Howl

“The Alpha wants to see you.”

I turned to the gruff voice that was my dad’s bodyguard.  Joe stood tall and solemn at the entrance of my bedroom.

“On what accounts?” I asked slowly.

“Important business.  I’m afraid that, your father, he-he doesn’t have much time left.”

I looked away sadly.  My father has been sick for the past few weeks and it has gotten progressively worse.  We (being my mother, younger brother and I) all knew that the time was going to come where he’d have to move on, we just never thought it’d be this early. 

“I’ll be right there Joe.”

He nodded in understanding and left the room.  My head sunk into my hands.  My father and I have always been close, mostly because I was next in line to be Alpha and had to get ready for the day that I’d have to step up and assume that position.  I guess that time was soon.  I slowly got up, holding back the tears that were brimming in the back my eyes.

When I entered my parents’ bedroom my eyes immediately flashed to the king bed where my dad laid underneath the red covers, looking pale and tired.  My mom sat by his side, tears silently falling down her small face.  She held tightly to my dad’s hand as they talked in a whisper.  My mom chuckled.  Obviously, my dad said something to try and lighten the mood.  His eyes flicked to mine.  My mom turned around and smiled grimly.  She got up, kissed my dad’s forehead, and walked in my direction.  She didn’t say anything, just looked at me sadly and patted my shoulder affectionately before leaving the room.  I watched her figure walk down the hall until I couldn’t see her anymore.

I looked back to my dad’s limp figure.  He lifted his finger and motioned for me to come closer.  I took a seat in the chair my mom had previously vacated.

“Alex.”

I took in a shaky breathe and placed my hand over my dad’s.

“Dad.”

He sighed.  “I don’t have much time, son.  I can feel it.”

I bit my lip to try and hold my tears back.

“I need to tell you something, important.”  He licked his dry lips and took a shaky breath.  Weakly, he said: “You’re next to become Alpha.  But the Council, they won’t let you become Alpha without a mate at your side.  They’re giving you a month after I pass to find your true mate and become one with her to rule this pack.”

“One month!” I exclaimed and then sighed.  “Can’t I just rule by myself?”

“No, because it’s Pack law and custom for its Alpha to have a female by his side.”

One tear fell down my face.  “What if I don’t?”

“Then the Beta would become Alpha.”

I almost growled right then.  After senior Beta died a few months ago, his son Robbie took over.  Robbie was a lowlife prick who didn’t care about his tribe, just himself.  And his mate, Ashley, was just as bad.  There was no way I was going to let him run our Pack.

“How do I find my mate?”

I could tell he was almost gone, making more tears fall and pretty soon I had all of Niagara Falls flowing down my face.

“Use your gift, Alex….howl.”

His voice had trailed off and his breathes eventually stopped.  My dad, the Alpha, was dead.  And right then and there, I promised that I was going to find my mate and become Alpha.  I wasn’t going to let Robbie take that from me, he wasn’t responsible enough.  He was still a fricken teenager (the same age as my brother) for crying out loud!  Although, I was only 23, but still.

Joe talked into the walkie talkie, probably calling some of the other guards up.  I could hear my mom’s wails getting closer and soon enough she was bursting into the room followed by my brother Adam.

I couldn’t be in this room.  I felt like I was suffocating and I needed air.  I brushed past my crying mother and frozen brother and bolted towards the back of the large house.  I bursted through the back door and into the forest beyond, shedding my clothes and transforming into my wolf.  I growled and whined endlessly as I ran past trees, tripped on twigs, and splashed through mud.

I finally came to my favorite spot. 

Atop Harlem Cliff, I gazed at the secluded forest below that ran for miles and miles in this part of Washington.  Then I did what my dad told me.  I howled.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Picture: Chris Evans as Alex Bradley

Song: The Fighter by Gym Class Heros