Chapter 2

Chelsey's point of view.

I go to school the next morning, still no word from Josh, and I'm starting to worry. When chuckling fills my ears as I walk through the halls towards class, I'm utterly lost in thought. I swiftly look up and see something I wasn't expecting. Josh wraps his arm over the shoulder of a female I've never seen before; she has long wavy blonde hair and a stunning tall thin body. Her eyes are entirely fixed on Josh and sparkle in the light of sunshine; their eye contact is so intense that it feels terrible to even be observing it.

"Yo, Josh, finally, bro. You bought yourself a pretty good female wolf!"

"You can't say that about a beta's mate, bro." You are aware..."

"Damn. Mate? "Have you already marked her?"

"You're aware of it. You don't let such a gem slide past your fingers..." Josh yanks her hair back, revealing two shining silver scar bite marks. My gut sinks and my heart shatters. Mate? That's not going to happen... I was meant to be his companion. Otherwise, we wouldn't have been so close all these years.

"What about that girl you used to hang out with, bro?" What was her name? Oh, Chelsey..."

"How about her?" "This is old news, bro."

I still can't believe I'm hearing this. I instantly turn on my heel and race out of the pack school, straight for the woods, tossing my bag and books over the side and running as fast as my legs will take me till my lungs feel like they're going to explode. I collapse onto the wet woodland floor and sob. What in the world am I going to do? He was meant to keep lusty males away from me while I was changing. How am I going to get through this? I'm entirely alone... and not even my father can help. It's not uncommon for any male wolf, related or not, to completely forget themselves during the transformation and mate with any nearby female, relative or not. It's far too dangerous. My goal had been to stay with Josh the night of my transformation, knowing that he would protect me, but now I have no plan. With no safety and no partner... well, I guess we can all agree that he was never going to be my mate. He knew the second he smelled her that the wolf's cry last night was her. It's no surprise he was harsh... his wolf would have forced him to be. He realized I wasn't his partner and refused to interact with me any longer. What have you done, goddess? Who's going to come to my rescue now...

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Cain's point of view.

Even though it's still light outside, I can see the moon. This year is really strong. This is the last day, and it will be full tomorrow night, bringing on the heat for all of the females in the pack and my rise to Alpha as my father steps down. Once he steps down, everything is up to me: the protection of this pack, security, legislation, and the pack link's head. I will feel every member of my pack and have their common link. Of course, the she wolves and their pups are a major concern... I put my head into my hands, already feeling overwhelmed; my father warned me that without a mate, maintaining control of the pack would be difficult. I won't be able to gain full strength until I've marked my Luna. I momentarily consider whether any female will suffice, if only as a companion... at the very least, I'd attain my full strength, but if it worked like that, I doubt my father would have overthrown so many weak packs and taken the life of their Alpha. My father has access to three separate packs, all of which operate in the same way. They appear to be my duty as well when he steps down. I hear footsteps down the corridor and know Josh is on his way; after all, I did call him.

"Enter." My voice has recently become considerably deeper. Another sign that my promotion is on its way. Josh walks in with a strange female hugged under his arm as the door opens.

"Alpha..." he and she both bend their heads. What is this woman wolf, and why is she here? It becomes clear when she raises her head and I notice her mating mark. Oh, I can already smell it. The odor is repulsive...

"I don't recall you asking to bring your companion." Her face suddenly turns pale. She shouldn't think of me as a weak Alpha. I must keep control from the start.

"There is no Alpha. This is Jessie, one of my friends. Please accept my apologies." He looks sympathetically at me. Josh has been my friend for years... well, my only friend, I think, but he shouldn't push me given my current situation.

"Jessie. Wait down there, baby, I'll be down there shortly." She gives him a puppy-like look before bowing deeply and fleeing, not daring to meet my gaze. I don't recognize her. She's a nice girl with politeness.

"What pack did she run from?" I wait for Josh's reaction, and he is aware that he is under no obligation to inform me. Every wolf in my pack is familiar to me. She wasn't one of them, thus she came into our territory without my permission.

"Silvermoon pack please, sir." I can sense he wants to explain further and motion for him to do so. He still needs some training, Goddess, even after all these years. "She had been beaten, sir." I discovered her hurt. I tagged her when I realized who she was." He's courageous, considering he's admitted to bringing an outsider into my pack... I wouldn't even think about it if Josh hadn't asked, but I dimly recall her dating a female from our pack.

"Your previous relationship with your current companion has ended." He's not even blinking. Bastardly bastard. I know they were together for at least a year and friends their entire lives, much like me and him, despite the fact that I never met her.

"Yes, Alpha." I nod quietly. A part of me feels sorry for the mystery female he has dropped, and I know he didn't manage the issue as well as I would have liked, but I don't let it show.

"I called to finalize details for the moon festival." Many of our employees are reaching the age of majority and starting their first shift. "I'd like to increase security for the she wolves." I turn around and return my gaze to the moon through the window.

"May I inquire as to why Alpha?"

I return his stare. He has the audacity to criticize my judgment! I know exactly what I'm doing! I'm not going to lose any pack members on my first night as Alpha! The males can get wild, and I will not tolerate fighting or rapes under my reign. He instantly casts his gaze to the floor, and his wolf wines slightly in repentance.

"I'm sorry, Alpha. I will see to it that everything is completed."

"That's all." He hurriedly goes without saying anything else. Good. That is how it should be. Perhaps I'm being too fast in selecting a friend to be my beta... perhaps I should check into a seasoned beta instead. Looking out the window, I feel the impulse to go for a run. I've been pent up for far too long, and I need to get somefresh air. My wolf concurs.