chapter 6

Weeks pass and my training has intensified, father is including me more in his decision making, even explaining the reasons behind it. Combat training now includes shifting, running on all fours and fighting in my wolf form. Some times, when father is too busy, I spar with the other young wolves.

Tomorrow night is the annual alphas ball at the packhouse and every alpha within a thousand miles radius attends each year.

We walk into the packhouse, everyone is busy getting everything ready for tomorrow. The main entrance is glistening and sparkling with the added twinkle lights, going all the way up the winding staircase, it feels like a fairy tale. I can hear our packs Luna in the next room preparing the main hall with other pack members who are here to help. Thankfully Pauline is never asked to help anymore, she can be a control freak and tries to take over, forgetting her place next to our Luna. Although if you ask Pauline, she says she wouldn't want to help, anyway she hates being in the packhouse, too many memories of my mother.

" Uncle Alpha" he smiles holding up his fist to bump mine.

" How's it going Chilli socks? Your father still treating you like his intern?"

"Yeah, you know, SSDD" I shrug and wink, hearing my father grunt from behind me. I've always gotten on great with mother's twin sister's mate, he always has time for me, like I'm one of his, even with being alpha. His son Elias comes up behind me, playfully punching me in the shoulder

"Alright cus?"

"Yeah great" clipping him around the back of the head. Alpha laughs at us. Elias and I are more like siblings rather than cousins with only months between us. His 6 foot 5 towering over me and I thought I was tall at 5,11. I feel at home here at the packhouse with them, it was sanctuary for me here. We used to live here when I was a child but after mother's death and the first stepmother entered the scene we moved. Not far but far enough to feel partly isolate from the Packhouse inhabitance. Auntie Kay, found it incredibly difficult to see some woman strutting around as her sisters replacement, especially when we were all still in mourning.

"If you two are efficient enough and get it all done quickly you should have time to have a quick sparring session with Erin"

Elias and I exchange a cheeky grin at his father's words, "yes" we mind-linked to eachother.

The list of things to get done by the end of the day was long but we got it done. By the end of it we were drained and the thought of training was yay and nay but important. We were the future of this pack and it was crucial we work better than well together.

Erin was already in the training room, stretching as we walk in.

" About time, slackers " Erin grins at us.

" Yeah yeah it's been a long day, you should have seen the list of jobs we had to do before tomorrow" I say as I stretch my already sore limbs.

" And you think I've not had 101 things to do before the other alpha's etc get here, mum actually let me reply to some of the correspondence from the heads of security because there's so many of them this year".

Erin's mother is the packs head of security, it use to be her father but after his death the second in command, his wife, Erin's mother took over the role. Looking at her you wouldn't think she was the future head of security, you'd more thing little princess but you couldn't be more wrong. Although she was tiny and nothing to her, with extra long white blood hair, naturally never a hair or nail out of place, Erin was extremely strong. She too was like a sibling to us. We all grew up together with us all being born in the same year.

We stop our chatting and got to sparring. An hour dragged by, we are too tired for this but we push on for one more, then call it quits. Collapsed on the floor and a sweaty heep everything numb.

" Do you know what your wearing tomorrow?" I pant.

" Clothes" Elias chuffs " you can be such girly girls some times"

" Yes cos our future alpha is going to wear the first thing he pulls out of his wardrobe. Bet you have some designer suit hanging up in a garment bag, especially brought for tomorrow ?"

We cock our heads in his direction, to see his reaction to Erin's statement. Elias keeps his eyes fixed on the ceiling. " Just what I thought, so shut it" she jokingly snaps at him " so chills what you wearing?"

"Ha, I have no idea" I have dresses but I'm not a dressy person.

Being the betas daughter you never know when a frock is needed but Pauline normally makes me somehow get the most boring, unflattering dress possible. "You know what Pauline's like about what I wear" they both grunt in unison.

" You can borrow something of mine if you like?" Elias tries to stifle a laugh " what's so funny?" Erin demands.

"Yeah Erin thanks but nothing you own will fit me" I say, gesturing to my wide, curvy hips. Elias bursts out laughing literally rolling on the floor until we both shoot him a look. We stagger to our sore feet " well I might have one that might work" I mind-link to Erin, she looks at me with a moment of confusion, until she realises what I'm talking about, I then get a big "YES" in response.

"Stop linking without me you too"

"Sorry Elias " we chorus.

"Come on dream team, I'm fucked and my bed is calling, plus this alpha to be needs his beauty sleep" Erin and I exchange a look and smile at eachother as we head out the door. "Do you think we might find our mates tomorrow, at the ball?" I look at them both thinking if I even have one. "Maybe" I reply "maybe".