Daniel
It's a nice day for an ascension, isn't it?
I wake up with my parents barging into my room to wish me happy birthday, like they always have been doing since before I can remember. Of course, today was special because it's my 18th and today I become Alpha of the Rutherford Falls pack.
"How are you feeling, cariño?" - Mom asked me, caressing me like she always does. I smiled.
"I'm feeling sleepy. You guys woke me up way too early!" - I snickered, yawning.
"Are you ready to ascend?!" - Dad asked, cheerfully. They both sat near me in the bed.
"Yes dad, I am. And before I forget, I need to take a moment to thank you for all your help with the council at my hearing. I mean, I know you carry a lot of sway there." - I thank him, deep in thought.
"Actually, it wasn't me. It was your speech. Who knew you had it in you?" - Dad pondered, messing my hair.
"I did!" - Nate said as he enters my room. - "Good morning, Alpha, mom, dad." - He greeted us. Dad scowled.
"Hey, he didn't ascend just yet. Let me have my final moments!" - Dad snickered. I laughed. So did mom.
"Of course, Alpha! Are you ready for today, brother?" - Nate asked, excitedly. He sat at the edge of my bed.
"I mean, how ready can a person be to maybe die on their 18th?" - I joked but my mom didn't like it.
"You're not going to die! Who says anyone is going to challenge you today?" - She said, annoyed at the insinuation. Unfortunately, we all knew too well what's coming for me today. And it's deadly!
"Mom..." - I gave her a poignant look. Dad and Nate didn't even look at me. They know what I'm talking about!
"Don't worry, big brother, pack law forbids me to challenge you today." - Denise snickered as she entered my room. Though she was telling the truth, minors can't pose challenges. Neither can unmated wolves.
But it's not like we're talking about a 500 people pack. So, there's still plenty ready to try. And I can't refuse any of them or I forfeit my position. And you'd have to kill me to keep me from being Alpha, literally!
"That's actually very reassuring, Denise." - I said to her as she sits down on my bed, near our parents. I know she would never challenge me, even if she could. She's my sister, after all! But I am glad I don't have to worry about her. She would make a formidable opponent, nevertheless.
"Are you ready to become the next Huntington Alpha?" - She questioned me, smiling.
"I'm not ready to stop depending on my parents!" - I answered, leaning into my mom's hands.
"We're not going anywhere! We're just gonna change rooms. We'll always be here for you!" - Mom replied, referring to the fact that I'll move to the Alpha's quarter, should I survive the challenge that is.
"Thanks mom, but you can take your time moving. I'm not in any rush!" - I told her, sheepishly.
"You say that now, but when you see your mate today that'll be a different story! I mean, you're gonna want the room as badly as I want a grandchild!" - Dad joked.
"Good one, dad! You're too young to be a granddad! You're not even 40!" - I rebuked, laughing.
"That's right! I know I am too young to be a grandma. I mean, look at me!" - Mom said as she props herself up.
"Oh definitely, you're a knockout!" - Dad said and he kisses her. Honestly, these two are the most in love mates I've ever seen. It's inspiring!
"And on that note, I need the room with the Alpha. Official Beta business!" - Nate spoke smiling.
"Again, I'm still the Alpha and you're not yet Beta!" - Dad teased. They all leave the room and I know Nate is dying to tell me something. I could tell by his face.
"What, Nate?" - I asked him as he closes the door.
"I went to talk to Daphne yesterday..." - He started. I gasped.
"What? Are you crazy? What if..."
"No! Her father didn't see me. Otherwise I'd already be in jail by now. But that's not what I wanted to tell. I proposed to her!" - He blurted.
"Proposed what?" - It didn't hit me at first. It's early morning and I didn't even have coffee yet.
"Proposed marriage!" - He replied with an anxious tone.
"Oh my Goddess!" - I shouted. - "And what did she say?" - I gasped so hard.
"She asked if I was just proposing to her cause she's pregnant or because I love her." - He told me, nervously.
"And what did you answer her?" - I was dying to know. I was nearly salivating from the anxiety.
"I said that I do love her. And whether or not she has the baby, I wanted to be married to her regardless." - He said with a pensive look.
"And so what did she say?" - I asked, at the edge of my seat.
"She said she'll think about it!" - He answered in a somber tone.
"What a roller coaster! What time is Mike going to pick them up for the ascension ceremony?" - I asked him, anxiously. Because I couldn't see Felix before the ceremony and Nate couldn't go to the Ford's house, we had asked Mike to go pick up the twins and bring them here to attend the ceremony.
"5 p.m." - Nate replied, grinning. It's been a while since he doesn't see his mate outside the school. I mean, apart from yesterday it turns out.
"Great! I can't wait to get this whole mate thing over with! It feels like I've been waiting my whole life for this!" - I said, which I have. It's the culmination of 18 years of preparation.
Finding your mate is the biggest milestone in a werewolf's life! It only happened once and it lasted a lifetime! Not to mention that in my case, I can't ascend without him! No Alpha can in any pack whatsoever!
As expected, the day passed by very slowly. When your life is about to change forever, it feels like it never does. My mom took care of the entire ceremony, from planing to decoration, every single detail. I mean, the entire pack was invited and no one was gonna miss the ascending of their new Alpha.
Plus, Alphas from all our allied packs would come too with their families. It's a form of extending the friendship to another generation. And we had a lot of allies. It comes with the fact that ours was the most powerful pack of the East Coast.
It was half past 5, I was just about to finish getting ready in my room when I heard a knock. I moved to open the door and I'm surprised to see Nate standing next to Mike, who looked frightened. They both entered.
"Good afternoon, Alpha." - Mike greeted as he bowed his head. Nate looked more nervous than this morning, sweating in his beautiful tuxedo. He looked sharp.
