I had woken up early the next morning and as I heard dad leave for the palace and busy in the kitchen packing her lunch for work, I quietly heaved a suitcase out from under my bed.I dragged it into my en-suite to hide it from mum as I started thrifting through my things, deciding what was the most important to pack. I folded each item and squished it in as tightly as I could, so I could fit most of my clothes in. I looked over at my bedside table as my eyes wandered over the collection of photo frames I had that held pictures of me with my parents, my uncle and two of me with my grandmother. I grabbed one of my thick woollen scarfs and carefully wrapped it around all of the frames, not wanting to leave any behind. I gulped down a lump in my throat at the thought of never being face to face with my parents or Uncle Frank again. But, today had to be my last day and tomorrow morning before dad leaves for work, I’d say my last goodbyes with pretence of excitement to be leaving. I knew th
“RAVEN!” Leo called out, just as I got to the palace doors. I turned around to see him strolling through the grand entrance hall with a smile on his face. “I hope you feel better now”. He said as he stood in front of me in his white shirt and neatly pressed black trousers, and that was the first time I had ever been able to envision him as being our future alpha.Without thinking, I suddenly flung my arms around his shoulders in an embrace. His hands lightly touched my lower back. Just as I realised what I’d done, I quickly pulled away with an embarrassed look, causing him to chuckle. “Well, I’ll take that as you do feel better!”. “I do, Leo. Thank you so much for doing that, I feel like I can actually breathe now without this big lie hanging over my head”. “So, are you going to tell your parents you’re not going away now?”“Well, I’ll tell them I don’t plan on going any time soon”. “Good. Now what are you going to do for the rest of the day, now you don’t have to pack?” “Umm, I g
I woke up and an instant smile fell across my face. I still felt that weight being lifted and the lie vanishing. I hopped out of bed excitedly and ran to uncle’s room. I tapped on his door, hoping he was already awake and in one of his calm moods.“Come in”. He called out sleepily. I quickly went inside and sat at the edge of his bed grinning from ear to ear.“What are you so happy about?” He asked with a dubious look, rubbing his tired eyes.“Well, I thought you’d like to know that I don’t have to leave anymore!”. “What?” He asked, immediately sitting up with anticipation. “How?” “I had a meeting with the alpha. He let me explain things and said I could stay”. “No way!”. He smiled. “Raven, I am so bloody glad. But you never mentioned you were going to speak with him”. “Well, I hadn’t planned to. Leo set up the meeting and, of course, the Luna was there”. I told him with a roll of my eyes when I mentioned Addison.“Wait, Leo set it up?” “Mmmhmm”. I nodded.“Well, I didn’t see tha
Two days later. I led by the lake, finishing off the last touches to my raven bird in the solace of my peaceful surroundings. I didn’t have college or anything else to do today and mum didn’t have work. Since our little tiff we still had barely spoken two words to each other and had both decided to be petty for our own reasons. Last thing I wanted to do was be at home with her all day, especially when I had woken uncle up from one of his nightmares last night, so he was in a particularly bad mood today, stomping around the house, cursing and talking gibberish to himself.I let the sun warm my bare legs as I closed my eyes, trying to imagine the bird’s soft black feathers.“Here you are”. Leo greeted me with a smile as I looked up at him walking over. “Thought I might find you here”. He said as he sat next to me. “Wow, he looks really good”. He complimented as he observed my drawing. “It looks so real as if he’s about to fly off the page”. “Ok, now you’re going a bit overboard with t
As I walked home from art class, I doddled a bit, taking my time, strolling along the path in the sunshine as I looked out at our land border. It had been three days since my fathers last warnings about the rogues, but already what he had said was now even more apparent. The guards were even more alert as they paced up and down along their section and other pack members had volunteered themselves to help keep watch. We only had two days left until alpha Caleb announced the curfew and has most of our land cut off.Leo had told me that the alpha was beginning to unload even more work onto him, especially when it came to the protocols if attacked. Alpha Caleb was trying to prepare Leo to take over just in case he didn’t survive it. I could see the pressure taking its toll on Leo, but he still always tried to be optimistic, almost hoping his father was too invincible to be taken down by a pack of rogues. Last night I had even snuck into the palace, keeping out of Addison’s sight and quizz
It’s been two weeks since I last spoke to Leo and even in the short space of time we had become friends again, I really noticed his absence. I carried on with my usual things but after Alpha Caleb’s announcement four days ago, everyone was restricted with things to do. I’d always go to the lake on the days I didn’t have college or things to do around the house. Instead, I had managed to get Uncle Filton out of the house more, dragging him along with me as we walked around the permitted paths. We went to the library to pick out new books to read and ones he’d asked for me to read him to sleep with. But every time we left the house, I’d see Leo in the training grounds, and I’d do my best to avoid walking past feigning excuses to Uncle Filton that I preferred the path that lead in the opposite direction. I had finished my Raven bird drawing and with the time I had, I decided to paint a portrait of Anya, looking at her features from all the photos we had left of her. I wanted to do it as
