Becoming Alpha

Chapter 3

Hope

I watched as everyone around me celebrated the new Alpha. I felt betrayed by that, but everyone was so animated that I started to realize that I wasn't the only one suffering from my dad's paranoia, and felt bad about it. Still, how could they accept the new Alpha so easily? He was just a usurper that had taken something that didn't belong to him. And what kind of Alpha name was Doom? That didn't sound very comforting. Even if I didn't like him being here before, learning his name only made me feel worse.

I could feel the Alpha's son moving behind me and I wanted to kick him and push him away, but I didn't want trouble, not yet. I moved among our people, and soon some of the warriors moved closer, not stepping between me and the usurper's son, but close enough to send a message. I felt glad to see they still held some loyalty to me.

Everyone there was happy to see me. I could see their pity, and didn't like that, but I knew that they at least cared for me. A few even offered their condolences for my loss, but most of them just congratulated me on finally getting out of my prison. I wasn't sure what to say about that, I was happy that I wasn't under my father's control, but I loved him, and wanted him back. What I wanted from my brother was his help healing our father and teaching him how to be himself again, not to murder him. I couldn't ignore the facts, it was my brother's doing, even if he wasn't the one to deliver the fatal blow. It was hard to love someone so much and hate him at the same time. But mostly, I was so disappointed in him. Maybe it wasn't fair, but I wanted him to be my savior, and he let me down.

"Thank you all for coming today," the new Alpha called. "I know it's been a few difficult years for you all, but I'm here to right the wrongs of your last Alpha," at that, many people cheered, and I felt awful. Were people really that unhappy with my dad? "Today will begin a new era. You will see some things starting to change, starting with more freedom. We will no longer be restricted by fear, but we will be prepared too, all men will be required to train to become stronger, and able to protect themselves. Also, I want to point out that the legacy of this Pack won't be lost, as my daughter is mated to your old Alpha's son, and I hope that my son will find the same happiness with his daughter."

I know he kept talking, but I wasn't listening. How dare he?! I wanted nothing to do with him and his family, but people were clapping and cheering at that, some looking my way with smiles.

"See? Everyone thinks is a good idea," the monster's son whispered in my ear.

I pushed him away and ran back to my room. It was the first time in a long time that I was able to be outside, but all I wanted was the safety of my room. I heard a few concerned calls and one of the warriors followed me to the Pack House, but no one followed me inside. I didn't think anyone understood what I was going through, the only one who should understand me was on the side of my new enemy.

I could hear the party going on, people celebrating my father's death while my heart was breaking into little pieces.

A while later someone came to my room. I expected it to be my brother, but it was the new Alpha.

"I saw you leaving," he said simply.

"In a few weeks, I will be able to leave and look for my True Mate, I have no interest in your son, and I doubt he will be my True Mate," I hoped so, at least. It would be incredibly cruel for him to be my True Mate.

"True Mates are overrated. It would be in your best interest to give my son a chance. I could make that an order, but that's not my style, instead, I will give you a choice. If you want to retain this room and your life as the Pack's little princess, you will have to spend at least an hour of each day with my son. Otherwise, you will be given a room in one of the barracks and will have to start working."

He didn't even give me a chance to reply, he left, closing the door behind him. I was shaken, with everything that had happened, I never considered that I wasn't going to be allowed to stay in my room anymore. It had been mine since the day I was born. I knew I would have to leave it eventually, but it was something in my future, once I left the Pack. I even believed I was going to be able to return one day.

But I had options. I didn't want to go to the barracks. Once upon a time, the barracks had been the place where the warriors lived and trained for the good of the Pack. Then things and needs changed and the warriors were given proper houses. The barracks then became something else, most were unused and the ones still being inhabited were used to house those who couldn't hold a job or were deemed not useful to the Pack. Pack law didn't allow for homeless people within the territory, but it didn't say anything about the kind of accommodations they needed. Still, I wasn't going to let them manipulate me, so I started to pack my stuff.

I was pretty certain they wouldn't take that from me, it was my personal stuff. But just in case, instead of taking everything I owned with me, I hid my most precious things in a safe place, for later recovery.

It had taken me a while to hide what I deemed important and pack what I thought necessary but expendable. Mostly my clothes and a few things that I needed for my every day. I was just preparing to go outside when my brother arrived.

"What are you doing?" he asked as he saw my bags.

"Your new friend threw me out of my home," I said, with all the venom I could. "It seems that with a new Alpha here, I'm no longer allowed to stay."

"I don't believe that," he said. "You are my sister, and my family has a place here."

"No, he said it very clearly. I will be moving to the barracks for the time being," I replied.

"The barracks? That place is awful! No, you must have misunderstood, let's go talk to him."

He grabbed me by the arm and dragged me back downstairs, not giving me a chance to protest. I was still holding one of my bags, but there was still more stuff I wanted to take, I just hoped I could go back for more or convince someone to get the rest for me.

"Hi, darling," my brother's awful mate smiled at us, as if nothing odd was going on.

"Where's your father? I need him to clarify a few things for my sister," he said with urgency, not returning his mate's flirtation.

"I'm here, boy. What's wrong?" the Alpha asked.

"My sister seems to think you are throwing her out of the Pack House," my brother said.

"I told her that things have changed, but she is allowed to stay here as long as she wants," he said.

"See? It was a misunderstanding," he said, finally letting me go, and looking satisfied.

"Really? I can stay here? No conditions?" I asked the Alpha.

"Is it really that awful to spend some time with my son?" he asked.

"Yes!" I yelled back.

"I'm giving you a chance at a better life. You would prefer to lose all your privileges than to spend an hour with my son?" he asked, his tone threatening, as if daring me to say yes, but it was a dare I took.

"I hate you, I hate your daughter and I hate your son. I think it's better if I go, that way I won't have to see any of your stupid faces anymore. And I want to make this very clear. I don't wanna see, talk or spend any time with your son. He better stay away from me," I said, ignoring my brother and trying to walk away.

"You are being unreasonable. These people came here to help you, to free you, and you are being rude to them. We are your family!" my brother yelled at me.

"No, my family is dead! My mother was killed by a hunter and my father was killed by the man you love so much. And you, I don't know who you are, but you are not my brother, you are a stranger," at the last part, I heard my voice breaking, betraying the pain of losing my brother.

"I don't want to do this, but you are leaving me no choice," my brother said, before slapping me so hard that I fell and my world turned dark for a moment. "You will come to understand that this is for your own good. Until you can start making better decisions, we will have to make them for you."

He dragged me back to my room, and once there, he locked the door. I was right back where I started, a prisoner in my own home.