Becoming Alpha

Chapter 9

Hope

It was finally the day of the Full Moon ceremony. I was both eager and afraid. It was my chance to find my True Mate, but I hoped it wasn't Doom's son. My problem was that there was no one else in the Pack that I could imagine being my mate. I was an alpha and needed an alpha mate. The upside of the situation is that I would finally be an adult, and I would be free to do what I needed to do. Doom wouldn't be able to keep holding me there, as I wouldn't be a minor anymore.

I already had my dress ready and went to the ceremony with so much hope for what would happen, but I was also sad that it wasn't my dad who was there to see me become an official member of the Pack.

The Full Moon ceremony was another thing my father had restricted. We all gathered, as usual, and shifted into our wolves to howl at the moon, but only the warriors could run through the forest, the rest of us had to stay where it was safe. Now, for the first time in years, we were all going to go for a run around the territory.

I walked outside, and I could feel the excitement in the air. For many of us, it would be the first free run in years.

"Welcome everyone. Part of being a Pack is sharing experiences. That's why we celebrate the moon, and why we run together, letting our instincts lead us for a while. It's how we become one, how we become strong. By letting our most primal part be free. Today is special because we welcome our Helena," I glared at him, and he smirked, "I mean, our Hope, as an adult. Come here," he called, and I moved reluctantly. "Everyone, let's welcome her and accept her!"

"I'm glad that I can finally run with you all as an adult," I said, and people cheered and congratulated me. I felt accepted and happy.

"You are one of us. You have always been, but now it's official," Doom said. "And tonight we truly become a Pack, we run together, we run as one! Now, shift!"

Shifting was always a weird experience. But I loved it. It was like letting go of your worries and problems and being free. It had been hard with all of my dad's restrictions because the animal part of me didn't understand that, but now there were no limitations.

Despite the warnings that it would be difficult to find my True Mate, I couldn't help but move toward the single wolves, trying to see if one of them was my other half, but no one felt special or different, it was all the same.

I felt relieved and sad at the same time. I knew I needed a strong mate, and none of the single wolves in the Pack really filled that description.

We started running, and I let myself be guided by my instincts and the happiness of being able to run without restraint. I could feel the same happiness coming from the rest of the Pack. As time went by, the wolves started to separate into groups to go explore. I started to notice a wolf following me, one I didn't recognize. Granted, I didn't have much chance to see the other wolves, but I believed I knew most of them, this one wasn't familiar at all. I just knew that it was Doom's son. I wasn't going to let him get close to me. I started to run faster, I didn't like the idea of him being close to me. And I was sure that he was not my True Mate, all he inspired in me was rage and contempt.

I was keeping my distance from him when another wolf cut in front of me. I was surprised to recognize my brother. The moment of hesitation as I tried to avoid running into my brother caused the other wolf to be able to catch up to me. He jumped on me and tried to push me to the ground, trying to dominate me.

I fought back, but he was bigger and it wasn't easy. At first, he was trying to just make me submit to him, but when I fought back and hurt him, he changed and started to really fight back and try to hurt me. He scratched my side and managed to get a hold of my neck. It was easy to see what he was doing, I must either submit to him or have him tear my throat out. I was acting on instinct alone, I wasn't thinking of consequences or what could happen next. I just knew that I would never let someone like him be over me. I kept fighting, not taking into account the danger I was in. He was bitting down, already drawing blood, when another wolf growled in warning. When he let me go, I pushed him away and started running away. I didn't notice that he had managed to open a wound on my neck, or that I was bleeding from my side until I started getting dizzy. I could hear wolves running behind me and I got afraid. I kept pushing to run faster and faster back to my house, but I could feel myself falling back. A couple of big wolves came out of nowhere and flanked me, only spiking my fear, and making me push myself faster. I was too far gone to notice those were warriors, and that they were protecting me, not trying to attack me.

I reached the clearing behind the Pack House and started shifting. That helped close the wounds, but I had already lost a lot of blood and started falling as soon as I tried to stand up on two legs.

"Easy there;" one of the warriors was already back in human form, and ready to catch me. "What happened?"

