Winning Over the Alpha

~Tessa~

A few years passed, and Tessa found herself in the midst of another lecture over dinner with her Grandmother. “What do you mean you graduated early? There are only a few months left of school! Aren’t you going to miss seeing your friends?” Her pale blue eyes were wide with confusion, and her plate of food remained untouched.

Tessa sighed, rubbing her eyes at the thought of her so-called friends. Her dominant aura intimidated her classmates to the point they avoided her like the plague, but she didn’t care. It was better for an Alpha to be separated from the rest of the pack.

“Gran, I think you're missing the point here. I’m not interested in spending time with girls my own age. The only wolves I need at my side are my Beta and Gamma. I have more important things to worry about than the latest fashion trends or who kissed who behind the bleachers.” Tessa gagged, refusing to meet her grandmother’s eyes. “This was the best decision for everyone.”

“Why are you always trying to rush through life? You should be enjoying your youth, not locking yourself away in an office or continuing to throw fists with Warriors in the mud.” Her grandmother growled, clenching the fork tightly in her hand.

Tessa knew the conversation would go nowhere fast. Her grandmother was the pack’s Luna for many years, one who was used to getting her way, but nothing she’d say would change the fact that Tessa was finally done with high school. Her counselor even set her up with online business and accounting courses through a college he attended. Every decision was made with her pack’s future in mind, and her Gran would just have to accept it.

“You worry too much, Gran. I promise everything will be fine in the end.” Tessa sighed, walking around the table to kiss the top of her grandmother’s head. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, some Warriors are waiting to be thrown in the mud,” she chuckled, running off to the youth training fields, dodging the smack Gran aimed for her arm.

She arrived at the fields feeling enlightened and ready for change. Today she was starting something new, and instead of falling into the ranks, Tessa took her place at the front of the formation.

It was her first class training the younger children who were starting their Warrior classes. Training typically started in Middle School, but that changed today. “It all starts here.” She thought as she met each child’s gaze. Some seemed nervous, but they tried to hide it. Others had fire burning in their eyes. “Good, they’re ready.”

“Listen up! With hard work, Blue Ridge can become the strongest pack in our region. If we achieve that, no one will dare challenge us. We’ll use our reputation as our first line of defense, but we’ll need the skills to back it up. Can you protect this pack?” She challenged the children who watched her with wide eyes.

Tessa expected them to hesitate, but their expressions burned with excitement, and the atmosphere buzzed with anticipation.

"Yes!" Their young voices were carried in the wind, and Tessa swore she sensed the faint scent of her younger brother.

“I wish you were here." She could picture his face etched with the same excitement as the kids before her, and it was all the encouragement she needed. From the hill, Tessa noticed John watching her from a distance with an unreadable expression, but she didn't care. Nothing would ruin this day for her either.

The new classes quickly caught the pack’s attention, and Tessa was surprised to find men and women of all ages joining them for training. “You can only stay if you’re determined to learn how to fight and defend yourselves. Can you meet your future Alpha’s expectations?” She tested the crowd.

“We will!” Everyone cheered, bowing their heads in respect, and after a year of training, her members reached a level of skill she never dreamed was possible.

“I guess you weren’t wasting your time after all,” John huffed his jaded approval, but his attitude could never smother the flame burning in Tessa’s heart. It grew with each accomplishment she made.

During their annual training with neighboring packs, Tessa loved watching her opponents limp off the field; some even needed to be carried. “Serves them right for underestimating me.” She was seventeen now, and many males believed she’d be weak since she had no wolf yet, but she didn’t need to shift to defeat them.

The main point of her training regimen was for her and her pack members to be strong enough to defend themselves against a wolf in their human form. It was one of the many skills they all perfected, and it wasn’t long before the visiting Alphas were nagging John to share their secrets. He was loving the attention.

