The Princesses Journey

Chapter Two

Alex's POV

I only had the morning shift for feeding and walking the horses, making sure they are ready for the Queen and her family.  My friend Roden, my beta in my pack had the night shift where he got to show off "his hard work" to the royal family if they ever had time to ride. We say hello as we trade hats one that covers our whole face and the one Roden gives to me, just a simple cap to wear into town. 

My beta and I are cousins, one of the only packs in the world left, some shifters went rogue, others were hunted in their forms. I am Alpha at the New Moon pack. Our pack tattoo is a moon with a wolf howling up at it. Every pack wolf has the tattoo on their collarbone, to signal their submission to the alpha. However, for me and Roden we have ours on our shoulders to signal we are higher ranks. 

  When I was done with work and had a time to eat lunch, I went on a run in Queen Monica's country Libertine. I shift behind a patch of trees making sure no one is watching. I start running to my heart's content. 

My wolf is all black with blue eyes, much like my human form black hair and blue eyes like my mothers. My mother was one of the wolves hunted, she was shot with an arrow by the Royal hunting guards, I was told it was the prince who made the order, but it had happened when I was very little and somehow my father was able to forgive the prince. I still do not know the events that had happened that day, only what I was told. I growl and snarl as I think about the day my mother died. 

I was running home; it was a small house with only two bedrooms and a kitchen. My pack was small, only a hundred wolves or so. We were spread throughout Libertine, the only country ruled by a widow queen. My father worked as a blacksmith for the army and the Royal family.

"Hey Alex, are you on a run? Can you swing by the bakery for tonight's dinner? I didn't have time to get the bread yesterday" Roden mind linked me.

"Really man, I guess I got time, but I call the unburned parts of the bread" I joked back.

"Hey, I cook the main dish!  "Roden yelled.

Which is true but I love pissing him off, he is too easy to make mad.  The reason why I called for the unburned pieces of bread is because the baker will fall asleep and forget the bread in the oven but those sell cheaper.

I shift back about 2 miles outside of town because I do not want anyone to see my wolf. I start walking to the bakery, thinking of my birthday tonight. I am finally eighteen meaning I can finally recognize my mate, but I am already in love with a wolf form another pack. Her name is Elizabeth Rose, and I am to marry and mate her to start reproducing shifters again.

I walk into the bakery to get the bread.

"Hey Magnus, can I get loaf? It's for my birthday!" I bribe him, trying to get the bread even cheaper. 

"Well, it was my dog's funeral yesterday and I didn't get a day off" he said frustrated.

I chuckle because I know he doesn't have a dog and anyone who knows him gets told off almost every day.

" So, who is the lucky lady, lad" Magnus said, he is also a shifter, he lost one of his eyes when the royals were hunting us, so he knows about the arrangement my father had made. 

"Her name is Elizabeth, and she lives in Rimington" I said.

"Oh, so finally leaving us, I can't wait to be rid of you "he jokes with a jolly laugh.

I really couldn't tell if he was lying or not, but I was happy, I am going out into the world and marrying my dream girl.

I pay Magnus, one silver coin and leave heading back to Roden's family house. Mine and my father's house was destroyed in a fire two years ago and since then had been living with my uncle.  I inform Roden that I got his bread in the mind link and informs him he owes me a favor.