Chapter One
"Dear Diary,
I am sixteen and a half, a day I have dreaded since I understood what it would bring me. September 14th is the day that will seal my fate. That is the day I will become pack “princess.” In other terms, I will become the Alpha white female of all wolves. It is placed as the highest respect among us wolves, because men in our packs know how to treat women. We are simply just placed higher to keep us safe. Despite the efforts of the men, without a doubt, I will be at a higher risk of someone wanting to send a silver bullet through my head with such a powerful position. A position that is very draining to take on at a young age. I'm not sure if I am ready to represent something so dignified. I’m not even sure if I can leave home.
Bloomsburg has been my home for years, the only thing I have known since my parents left me with my Aunt Trish and Uncle John when I was five. I don't want to go. I don't. I can’t.
Highschool has been the best thing to happen to me since I realized I could untie my shoe by only pulling the one string, man that saved me from messing with knots during the morning. I have made so many friends. The major one being Jace. He will be the toughest one to leave.He's been my boyfriend for so long. How can I let him go? I can't say good bye. I know it.
Sincerely Yours,
Bexs"
I scribbled my name into the bottom corner of the beaten book that held every emotion and tear I had felt in the past three years and shoved it deep into a drawer on my dresser. I was going to be late if I didn't stop where I was at, it was like I was writing a book or something. Laughing to myself I sprinted down to my bathroom, glancing at the clock before I hit the stairs. "7:15, damn. He is going to kill me." The short time caused me to move at the speed of light to get ready.
Jace would promptly be at my house within the next five minutes and my hair wouldn't even be shiny squeaky clean yet! I had the quickest possible shower and pulled on a lazy black sundress and sandals. I ignored the make-up, knowing how Jace loves it when I don't wear it.
As soon as I stepped out of the bathroom I could hear his car horn blaring from the drive way. Grabbing my back pack, cheerleading, and field hockey bag from the front table I ran out the door.
"Where is your jacket?" He mocked, imitating Mama Trish. "It's the middle of September and you will catch a cold!" He turned his typically deeper voice into a nasal sound that made me want to hurt him.
Deciding to do so I smacked him playfully on the arm before climbing into my spot next to him in the passenger seat. "Very funny my friend, but I don’t need it. I think something is wrong with me. I feel hot." I gave a dramatic frown and played up my puppy dog eyes.
"But, you are going to school because you can't miss tonight’s game, I know. Goof!" He kissed my forehead, causing me to melt into the seat and give him a wide smile.
"I love you Jace, please don't ever forget that." My words had a tone that even made me sad, could he tell something was off? I buckled my seatbelt as his Subaru crawled out of my drive way. I looked out the window, at the house I grew up in.
I was told my uncle had bad hips, but I knew that he had just gotten into one too many fights as a pup and his legs did not quite work as well as they used to. Calling it what they wanted, that was the reason we lived in a ranch home. Large layout with a tan and gold color scheme inside, it always felt homey. The main room contained a large leather couch that was surrounded by a sound system, a 52” TV, and a matching leather chair. I always spent most of my time in there, I could wrap myself up in a blanket, forget about everything else that was going on and just sink into the leather.
Jace’s voice pulled me out of my thoughts, “Baby, why are you crying?” I hadn’t even realized. Automatically a had went up to wipe away my tears, Jace’s large callused fingers gently touched the soft skin of my cheek right as a tear slipped over. He gave a soft chuckle and continued to glance between the road and me. “You’re silly, you know that right? You are way too pretty to cry. It shouldn’t be possible.”His hand fell to my lap reaching for my own to give a squeeze before he placed his hand back on my inner thigh.
“I know. I just, Jace. It’s a lot to take on. Having to say goodbye. You don’t get it.. You couldn’t even if I tried to explain it.” By then we pulled up to the school and I scurried out of the car to get my things.
“Babe, I am going to see you every day. I’m just going to Bloom U. There is no need to say good bye.” He took my small figure and wrapped his large, heavy, muscular arms around me. I felt safe in my football players arms. In fact I never wanted him to let go. “Let’s get inside before we are late.”
Dropping my head I ran with him into the school,hand in hand. We only split up to drop our things off in the locker rooms. He was waiting for my by the water fountain after I exited the ladies assigned area, eager to give me a quick kiss before first period. I placed my hands on his shoulders and got on my tip toes to kiss him better. His lips met mine and my heels were thrown back to the ground as he wrapped his arms around my waist. It left me kind of light headed but I only giggled. “Love you babe!” I called before running to the chorus room, my designated first period.
I could hear him call a response and a smile crept onto my face. I had been with him for almost a year and a half. I truly loved him. In my mind it nagged me if he could be my mate, but that would be too good to be true, and rarely happened. Most wolves have their mating instincts kick in around twenty, so the pups could learn the ways of their pack and strengthen the bond between them and the elders. It was to ensure a strong pack before getting sex and children involved. If mated too early, some pups cheated. Some would deny their imprint, saying they didn’t need one.
