a / n an image of the beautiful Lana Kane!
Lana Kane (also known as ZhenZhen to her mother) was many things. A leader, a strategist, a mother figure, a friend, an Alpha.
What she wasn't however, was romantic.
Being thousands of years old had given her a certain how do you say, cynical view of the world and especially of trivial emotions such as love. But here she sat, at the edge of the toilet seat, having an internal panic attack.
What if he doesn't like me?
You nearly but his shoulder off, her subconscious barked. If it wasn't for Meinang he would have died. A growl escaped her at the thought of the pack doctor. Why was she so comfortable with him when Lana could barely see straight at a whiff of his scent? Why did she get to touch him while Lana kept her distance, smelling his utter fear at the sight of her? Why did he look at the Doctor? Why?
You're being irrational. But isn't that was the mate bond was? Irrational? Crazy? Mind blowing? Is that what love was? To be honest, she didn't want this. She had a pack to think of. She had herself to think of and now the only thing running through her mind was the taste of his flesh on her lips. Marcus. It was a simple name for a simple man. Simple boy. He barely looked 18--she couldn't touch him. He was a child. Innocent. Who was she to stain him with her centuries of darkness.
Keep away, her mind chanted. Let him go, let him live. You've experienced a worse pain that rejection. You will survive. You have no choice. Such was the price of immortality, she mused. It seldom gives you an escape for the pain. She would not let him go--at least not now. She will let him wait till he's of age then he can decide whether he wanted to stay or break her heart.
Considering her wolf sufficiently calmed down, she got of the toilet and faced the mirror, fixing her appearance. She wasn't obtuse; she knew how the symmetry of her face and the grace in her movements drove men and women wild. It wouldn't be hard to seduce him. He was a teenage boy, she bet the grass underneath his feet made him think of sex.
"Hùn zhàng !" She heard outside. Wonderful, she thought. Even getting a mate doesn't stop me from having to solve petty pack problems. Opening the door, she is greeted with the sight of her trusted Beta Samantha and her third in command Flame having one of their usual arguments.
"Don't swear at me, you idiot! Did you or did you not--I swear to Christ if you lie--send half of Central A1 pack members to training when most of them haven't even reached eighteen?" The brown skinned Gamma remains quiet, pursing her lips in silent reproach.
" I mean you're not the smartest in the world Flame, but their dicks haven't even dropped past their balls yet--what made you think that they were ready for the arena?" Lana could tell her Beta was angry due to the slight spittle that had gathered on her caramel skin. Flame, cheeks red, was about to retort something equally nasty if their wolves didn't spot the presence of their Alpha and immediately submit.
"And what," the Alpha drawled slowly, " is this fight about?" Both embarrassed by their display of immaturity, they bow their heads like schoolchildren being reprimanded by their mother.
Flame softly speaks up. "I sent some of the under 18 of Central A1 to the Trail of Bones."
Suppressing a growl, she grits, "And why did you feel like that was a good idea? In anyway?"
Samantha speaks up. "Alpha, I had nothing to do with this. Protocol states that the Trail of Bones only begins when the subjects are eighteen."
Lana raises up a hand to silence her. "You're the Beta of this pack Samantha, and I expect more from you than scapegoating."
"Alpha--"
"No. Both of you, go down to Kaer Voren now and stop those wolves from being injected. I don't need a case of unwanted Galdoni on my hands." Suitably chastised, both wolves scamper off to complete the Alpha's task. Sighing, she rubs her temple with the tips of her fingers, the familiar feeling a headache coming on. She was getting too fucking old for this.
Marcus
After adjusting to the fact that I was in fucking China , Meinang brought me up to my "living quarters." "Usually you would share a room with the great Alpha, but you haven't accepted the bond yet and being in that close proximity with her will only cause the both of you pain."I didn't really care what the 'Great Alpha' felt--I wanted a one way track flight back to Forks Point.
I had to admit the room was to my taste. The walls were a smooth white and a decor a contrasting ebony. An Egyptian cotton bedspread lay across the deluxe bed. This was sort of my dream room--if only it didn't come with a crazy, shoulder biting lady and remote Chinese wolf village.
A sharp knock on the door brought me out of my internal sulk. Opening the door, I came face to face with the first person I had befriended at Forks Point: Logan. He was one of these creatures as well?
