Chapter 1

POV Eric

I had been able to sense my wolf earlier than most, when I was only 14 he came as a whisper in the back of my mind. Just before my 16 th birthday he pushed forward and shifted, it was clumsy and painful. Shifting one limb at a time, then my torso and head. The pain was excruciating. I thought it would never end but I couldn’t scream, cry or even show discomfort. With my family looking on it was expected of me to show no pain.

As the only son of the Alpha everything was expected of me, from the way I dress and spoke, even who I was able to be friends with. My father had become Alpha by being mated to my mother, not by being the next blood heir. That fact alone was enough to have other packs think less of us, we are also the smallest pack in three states and there is a cloud of secrets about the founding of our pack.

Standing before my father, my head held high, my father walked closer placing his hand under my chin. “What is your name young wolf?”

In a voice deeper than my own he replies “Braxton”

My mother walks over to me, she runs her fingers through my pale grey fur. “It’s a pleasure to finally meet you.” Her soft, melodious voice breaking the tension of my father’s gaze.

All at once Braxton jumps back and begins jumping up and down all over the place like an

antelope. “I’m free, I’m free, look at these paws!” He jumps onto my mother almost knocking her over. “And this big tail!” He swishes his tail across my fathers face then begins to chase it.

My father lets out a groaning sigh, turns around and heads straight to his office, spitting out hairs the whole way.

I forced the shift, snatching my clothes from the ground to cover myself. My cheeks heated with embarrassment.

My mother turned around laughing, “ Well, it was quite a lovely tail.” I can hear her laughing all the way into the kitchen.

“How could you…. Why would you…. My father.” I stammered trying to put a sentence together.

“I’ve been stuck in here for years. It wouldn’t kill you to have some fun now and then.” Braxton huffs.

I raced up the stairs to my room, taking two at a time and heading straight for the shower. Feeling humiliated, completely horrified and in shock. Growing up I had always pictured the moment I introduced my wolf to my father. Standing proudly before him, he would at last believe I was good enough to begin training to become the Alpha.

Standing with my head hung, I let the water run over me, after a few minutes passed Braxton finally spoke. His voice startling me, not yet accustomed to having another voice in my head.

“Look, I’m sorry.”

I could feel he genuinely was, in all that had happened I hadn’t noticed. I could feel him, hear him, not just some whisper that sounded far away. Braxton was here with me, inside of me. “I have my wolf.” I stood up straight, feeling taller, stronger more alive than before. The sound of water falling became deafening. Lemon grass burning my nose from my soap and my running shoes, have they always smelled so awful. My stomach growling loudly. I got out of the shower and got dressed.

“You hiding a bear in there.” Braxton laughed at his own joke.

“Is it even possible for you to be serious?” I rolled my eyes at him.

“Nope, that sounds boring and I don’t want to do it. Now let’s go find some food.”

Opening my bedroom door I could hear my mother in the kitchen. Our house wasn’t much bigger then the surrounding homes. When her grandfather started our pack he wanted to ensure there was room to house members when needed but that it didn’t look opposing or out of place. From the front it looked like every other two story house on our block, only the length was different. Stretching back to accommodate the office and two additional bedrooms. My bedroom is upstairs along with two others of the same size and one Alpha suite as mom called it. Downstairs was the kitchen, living room, a large formal dining room that doubled as a conference room, dads office and their bedroom.

Making my way down the stairs, I almost tripped when Braxton jumped excitedly in my head. “What are their names?” Not sure I would ever get used to his voice randomly popping in my head.

“Who”

“ Your parents. Being trapped in your head was like , well, it’s hard to explain. I heard voices but everything was jumbled together and quiet.”

“JoAnn is my, our mother I guess and my father is Aiden.”

In the kitchen JoAnn had set out two plates for me on the island, overflowing with pancakes, bacon, eggs and sausage. “I figured you would be hungry. The first shift is always the hardest.” Her full lips turned up in the slightest smile but her hazel eyes sparkled with mischief. Carrying herself with all the poise and elegance you would expect from a blood born Luna. At 5’ 9” she was one of the tallest she wolves in our pack. Her long light brown hair always put back in a braid exposing her heart shaped face and soft features.