I had left early this morning to head to the library and as I passed the training grounds, I noticed Leo has saw me and watched me walk along with a hopeful look in his eyes and he had flashed me a small smile that I reciprocated.I had stayed at the library for two hours just scanning through books, wanting to time when I left, just right…I didn’t want to just call him at the palace, the little the Luna and Violet know about us still spending time together, the better. I needed to catch him just before he headed home. I looked out of the thin, glass pane window and saw as everyone started to leave the field. I walked up, looking at him, hoping he’d turn around and notice me, but he was too distracted, giving everyone a ‘well done’ pat on the back. He was just leaving the gates with them, so I stepped up my pace, not wanting to miss the opportunity to speak with him properly.“Leo!”. I called out in a hushed voice. “Leo…?” And by the second time he’d heard me and turned around. Witho
Me and Leo had barely spoken the last four days and even father had been getting home later than usual. I’d hear the porch door quietly squeak shut every night when I was already in bed, he was always gone before breakfast and wouldn’t return until late in the night. Since the rogue incident the guards have been patrolling our border with extra vigil and I’d seen the alpha and Leo constantly down there too along with father.I tried to ask father about it and so did mother, but he remained tight lipped about it all, either that or he didn’t actually know enough to tell us anything, he’d always say “It’s just for precaution”. I could hear it in Leo’s voice, the one time he was able to call me… a conversation that only lasted minutes when he quickly ended the call, telling me the alpha insisted they do even more training.But as I waited outside of my house for him to arrive, the one afternoon he was able to spare and he was adamant that instead of getting some well earned rest, he want
“I have something for you all”. I grinned mysteriously at the women. We had just finished another training session, which I had kept up with for the last six weeks of becoming Luna to reassure them that my dedication to them wouldn’t change.“You have something… what?” Abigail asked curiously as they all grouped together in front of me.I walked over to my bag that I always stuffed a towel and change of shirt into, but today I had something else… something I knew they had been wanting since we first started our sessions.I took out the document and held it out for them to see. Their eyes all wandered along it, but I could see the puzzlement in their faces.“What is it?” Clarissa questioned as they all looked at me.“Its what you all wanted”. I smiled. “As Luna, I gave the proposal to your new alpha, and…. “ I paused to build up their anticipation. “And your alpha, was more than happy to sign it off. So, from now on, any female of Whitlock that does the appropriate training can become
“Wow look at our little girl”. Mother cooed as she and my father beamed at me in my wedding dress. “Soon to be a Luna”. She sniffled as father subtly wiped a tear that was about to escape his eye.“She’s not so little now, is she?” Father commented as he let out a heavy bittersweet exhale. “Our little girl… going to be the Luna”. He said as he shook his head trying to accept how much had changed. “You have come so far, my girl, all on your own strength”. “She really has, hasn’t she”. Mother agreed with a watery smile as I grinned bashfully at them, swaying my dress side to side, listening to the sound of the material swooshing.On the surface I looked confident and excited, but in reality my hands were sweating and so were my legs. I couldn’t wait to marry Leo, but every member of our pack were going to be at the ceremony today and to celebrate with us afterward. Having all of that kind of attention and eyes on me was something I still wasn’t used to, and in a way, I kind of missed t
I stepped out of the bathroom with a towel secured around my chest as I dried my hair with another. I inwardly smiled as through the balcony glass doors, I could see the sun was beginning to set, so I walked out to the edge and rested my arms on the balcony wall looking out at Whitlock. Apart from a few children running and laughing on their way home from the lake, it all felt so warm, peaceful and safe. I closed my eyes and took in a deep breath, savouring the cool spring air and my heart thumped cheerfully at how happy I was to finally be back home.I had arrived back late last night, and the first thing I did as rush to Leo’s room and woke him up with a kiss on his cheek, and the moment he opened his eyes, he wrapped his arms around me, pulled me onto the bed and frantically tore each other’s clothes off from the yearning arousal we had the moment we were back in each other’s arms. The next morning, I surprised my parents for breakfast and told them all about how Clemonte was comin
