Her Double Fate

Chapter 1 - Claire

"Are you sure there's nothing I can do to change your mind?" Raymond asks with a curious look as he leans back in his chair. It wasn't the first time he'd asked me this question and I knew that he knew the answer wouldn't change, but that didn't stop him from asking anyway.

It had been almost three years since I had become a hunter for the Werewolf council and as much as I loved this job, I had decided it was time for a new challenge. That challenge being the one that had loomed over me since Acacia had been taken when we were kids and had driven me away in the first place. I realized that I couldn't run from my problems forever and that I quite liked the idea of being one of the only female Alphas, not that my parents ever needed to know that.

"Unfortunately not," I say with a sad smile. "It's time I stepped up to the plate and took some responsibility. My father can't be Alpha forever and even though it might not have been my first choice, it's the cards I've been dealt with and I'm ready to make the most of them."

"How very mature of you. You're going to make an excellent Alpha." He smiles, his face full of pride. Geez, way to hit me right in the heart there, Raymond.

"Thank you, I appreciate that," I say as I try to swallow back the lump that has formed in my throat. "And thank you for everything over the past couple of years. You have no idea how much I've loved this job and everything I've learned along the way. I'm really going to miss you guys."

"We'll miss you too. The place won't be the same without your bubbly personality. However, it's not like you're going too far. We'll still see you at all the council meetings going forth and your ascension ceremony assuming everything goes to plan."

Tears suddenly spring from my eyes at his words and I hastily wipe them with a watery smile. Raymond smiles again before he stands up and walks around his desk to pull me into a hug.

Raymond hadn't been my favourite person in the beginning but over time, I had grown to understand and appreciate his blunt personality and wicked sense of humour and now I was rather fond of him and sad to be leaving. 

"I should get going," I say as I pull away from the hug and flash him another watery smile.

"Of course," he says warmly. "Stay in touch and be careful out there."

I nod and swiftly make my exit from his office, letting out the breath I had been holding. One uncomfortable conversation down, one to go.

My parents don't know that I'm coming home, let alone that I'm planning to step into the Alpha roll so it will definitely be a surprise. I'm just hoping and praying that they are okay with me wanting to finally take the role, otherwise, this whole thing will have been for nothing.

"I'm sure everything will be fine," my wolf Indie says gently, trying to reassure me, however, I can tell she is just as nervous as I am. I had shifted for the first when I was fifteen which is incredibly young for a werewolf to shift - most wolves do not shift for the first time until they are seventeen or eighteen - so I've had a lot of time to get to know Indie and all her quirks. 

When I had first shifted, she had told me that it was because of my Alpha blood and the fact that I would end up being Alpha soon and my body knew it was ready to handle the change. I hadn't believed her at the time due to how young and naive I was - granted I'm still young and naive - but I'm starting to realise that my body was ready for this long before I was willing to accept it.

The only thing I haven't experienced like any other young wolf is finding a mate, but as Indie keeps pointing out, it's probably a good thing that I didn't find my mate straight away because I wasn't exactly of legal age or adult maturity to handle the things that come along with having a mate - like the dull ache of them sleeping with other people, for example. That definitely wasn't a fun experience the first time it happened - so much for saving your first time for your mate. 

I try to turn it into a positive, make it less gross-sounding, like it's just making them more experienced for when our time eventually comes. But at the end of the day, those thoughts don't exactly change the way the pain seems to increase the more I age. Here's hoping that stepping into this Alpha role might also bring me closer to finding my mate. Because let's face it, the world is massive, and my mate could be anywhere.

"God, I hope so" I reply quietly as I slide into the car waiting to take me back to my parent's house, my thoughts all-consuming. Only one way to find out I guess.

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Hey Guys,

I hope you enjoyed the chapter. I'm sorry it's not the longest again. This chapter is just helping to set up what is to come. 

As always, thanks for sticking around! It means so much to me! Please vote and leave me a comment letting me know that you're still around and please also check out my other books including my new romance novel, Passengers.

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Allamy xx