Shattering the Alpha (Book #1)

A New Kind of Alpha

NOT EDITED: 

One month later...

The air felt a little peaceful in Blood Venom today as I walked around the pack territory. After all, it was a month after the un-cooperating Coucil members executed, and the Council officially disbanded. I felt more connected to the pack as I addressed them as Luna for the first time on the day of the execution, and a feeling of relief washed over me as they embraced me as their Luna in return. It was easy to connect with them regarding the absence of Axel, and their genuine words of encouragement really helped me step into my role as Luna. 

I took a deep breath, feeling the freshness of the air and the slight mist of the water from the nearby waterfall. In just a span of a few months, the whole system in the pack was shifted, and for the first time, the ominous feel of Blood Venom dissipated. Of course it did, the Council is gone and the big bad Alpha is still laying unconscious in a hospital bed. Instead, a mere 19 year old girl, who failed the Lunar Trials, is running the pack, hoping that a semblance of normalcy will resume. But normal in Blood Venom was never that good. 

It's as though even the trees knew that something was different as they lightly swayed with the breeze. For the first time ever, Blood Venom was starting to feel like home.

I waved to a few guards who were doing their rounds of the territory, and they bowed their heads in acknowledgment. I have come to know the pack territory well and the names of all the warriors who do rounds of the territory. The responsibility of being Luna and continuing Axel's work was resting on my shoulders, but it wasn't something I couldn't handle. I couldn't help but let out a small smile as I thought about the person I was before I came here and the person I am now. In just a few months, I have grown so much. Yet, a part of me still wishes I were the naive girl that was dreaming about her mate being her knight in shining armor, ready to sweep her off her feet. I wasn't the same, but Blood Venom wasn't either, and hopefully if my kids ever lead this pack, they wouldn't be leading the most dangerous pack. Instead, they would be leading the most prosperous, fairest, strongest, and most welcoming pack. 

I decided that I should head back and get back to work. I had a small break, but Alpha work isn't over, especially as I am still cleaning up the messes Axel caused during the time I was gone. Without someone to give me good guidance about things, I had to learn everything on the job myself. Axel's grandfather occasionally gave me some advice, but whenever I asked a question he just waves a hand, and laughs, "You're doing fine, don't worry about it. I'm not Alpha anymore, please don't rope me back into it." 

My heart hurt a little as I thought about Axel, and I thought that I should visit him at the hospital after I get some work done. He was getting better, but at a much slower rate than we had anticipated. I knew that I couldn't spend the entire time in his hospital room, no matter how lavish it was. I had work to do that needed me to be on the ground and running and meeting with other Alphas and restarting alliances. I haven't had the chance to see him as often as I wanted, but I had been spending my nights in his hospital room. The days, however, were for the pack. I think it's what he would have wanted me to do anyways. As for me, there wasn't much time to take care of myself, but I am no longer losing as much weight as I once was. I'm definitely close to being a skeleton now from all the stress and feeling nauseous all the time, but at least I am eating a bit more. 

"Calista!" I heard my sister call for me as she stood on the balcony of her room. My smile widened as I saw her excited face. It was nice to have her visit, and even though she doesn't really like Axel. I feel as though she is warming up to him and actually wants him to wake up, which felt nice for a change.

"What?" I yell back, mirroring her excitement. Her smile was infectious, so I smiled back, but a part of me was still forcing the smile. I always didn't understand why Axel rarely smiled. Yet, here I am only 2 months into this, and I feel myself starting to have a rougher exterior. When did I age so much? Maybe it was when I saw my mate get poisoned or when I killed a person, or when I started to run a whole pack. Not sure what the exact turning point was, but somewhere along the line, I changed.