I walked home from school with my little sister and asked her about her day.
"It was alright." Hope sighed, "kinda failed my math test...can you not tell mom?"
I nodded, I had to admit that I've always felt a little bad for my younger sister.
Our parents have always been big on our education and it doesn't help that they themselves are extremely smart. Of course being the oldest I've always had the added pressure to study hard and make the best grades possible, I have to be the example for everyone else because one day I will be the leader of the pack.
It seems like a lot, but it's all I've ever known.
For as far back as I can remember my mom and dad ran this pack, and growing up I've constantly heard how I'd run things one day, how I'd be the best Luna.
And that's why I push so hard, to be the best.
I sighed, "Hope...you know Dad's gonna chew your head off...if you want, I can always tutor you." I offered.
She shook her head, "you've got enough to deal with Gracie...plus I heard mom and dad talking about your upcoming party."
Once again I nodded only this time I smiled. "I can't wait!"
"Aren't you nervous ?" She asked.
I shrugged, "Well I mean yeah...means I'm not a kid anymore, and all this Luna stuff becomes like a thousand times more real."
Although to be honest I didn't know how much more real it could get, our parent's had been "grooming" me to be the best Alpha female that I could be basically my whole life...but for the past few years the "grooming' became more hands on so to speak.
I've been training with my dad physically for my first shift. He'd have me run, work out my muscles, push me beyond my limits. 'When you feel like you have nothing left to give, you have to dig deeper and find that strength...that's where your wolf comes in.' Dad's words rang through my head.
And on the opposite end, with my mom...I learned how to remain poised in tough situations, keep a level head, be patient, listen, and show interest (even if I am faking it most of the time).
But by the end of the week I will be turning 17 and I will finally go through my first shift...and according to my parents, that's when the real training into becoming the next Alpha Female begins.
"Sounds intense." She said and I knew she was bored with the topic altogether.
Hope and I continued onward, and when we finally got home I went straight up to my room and started on my homework as I knew I wouldn't have time to do it later.
An hour passed and I had finally finished before I went to find my sister.
"Hey Hope, you done with your homework so I can make you a snack or something?"
While mom and dad worked it was my job to take care of my sister and make sure she basically didn't burn down the house trying to cook for herself before one of them got home.
She shook her head. "Haven't even started yet, but I'll get it done, I promise."
I sighed, "Hope...why put it off, just get started and I'll make you some popcorn."
She rolled her eyes, "fine."
I went into the kitchen and began prepping our snack and even picked out a movie for us to watch together, it didn't take her nearly as long to get her homework finished as I thought it'd take. The truth is Hope is brilliant, but she's lazy.
We sat down in the den and watched our movie, well I watched the movie while she played on her phone for a majority of it.
Before the movie ended our mom came home and immediately started supper, I went into the kitchen to help her.
"How was your day?" She asked with a smile as she browned some ground meat.
I shrugged, "alright I suppose."
"It's almost time for your party, have you invited any of the kids from school to come?" She asked almost a little hopefully.
To be honest I never have the time to make proper friends.
Sure everyone in school knows me simply because they know of me and the position I will take one day, but between my classes, extracurriculars, school clubs, and training with both of my parents...I have little to no social life.
"Mom I'm in high school...it's not like I'm going to just walk up to them and hand them an invitation to my birthday party." I blushed a little at the thought.
She sighed. "I would expect you to show a little effort to get to know your people."
I shook my head, "it isn't that I am not trying to get to know them...but I have like no time to talk to anyone other than Gigi and Kelly." I admitted "But if it make you feel any better I'll invite everyone at school, even if I do come out looking like a desperate loser in the process."
She shook her head and rolled her eyes in a slightly humored fashion, "You're so dramatic...I'm sure your father can put out an Alpha link and let the whole pack know they're all invited, now...will you please help me start chopping some veggies?"
I was thankful that the topic had been dropped...at least for now.
As the afternoon faded to night our dad came home and my mom called out to my sister and I so that we could have what she liked to call "family time."
"Hope...you know we don't use our phones at the dinner table." Our dad told her.
"Yes sir." She sighed as she turned her phone off and put it away.
As expected my parents zeroed in on me about the party and continuing my training.
"Come Monday I think it would be a good idea to begin attending some meetings with me when you get off of school." Dad said.
