The Running Games: Alpha

Shipped Off

Beep... Beep... Beep
Grrrr! Scrunching my brow I slam my hand over the alarm clock, hopefully silencing it for good. Sleep calls and I slowly drift into sleep once again.

"Up! Up! We're gonna be late! I can't wait! Were gonna have late  night chats and tell each other who we hope we get! Come on! This is going to be AMAZING!!!" Flinging the covers off my head  I do my best to glare with all my might at Pandora. Which didn't quite work because she opened the curtains and blinded me with the unholy light of morning. Groaning I give the bird to the beta's daughter and roll over. "Up! Miss morning! Your farther isn't gonna be pleased with you! You haven't even packed yet. Shame to you and your family!" Pandora shouts dramatically falling beside me on the plushy bed. I really hate morning people, where do they get the energy? "I hope Mavis is more planned out than you Zuri."

"It's unnecessary, I won last year, yet I'm gonna be dragged their again?" I respond lurching to my feet. "Not getting caught by the man of your dreams isn't what I consider winning Zuri! Don't you wanna fall in love? Go on romantic walks on the beach and hunt together?" Pandora sighs dreamily. I roll my eyes and start tossing clothes in a duffel bag.

The Running games occur every year on the first, or only respectively, Blue moon each year. For werewolves its a symbol of mates, family, and unity. Every year males and females that are sixteen or, in a few cases like mine, older attend the Running to find a compatible mate. Once the moon rises the females take off, after an hour the males follow and try to find their mate. If you want to get technical their aren't any 'true mates' as you can have more than one companion that fits with your wolf  but it's slim enough that your wolf will recognize a suitable mate. It's then up to the human part to determine if they are a good match. If the male catches the female they become mates, simple really. The females use their cunning and agility to escape and avoid the less powerful males until one strong and smart enough catches her, thus making sure the powerful are dealt fairly.

Some, though rare, are swift and agile enough to escape possible mates till morning, thus becoming mate less for another year. I did it along with two others last year, I consider it an accomplishment Though Pandora doesn't. Both she and Mavis are joining the running for the first time this year. Along with a few other females and around half of the 16 year old males in the pack. Yup, males don't have to go when they are sixteen but are required to join some time before they turn 22.

"Zuri? Zuri! Are you paying attention?"
"Huh?" I respond dumbly whipping my head over to her. "Oh sorry, must have zoned out," I say sheepishly rubbing the back of my neck.
"Mmmhhhmm," she gives me a playful glare "I asked what was the run like?" I raise my eyebrow, "Well... It's hard to describe, once the moon goes up its like the woods come alive with electricity. You run and feel everything around you and feel others excitement, it's invigorating." I say lost in my memory. "And? What about the males?" She requests with curiosity running through her gaze. "I thought it felt like a magnet, the males who's wolf won't match with yours push you away and the males that do pull you in, but it's on a spiritual level, your not actually moving but have an intense awareness of the males in the area." I say scrunching my nose. I sound like some mystical fortune teller, but I can't really explain it any other way. I put up the facade that I hate this but I kinda do want a mate. Someone to share my struggles with and that I can be with. However, I refuse to let just any compatible wolf claim me. I might not be an alpha's daughter but my father is a gamma, the third in command, and I have his blood running through me.

"Come on, Come on!" Mavis barges into my room. "My dad has a car to take us to the airport, we can't be late!" She shouts excitedly and she runs out of the room. Zipping up the duffel I swing it over my shoulder "Alpha sure got us a ride fast," I say walking out of my room with Pandora on my heels. "You doubted him? Or perhaps you hoped we would miss the plane? We'd be walking to Canada sweet cheeks!" She laughs passing me to get into her room and grab her own duffel. "Oh and Pandora," I say sticking my head In her room, she turns and looks at me "The Aurora Borealis in the sky as you run, it matches your romantic dream about a finding a mate to a T."