Nine weeks had come and gone… Nine weeks I had once again been away from home, and I was missing it more and more each day. Me and Leo had been able to speak twice a week on the phone, and I knew by his voice he was feeling the same as I was about us being apart for so long. But with his own duties, his training and taking over my classes with the she-wolves, there was just no time for him to visit.I had many conversations with Caleb and Wayne, and it was decided that Jonah would come to Clemonte with Wayne’s sister, Diana and her mate Corbin in just another weeks time. According to Wayne, most of Corbin’s family had since moved on to other packs and they had already been contemplating a new chapter in their lives, so it didn’t take as much persuasion as Wayne had thought. Jonah would help them for six months to settle in and learn their new roles as alpha and Luna to Clemonte, and with a son and daughter of their own, if they chose to mate with one of Clemonte’s members, that would
For the following week, me and my night wolves had taken over the rule of Clemonte. When Robert had killed James and we locked up his people, I spoke to both Caleb and Wayne about what had happened, and I was surprised by how relieved they sounded of his demise. But with no heirs, they had both asked that we begin to lead Clemonte back into shape until they could find someone to be its next ruler.We had no intentions of being cruel to them, neglect them or bully them whilst we were here, but from the way James and his pack house lived, there were clearly no strict rules, authority or structure. James always lived behind his wall that surrounded the pack house with his guards, their wives and whatever women they had become fond of and made the cut to living within his home.It baffled us at how little the rest of his people ever saw him or had protection from him or his guards. Every day, we let his people come out three times a day for fresh air, food and water, but we always kept th
We stormed all the way through the forest, until our tongues were hanging out of our mouths, and we were panting for breath. Luckily for our breed, the desire to protect and hunt down anyone targeting our own was stronger than the ache in our legs and the hunger in our stomach’s.As soon as we had Clemonte in sight, it gave us even more of a push to run faster. We sped along, growling deep in our chests as we stormed through his broken fence and across the field. Foolish James thought his mere wall would stop any intrusions but together as a pack we all rushed to it as a unit and smashed our bodies into it, smashing it to the floor, causing everyone outside of the pack house to scream and shout in alarm. We quickly rolled back onto our feet and began chasing all the men and women as they tried to flee or shift into their wolves. We’d grab them in our mouths, piercing their skin with our teeth, enough to cause them pain and submission but not to kill, and knocking them off their feet a
One month later:“Another successful session everyone!” I chimed to all the women as they wiped the sweat from their foreheads and walked toward me, panting with breaths.“Are we always going to be able to train? Because I don’t think I can go back to how things were before”. Clarissa asked as the other women nodded in agreement.“Of course. We’ll continue our sessions for as long as you all want to”. I responded, noticing the hopefulness in their eyes.“Oh, good, cause I haven’t had this much fun in a long time, and now I feel like I’m… I’m”. “Powerful?” Laura finished her sentence as Clarissa tried to find the right word.“Yes! Yes, that’s it”. She exclaimed. “I feel like I don’t have to be so scared now if any threat comes to our border again”. “Yea, me too”. All the other women agreed in unison“That’s amazing! That’s exactly why we’re doing these classes, it’s what I want you all to feel”. I smiled, seeing the passion in their eagerness to train.“But is there more?” Jodie quiz
You really think they could handle training alongside men?” Caleb asked with a doubtful frown as I filled out the progress of each she-wolf on their training forms.“Yes, I do”. I answered adamantly as I glanced up from the paperwork, but his frown didn’t shift.“But they’ve only been training for three weeks”. “Yes, but you should see them! They’re so determined to improve. They bring their A – game to every session. They’re honestly so skilled already”. “I don’t know”. Caleb sighed as he signed off the schedule sheets for the patrol shifts.I slumped my shoulders in annoyance that he wouldn’t even attend one session to see just how incredible the women of our pack were. For once they were given the opportunity to show their capability, and I was the first to say how impressed I was. “Could you at least consider it? Just think of all the new opportunities it would open up for them. They could help patrol the borders or become palace guards! They’d be so good at it, and I can see ho
I dragged him through the dirt, along the sharp stones, branches and thorns as he winged as my teeth still dug into his flesh and begged for me to let him go, but I knew a man like James and his pack needed a strong enough warning so that me and the other night wolves could be free to roam.The rest of the men all whimpered and didn’t try to retaliate as we led them all back to their land. We finally reached the border at first light as the ground beneath us now lay frosty and the grass was damp but the forest around us smelt fresh and earthly rich.We stopped at their dilapidated fence, and I glanced back at the night wolves to make some noise and they all howled together to alert Clemonte of our arrival. Moments later, James and a gathering of his men came out from his pack house walls and stopped at the top of the field, looking at us with apprehension. I dropped the man from my mouth and growled and he didn’t hesitate to try and scramble to his feet as he clutched his shoulder. He