When her eyes meet mine I quickly looked away, averting my gaze to the mountain of food and sitting down. “I’m sorry I disappointed you.”

“My sweet boy, you could never disappoint me. What on earth would even make you say such a thing.”

“My wolf acting like a complete fool.”

“You could sense your wolf at 14 and shifted before even turning 16 years old. That alone is impressive, I’m so proud of you.”

“What about dad?”

“Your father will get over it, I know he’s proud of you too. I’ll talk to him and see if you can run with patrol tonight. Be good to let Braxton out and for you two to get to know each other. I remember the first couple months with Grace, we were strangers even though we could feel each other getting closer for months.”

I always found it fitting that my mother’s wolf was named Grace, even shifting looked easy between them. Mom would reach out her hand and before it could touch the ground Grace’s onyx color would melt into her and take over. Grace will stand on her hind legs and become moms form. Nothing like the twisting and cracking morbidity that took place between Braxton and I.

She was right, of course, she always knows what to say to make me feel better. Most didn’t feel their wolf until shortly before their 18 th birthday, some hadn’t completed a shift before turning 21.

My stomach growled loud enough for her to hear, wrapping her arms around my shoulders she kissed my temple and headed towards dads office. “Eat up, you’re going to need the calories to shift again and patrol tonight.”

“You don’t know he’s going to say yes.” I called after her.

Her smiling face coming back into view around the door “As if he will say no to me.”

“She seems fun.” Braxton chuckled at me. “So why are you so uptight?”

“Where do I begin?” Letting out a huge sigh, I grabbed a piece of bacon and starting eating. “First of all I’m the only child of the Alpha and Luna. Now that I have my wolf, once he believes I’m ready, I will start training to be the next Alpha and leader of our pack. I’m expected to take over on my 25 th birthday.”

“Secondly my mother and father are prime examples of mate pairing. Dad is stern and serious all the time. Constantly worrying over back matters, planning and scheduling patrols to keep rogues out. Working with other packs to keep alliances, being a small pack has major disadvantages. Our pack is only 3 generations old, the other packs in our area have been around for hundreds of years. Mom on the other hand everything just seems to come so easy for her. I know that it doesn’t but she’s always smiling and carefree. Overseeing the pack businesses and finances. I swear mom is the only one who can get a smile out of dad.”

Just as I was finishing up I can hear mom humming to herself coming down the hallway to the kitchen. “You’ll run the border by the lake with Darien tonight.”

“You got him to agree as long as I had a babysitter? I don’t even want to go.”

“Well I’m not asking you to go I’m telling you, you’re going.”

There was no point arguing. I was not looking forward to shifting again after this morning but Braxton seemed excited to get out and I couldn’t say I blamed him.

Chapter 1 Part 2

POV Eric

Come nightfall I headed out to the South watch tower to meet Darien. He looked so much like the Alpha there was no mistaking they were brothers. Darien hovering over me at 6’ 4”, with his black hair, olive skin and dark blue eyes could pass for him if not for the neatly kept beard and scars. Before accepting my father’s offer to be his Beta, Darien had volunteered to be a warrior. For years he assisted other packs to help strengthen alliances. His face and chest held the scars of battle. Any opportunity to visit another pack was a chance to find his mate, he still hasn’t found her but I think he still has hope. He is the packs best fighter and his wolf 2 nd largest, only slightly smaller than dads. Probably the one of the two reasons dad would agree to let me go on a patrol, that and we were going to the lake.

A large part of the southern border was the lake, by far our safest border. The lake is just over a mile wide. From one edge of our property to the other along the lake is lined with lake houses owned by humans. Rogues steer clear of human towns and other wear wolves are unlikely to try to invade for risk of exposing themselves.

