The Beginning
Walking around the pack two days before my birthday, my nose takes in a deep breath of the crisp air where it rained a few hours ago. I have always loved walking around in the woods after a rainstorm. My long blonde hair blows in the remnants of the breeze that whips between trees. Closing my eyes, I stand there, stretching my arms out and enjoying the coolness. Akili stirs, begging me to let her out for a run.
"Not right now; the Alpha will not allow it. He said these woods are dangerous because some rogues have been spotted. You know he has locked us down temporarily not to pass this tree," touching it with my finger.
She growls in my head, 'I don't care what he says. I need a run because it has been days.'
Sighing and turning back towards the house, she huffs but settles down shortly after. My eyes land on the black Range Rover sitting in the driveway while I walk up the steps to see Brian sitting on the porch swing with his arms crossed.
"Where the hell have you been? I have waited for you over thirty minutes," he growls out.
Looking down at the floor, I said, "I am sorry, Alpha. We took a short walk to the temporary tree in the woods, enjoying the crisp afternoon. I have always enjoyed getting away from the usual smells of the village and packhouse to clear my mind and nose. I was gone for about fifteen minutes after returning from the grocery store my mother sent me to."
He stands up slowly, walking to me, " Isadora, I want everyone to be safe. That means you must stay in the area I designated."
Looking down at the floor, knowing he is pissed, "I did, Alpha. The marked tree is as far as I went. My finger touched it so you would know I didn't go past the barrier."
He lets out a long breath, "I am sorry. You would never disobey an order that I gave. These rogues have been testing our borders every night and are getting closer to the village. I want your family to move into the packhouse until we can capture them. Your house is the closest to the places they have been crossing, and I don't want to take a chance for them to get their hands on any of you."
Mom walks onto the porch and says, "Come on, Izzy. We need to pack. The Alpha has a car waiting for us, and our rooms are being prepared as we speak. Only take what you need; everything else, we will return at another time with warrior escorts to help us move."
Looking at Brian, he nods towards the house as my feet slowly shuffle inside. He has been Alpha for six months after his father stepped down and has not found his mate. All the she-wolves drool over him. He is six foot two, with dark brown hair, tan, and muscular. We celebrated his twenty-first birthday a week ago, but he always hangs around me. Rumors are that he will make me his chosen Luna when I turn of age. I don't want a chosen mate; my parents are chosen, and I can see their relationship is not as strong as my best friend's parents. Her's are fated, and their love and relationship differ from mine. They always give each other googly eyes, smiling with one another, and the only time they are apart is when he has to train the warriors. He is the head warrior over all of the pack's training. My father is the Beta to the old Alpha, where he will step down at the end of the month. Brian's chosen Beta will be eighteen on my father's retirement date, which lands on the twenty-eighth. The girls at the packhouse don't like me too much because I have the Alpha's eye, but I don't want him if he is not my fated mate.
Mom walks in with two suitcases from her closet, "What is wrong, Issy?"
Rolling my eyes, "You know exactly what is wrong. Those girls are going to bully me at the packhouse. They did it through school when Brian spoke with me. Everyone wants him to look at them, but he ignores all those she-wolves when I am around."
She lays them on my bed, "Why don't you tell him about this? You know he would make them stop."
"To get bullied more than they already do? They may not do it when he is around, but if they catch me alone, there is no telling what they might try," picking up some shirts.
"Why haven't you told me about all of this, Issy?" his voice comes behind me, making my spine snap straight.
Slowly turning around, my eyes meet his dark irises, "You have enough to worry about with the pack besides some jealous girls who do things when you are not looking."
He growls lowly, "This will be addressed the minute we step into the packhouse."
As I dropped the stack of shirts onto the bed, I pleaded with him, "Please don't. It will make it worse."
He takes me into his arms, "I don't allow bullying, and you know that. If my cameras catch them laying a finger on you or a cruel word out of their mouth, I will take action."
Pulling back, I said, "You have cameras in the packhouse?"
He smiles, "I had them put in a month ago when everyone was out training, so no one except the one person I had to install them knows where they are located and that they are put in. There have been more rumors about other girls that live there being tormented by a small group of females. I have not seen anything yet, but the rogues have kept me occupied, so I have not had time to review the footage. I will do some tonight and have your father look at a few other days, seeing if he can find anything."
Going across the room to clean the next drawer, he opens the suitcase for me; I blush, "Thank you for allowing my family to stay in the packhouse with you."
His smile is enough to make any girl swoon over him, "I don't want anyone to be in danger with this new threat. I have wanted your family to move into the packhouse for a while, but your father insisted on staying in the beta house."
Stopping in my tracks, "That is right. We will have to move out quickly when Korbin takes over. He will require this house."
Brian chuckles, "He does not want this house. Korbin has requested to stay at the packhouse until he finds his mate. There is an empty house closer than this one he has his eye on. I have granted his request to have that one when the time comes. He wants to stay close training with me for his new position."
Breaking into a small smile, "Good, my parents didn't want to move out of this house. They have become attached to it since four generations of Beta's have lived here."
I lower my eyes to the floor, and Brian raises his finger. "I know the loss of your brother has taken a toll on the family."
Nodding slowly, "Yes, it has. It has been four years, but I still remember it as if it was yesterday."
Brian looks out the window. "He was a good man, and it would have been an honor to have him at my side, but the moon goddess had other plans for him. With these rogues getting close, I want to get you under my protection immediately. I will not let another member of this family lose their life to them."
I finish packing my clothes. Brian grabs them and starts to leave. "If you need anything, I will provide the items."
He walks out the door and down the steps. I know my life will get so much harder leaving these walls. Those girls will have their claws out aiming for me because of Brian's fondness towards me. Taking a long breath, I grab the wolf statue he gifted me last year on my birthday and follow them out the door and into his car.