Those actions happened more than some would think. Even though they tell you that your mates become your world, some had been so anti-social that they didn’t adapt well to the feelings of a connection between pack brothers or a mate. It was more than some could handle.
I kicked the idead of Jace being my mate out of my mind. Once I was half wolf, he would never be able to accept it as a human. I wouldn't want to hurt him by always running off on pack duties.I just needed to focus on my last day of school.
The rest of the day felt so slow, and I felt my body just getting weaker. I didn’t eat much at lunch, actually I slept through most of it.My three classes after lunch were only a haze with me drifting in and out of sleep.
I was never told what changing felt like.I could assume what it was like but I never knew for certain. I had a hunch it was different for everyone, with their body responding differently.Mine seemed to be taking it rather hard. The school bell rang singnaling the end of the day, my last day of school. I had fifteen minutes until my last field hokcey practice.
By the time I was on the field hockey field I seemed to have gained a second wind. My running was slightly slower than usual and my usual playing instincts were dimmmed but I was able to get through without passing out or overly pissing off Coach Matthews.
Despite the sweat and heat, I crawled my way back to the school and took a quick shower. The cold water ran down my back and for a moment I felt brand new, unstopable and strong. Then it faded, and I felt worse than before. Sighing I put my uniform, glitter, and bow on. I was supposed to be peppy, spirited, and loud but all I felt was small and weak.
This night was going to be hell.
I gathered with my friends Hana and Lauren in the cafeteria to eat a sandwich they picked up for me. “I really have to thank you guys. I didn’t eat that much today and I just don’t feel right..”My head was pounding, my bones ached, and everything was just too hot. I picked out the meat from my sandwich and pushed the rest away.
“Oh! It's no problem. You know my mom, she loves you!" She laughed lightly, then, as if a lightbulb went off her mood changed, "Did you guys hear about the wolves?”Lauren gushed.
I didn’t understand why wolves had to make themselves known to humans. We had always been a quiet people, meant for family customs. That changed five years ago when a rogue wolf changed in public and killed a man. We were forced to show our ranks. Show the humans that he was an exception to our quota.We had gained their trust and now set up a board of human and wolf members to discuss issues such as land and hunting ground.
I of course had learned all of this from watching on the sidelines and getting monthly phone calls from my eldest brother Mikael. He was my connection to our world. Explained everything I needed to know. I could barely remember him as a person, and had only been hearing his voice for a few minutes at a time.
Soon, I would be with him and the rest of my family.
“They had to make an announcement that tonight there might be more wolves vs. poachers out. There’s gonna be some kind of war going on!” She seemed too excited about it. Too excited for my taste.
The poachers were looking for me. The Alpha White, they wanted my fur. Groaning I placed my head on the table and began to repeatedly pick it up and place it back down.
“Why tonight?”Hana ignored me, I continued on.
“They didn’t say. Only that there was going to be more activity than usual.” Lauren ignored me, I kept on doing it.
Then I felt Hana place her hand on the top of my head, securing it against the dirty table top. “I wonder why. I wish we could tell who was a wolf and who wasn’t. You can’t tell unless they are wearing those necklace thingies.”
“That’s only the important people. You can’t tell if they are from local packs. Only wolves know how to spot other wolves.” I mumbled with my faced smushed against the table.
I knew they were probably giving me a weird look and just about to say something when coach walked in.
“C’mon ladies! Let’s run our stunts for the night and we should be good. Becca! Hanna! Lauren! Up girls.”
~
It was the third quarter with one minute left. My alma mater, Central Columbia was beating Bloomsburg 35 to 7. We had it in the bag. Central was going to win after more than a decade of trying! Needless to say, I barely had a voice left. This was the most fun I had ever had at a game. Hanna and I were hugging and jumping up and down as Kyle Smith ran in for yet another touch down!
I watched Jace with a smile while we were on defense, his big guns taking down one of Blooms key players. For a split second after he got up, our eyes connected.
That's when I felt my head ache become unbearable and my bones felt as if they were about to crumble.
“Rebecka. Run. Find the strength to run. Run!”I couldn’t breathe. The voice was in my head, and that of my brother Mikael.
From one corner of my eye I could see Mikael, tall lean and blonde looking worried. From the other, the worlds best wolf poacher. Leo Dane. He was scarred, and ugly looking. He was older, maybe in his sixties. I knew he had a lot of military experience but I had never seen him.He didn't show his face often. He only showed up to wolf wars unless the kill was worth it, if he was sure he could do it.
Tonight I was either going to die or have my entire life flipped upside down.
As a teenage girl, I didn’t know which one was worse.