One True Alpha

Chapter 16

"If it weren't for that mark on your shoulder, your rotting carcass would be on the next train back to the eastern region," my father snarled at my mate. My mother was busy unfastening the collar around my neck. My ribs were showing prominently as I stayed where I was. My legs were too weak to move anymore. One of my pack's omegas was licking my face, another pushing a bunny she caught towards me. Their mates had released them as soon as our Hunger completed with the rising sun. Mine left me where I lay. My stomach growled as it flipped again. I wouldn't be able to keep it down anyway, I turned my head away as she cried. The piercing sound hit my heart like a knife as a tear fell down my face.

Terrance looked worse for wear as he bowed his head down to my father. He had spent the last week scrubbing himself raw. His golden locks were shaved off and there were dark circles under his eyes. I could smell the males' scents on him still, I snorted as the scent reached my nose again. It irritated my wolf to no end, it turned her stomach that her mate would allow such an act to befall him. We hadn't been able to keep much down after the pack's lesson. An Alpha was only as strong as the wolves that were loyal to him.

As the collar slipped from my neck, my wolf pushed back into my mind. The change without fuel hurt as I screamed. I wasn't prepared and there was no warning as my bones felt like they were shattering within me. My wolf howled and whined as she tried to take some of the pain onto her shoulders to little avail. Everything felt like it was shattering or tearing or imploding as my mother's wolf howled. My skin felt too tight when I shed my fur. My jaw snapped and reshaped forcing a groan. My mind had not been assaulted by so many nerves since my first shift.

Tears fell in a river down my face as I cried for my father and mother. Cries that had only been heard once in their life during my first time that they had hoped to never hear again. I heard my mother cry and howls of my pack.

The omega wolves backed away from me as my father's wolf rushed towards me, heads bowed as they backed away. I let out my tears as the large wolf licked them away. His offspring in pain upset him greatly as he whined. My mother wrapped a sheet around my body and held me close. I vomited onto the hem of her dress as my ribs compressed and spine absorbed my tail.

Burying my face into her neck like a pup, her sweet cherry and peppermint scent wafted into my nose. She easily hauled me to my feet as I leaned into her. I couldn't make out her words but her voice soothed me, if only a little.

My father's wolf snarled at Terrance, the golden wolf finally making an appearance. Terrance barely took a step towards me when my father lunged. Claws dug into my mate's side as he yelped. I cried out again as the mate bond made the pain worse. "No, father stop, please," I begged as my mother wrapped her arms around my waist. Teeth snapped and tore into the young male who put up only defensive bites. My mother yelled words I couldn't hear over my screaming. The bond was on fire and burning me from the inside out. She held me close as I thrashed weakly. The golden wolf slammed into the dirt with a sharp cry. He wasn't dead but the bond burned angrily within my being.

The burning in the bond softened as my father's wolf returned to me. His soft whines of apology reached my ears. I turned away from him, my wolf and I in agreement. He rubbed his fur against me and my mother. She kept her back to him growled. "Unless you want to have me disciplined for going against the alpha, I suggest you back off," my mother whispered harshly at my father. He whined as he headed off into the woods for a run.

Looking over my mother's shoulder I saw Terrance on the ground. His fur was dirty but there was little blood. He wagged his tail reassuringly as he felt my gaze on him. The bond settled down as his golden eyes met mine.

My mother left for only a moment to grab some things for my shower. She had me in the master bathroom as she set some supplies in the shower. "I can use my own shower mother, I'm okay now," I argued as her wolf showed me her teeth. I snapped my own at her display.