Chapter 1 Returning home

                                                              Prologue

I always knew I was destined for great things in my life. When I was born, my mother died.

My father was the beta of our pack, and he raised my brother Ivan and me.

My father always told me how similar I was to my mother, with unique beauty. My white hair almost silver and curly, my gray eyes like fog, unique in all its splendor like my mother.

Since I was seven years old, my father trained me, and he saw the great potential and strength I had. When I turned 14 years old, I became one of our Red Winter Pack’s best warriors. For that reason, my father received many proposals from different alphas to take me as his Luna and chosen Mate, but my father never gave in.

 Due to my young age and the dangers I would face, he promised me that only I could decide to wait for my mate or choose one.

But everything changed when a proposal came from one of the most potent packs.

 Julius, the eldest son of Alpha Benson, was five years older than me.  My father firmly refused and decided to send me away to protect me with my uncle Iker to River Blue Pack.

 Where I would stay until my  18 birthday, only then could I return to my family.

Time took its course, four years have passed, and my 23-year-old brother Ivan has inherited beta’s title from my father. He is now the second in command of Alpha Hansen, the son of our previous Alpha Dante and Luna Krista.

The time has come to fulfill my destiny and choose my future.

                                           Chapter 1 Returning home

Today is my last training with my uncle Ivan. After four years, I have already perfected my fighting technique. My speed is superior to a regular werewolf, I still can’t beat an alpha, but I can give him a hell of a fight.

“Alania! Concentrate it’s your last training. I won’t let my guard down just as a parting gift, princess,” shouted my uncle Iker with a commanding voice.

“I didn’t expect less from your uncle, always expecting the highest from me,” I told him. At the same time, I turned to the right and slapped him right in the chest, taking the air out of his lungs, but he only moved a little without wincing in pain.

“That’s all the strength you have, don’t hold back. You’ve hit me harder than that. Use your speed”.

“! It’s not in my nature to restrain myself, but you asked for it!” I thought I threw several punches to his face and chest, using his knee as a support. I jumped on him, turning and wrapping my arms around his neck to force him to submit.

But in one swift movement, he grabbed my elbows and pulled me to the ground, placing one knee on my abdomen.

“Excellent work Alania, your speed and strength have improved over the years, and you are ready to be Luna or even Alpha of any pack.”

“You’re serious, Uncle,” I said excitedly, “But I don’t intend to be submitted to by anyone, let alone be the Luna of an oppressive, possessive wolf. It’s not my nature.”

I felt proud of the hard work and dedication with which I had trained these four years away from my family, and it had been worth it. I would return stronger than ever.

“I will miss you, uncle Iker, but I think the time has come to return,” I said, sighing.

 “I will miss you, my little one, but I think there is nothing I can teach you, you are the daughter of a lineage of the strongest Betas, and your aura reflects it. I am proud of you”.

“Thank you, uncle. Remember you promised to visit me.”

“of course, as soon as an opportunity arises, I will come to see you. Remember, I will always be there when you need me.”

I was packing my things and looking for the last time at my bedroom, the balcony where I sat reading a book under the moonlight during the night.

“I will miss all this,” I thought as I looked for the last time at the house that was my home for all these years.

I put the suitcases in the trunk of my car, opened the door, and programmed the music I would listen to on the way home.

After an hour, I could see far away from the clan’s main house; my parents no longer live there, neither Alpha Dante and Luna Krista; they have their homes very close. Still, only the young people live here, the new alpha and my brother, who has prepared a room for me.

“My princess!  Finally you are here. Let me see you and give you a hug”.

“Dad, I missed you so much,” I said as I hugged him.

“Alania, I can’t believe it, you are finally back, you remember me,” said a young girl with red hair and green eyes. As I saw her, I tried to remember who she was, and the image of a girl with unruly curls went through my mind.

“Lexie?” I said, surprised.

“Alania, I missed you so much. I hope you don’t go away anymore. I feel so lonely surrounded by fools here,” she said smiling.

“Lexie, I can’t believe it, it’s you. What a joy to see you,” I said, excited too.

“Welcome, Alania,” said Alpha Dante.

“Thank you, Alpha Dante. I’m happy to be back”.

“Call me uncle Dante. Leave aside the formalities we are family”.

“by god, let me see you; you are the spitting image of my dear friend Ania, welcome.”

“thank you, aunt Krista. I missed you too.”

“and where is Ivan,” I said enthusiastically.

“Waiting for you since half an hour ago, you took too long, welcome Aly,” said Ivan running to me and lifting me from the floor with a tight hug.

“wow, careful that no one told you that steroids are dangerous. I think you are a giant and not a werewolf,” I said excitedly.

“I told him the same thing, but I think his brain cells are already affected,” said Lexie teasing Ivan.

While Lexie is smiling, I could see how my brother didn’t take his eyes off her, which seemed strange to me. I didn’t remember my brother seeing any woman that way and less Lexie.

“that’s the best compliment I’ve ever heard, and you’re no slouch, Alania; you’re not a girl anymore, which reminds me I’ll have to castrate more than one for getting close to you.”

“Don’t worry, Ivan, I can defend myself,” she said, raising her eyebrow as a sign that she wouldn’t need it.

