Change (published)

Chapter 4

I turned to the Alpha, shocked.
"He's training me? Why? For what? Six years of training?"
Miri answered for her husband.

"Alpha training starts the moment they had their first change. My son left our pack when he turned eighteen. You must have been about twelve at that time. We got this boy in return when he turned eighteen six months later. Nowadays we hand our pack over to the next in line, they won't have to fight us for it, but they train until they are thirty."
"But I'm not going to be an Alpha!"

"Sweetie, you misunderstand. If there is a daughter to the Alpha they get trained by another pack as well. A pack is like a business. With strong leadership a pack is strong and healthy. The pack needs to be able to protect every member, fix disputes fairly, pay for things. We don't just have a title. We have a responsibility. As a potential Luna you need to be able to run a pack. You'll need to learn to fight to protect others. You will need to be able to help run a pack, settle tempers, check balance sheets, organize events and know everything about other packs. There is so much you'll need to learn."

"Yep and not only have I got six years of official training from these guys, I started training when I was born." Matt smirked with a wink.
"Yeah? So what went wrong?"
Richard laughed loudly. "She's already got the attitude down."
"Ariel darling, children of the Alphas and Betas are trained for the position of their parents. There are usually three Betas in a pack, as you would know. The first Beta is second to the Alpha only and help run the pack. The other two are a warrior and a peacekeeper, or politician if you prefer. Those guys keep their cool in almost any situation. If an alpha dies without offspring another of Alpha blood can take over if the Luna doesn't, second child in line for another pack for instance or the Beta of the pack if there are no challengers."

Miri stopped and looked at her husband. They had a silent conversation before turning to me.
"Every time a child comes of age they are send away to train. When one finishes training there is a ball in honour of their achievement. All of the unmated potentials attend. They mingle and usually that is where alpha or Beta mates meet. Sometimes there are humans with potential for leadership that match with someone but it's rare."
"So I'm a freak?"
"No child. You are a blessing."

"And what aren't you telling me?"
"..." They looked at me in shock but I could feel something... unspoken... it was so heavy in what they weren't saying it was obvious. This time Mathew laughed.
"I vote tell her AND take her! That'll stir things up nicely."
"No!" Miri said immediately and firmly.

I looked at them, trying to figure out why Mathew thought this was funny. 'It's important! Push them!' My wolf snarled in my head and my mouth followed her command as a strange feeling flooded through me. "Tell me!" I snapped.

All of them focused on me in a flash with their mouths open.
"Did she just...?"
"She actually...!"
"Sweet Goddess, how is that possible?"

With this new feeling still in control I turned to the weakest link. Mathew. "Tell me why you are surprised!"
His wolf flashed in his eyes like I had challenged him and he had a growl in his voice as he said. "You are using an Alpha command. I will assume it is not on purpose but if you do so again I will fight you and you will submit!"
I shrunk away from him, realizing that he was serious. He was also a big wolf with combat training, he would eat me alive.
"I'm sorry... I didn't know! I don't want to fight...I didn't mean to... she said you were keeping something important from me and we need to know. Mathew I really didn't mean to_"

He moved like lightning and I was like a dear in the headlights. He pulled me into his arms, into a hug that nearly smothered me as he mumbled his own apologies in my hair. I gripped him back after a brief hesitation and relaxed, feeling save now.