Born to be Alpha

Lost Wolf

No sooner than I had gotten to the stairs outside the council chamber I heard my father's voice.

"Kaylee come back here. We need to talk." he said just loud enough for me to hear him. I stopped running and sighed. He hadn't used his Alpha command, but I wasn't going to keep running. My father hated the Alpha command because it took away a wolf's choice. When the Alpha uses it the pack member has no choice but to obey. I turned around slowly and walked back to him.

"Come on, let's go sit by the lake and talk." My father said. He didn't wait for my reply and started towards our beautiful lake. It was one of the many reasons that other packs coveted our territory. It wasn't on the same level as the great lakes, but it was a decent size. The pack enjoyed using jet skis, boats, and swimming in the summertime. In winter it was just a pretty sight with the ice glistening in the sun. The walk wasn't long, but we did have to pass through the center of what you could call town. This is where our pack house and other essential buildings were located. We had a hospital, grocery store, auto repair store, and a gas station. It wasn't much but it offered us enough that we didn't have to associate with humans more than necessary. Of course, we still had to go out for clothes and shoes, but it wasn't that bad. Teens had to be accompanied by a pack warrior to make sure they didn't cause any mischief that could lead to our exposure and kids were always with their parents, although they couldn't shift anyways so it wasn't a huge deal. Most of us shift for the first time on the full moon after our 13th birthday. It's kind of like the start of adolescence, just like when a human girl gets her monthly cycle. Most wolves get to shift before they reach womanhood so for us that is our milestone to no longer being a kid. Some wolves take longer to shift than others just like with humans hitting puberty. The oldest I've ever seen for a wolf to shift for the first time was 15 and that is pretty much unheard of. Usually if you don't shift by 14 you probably never will. Some wolves just don't have the shift gene. It's extremely rare but it happens on occasion. Almost every one of the instances involved a human parent though. As we continued walking towards the lake, we began to pass some of the pack members. Every one of them showed my dad some sign of respect. Most just bowed their heads as he walked by, but a few even did a complete bow. Me on the other hand, they looked at with pity. Everyone knew that my family was most likely going to lose Alpha status because of me. Wolves are able to find their mates starting at 18. That's when wolves are considered adults, I'm pretty sure that's how humans settled on that age as well. A remnant from the time when we didn't have to hide from them. Almost all the wolves in my pack that are my age have found their mates already. The only 4 of us that haven't are me, my best friend Sam, and two pack members that left to go to college. My father was the first Alpha to let pack members leave for college without being banished from the pack. He cares so much and doesn't want to lose good people because they want to better themselves. I respect him so much for that but it's also the reason that the council doesn't want to budge on the age limit for me to find a mate and step up as the Alpha couple. The council despises change, and they don't want to be seen as the group that ruined the pack. They believe that our laws are in place for a reason and that they are the thing that has helped us thrive. I hadn't noticed when we reached the lake because I was trying not to focus on the pity that the pack threw my way. My father sat on one of the benches and motioned for me to sit with him. I knew it was going to be a long talk because my father hardly ever sits down unless it's to work or eat.

Gran, dad decided he and I need to have a talk. I'll let you know when we are done. Don't let my iced tea get warm.

I mind linked her. She replied that she would be waiting for me. I looked at my father and waited for him to speak. Instead, he looked out onto the water and sighed. I knew that this situation was hard on him. There were many whispers around the pack that he was disappointed that I was a girl. I knew they were all lies because I've always been a daddy's girl. While the other girls were learning to cook, sew, and be good little housewives I was watching the warriors train. I had even convinced my father to let me train with them. He was adamant that I would never train at first but when I pointed out that as the sole Alpha heir, I could be a target he began to waver. Then I hit him with the fact that I would one day be Luna to the strongest pack in the eastern United States and he caved. I had never been what was expected of a female and definitely not what was expected as the Alpha's daughter, but I knew my dad was proud of me.

"Kaylee, I know that you are mad at me for conceding to the council, but I have my reasons," he began.

"What reasons could you possibly have? I am trained as a warrior and Luna. There is no reason they can't just allow me to find my mate on the goddess' time instead of on theirs." I huffed. Of course I wanted to find my mate, but I hated the thought of having a deadline put on it.