Smiling nervously, he began rambling; "Hey man, I know you probably don't want to even look at me right now but I swear I had no idea that you were the Alpha's mate and--"
I put up my hand in an attempt to quiet him. "Logan, it's cool. It's not your fault I'm stuck here. It's that bitch--" Logan's meaty paw suddenly covers my mouth. His eyes dart around frantically, walks in the room and shuts the door quickly. Taking his hand of my mouth, he glared at me.
"Never. Ever. Ever. Insult the Great Alpha. Do you even know whose name your slandering right now?"
I scoff. "The crazy lady who took a fat chunk out of my shoulder, that's who." His frown grows deeper.
"Marcus, you aren't back in Forks Point anymore. This is Central territory--there are people who will rip out your heart for even looking at her wrong. I know you're not up to date on the whole werewolf thing--and I'll explain in a second--but before I do, promise me you'll never try calling her the b-word ever again?" I nod my head reluctantly, figuring knowledge from a wolf himself would be useful in escaping.
"Okay--where do I begin? Lana is the Alpha: so the leader of all the wolves in a pack. She controls 13 different Pack Centres round the world but the main pack--which is known as Central--is located here.
"Each pack has at least 5 districts from A to E with 3 sub-districts. Each one hold wolves of different rank, status and purpose: Central A hold all the Warriors and er, others, Central B holds the guards, Central C hold the families, D the orphans yada yada. Each Central is run by a Jar, a kind of Matron who oversees the expenses, living standards, general health of each sub-district. You're of high rank, being the Jaci--"
"The what?"
"It means moon. You're a physical manifestation of moon to us."
"Mhkayy. Continue explaining."
"A Jaci is the most important thing to the Alpha, so in turn the most important to us. You don't do much--your very existence in extremely important in the stability of the Pack. I live in Central A2 and have now just been assigned to be your guard. "
He suddenly sinks to his knees and pressed his forehead on the champagne carpet. "I swear my life to you, Wǒ me de shì jiè yuè qiú." Okay, this just got weird. I awkwardly try to get him to stand up but his arms alone weigh both of me and I fail.
A soft scent floats through the room and I turn to face the heavy gaze of Lana. My throat goes dry. "Thank you for this, Logan. It means a lot to me." Bowing slightly, he replies, "Anything to serve the pack, Great Alpha. I shall take my leave now."
He leaves, and it's just Lana and I know. "Uhh, so in the fan fictions that my sister reads--"
"Fan Fictions?"
"Books then. Anyways, should this 'pack' have a name or something?"
She laughs, a light timbre that sends a shiver through me. "Marcus, I house thousands of wolves under my name. This isn't an after school club, I don't want just anyone finding our where we're stationed. Why would we have a name?"
"Well, fine then."I huff, slightly irritated by her condescending tone. "What about wolves? What do they look like? My sister books always had white wolves. Do those exists?"
She laughs again. "They look like beasts, Marcus. We're about 7 foot tall and walk on our hindlegs. Our pelts have two primary colours--black, brown, mahogany red. The colour of your coat determines the abilities of your wolf. Black is agility and cunning, brown is strength and force, red is submissiveness and focused.
"And white wolves? Why would those even exist--they would just look like giant ice huskies. Or a hunk of snow. Or something not the least bit menacing. We're monsters, Marcus, not fairytale characters. Fear is our only weapon."
A ball begins to grow in my throat. "Alpha, I want to go home."
"You're not going anywhere. Did Logan explain this to you--what you are?"
"I'm not anything!" I almost scream. "I'm an 18 year old kid whose halfway across the world who just wants to go home and maybe eat something--"
"Are you hungry? Well why didn't you say anything? I'll have the kitchen prepare you--"
"I don't want a snack! I want to go back to Forks Point!" I am screaming now; spittle escaping my throat. Lana's feature twist together in obvious rage and she grits, "What did I say about the disrespect? My wolf won't stand it--I won't stand it. I'm going to go down and make you some food now, alright?" In a second, she out of the room leaving me in a haze of emotions.
Who does she think she is? She doesn't own me! Walking out the the balcony, the view of the interlocking forests make me even more anxious. I need to leave this place.
And without thinking, I rips the cotton bedspread and fashion a makeshift rope to climb down.
As my feet touch the smooth earth, I take off in a sprint. Home. Home. Home! My mind screamed at me. A sharp, searing pain coming from my shoulders stopped me right in my tracks. You can't leave, Marcus. A voice rang through my head. The bond isn't complete. The moon doesn't leave the sky without illuminating the earth, does it?