Not to Claim

Chapter 11

As Jerome led me through the house to the front door, I wanted to shift and tear the stupid dress to shreds, but I couldn't, Jerome would kill me. "Are you nervous?" 

"No." I clenched my hands into fists to stop the shaking. 

"You look nervous."

 "I'm not nervous Jerome. I'm terrified." 

"Don't be. Nothing is going to happen to you. I'm going in there with you, and if you need me, I'll be there." 

"You won't always be there Jerome. You'll find your Mate, and when you do, you'll forget about me." He started to deny it but I raised my hand, stopping him before he made a promise he wouldn't be able to keep. "It's true. You're Wolf, he won't let you leave them. I may be your Alpha, but I'm not as important as your Mate no matter what you say." 

"But-" 

"No. You know as well as I do that's what's going to happen. Don't worry about me. I can take care of myself. I've been doing it for a long time. I think I can do it for three more days." And with that, we stopped talking, because there was nothing else to say. Nothing else he could say. He knew I was right, he just hated to admit it. 

As we walked outside, the sun shone bright, too bright in my opinion. There was a crowd, a huge crowd, millions of Wolf's, even some humans mixed in with the group. I could see the different packs, could smell every distinct scent, could sense the emotions, fear, happiness, anger, hope. 

Everyone was here, everyone 18-27 was going into the forest, and some wouldn't come back out. I felt a tug on my dress and looked down, a little boy, no more than four or five, had wrapped himself around my leg, looking scared and lost. I bent down and picked him up. "Hey sweetheart. Are you lost?" 

"Si" 

"Where are you from?" 

"Vengo dall'Italia" 

"Ah, capisco , hai perso la tua madre?"

 "Stava parlando e poi lei non era più lì." (Are you lost? Yes. Where are you from? I'm from Italy. Ah, I see, did you lose your mother? She was talking and then she just wasn't there anymore) 

"Well I'll find her for you." 

I listened to the crowd, not hearing anything for a moment and then "Dimitri, Dimitri where are you?" 

"What's your name sweetie?" 

"Dimitri"

 "I think I just found your mother." I walk into the crowd, keeping the boy close to me as I shouldered people out of the way until I found the shouting woman, she was frantic. I walked closer and put a hand on her shoulder "scusatemi ma'ma , ma penso di aver perso qualcuno" (Excuse me ma'ma, but I think you lost someone.) 

Her eyes widened and she started talking in rapid Italian. "Sorry, not that fluent yet." She laughed softly. 

"Thank you so much. I don't know what happened, he just, got swallowed by the crowd. 

"Don't worry about it. Just, keep a tighter hold on his hand." With that I handed him to her and walked through the crowd. The announcing was starting. 

"If you could all quiet down. We need to get started. Hello? People, people quiet down." The female announcer tried to get the crowds attention but it wasn't working. I made my way to the front and stood in front of the makeshift stage they had set up. 

"Mind if I try?" I asked looking up at her. 

"Why not." She handed me the microphone. 

"You may want to cover your ears." She did. I looked over the crowd and grinned, bringing the microphone closer to my face I let out a whistle so sharp that most people dropped to the ground, covering their ears. Without the microphone, I said without even having to yell. "Shut the hell up!" Everyone did. I handed the lady the microphone. 

"Next time someone wants your attention, give it to them before an Alpha has to get it." I smiled sweetly and walked to my pack, trying not to grin like they were, well, everyone except my father and Jerome's. 

"I thought you didn't want attention?" 

"I don't. But don't you just hate it when people won't listen?" He just chuckled softly and shook his head. 

"Alright. The Hunt has officially begun, would all Wolf's participating in the Hunt from the pack called step forwards." 

It took almost a full hour to call all the packs. "GreyBloods... Blue Woods... BlackMoon Blood... and finally, the Silver Crest Pack." As our pack was called, I stepped forward, keeping my head held high, all the members stepped with me, our group almost the largest. The crowd backed away as all the Alpha's and Beta's- soon to be, I should add- were in a straight line, the pack members falling behind in a triangle shape. 

"Leaders, step forwards." As one, the front of the triangles stepped forwards, not one looked behind them, not one looked to their side, we all just stared straight ahead. "You all know the rules. There are none. You know the stakes, some of you may not come back out of that forest. There are millions of you entering. There may only be thousands that come back out. Do you understand?" 

The precision of that yes was so frightening, I didn't know how I stood still, I didn't know how I kept breathing, but I did. "Good. Now. You will all be called up one by one, everyone will get a look at you. And then, the 'parade' as we have called it for many years now, will begin." And it started again. The names of every Wolf going into the forest was called, starting with the lower members of the pack, then the Deltas, Betas, and then the Alphas. I stopped listening after about the hundredth name called, until I heard, "23 year old Delta of the BlackMoon Blood's, Damian Trent." I turned and looked to my right, seeing The Alpha staring right at me. I gave him a sweet smile and turned back to the stage. I clenched and unclenched my fists, trying to drown out the roar of the crowd as his name was called. 

"23 year old Alpha of the BlackMoon Blood's, Rowan Alador." The roar of the crowd was so loud that I wanted to clamp my hands around my ears, but I couldn't look weak, not here, not now. They started with my pack then, after another half an hour, I heard Jerome's name called and then "17 year old-" she was cut off by howls of protest and gasps. "Oh shut it." 

"17 year old Alpha of the Silver Crest's, TJ Tor Stone." I slowly walked up to the stage, raised my chin, and let out a defiant howl that my pack echoed, then I turned and grinned such a malicious grin at Rowan, even he winced slightly.