"Good afternoon, Mike. Did you have any problem picking them up?" - I asked him, but I wasn't prepared for the answer he was about to give me.
"Actually Dan, they're not coming!" - He said it and my face cracked. I sunk to my bed. Nate was deeply distraught.
"What?! Why? What do you mean they're not coming?" - I replied, nervously. I started heaving.
"Chief Ford prohibited them to come here. He said that Daphne can't come because of the restraining order and Felix shouldn't associate himself with us either!" - Nate explained, in the most saddened tone I've ever heard of him so far.
"Oh my Goddess! If Felix doesn't come, I don't find my mate! And if I don't find him, I can't ascend as Alpha!" - I yelled. I couldn't stop the tears from falling down my face. I was inconsolable!
I cried so hard eventually my mom came to my room to comfort me. This is bad! Really bad! And I have no idea how to fix this! All I know is that I can't do it without Felix by my side! So, I cried. I couldn't help the despair overcoming me!
Felix
"You're kidding, right?!" - I asked my dad, gasped. We're at our house, I was getting ready for the party when he dropped the bomb on me.
"Do I look like I'm kidding?" - He replied in a dead serious tone. Yeah, he wasn't the kidding type, to be honest. I was just in denial.
"No dad, please don't do this to me! This is Daniel's birthday!" - I pleaded, desperately.
"I don't care! You're not going and it's final!" - He stated, angrily.
"Please dad, please don't do this to me! Isn't the whole point of us coming here to this God forsaken town was to give us a fresh start?" - I argued. I was so upset I couldn't stop myself. Or wanted to.
"I mean, I finally have a boyfriend and now you want me to skip the most important night of his life?" - I spoke, on the verge of tears.
"Stop creating all this drama! It's just a birthday party! There'll be others!" - He said it as he leaves my bedroom.
"Not like this one! This one is important! He really needs me there!" - I insisted, following him down to the living room. I mean, how am I supposed to explain to him that without me my boyfriend doesn't become Alpha?
"Stop pushing it, Felix! You're not going! Your sister's not going! That's the end of it!" - He spat at me, livid.
"No, I don't accept it! I have been doing everything you wanted me to do! I went to therapy, I tried to make friends, tried to branch out. Now that I'm finally doing well you pull this on me?" - I yelled at him. I was not going to back down. Not from this. Both my mom and sister were looking at us nervously.
"This has nothing to do with it!" - He replied, curtly. I could tell he didn't want to discuss it. But I'm not shutting up. Not now, anyway.
"How? I've been miserable my entire life, struggling to be accepted by everyone around me, except for mom and Daphne! The only lifeline I had was my friend Alejandro. But I was miserable! Before I came to this city, the best I could hope for was for some closet case to give me a little attention when nobody was watching!" - I shouted, deeply distraught.
"It wasn't until Daniel that I finally feel seen, feel appreciated, feel loved for who I am!" - I said with my voice croaking, I was crying hard. - "He sees me, his whole family see me. No one is ashamed of me!"
At this point, Daphne was crying. My mom was crying. Even my dad was fighting back tears.
"And just so you know: Nate didn't take advantage of Daphne. I mean yes, he's 18 and she's 17, but that is just a technicality. They do love each other! He respects her. He cherishes her. I mean, how many boys do you know that show up at their girlfriend's house the day they find out they're pregnant to show his support? To show her that she's not alone?" - As I said this, Daphne cried loudly. Mom went to hug her.
"I know you are our dad and you love us and no one could ever measure up. I love you too. No one could ever measure up to you. But if you keep me from seeing Daniel, you might as well kill me now!" - I declared.
I said it and I showed him my wrists. I sat down on the sofa next to Daph and mom. I was wrecked.
There was a moment of silence that followed. No one could hear anything except for our crying.
Then, there was a knock on the door. My mom went to open it. It was Rosa.
"Good evening, ma'am. I'm so sorry to disturb you. My name is Rosa Huntington. I am Daniel and Nate's mom. I just wanted to stop by to ask your permission..." - She started saying, but my mom didn't stay at the door long enough for her to finish it. She went back into the living room and darted at Daphne and I's direction.
My mom grabbed both our hands, pulled us up from the sofa and took us to the front door.
"It's okay, babies. You can go now. You can take them with you, right?" - She asked Rosa, tears in her eyes.
"Of course, I can. Listen, Dr. Ford here's my card. If you have any questions or if you want to visit us, I'd be happy to show you around. They are safe though, I promise you that!" - Rosa told my mom as she handed her the card.
"I'll take you up on that visit soon! Call me Evangeline." - She said and she kissed us goodbye. My dad was frozen in his spot. He didn't move or say anything else til we left.
"Nice to meet you both, excuse me." - Rosa said and she took us to her car parked not far from my house.
Mom closed the door and we could hear the argument she started with dad. We heard her shouting as we walked on. Rosa looked very uncomfortable, but still smiled.
Inside the car, Rosa was driving us to the pack compound. She noticed us crying.
"Are you okay, cariño?" - She asked, looking at me. I was in the passenger seat. Daphne was at the back.
"I'll be fine, Mrs. Huntington, as soon as I see my mate!" - I answered, trying for a smile.
Honestly, I don't know what possessed me to talk to my dad in that way! But I was not about to let my soulmate loose his ascension over me! I knew Daniel needed me tonight! And I love him with every fiber of my being!
I know now that I belong with him, there's no doubt about it! And there's no stopping us now!
A/N: When I started this journey, I din't know where it was gonna lead me.
To paraphrase Tarantino, I just write and the characters take life.
And then as I wrote Felix speech, I cried with him throughout. No joke, I was destroyed by the end of it!
Love,
Léo.