"Baby girl you are an excellent warrior with weapons and hand to hand combat but you're a lost wolf... you can't fight a wolf when you can't shift... I'm afraid if I try to force their hand that they will decide to force you to do a champion mate ceremony..." he said sadly.

"A champion mate ceremony... dad have they mentioned this already?" I asked him. No, there was no way in hell I am going to do a champion mate ceremony. Talk about something from the dark ages. A champion mate ceremony is a she wolf's last resort to find a mate. An announcement is made to the pack and surrounding packs. Depending on the she wolf's status in the pack, the announcement could even become international. A female Alpha heir with no male next of kin to step into the Alpha spot? I would have every unmated male in the world coming to try their hand. The worst part is that the she wolf doesn't even get to decide. All the males that wish to mate her must fight for the right. When they beat an opponent, they move forward in the ceremony. The last wolf standing gets to mate the she wolf. I will not let that be my life.

"Yes, it has been mentioned... that's why I gave them the vow. If I had refused, they would have put it to a vote and only Brad would have voted against making you have a champion mate ceremony. I don't want you to have that kind of life. If you never find a fated mate then I would rather you have a mate that you choose, not a mate that was a better fighter than the others." My father said. He hadn't looked at me until he said the last sentence. The love that my father had in his eyes was almost enough to make me cry. It all made sense now. My father would rather lose our family title and legacy than risk me being miserable mated to someone I can't stand.

"I'm sorry daddy... If I had just tried harder, met more of those Alpha's sons that always came sniffing around maybe I would have found my mate by now..." I said quietly.

"Baby no, don't think like that. If one of them were your mate, then the goddess would have pushed you to meet them. Everything happens in its own time." He told me as he wrapped me in a hug. I took comfort in his embrace. My father's love for me really knew no boundaries. He would give up everything he had for me to be happy. I would never agree to a champion mate ceremony but there is one thing I can do.

"Daddy, I made a decision. I want to have a mate ball." I said decisively. I wasn't leaving him any room to argue. I had originally turned this idea down when my mother suggested it. She had wanted to make it a big to do on my 20th birthday. She said I could consider the mate ball my party. I had been horrified by the idea of unmated males and females all coming to a party just to see if I could find my mate. Now, however, it was a torture that I would endure. My father was prepared to give up everything for me. I can give this a try. At the very least Sam might find his mate.

"Kaylee..." My father started.

"No dad I am doing it. It's not like I will be stuck with some guy I don't know or don't want. If I find my mate, then great and if not, well no one can say I didn't try." As I said those words my decision felt right. My father could see it too. He looked at me with so much pride.

"Okay. I will tell your mother so she can begin planning. I'll set it for 3 weeks from now. That will give plenty of travel time for the unmated wolves and time for us to make sure we have the accommodations. Depending on the number of wolves that come we may have to set up the tents." My father said. He had gone full Alpha mode. He always did it when he talked about my finding a mate. I think it was his way of coping with the thought of his innocent little girl becoming well, not so innocent.

"Thank you, Daddy. Please tell mom not to go over the top. I'll let her pick my dress, but she isn't touching my hair." I told him sternly. His face lit up as he laughed aloud.

"You can fight with her on that one. now go see your Gran I know that's where you were about run off to." He said. My father knew me so well. He knew that I always went to my grandmother when I was upset. We had always been close but had gotten extremely close after my 13th birthday. It's tradition in our pack for the grandparents to take the young wolf out for their first shift. My grandfather had already passed on, and my mother's parents were in another pack with my uncle and his kids. So that left Gran to help me through my first shift.

As soon as she saw my wolf she gasped.

"Never shift in front of anyone other than me. Do you hear me, Kaylee? We will tell everyone you shifted but that your wolf then resumed her dormant state soon after. You will be considered a lost wolf but until you are protected by the goddess when you take your position in the pack it is the best option for you. Your wolf is extremely special, my girl, and if anyone finds out before you are mated then there will be a target on your back at all times. Males from all around would challenge you in an attempt to mark you and force you to be their mate." She had said in a panic.

I haven't shifted since that night. My wolf is still here, and she is anxious to be let out again, but she also understands the danger that it could put us in. Guinevere is my wolf's name, and she is constantly hounding me about finding our mate. That is why I usually have my mind blocked to her. I am tired of hearing the same things from everyone, including a wolf who is part of my soul...