"But I look after Hope, we walk home together."
He shook his head, "Hope can stay at the Carmichael's house until mom picks her up, its important that you start learning the real lessons Gracie, interacting with your people, hearing them out, letting them get to know the real you."
I nodded. "Yes sir." I knew there was no point in arguing.
__________
"Happy Birthday!" Everyone shouted as I walked into the backyard of the pack-house.
Everyone from the pack was there including some of my family from Springwell.
I smiled "thank you everyone for coming out, please I want everyone to have a good time." I said, the words came out confidently (probably because I had practiced my introduction for the past two nights in the bathroom mirror).
The volume of the music picked up and people began to disperse to dance, talk or enjoy the refreshments.
A few people personally wished me a happy birthday or to tell me how excited they were for my first shift.
Then of course Gigi and Kelly found me and we spent the whole party together basically dancing by ourselves.
But as the party began to wind down the party goers thinned out, and all to soon it was well into the night and I found myself telling my friends goodnight as I promised I'd text them first thing after I shifted back into my human form so we could talk about it.
Soon it was only family members left.
I hugged my uncle Rocco and then his parents.
"I can't believe you're seventeen Gracie." My Aunt Eloise sounded emotionally, as she stole me away from her husband and pulled me into a rib crushing hug of her own. "Oh... I remember when I was pregnant and you would lay with me and rub my belly."
I gave her a sympathetic smile and pat her back before turning to my Dad now.
"It's almost time Princess." He said, I could hear the nervousness in his voice.
I took in my own shaky breath and nodded, I knew this was going to happen whether I wanted it to or not.
"Go on inside and get changed honey." My mom said with an encouraging smile, in an attempt to ease my nerves I'm sure.
I nodded and headed in.
"I actually need to talk to you before we take off too." My uncle Roc said to my dad. Together they followed me inside as well.
As nervous as I was I went straight up to my room and quickly got changed before heading back downstairs.
But anxiety began to get the best of me as I found myself pacing in the foyer of the pack-house.
"What are you saying?" My dad asked, his words sounded off and it caused me to stop pacing and pay closer attention to whatever he and my uncle were talking about in the office.
"As you said the council DID in fact change the law to include females as Alphas...but the small detail that we've all over looked was pointed out to me the other day by Leon." Uncle Roc sounded, "I was mentioning how well Grace has been doing with her training and how I expected no less from the next Alpha Female of Harmond...that's when he pointed it out."
"Pointed what out?!" My dad asked, a growl lingering in his words.
"He pointed out that the law states that both first born males and first born females born to both the Alpha and the Luna of the pack will inherit the title of Alpha."
"I know." Dad growled irritated, "but I don't get what your trying to tell me."
"Born to both the Alpha and the Luna...Grace is not Juliette's biological daughter despite how much she loves her and treats her as such...that means the first born child of the Alpha and Luna of this pack is Hope...Hope will be the next Alpha of Harmond, not Grace."
I was shocked, and to be honest more than a little angry...who cares if my mom didn't give birth to me, she's still My mom. I've always known that some other lady had me but that shouldn't change anything.
I began to shake violently as my tears fell, A scream ripped out of me and I crumpled onto the floor, I couldn't believe how horribly I was taking this news.
All my life I've only known that I was going to be the next Alpha, all I've done was for that role, all I've learned was for that position, all I've prepared for was that job and now it was gone before I was even able to get it, nor would I ever have it.
"Grace?!" Dad shouted as he ran over to me and picked me up into his arms carefully.
"Her shift has started, get her outside!" Uncle Roc shouted.
My world was ending before it even began.
I closed my eyes and from there on screamed out and writhed in pain as the shift morphed and changed every fiber of my being.
When all was said and done I looked around at everyone staring at me.
"That's it Gracie, you've done it." Mom said with happy tears in her eyes.
"That's right baby, it's over now...the end."
'The End.'
Dad didn't know how right he was.
__________
A/N:
Quick info input:
For those of you who failed to read the first story in this series I highly recommend you do so before continuing so you won't have as many looming questions (1st story called: Wild Heart) but long story short, The Alpha (Dylan) is Grace's dad, his Luna (Juliette) is Grace's adopted mother and together they have one daughter (Hope)
In this chapter Grace is now 17, making her 6 years older than her little sister Hope (11).