"Not even your precious Gods can protect you."
Dastan Dantes, the second born Alphason of Sterling River, was never supposed to inherit the Alpha title. His life was laid out to become his older brother's right hand; his Beta. Plans were shaken and...
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"Dastan Dantes!"
Luna Lucy – my mother – barked out at me, her ordinarily green eyes glimmering the crème hazel of her fur. I couldn't help but growl, pulling my hands into my chocolate hair and tugging at my roots. She didn't understand my position on my rank, and the only thing she saw was her pup leaving her and his pack. She was blinded by the fact that her youngest pup would not be staying in his home, and her wolf was spazzing to keep family in the nest.
Most wolves don't leave their birth pack, but I had to be the exception. Mom didn't care for that. "Why can't you just reconsider? Tennessee? Really? Are you that stubborn that you can't even consider being Jack's Beta?" Her light ginger hair was pulled back into a messy ponytail, most likely quickly thrown up when she found out her pups tore at each other again.
I was a second-born Alpha male, and when I shifted at thirteen, I couldn't keep to the idea I would be my older brother's Beta. It was usual for a second son to be a Beta to their older sibling, and with how my relationship with Jackson was before, it seemed that was the plan. Before my beast, I was mellow and went with the flow like the river my father's pack was famous for. Now, however, Jack and I clashed. Hard. It was evident that we had just another brawl with how he sat across the room from me with a scowl marking his bloody face.
I glared at my mother, my wolf glimmering below the surface. Pacing and waiting for a challenge. I've come to terms that Sterling River would not be the home I would raise my future pups. I had aged out of the juvenile ranking, so it was time to start more rigid training. My father put me through some Alpha training alongside Jack, but my lessons had a twist to them. Alpha Daniels – my father – was the only one who understood my raging, dominant beast that lurked behind my eyes. He was the only one that my animal submitted to, and that was something that wouldn't keep going for long.
My father reached the end of his prime; his wolf was getting older and weaker, while mine was only getting stronger. It was getting to the point that I needed to leave to be an Alpha elsewhere in a few years. Otherwise, Jack would be facing a challenge from me. "Mom, it's not about me being stubborn! I already have a tight leash on my beast, and when you and Jack even whisper about the idea of me staying and being Beta, he freaks the fuck out!"
"Language, Dastan!"
Ah, the old wolf finally speaks.
My glimmering amber eyes shifted to my father, who was silent until he decided to scold me on my choice of words – of all things. He was sitting on his dark leather chair, sipping on some bourbon with an already empty glass sitting beside him. I curled my lip in defiance before crossing my tan arms across my clothed chest. "Jack instigates the fights. He knows that bringing up the idea of Beta rages my beast, but for some reason, he has it twisted in his mind that the more he brings it up, the more likely I would agree to the ridiculous idea!"
