Alpha is a joke. I watch all the time as even my father has to bow to him. I let out a huff catching Lexi’s attention. I shake my head and wordlessly tell her to pay attention.            Lexi name is called to receive her diploma then my name is right after hers. I walk up and shake hands with the principal and smile getting our picture taken. I head back to me seat as I feel everyone around me get excited. It’s finally time for the ranking ceremony. I look over to my parents and Thad. They all have huge smiles on their faces. “First we will announce the Omega’s.” They start calling names as we all watch. There are many smiles and clapping going on. The Omega’s are very important to the pack. They are treated with much respect for the jobs they do keeping everything running like a well-oiled machine. They get paid and vacation time, as well as benefits for the work they do.            I watch as the last Omega walk up on stage smiling with tears in her eyes. They look to be tears of happiness. “Next, we will announce the Warrior’s.” Lexi and I are both chit chatting as we get surprised as Dell one of our close net groups is called. I look over at him and he smiles not worried about anything. He stands and goes up on stage to receive his medallion with his rank. “What the hell.” I say to Lexi who is smiling watching him. “It’s what he wanted. He says politics are too much for him.” I nod my head still worried about him. “Don’t worry he has plans to become Head Warrior and with his training I know he can do it.” I nod my head relaxing a little. It seems to take forever for them to be done with the warriors.            “Now, is time for the Gamma’s” I look around me and there are only about ten of us left in our seats. Everyone else is standing off to the side waiting for everyone to get their rank before sitting back down. The first name I hear announced as a Gamma is Lexi’s. She screams as she races up to the stage. I cannot help but to laugh. After he is done announcing the Gamma’s there is only two of us left. I feel my Nevers as my hands start to shake. The principal steps back once more. “We have no Delta’s in the graduation class this year. So, we will skip to the Beta’s.” He says as he steps back up, but he only has one medallion in his hand and calls Berry’s name. He looks at me with a shy smile. He has always been so quiet that I think everyone always forgets about him. I smile back as he walks away.            I wonder what is going on when principal comes back over the mic. I start shaking and quivering thinking that somehow, I don’t have a rank but that cannot be possible. I get straight A’s in all my classes since I started high school. I feel my palms start to sweat. “Ellie, can you come up to the stage please.” I look over to my parents and see their looks of concern. Thad is looking worriedly at me. I move slowly up to the stage. When I get beside Principal Max, he smiles at me and nods his head. “I have a surprise for everyone today. This has never happened before, but this young lady has made history. She is one of the brightest this school and pack has seen.” I look out and notice the Alpha Jones up in the pews with his family watching with smiles on their faces. Like they know something that nobody else knows.            I am shanking all over and I feel the sweat trickling down the valley of my breasts. I don’t like being the center of attention at all. I keep looking out to my parents. I notice everyone is quiet as they all stare at me wondering the same thing I am. What the H E double hockey sticks is going on. “This young lady has excelled at everything that was given to her. It is my greatest pleasure to announce.” I watch as he pulls out a golden medallion out of his suit pocket. I hear the gasps in the crowd and see my parents standing with tears tracking down my mother’s eyes. I look back at my Principal Max, I start seeing black dots in front of my eyes. Right before I pass out, I hear. “We have an Alpha ranking this year. Ellie”