2. Something is changing

Henry 

I exhaled sharply and looked at the starry sky and white night. An odd sensation was burbling in the back of my mind.

I didn’t know why, but even late in the evening, I couldn’t stop thinking about that stirring sensation. Since we felt it, my wolf has been restless, and I have been feeling almost the same way, though it didn’t prevent me from sparing all day long. As the future Alpha, I had to be prepared for anything; our packs had many enemies among the other packs in North America and even other beings such as Warlocks and Dragons. 

I was trying to keep any distractions at bay and focus on myself and my future, but it wasn’t an easy task at that moment. The Gamma tried to kick my legs and make me fall, but I moved fast. My knees flexed as my feet jumped back, dodging his attack and stood firmly, one foot in front of the other, taking the fighting stance. 

“We have to be prepared, always,” Knight barked in my head. 

He was right. As my father and Alpha always said, the strongest one doesn’t have allies and can’t trust anyone since everyone would only try to stab us in the back and take our position if given as little as half a chance. 

We only had enemies and prey.

So, we had to remain stronger and ruthless, never show any sign of weakness or compromise, or else we would fall. 

If they stopped fearing us, we would fall.  

On top of that, I was sure that my enemies didn’t come only from outside the pack’s borders. I had to be strong and able to take anything and anyone down. I had to be the strongest Alpha. 

I launched at the Gamma, my claws elongating as I scratched his neck, distracting him and kicking his legs to make him fall.

“Henry, it isn’t allowed to partially shift  when we are fighting in human form,” he muttered between groans of pain.

I flashed him a grin, “Everything is allowed to win,” and I walked away from the training grounds, leaving the old Gamma to lick his wounds. 

Once again, I was late for dinner, not that I cared; Knight could hunt something that would be even tastier, fresher and bloodier. 

I entered the large pack house and wasn’t surprised to see my father walking in my direction. The Alpha, the unmated Gamma and I were the only ones who lived there, surrounded by the omega staff. Beta Grayson Webber lived in a smaller house in the village with his family — his mate and his two daughters. One of them was Sukky Webber, the woman I was to take as my mate. She was the fittest she-wolf in the pack, and due to her Beta Blood and her wolf’s larger size and dominance, and this made her “Luna-material”, according to Father and the pack Elders. 

“Henry, we have pack matters to take care of tomorrow,” he said firmly and dryly, his grey eyes fixed on mine. 

“I will be there,” I replied, heading to the kitchen. 

“If you want to be the Alpha one day, you must have a well-bred Luna by our side, you should mate with Sukky before the next full moon,” his words carried the undertone of a menace. 

I turned to look back at him, otherwise he would take my behaviour as a challenge even though I was his only son; his wolf never tolerated any kind of insubordination. 

My gaze went to his bulky arms crossed in front of his chest, and his eyes narrowed at me. He wasn’t young, but he was still very strong and well-built. He trained hard every day to make sure he was the strongest wolf in the pack, although he wasn’t the only one to do that. 

“He isn’t the strongest one,” Knight remarked in my mind. I could see his white snout held high with pride. 

“I want to focus on my training and pack matters. As you always say, my goal should be this rather than she-wolves.” 

I was sure he wouldn’t let me succeed him anytime soon, so why hurry and bond myself to someone? I was still young, only twenty-four years old, which is nothing for a werewolf. 

I shuddered thinking about SW. She wasn’t bad, but rather a beautiful and well-bred she-wolf, yet I couldn’t agree with this impromptu mating that easily, especially because Knight wasn’t fond of the idea of mating with her. 

“We should look for our fated mate,” he chimed in. He and my father were two broke records when it came to the mate matter.

“I know your wolf wants to wait and have a fated mate, but you won’t. Fated bonds are too strong and are known to make you lose your focus. They are something for rank-less wolves and weak Alphas. Alphas who don’t have the biggest and most powerful pack in Alaska to protect,” my father said; he knew well what my wolf was telling me. 

“I know, Father,” I replied. 

I have always known, ever since I was born, my destiny was already determined: I would mate with the fittest she-wolf, take the pack over and succeed my father as the strongest and most feared Alpha in the land. My wolf’s desire to look for his fated mate was only a dream, and dreams don’t really matter. 

Knight barked in protest inside my mind. He could keep barking and howling as much as he wanted since it was already decided, even though I also didn’t want to mate Sukky before the next full moon. 

Something inside me, even deeper than the stubborn wolf within, prevented me from accepting my father’s wish. 

“I will talk to Beta Grayson and we will arrange the mating ceremony,” my father told me. He wouldn’t relent until I accepted it, on his terms, the day and the way he wanted.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if he wants to be there with you to check if you banged the girl in the right way,” my wolf chimed in, barking his weird-sounding laugh. 

“Me neither!” I replied with an exhale. 

“Let’s wait two full moons,” I told him, knowing that it would be close to impossible to convince him. 

“There is nothing to wait, Henry. You have already waited too long. Sukky has already reached mating age two years ago,” his voice was imposing and his locked jaw showed that he was losing his short-lived patience. 

“She is only twenty. She could train more to become a better Luna,” I made up an excuse, without understanding why I couldn’t bring myself to agree with Father’s request. 

“I will talk to Beta Grayson,” he insisted and I nodded. 

It wasn’t going to happen; this time, I wouldn’t submit to the Alpha. I went to my room and took a shower, deciding  to sleep without eating. My normally extensive hunger was gone as the stir in my chest called to me, dominating and overpowering my thoughts and my senses. 

Knight growled at it, but it wasn’t a growl of pain, it carried an inadvertent longing. 

I didn’t know what it was about. 

But I knew that something was there, something was changing, and I was damned.