"I was attacked, but I didn't recognize the wolf," I said, and it was partly true. I didn't recognize him, but I suspected who he was.

"Are you okay?" my brother asked, he sounded worried, but it had been his fault too.

"What's wrong with you? You see a wolf hunting me and you help him?" I yelled at him.

"It wasn't like that, I never would do anything to hurt you," he insisted, but his words sounded hollower every time the said them.

"Then what was it?" I demanded.

"His wolf was courting you and you overreacted," he said.

"He almost killed me!" I yelled at him again and got dizzy as a result. I was too weak. I had no idea how bad the wounds had been, but my neck felt tender, even after the shift. The wounds were closed, but the process of fixing the open flesh had consumed a lot of energy and calories, and there was nothing to replace the blood I had lost.

"I'll take her to the clinic," one warrior said, "she needs to be checked over."

"I'll walk her there," my brother said, moving to where I was, and I flinched away.

"No! You did enough already," I replied, moving away from him. It was not that I was scared of him, I was wary. He was no longer my family, he belonged to Doom now, and I wasn't sure what he would do for him. He had sold our father to him, and it looked like he had no trouble selling me out to him too.

I tried to head to the clinic, but after a few steps, I started falling. The warrior lifted me into his arms and carried me. I thought of protesting, but I knew it wouldn't be a good idea, since I would most likely be unable to walk on my own.

I hated feeling so weak. It felt like I always ended up being the weak one, and I hated it. I wanted to be strong, strong enough to face my enemies and beat them. And I hated to even think about it, but my own brother was among them.

"What do we have here?" Silvia, the old healer of the Pack asked.

"She was attacked during the run and lost a lot of blood."

"Not much to do, let's get some food into you and I'll prepare an IV. A good night's rest and you will be as good as new by tomorrow," she said cheerfully, easing my fears.

"Thank you," I said, as they put me into bed and prepared the IV. The healer came with a cup of broth and I accepted it gladly. I was starving, and my body ached.

I finished my food and was falling asleep when I heard voices coming down the hall. I heard Doom's voice and prepared myself for what was coming. I had a feeling he was going to put the blame for what had happened on me.

"There you are," he said as if he had been worried and felt relief at seeing me. "I heard what happened."

"And?" I asked.

"If you hadn't overreacted, it wouldn't have gotten so bad. You know it's harder to control our instincts when we are in wolf form, and my son only wanted to court you."

"That was not courtship, he attacked me, he wanted me to submit to him," I said, already knowing it wouldn't change his mind, he had already decided that the fault was mine.

"He wanted you to accept him, and dominating you was his wolf's way of doing that. It's not his fault that you fought him back and it ignited his instincts. But don't worry, you won't be shifting again, that way everyone will be able to keep a cool mind."

"No shifting? What do you mean no shifting?" I had a very bad feeling.

"Until you and my son reach an agreement, it will be for your own security to stay in human form. Right now it's a request, but I can make it an order if you need it."

"I'm an adult now, and I can make my own decisions. You can't force me into anything," I challenged.

"As long as you are part of this Pack, and I'm your Alpha, you will have to do what I tell you to do. That's how this works."

"Then, I renounce this pack," I said, feeling a little sick. It wasn't fair, it was my Pack, not his, but this was the only way.

"No! You can't do that!" he said angrily. "And it won't help you. If you think I will let you walk away, you are very mistaken, young lady. You will stay here in the clinic until tomorrow, and then you will be going to your room. It seems you are used to that, you might even like it that way since you refuse every chance at freedom that I've given you."

"I'm no longer part of this pack, you will have to let me go," I insisted. I could feel my ties to the Pack breaking as the conviction behind my words started the process of me breaking free from the Pack.

"Well, if you are not part of the Pack, then you are an invader. Would you prefer to go to prison? I'm sure a few days in a cell will change your mind," he threatened.

"Alpha?" a nurse greeted him, walking inside and holding a needle in her hand. "The healer asked me to give her something to rest."

"Go ahead, I'm done here either way. And keep an eye on her, let me know as soon as she wakes up."

"Will do, Alpha."

The nurse put whatever she had into my IV, and before I could further protest, I was already asleep.