More Than An Alpha

Distrust

Hours after the meeting with alpha William I couldn't help shake the feeling he was planning something. He did after all come here with different intentions than he claimed, he then gave his hand away by letting Osckar know that there are four packs plotting against us. If Osckar wasn't going to worry about his growing number of enemies then I would have to do so.

I also had to deal with whatever alpha Darius was going to throw at me tomorrow. He surely would test me to the limit but I was determined not to break. As soon as the trial was over I was going to hunt down whoever killed my parents. More importantly I needed answers and now that I had a pack of my own with skilled trackers I'm sure we'd find them soon. I'd make sure they paid for it with their lives.

I was briefly startled by how dark my thoughts had gone. I wasn't the type of person that was out for blood but something deeper than instinct raged within me. I could feel my wolf side agreed with me that this needed to be done, I couldn't let them do this to anyone else.

I spent the rest of the afternoon roaming pack grounds, Bay was with me leading the way. According to her, school starts at seven in the morning and finishes at one, all other pack duties would follow after then. She'd been open to letting me know what life was like so I decided to pry into her life a little more. I learnt that we were only two years apart in age, me being eighteen and Bay sixteen, it was easy to see why she was slightly against me being her Luna but she had no choice in the matter.

We ended up in a large spacious field, many wolves of different ages were training, and I could see that they were split up into groups of ability. Age didn't seem to matter as I saw a boy that looked to be about ten with a group of fourteen year olds.

"That's Kevin," Bay said, catching me staring at him. "So far everyone sees him as the next best fighter to be seen in our pack. By the time he reaches eighteen he'll be able to work his way up, he could even take over the gamma or beta position if he wanted to."

"What age do you start training the young?" I asked.

"We start training the pups when they turn five, it's a way of ensuring that our pack can protect themselves if the alpha should fail. That hasn't happened in over eighty years" she looked to me "I hope that doesn't happen while you're here."

I sneered at her, "Don't you have faith in your brother?"

"Of course I do, it's you I don't trust."

I stepped up to her, my gaze unrelenting as my eyes locked on hers, "I know you don't like me or trust me just yet, but believe me when I tell you, this pack will survive with me as Luna."

I didn't divert my eyes, hoping I could prove to her I meant what I said and for her to finally back off and give me a chance. She lowered her eyes and stepped back, I let out a low breath. Frankly I had no idea if I'd be able to keep this pack afloat, I might not even be alive tomorrow evening and here I am marking my turf.

After a beat of silence Bay spoke.

"Do you want to join in on the training?"

I looked back over to the multiple people and wolves on the field, some had seen me and stopped to stare, others were too immersed in their training to take notice.

I decided against it, I had proven myself at the initiation to the pack I didn't need to try and impress Bay. She was going to cause me a lot of trouble and I didn't want to stir the pot. I had enough on my plate as it was, with all this drama I could barely get in time to know who Osckar was as a person. His duties as alpha kept him away from me as well as his reluctance to keep me in the loop.

I was more than happy he allowed me in on the meeting he had this morning but my role as Luna of this pack wasn't clear. I just wouldn't accept being a Luna who sat and mingled with the pack. I need to also make sure they were safe, ever since the initiation I felt a bond with the whole pack. As small as it was I wasn't prepared to let any of them die.

Early the next morning even before the birds had woken up, the select few wolves that Osckar picked were ready and waiting for our journey back to my former pack. I caught a glimpse of the sky which had lightened to a dusky blue. It was the moment in between day and night when I ducked my head into the vehicle waiting for us. I was barely awake, sleep still threatened to take over but the orders being thrown around by Osckar jerked me into alertness.

When the car took off with Osckar and I comfortably in the back seats I leaned heavily into him as his arm wrapped around my shoulders. Sleep was threatening to pull me into its embrace but Osckars rumbling chest stopped me from doing so.

"Here, take this and strap it on your back," he said, passing me a light backpack that had been stuffed under the driver's seat. "There's a change of clothes in there for you, you're going to shift as you are."

I nodded, pulling the backpack on, adjusting the straps so that when I shift it can fit around my broad shoulders. A question sprung into my mind.

"Why don't we just take a car the rest of the way?" I breathed, we'd already driven out of our pack territory and were close enough to my old home.

"I like to make an entrance," He said, shrugging his shoulders, "I think it's always more intimidating when they first see us in our wolf form."

I cracked a smile.

"Darius is expecting us a little later this afternoon but I thought an early morning visit could test out his defences." Osckar said pulling me to him. "You'll get to sort out your parent's things, I promise you that."

"And the funeral?"

"They haven't had it yet so I'll make sure you get to attend it one way or the other."

I nodded against his chest bringing myself closer to his warmth.

Five minutes later the car came to a stop and I didn't waste time climbing out and shifting into a wolf. The wolves with us did the same and the sound of ripping clothes briefly dominated the area. Osckar was quick to bound into the woods, a silent demand to follow. I ran by his side as we headed for my old turf, my home until a week or so ago, time was beginning to lose meaning in my head.

We ran as one, I could hear my foot falls getting lighter and lighter until they were practically silent. This was the Silent Pack, it was what they were famous for and to be part of it sent a thrill shooting through my body.

"This is so cool." I mindlinked Osckar as we ran.

"This is the gift of our pack." Was all he said, I was surprised he even knew what I was referring to.

We were so close now to my former home for the last eighteen years, I could scent and identify different wolves from my former pack, as old trails were beginning to fade. I could even scent my parents on strands of grass they'd passed and rocks they'd stood upon.

It hadn't rained since I'd been here, it would explain why I could still smell it. My stomach rolled and I felt sick, I had no idea how I was going to react when we passed the very spot my parents died.

As we got closer a small whine escaped my lips, Osckar slowed down, licking my face and came to stand so close to me that we might as well become one.

"What is it?"

"My parents were killed not too far from here."

"Should we go around the other way?" He asked.

I almost melted on the spot right there, it meant a lot to me that Osckar was being so considerate. I never dreamed of a mate like him but I was grateful to have him in my life right now.

"If you don't mind."

I branched off, taking the lead of our group. I led them closer to where the pack house was situated, it was far enough from my old house. I felt Osckar brush past me, regaining control, he stood taller, puffing out his chest. The moment we crossed the territory line we were surrounded by ten wolves.