The Alpha King's Hunt

Chapter 28

Valarie

I hadn't wanted to come to the Hunt but Sophia insisted, saying that we didn't have enough of our own pack in attendance. It looked bad; neither of us knew how so few Autumn betas had ended up at the edge of the forest, but it was just her, me, and a handful of others.

Morgan's supporters were out in full force. They were shifting first, before anyone else, feet elongating, ankles pushing up their legs. They'd have to fight to keep the shift from happening before the Alpha transformed fully.

I watched from the far edge of the group as the princesses began to strip off their clothes. Sophia's skirt went first, then the top, both of them simple enough that it was easy for her to do. Maggie was struggling out of some kind of jumpsuit with a tie at the waist. Morgan shucked her pants and top off quickly. She cracked her neck and the sound was loud in the anticipation-filled silence.

When it happened, it happened quickly. Edith went quickly and scurried to the edge of the crowd, small as a wolf and weak-looking. Sophia hadn't been wrong in her assessment of the princess. She wouldn't be much competition, looking rather mangy.

Daniele was beautiful, sleek, a dark chestnut color. But she clearly didn't care about the Hunt. What she lacked was lust; what the other alphas seemed to be practically oozing tonight. Even Morgan, though her human face twisted with disgust as it transformed, the wolf snapping when her four feet hit the ground, couldn't resist the urge tonight.

Sophia transformed effortlessly. She'd always been good at it. Part of being the northernmost pack, the pack most in tune with the nature around us, meant we were all much closer to our wolves.

Hers was a good size, surprising due to her small human stature, and a tawny color edged with lighter brown. She stretched, front feet in front of her, haunches back, and trotted off toward the forest with her tail high.

And then Gabriel appeared.

His mother stepped to the side and there he was, bare-chested, Charles behind him holding a small pile of clothes and shoes.

His skin was so pale it practically shone in the moonlight. He ran a hand through his hair, pressing it back, eyes tinged maroon. Then with two long strides he leapt and transformed mid-air.

It was something I couldn't accomplish.

When he hit the ground he was fully wolf, eyes still serious and cold, coat the lightest I'd ever seen without being white. White was a rare color for a wolf. Only one ancient man in the Autumn pack was a white wolf, and everyone respected him.

But Gabriel wasn't quite white. It was like bleached hay, thick and smooth, his tail tapering beautifully. He snapped at Caroline, who had been the last to clumsily transform, and she snapped back, staying on his heels as he launched toward the forest.

I took a shuddering breath.

It was the hardest I'd ever had to fight against the wolf. She wanted out, and I knew if I was home I'd let her out, let her howl the second our paws were in the dirt. But I had to suppress her. I couldn't lose control tonight.

All around me betas were beginning to let the transformations take over. It wasn't smooth, as they'd had to slow the shift to let Gabriel and the princesses take the lead. But now wolves snapped and snarled at each other, slunk off toward the trees, and Queen Raquel turned back toward a small tent lit with fairy lights that had been set up for her.

I was so distracted by watching her pour herself a glass of white wine that I almost didn't notice my wolf sneaking to the surface. It was almost, almost too late; but I smashed her down and growled out loud, turning away from the crowd and the direction the other wolves had gone.

A few groups of people were standing around now, anxious and murmuring to one another. With a glance I took off for the trees.

When I reached them I crouched down, gnashing my teeth.

I could feel my spine trying to re-shape. And my shoes were too tight, then too loose, the shirt I wore itchy against my skin.
I tore it off without thinking, relishing the air on my bare skin.

Throwing my head back I bared my throat to the full moon and felt it coming. For the first time in my life there was nothing I could do to keep the transformation at bay.

It was like taking a deep, powerful breath.

All of muscles shuddered as they re-shaped, grew longer, stronger. My arms re-jointed and formed into front legs, bracing my body as the rest changed. I could feel my tail sweep against my hips and then my teeth shifted in my gums, growing longer, spacing out.

With a low growl of satisfaction I opened my eyes, now at a human's knee-level.

As a wolf I was on the larger side for a female. I knew this because it was something my family, and other pack members, commented on occasionally. It was one of the first things John had ever said to me and when I thought back to it I realized that he'd been slightly intimidated. His wife was a small, timid wolf.

Not me.

The hair on my spine stood up and I bound forward, paws digging into the earth as I ran. I tipped my nose up to be sure I was heading away from everyone else. I didn't want to run with the pack tonight.

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