The She-Alpha's Mate

Aeva

Moonlight Rock. A place I haven't laid eyes on since the very first time I shifted. Normally I shift on my own during a full moon or when the pack was in heat. Tonight, I was drawn here like I was somehow hypnotized. I wasn't necessarily thrilled about being here, but whatever it was, it was telling me this was where I needed to be when I shifted tonight.

I stepped out onto the edge of the rock as the beautiful blue moonlight kissed my skin. The anticipation was killing me, but nothing was happening. The one thing I feared most has happened and it was only a matter of time before I would fall from my position.

I begged the Moon Goddess to give me back my wolf, I needed her back. I wasn't me without her. And that's why my pack was trying to talk me into stepping down as Alpha but I wasn't having it. They blame it on being lonely and unmated, but as a mated female Alpha in my tribe would mean allowing my mate to become Alpha and I didn't want that.

I got my position by heritage and by proving myself to be a strong she-Wolf. My pack, my tribe? Once the dominant she-Wolf became mated and started having pups, she would then need to become submissive to her mate, giving up her dominance to be the mother wolf she needed to be; that's not what I wanted. If I couldn't be a mate, a mother and the dominant Alpha I was born to be, then I didn't want everything else. But if I had to find my mate, then I needed my wolf; it was the only way.

I begin to kneel, to beg my Moon Goddess for my wolf. She was all I had left of my mother and shifting was the only way to feel close to her again. In spirit, she would be by me as I run through the forest, feeling the brisk night air through my silky black fur.

"I'm here... again begging and pleading. I am nothing without my blessing, my beautiful wolf. I will do what I need if it means getting her back. I'll find my mate if it's the last thing I do. I just want my wolf back, please Moon Goddess."

Just then, I could feel my bones shifting and the hair on my hands rising; silky black fur began to appear and tears formed in my eyes. I'd been given one last chance and I was going to do at least one thing to make this right; I was going to find my mate. But first, I'm going to enjoy my first run in two years through the woods and rest my head on this rock under my moon goddess until morning.

As I run through the beautiful green forest, I was taking in every scent: fresh pine, grass, flowers, the river and lavender field just across the edge of the rock. This was the happiest I've felt in a very long time and I was going to take it all in slowly and appreciate my surroundings. I could feel my human self crying the happiest of tears. I was back; Aeva and I were one again.

I finally made it to the lavender field and rolled around, feeling the grass and flowers brushing between the hairs of my fur. Nothing felt better than this, and I stood on all four laws and howled; god this feels amazing. I flopped down back into the flower shrubs and continued rolling around. And almost immediately I sensed another wolf's presence. I got back on my paws, this time defensively and ready to attack if this wolf was here to harm me.

I let out a growl, warning the stranger to show himself or keep away. There was still nothing but silence, he was still there but silent. I could smell his scent and he was close, less than one hundred yards away, directly in front of me. The longer they took to acknowledge my command, the more defensive I got. My growl grew deeper as I showed my fangs in a threatening manner. Just then, the stranger emerged from behind a large tree. His fur was a mix of dark and light brown and his eyes were a mix of ocean blue and green.

He too was on the defensive and slowly inching closer to me. I stiffened my body with a growl to match, asserting my dominance to tell him I was the Alpha here and to my surprise; he didn't obey. I moved my right paw forward letting him know if he were to come closer I would attack and make him submit by force. That didn't seem to stop him and believe it or not, I was afraid. It's been two years since I've been in wolf form and I've only ever fought for submission once; to say I was scared was an understatement and I think he knew.