Following Darien inside he shows me where I can put my clothes and shift. I call Braxton forward, feeling him pass through me and take control. Light grey hair sprouting all over my body, joints snapping, I’m brought to my knees. Twisting and contorting my body changing shape. It wasn’t as painful this time and within a few minutes I was once again a passenger in my body.

Alex, Darien’s massive dark silver wolf was waiting outside for me. “That didn’t take long.” Darien’s voice came through the link. Startling me, I hadn’t thought to use the packs ability to mind link yet. There were so many things we learned about having a wolf I hadn’t even got to yet.

After a few hours of walking back and forth I was yawning uncontrollably. I have school tomorrow, I can’t believe mom decided to put me on patrol tonight. “If you’re tired I can take it from here.” Braxton was still wired, excited to feel the dirt on his paws and wind in his hair.

“You sure, I hate to leave you alone out here.”

“I’m not alone I have Alex for company.”

Alex and Darien hadn’t said a word since leaving the watch tower. Alex constantly sniffing the air and observing the landscape. Focused solely on the job at hand. Darien had fallen asleep an hour ago.

I had nearly dozed off when Braxton’s right ear twitched and he whipped his head looking towards the mountain passed the lake houses. “What is it?”

“Nothing, I thought I heard something but it must have been the wind. Get some rest.”

The night passed uneventfully, Braxton woke me back at the tower to shift and get ready for school.

Braxton slept most of the day through school which was a relief. I hadn’t figured out how to talk to him inside my head yet and I didn’t need to run around talking to myself of getting distracted in class.

Braxton started stirring during my last class of the day. Yawning and stretching “This sounds boring.”

“Shhh it’s werewolf studies.”

“Why do we need to study werewolves, we are one. Who is that? She’s so small, I bet her wolf is a chihuahua.” Braxton started making little yipping sounds and I couldn’t help but laugh.

Miss Evens eyes snapped to me “Something funny young Alpha?”

“No Miss Even’s, just something my wolf said.”

She crossed her arms and glared at me. “Yes we’ve all heard you have your wolf, that’s no excuse to disrupt my class.”

Miss Evens was all of 4’ 10” with short auburn hair and round glasses that made her look like a little owl. Her small stature did not stop her from demanding respect. As one of the pack elders she is the keeper of all pack records and had scrolls and books that predates the founding of our pack. I’m not sure how old she is but I do know she was an advisor to my great grandfather and every Alpha since. What she lacked in size she made up for in knowledge of werewolf anatomy, able to take down wolves three times her size with precise and strategic blows. Miss Evens was never impressed with my father and by association me. She expected more of me than everyone else adding extra assignments and sending me home with different books to read saying they are things the Alpha should know.

My mother on the other hand, Miss Evens absolutely adores. She comes over every other weekend bringing cookies and they have afternoon tea. Whenever she looks at my father or I her expression changes as though she took a bite of a lemon.

Class was almost over Braxton and I watched the seconds tick by. Just when I thought I would escape without extra homework Miss Evens walked up to my desk with a old leather bound book. “Luna asked me to find this for you, she thought you might be interested.” Taking it from her hands with a defeated sigh I turned the book over looking at the brittle cover and binding. “Careful young Alpha it’s one of a kind and irreplaceable.”

“Of course it is, it’s the only thing on earth older than her. Chapter one: Here I stand at the beginning of time watching the first sunrise.” Braxton commentary made me roll my eyes earning a raised eyebrow from Miss Evens.

“Sorry Miss Evens, my wolf again.”

“Would do him some good to pay attention in my class as well, being the next Alpha doesn’t leave room for ignorance or arrogance. You hear me little wolf.”

Braxton huffed mumbling to himself as he wondered off “Little, who’s she calling little, she could pass for a human pet… mean little….” He trailed off.

Opening the cover of the book to read the title before putting it in my bag to leave “Rare and Mythical Werewolf breeds by Alabaster Evens” I wonder if that’s any relation to Miss Evens.

On the way back home I can feel Braxton stirring. Pacing anxiously “Something up with you?”

“Just thinking maybe you could ask JoAnn if we could patrol again, it’s nice to get out and stretch my legs.”

