The fall of the Alpha

Lone wolf

"How'd you sleep?" Thomas asked as I put butter on my toast

"Fine," I said taking a bite of toast and shrugging

"So you didn't have the nightmare again?" He rose a thick brow

"Nope." I shook my head as I took a sip of his coffee and Cassy gave me a pointed look and quickly I set it down.

"But, if you already know the answer then why bother asking?" I grinned at him "You need to shave dude!" Poking his bearded cheek
"Don't change the subject." He said

"Yeah Rem, don't change the subject." Caleb messed my hair up as he passed by and stole my last slice of toast

"Shut up." I narrowed my eyes at him "Did you wake up Jaylen?"

"Nope." He said as he poured himself some coffee

"But we're gonna be late if you-"

"Then you'd better wake him up," Caleb smirked

"Ughh" I rolled my eyes in exasperation and ran up the stairs.

As I walked up the stairs spots filled up my vision and I stopped and rested against the wall. Damnit, I thought. Damnit all to hell. I took a breath and pushed off the wall and made my way down the hall. Jaylen had my old room. I'd switched with him because that room faced the forest and I could never sleep at night. When I was younger I didn't mind as much, but with my 17th birthday around the corner, I was nervous. The signs were all present: uncontrollable anger, body aches, the heightened smell and hearing abilities, I was gaining strength and speed, and, worst of all, the nightmares. When you come close to your first shift your wolf reaches out to the other wolves of the pack to gain familiarity. I had no pack so instead of having dreams of the pack's history I kept seeing this vast emptiness. It was cold and all I could smell was death and it felt like blood was dripping down my body, air couldn't reach my lungs, my throat was raw and my body stung. Every time I woke up it felt worse than the time before. A werewolf can't survive the shift without the pack. Especially a female. Females are more in touch with their wolf on a mental level, it's why females tend to have better control over their shifting, they can mindlink at a younger age, even before they shift, and their anger is not as easily provoked. The males have a stronger physical bond, so they are stronger and faster, they heal quicker, but they have very little control over their wolves and it makes them possessive and unpredictable. Werewolves can shift anytime once they hit puberty. Some of the hunters' books I've read think it has to do with the needs of the pack, the will of the alpha, or even by chance but they just don't know. Alphas usually shift at a younger age, 15 or 16 and in some extraordinary cases, 13 or 14. I'm the daughter of an alpha, I should have shifted by now. I was glad that I hadn't, but part of me wondered if something was wrong with me. Thomas and Cassidy were definitely worried and had me see Jack, the werewolf physiology expert, every 2 weeks. So far as Jack could tell, I was perfectly healthy.
"Remedy!" I jumped
"Yeah?" I called back
"Tell Jay to hurry the hell up we've got to go!" Caleb called up the stairs
I knocked on Jaylen's door and I heard a groan. "Jaylen, come on man! You really need to set an alarm." I walk in to see him laying on his bed
"If I did that then I wouldn't get to see my favorite sister first thing in the morning."
"You are such a dork" I snort "How late were you out?"
"Don't ask." He mutters as he rolled out of bed and threw his backpack over his shoulder. I didn't bother to ask him if he was gonna change because I knew he always slept in the clothes he was gonna wear for school the night before so he wouldn't have to bother with it in the morning, what a psychopath.
As we headed out the door Cassidy gave us a hug and a kiss because she was going on a business trip for a few days. Cassidy was CEO of an engineering company that manufactured prosthetics, she was a doctor but then got a masters in business and met the previous CEO while she was pregnant with Caleb and basically became his apprentice and took over for him about two years later. Thomas was a stay at home dad for a while, especially after I came into the picture...I was a real handful.

"Are you nervous for your first day?" I ask Jaylen as we head to school

"Nah not really, I mean how hard can it be, right?" He shrugged "My whole future is just riding on me doing well and having the perfect GPA and test scores. Oh and don't even mention making mistakes, I'll easily avoid getting into trouble, even though this the time in my life to be making mistakes if I get into trouble then I won't get into a good college since everything is out there on the internet....worried? Me? What a ridiculous question." Jaylen deadpanned
"Hey cool it," Caleb said eyeing Jaylen from the rearview "Rem was only asking you don't have to be a dick."
"Well unfortunately for you and Rem there are such things as stupid questions." Jaylen snorted
"Someone's hungry." I gave Caleb a knowing look
"I am not hangery!" Jay protested
"didn't say you were, I just observed that you are probably hungry because you woke up too late to eat...and now your becoming aggressive." I grinned and tossed in a granola bar from my bag
"My young padawan, stick with me and I will teach you the ways of how to get through high school." I tell him
"Dork" he said
"Asshole" I countered
"Prude"
"Cat lover"
"Dog fuck-"
"Enough you two! Christ how are we going to make it through the school year?" Caleb groans
"We could just make Jay take the bus" I tease
He stuck his tongue and I reached back a flicked his forehead.
"Ouch!"
"Seriously you guys I'm trying to" Suddenly Caleb slammed on the break and I went flying forward, my head hitting the dashboard
"What the hell Caleb?" But I had found the answer to my question as my eyes fell onto our school
"Oh my god" I mutter "it's on fire"
The line of cars all stopped before the scene.
"Well, so much for a first day." Jay said "what's gonna happen now?"