“I don’t doubt it, princess; if your skills have improved since you left, I will enjoy seeing more than one fly off in training,” said Ivan pleased.

“Ivan takes your sister to her room, and I will go to the kitchen to see that everything is ready for dinner,” mentioned Luna Krista.

“I’ll go with you; we have a lot to talk about,” said Lexie.

“What's new Lexie, have you found your mate yet?" I asked her.

"Not yet, but in a week, I'll be 18, and I'm sure I'll find him; I have some suspicions, but I don't want to rush," she said, whispering in my ear.

"Suspicions is that possible," I thought.

"What about you Ivan, have you found your mate yet?" I asked my brother.

"Not yet, I'm just waiting for the right time, soon she will arrive, and when that happens, I won't separate from her for a single moment," said Ivan looking at Lexie.

Something is going on between them, and I will find out later.

"And your sister is already 18, aren't you excited to find out who it will be," said Ivan.

"What makes you think I'm expecting it? I don't need anyone I can handle myself," I said with an air of superiority.

"I expected nothing less from you princess, by the way, my room is in the west wing. They are still repairing your room, so temporarily, you will be in the east wing on the second floor, below Hansen's room," said my brother.

"I don't think it is appropriate for me to be in our alpha's wing and alone on the second floor. Don't you think he would see it as disrespectful? What will our future moon say?" said I said, confused.

"Hansen hasn't found our moon yet, and I doubt he will soon; he is focused on his Alpha duties, and what he is least concerned about right now is finding her," Ivan said with a sarcastic smile.

"So he's still the same as always a stupid smug know-it-all, and where is he? I haven't seen him?" I said, hoping I wouldn't run into him any time soon.

"On a business trip out of town, he should be back tomorrow."

"Practice starts at 6 am. I hope to see you in the front row without exception," he said thoughtfully.

After resting for a few hours and having dinner, I decided to sleep in and be ready very early to start my first training.

The next day.

It's 5 in the morning, and I couldn't sleep anymore. I decided to get ready, and I put on black shorts and a white sports top. I gathered my hair with a garter for training and went for a run to inspect the area.

It had been a long time since I had run through these woods, and I needed to stretch my legs, but more importantly, my wolf Kayla needs to run and feel free.

My wolf is white fur and grey eyes with blue flashes, fantastic speed, and strength. She could easily beat any werewolf and give a great battle to beta and even an alpha.

I arrived at my favorite place since I was a little girl, Chenek Lake. I can feel the breeze of the airbrushing my face and the scent of the wind just when the rain is about to fall; that scent is intoxicating; it makes me feel alive.

When I was 14 years old, every morning I used to run and exercise near the waterfall, no one comes by this place is not well known and is perfect to be alone with my thoughts.

When I got to the lake, I changed to my human form, took the clothes I had tied to my paw, and put them on the ground. Even though we always had clothes in the trees to prevent us from walking around naked, although nudity was natural, it was sometimes uncomfortable.

When I was 14 years old, every morning I used to run and exercise near the waterfall, no one comes by this place is not well known and is perfect to be alone with my thoughts.

When I got to the lake, I changed to my human form and took the clothes I had tied to my paw and put them on the ground, even though we always had clothes in the trees, to prevent us from walking around naked. However, nudity was something natural in us, and sometimes it was something uncomfortable.

I submerged in the water. The freedom I felt at that moment was beautiful; for the first time in my life, I felt free, owner of my destiny.

 I could fly as high as I wanted, without ties or limitations; I closed my eyes and let the water run through my body.

Until suddenly, I was hit by the wealthiest and most intoxicating scent I could ever imagine.

Chocolate and coconut are my favorite scents. I was still in the water and felt vulnerable in my nakedness. I could inhale that aroma that intoxicated me to the most intimate part of my being. I turned my head looking for the origin and panicked when I saw a shadow on the other side of the lake, and I swam quickly to the shore.

My greatest fear was coming true, "No, no, not now, please, when I just regained my freedom" I did not want to belong to anyone, much less to a possessive and brutish wolf. It was not in my nature to be submissive.

I closed my eyes and inhaled that scent again, and that's when I realized my biggest fear "my Mate, my soul mate," I thought, surprised, denying what my being and my wolf were screaming.

I quickly got out of the water and got dressed when I felt a look that penetrated my skin; my body trembled. I didn't want to turn around and see him, but I couldn't resist. Kayla screamed in my head. She jumped with happiness, and I looked towards the water until my sight reached the other end of the lake and I saw a shadow near the shore, and that's when I saw him.

My soul mate, my mate a black wolf, beautiful fur that shone in the sun's rays and an intimidating height; I had never seen one of that size; he was the biggest I had ever seen in my life.

 "An alpha," I thought, and panic took over me; I transformed into my wolf and ran with all my strength away from that place; Kayla was telling me that we should go back and meet that black wolf. Still, I was reluctant to listen to her pleas.

My paws were flying with great speed, running away from my destiny, running away from the wolf that would make me know my weaknesses and submit me to him. I could feel the earth between my paws.

"Elena, I have to talk to Elena only she will be able to help me.