The Wolf Within

Three

          I wake just as the first rays of sunlight peak out from behind the tall pine and cedar trees. Sitting up in bed, I remember what had happened yesterday and yesterday night. I sigh, realizing that today would begin the week-long mating ceremony with whomever my father chose for me to mate. A knock sounds throughout my home; already knowing who it is, I slip on a sports bra and black yoga pants before heading out of my room, and down my staircase to open my front door. "You could have come later," I state as I look at my father. His jet black hair is styled to perfection and his blue eyes are clear as well as intense. The casual light blue cotton t-shirt reveals his fit and muscular arms, chest, and torso, the dark blue jeans he wears hang from his hips and shows a bit of his happy trail. "No, I could not have," he counters and looks down at me. I cross my arms over my chest and stare at him with irritation. "What do you want?" I ask.
"I want to come inside, Elena."
     "Why? So you can lecture me some more on the duties I am suppose to be fulfilling?" I counter. My father sighs and gently puts his hands upon my shoulders. "No. I want to come inside to talk with you about what will be happening today," he softly replies. I roll my eyes and step aside for him to come in. I close the door and gesture for my father to take a seat in my living room, "I'll go make tea. Just make yourself comfortable, dad." 

 After a little while, I come back into my living room and set my father's tea in front of him. He thanks me and sips it silently as I do the same. "I am sure Sonia told you what would be going on today," he says a few minutes later.
"She did. The mating ceremony is to begin, correct?" I ask. He nods and sets his tea cup down on my coffee table. "It is a pre-mating feast, so that you may meet the one I have chosen for you to mate and who will be taking charge of my pack," he says. I tuck my feet beneath me as I gaze at my father and think about what I am going to say. "And?" I counter.
"After today, the mating ceremony will begin. I want you to stay inside the home where you grew up in, so that you will be apart of every aspect. As of now, your short span of freedom that you have had is no longer yours. Your time will be occupied every minute of the following week to come, and you will behave yourself. You will not argue with the Alpha I have chosen for you, nor will you argue with me as you have since your mother's passing. You will act as a proper first daughter should have been. In short, you will be submissive as this mating ceremony commences and if your behavior wavers from that of a first daughter, punishment will be ensued and you will take that punishment whatever it is." I feel my body go ridged at his words and know by the look on my father's face he notices the rage boiling through me.

          I stand up and go in front of my father, kneeling down, I take his hands into my own and look up at him. "I have not had an ounce of freedom since mother died and it is pathetic that you think allowing me to live alone is considered freedom. I will not submit to the Alpha that you have chosen nor submit to you. I will fight you and this ceremony with everything I have and make it so miserable that every pack in the world hears the tale for generations to come. I will ruin your reputation as First Alpha and will take great pleasure in doing so; however, if you let me give you the alternative to this before trying to hurt me, I am sure you will be happy." I stand and watch as my father balls his hands into fists. I see the anger cross his face and the way his blue eyes are inflamed in rage. I know he wants to put me in my place and make me cower before him. But, he knows I will fight him and knows I will keep fighting. See, I should be afraid to say such things to him. I should be afraid to even utter the words I just did, but I am not. For reasons unknown to him and me, as well all our elders, I rebel without fear and take stands on what I believe in. I sit down across from him and let him calm down before I speak again. "I will behave as well as I can, without causing a scene and ruining your good name; however, I will not submit in anyway to whomever is going to be my mate. I will not submit to you either. I will stay in your home, but my time will not be dictated by you. If the ceremony calls for time to be with the mate you have chosen, then I will abide by those set rules. Otherwise, I will do what I want when I want. And, if you and the Alpha even think about punishing me, just remember how miserable I can make this ceremony for everyone here."