She-wolf

8

It had been almost half a year since my birthday, half a year of preparation for the upcoming "alpha tests" as my father called them, half a year since i'd seen the big bad alpha. Speaking truthfully, I wasn't ready to face them, to face him. And now here I was, standing in the great hall of alphas, something that normal wolves thought to be a myth.

I watched from out the corner of my eye as Ashton swore in as the beta of my pack, the witch behind him tattooing him with our packs symbol. 

"Good luck," he mouthed as I took a step forward and onto the large podium to begin my trials, my eyes landing on a light green pair.

"Mary Titus, you claim that you wish to be the next alpha of your pack. Is this true?"

Just the way my name rolled of his tongue brought back those feelings I had tried to keep hidden all this time, and just his stare made my knees almost buckle out from under me.

"Mary, did you hear alpha jack?"

My eyes moved from the god in front of me to one of the other alphas, a fake smile plastered on my lips. "Yes, and yes to his question. I am staking my claim to the alpha position of my pack."

"Right. Well then, is there anybody here who would like to challenge this young woman's claim?"

Silence for about two minutes, and then he opened his gob.

"I, Jack Crescent, of the blood moon pack challenger Mary Titus to a duel to decide the fate of her pack."

My eyes -and the rest of the rooms- widened at his claim, some whispering to their seat mates.

"This is why you let me go so easily, you were going to challenge me!" I sat back and let my wolf take control, the first time in two months was she finally able to be free.

"This is to protect our people! I will not let the second strongest pack in the world be run by a LITTLE GIRL!"

Tears formed in my eyes but my wolf held them back, snarling at me in my head. Get your act together, we didn't spend a month training in solitary confinement for you to fuck it up.

"Mary, do you accept his challenge?" The alpha from awhile looked at me, a slight shake of his head telling me I shouldn't.

"He challenged me, now he's accusing me of not being able to run my pack. Fuck yeah am I gonna accept it."

They all looked at each other with pity in their eyes. What was I thinking? These guys knew Jack better than I did and it looked like they knew i was going to end up either dead or badly beaten.

"Then let the challenge... commence. And good luck Ms. Titus."

Before I knew it I was on my back, a large white wolf hovering over me.

"Jack, let Mary shift before you attack; you know the rules boy."

His eyes snapped to the council, a low growl leaving his mouth as his lips pulled up in a snarl. Noticing now was my chance I quickly shifted and lunged at him, digging my teeth into his side as he yelped in pain.

"Woohoo go Mary!" I looked over to Ashton who was cheering me on from the sidelines, his hands in fists by his sides. "Come on baby!"

His words alone were what pushed me forward, my paw striking Jack in the face successfully leaving three claw marks across his right eye. He yelped again and shook off any blood that had clouded his vision, his gold eyes trained on me.

"Jack you can forfeit, she's already given you injuries that won't heal properly."

A loud growl shook the walls, the white wolf lunging at me and slamming my head against the white and grey marble floors. Blood started to pool under where we are and I couldn't tell if it was his, mine, or both of ours mixed together.

"ENOUGH!"

The wolf on top of me growled in the direction the voice had come but mine opted out to bowing her head after shoving her opponent off of her.

"You-your majesty," one of the council members exclaimed as the others gasped and looked at each other. "May I ask sir but, what are you doing here?"

My eyes quickly slid to where Ashton was, a scowl on his face. The king was his uncle and they never did get along, not even when Ashton finally shifted.

"Uncle, why are you here?"

"Ash, how nice to see you here, finally getting that... beta mark of yours I see. And there's Mary, my little pride and joy."

I narrowed my eyes at him and growled, shocking the already shell-shocked council.

"You never were one to respect your elders Mary. That's a shame really, I could've used a wolf like you at the castle as head of the royal guard."

I had shifted back while he was talking and was dressed in a long robe that covered everything that other people weren't allowed to see. "You and your son are just the same, you're too filled with pride to let a female alpha show the wolf world how ruling a pack is really done!"

For all of you hungry readers out there who are confused, the king took Jack in after Jack's father had died when his mother wasn't capable of preparing him for the position of Alpha. Lilith is the king's only real child and Jack's half sister and yada yada yada, you get it. And yes I did just break the fourth wall.

My cheek started to burn as the king stood a foot in front of me, his eyes dark with anger as his hand was raised. "Never  raise your voice to me again young lady, do I have to remind you of what I am?" He turned away and walked over to his son, his eyes narrowing even more. "And you, what were you thinking? You've seen her training. You could've gotten yourself killed!"

All Jack did was growl and walk behind a pillar, the sound of bones snapping before he returned wearing only a towel around his waist. "You shouldn't have intervened father, I could've handled her."

"Handled me? You couldn't even handle me awhile ago and all I did was scratch up that pretty face of yours." Both Ashton and a council member had to hold me back, my wolf threatening to emerge and rip his head off.

"I went easy on you Mary, if you want I can go harder in my chambers later."

I growled even louder at his wink and ripped myself out of their grip, walking back to the small waiting area outside of the room.

"Don't let him get to you, he's only doing it so that you'll attack him with the king there."

"He's acting like a child Ashton-"

"He's still a prince Mary, hurting him could get you thrown in jail. The challenge is over, neither of you are allowed to hurt each other now."

I growled one last time and left the room, walking out and slapping Jack clean across the face. "That's for the flirty remarks, asshole." And with that I continued my trials, already regretting that slap and what would come from it.