“You really want to walk up and down the beach with Alex all night again?”

“It beats sitting around doing nothing.” Braxton shrugged.

Mom wasn’t home when we arrived and the patrols were switching in a few hours so I went to look for dad. Walking past the large double doors that separated his office from the dining room Braxton brought me to a halt. “What’s that?” He asked.

“It’s a topographical map of our lands.” I started pointing out the borders and areas of the human town we owned.

“And this.”

“ That’s the ski resort on the mountain past the lake houses, it’s closed for the summer. Mom has a company that runs it when it’s open. One of the ways the pack makes money.”

I could hear dad get up from his chair and head towards us. Stopping behind me “Here we just purchased some land as your mother insists we have a neutral area.”

“I was just coming in to see you, Braxton would like to patrol again.”

“As long as you get enough sleep for school, your mother will have my head if you miss school.”

“I wasn’t up to late, Braxton took over and I slept most of the night.”

“I heard.” He said with a slight grin. “I heard all about how he talked Alex’s ear off asking about patrols and the borders and human lands. I understand you are still to young for training but I’m glad to see you wolf taking an interest in our security.”

Of course he had to slip in the part about me being to young for training.

The next few days passed by quickly Braxton had been returning to my room after patrol leaving my body sore and bits of sand in my bed.

It was the last day of school before summer, leave it to Miss Evens to be the only teacher to not let us have an easy day.

“We all know the south side of mountain is the resort but can anyone tell me the history of the north side?”

A shy round faced red headed girl named Amber who sits next to me raised her hand.

“Yes Amber” Miss Evens pointed to her.

“When Alpha Marcus first came to the territory they say he explored the cave system on the north face and found the remains of wearwolves that had been skinned.”

Braxton slammed forward “What!”

“It’s all rumors and legends, that area is off limits and no one really knows what’s up there.” I told him.

The next morning I could barely move, my whole body aches. My eye feel like sandpaper I stretched before tossing off the covers and opening them. “What the fuck!” Me and the bed were covered in mud, dirt and dried blood. “Wake up Braxton.” I yelled. “Braxton!” I could feel him but he was hiding somewhere in the back of my mind not answering.

Swinging my legs off the bed I go to stand and almost collapse my legs are made of jelly. “Seriously Braxton, answer me. Did you run a marathon or something last night. I know you can hear me.”

“Well…um… Alex and I got separated and I fell off a little bank into a bush.”

I immediately knew he was lying. “There aren’t any banks or bushes on the lake.”

Jumping into the shower chunks of mud and dried blood washing off me and down the drain I pull a twig and two leaves out of my hair. “What the hell is going on, no one likes to patrol and you’ve asked to go every night and now I wake up looking like I got in a fight with Mother Nature herself.”

He is pacing, nervous, something is definitely going on.

“If you won’t tell me I’ll have my father make you.” I regretted saying it as soon as the words left my lips. He is my wolf and we are supposed to be a team but he’s hiding something. His curiosity about the land outside pack territory, four days on patrols, asking Alex weird questions.

“You know I can hear what you’re thinking right?” Braxton sat down heavily in the center of my mind.

“Your acting strange and there’s a thorn in my leg. What the hell happened last night.”

“How do you know I’m acting strange, you have a wolf before?” Braxton laid down and seemed to think for a minute. “I know we’ve only been together for a few days and the bond really isn’t there yet but I’m asking you to trust me. When I can I’ll tell you everything.”

I groaned “Fine but we take a break from patrols for a while.”

I spent most of the day being as lazy as possible trying to avoid mom and dad in case they had chores that needed done. By 6 o’clock I passed out for the night. Having the most vivid dream, running through the forest leaping logs and dodging trees. The moon glistening on the lake, running as hard as I could past the lake houses and around the edge of the town heading straight to the mountain.

“Eric wake up. Wake up. Eric.” Braxton whispered over and over. I feel him shake me. “Eric, wake up. Please wake up.”

“What Braxton?” I groaned.

“I found her!”