“I’m afraid you’ll have to speak to Tessa about this. She designed the program herself.” He answered, and Tessa wasn’t surprised to find they quickly dropped the subject. Their pride wouldn’t allow them to seek help from a mere shewolf, especially one who was unable to shift yet.

After being awarded the title of Top Warrior at the end of the exams, Tessa knew not a single Blue Ridge pack member would dare dispute her right to claim the Alpha title. She earned it with all her being, and seeing the pride, loyalty, and respect in her Warriors’ eyes buried the girl who used to cry alone in her room until she became a distant memory.

The competition was grueling, but the celebration her grandmother planned was the most challenging event of the night. Tessa’s cheeks ached from her forced smile, and her sides throbbed from the pinches her grandmother gave when it faltered. By the end of the night, she was surprised to even make it back to her bedroom.

“This bed has never looked so comfortable,” Tessa grumbled, stepping out of her bathroom. Her hair was barely dry when she threw herself onto the soft duvet, but something felt off. Her body thrummed with more aches and pains than usual.

Slowly inching her way up to her pillow, Tessa lay flat on her face when voices filled her room. “Do you think she can handle all of this alone?” her grandmother’s voice whispered.

Tessa stood from her bed, scanning her room, but she was alone, and her door was closed. When she came upstairs, her grandmother was with John in the kitchen.

“Who knows. I think we’d better pray she finds her mate soon. A strong male figure is what this pack needs,” John mumbled, and Tessa became enraged.

A red haze flooded her vision as she marched to her door. She reached for the knob, ready to rush downstairs and finally rip into John, when the metal knob crumpled like paper in her hand.

“What the hell?” She examined her palm, but there was no sign of injury. Then, she caught a glimpse of her reflection in the mirror. Her dark hazel eyes shone bright with flecks of amber flickering throughout her irises. Her muscles were even more defined, and she even seemed taller.

Suddenly, an intense urge to be outside rushed through her, and Tessa found herself running down the stairs and out the back door, past her worried grandmother.

A gorgeous full moon hung low in the sky, and its light flooded the landscape with a soft cascading glow. The air thrummed with a familiar sense of warmth and peace, and Tessa couldn’t resist reveling in the sensation. Until a bone snapped in her shoulder, and searing pain engulfed her body.

Tessa swallowed her agonizing screams. “An Alpha must be strong,” she repeated in her mind like a prayer. She felt her grandmother and John rush to her side. Tessa couldn’t hear them over the sound of her bones still breaking and blood rushing in her ears like a storm. Her vision soon blurred as she fell face-first into the ground.

When she finally opened her eyes, Tessa saw the world in a new light. Her body was sore as she stood tall, on four legs. “Finally!” she cheered, digging her new claws into the dirt and shaking out her fur. She felt a pleasant connection with the earth, and the need to run was calling to her.

Before taking off for the woods, Tessa felt a presence at her side and found John looking over her towering frame. He seemed surprised by her size. “Do you think I need a male now, John?” she growled to herself. Hoping he’d learn to hold his tongue from now on.

“You truly are an Alpha,” he whispered, stepping back to bow his head in respect, but his expression seemed unsure.

“Well, of course she is, John. She’s my granddaughter after all!” Her grandmother was clearly offended by John’s shock. She gave Tessa a curt nod before marching into the house, muttering words under her breath. “Have fun, dear. You look beautiful,” she called out over her shoulder with a wave. Tessa huffed her thanks, then walked off into the woods, where she picked up the pace.

After hours of blissful running, Tessa relaxed by the lake near her home and peered into the dark water. Her reflection was breathtaking. Her eyes glowed in the moonlight, and she saw that her fur matched the color of her hair, but there was still something missing.

Tessa closed her eyes to finish making the sacred connection with her wolf. “Deep breaths, in and out,” she coached herself, trying to relax. It didn’t take long for her to hear a low growl resonate within the back of her mind.

With a final breath, her wolf’s sultry voice filled her thoughts. “We are finally one.”

Tessa released a powerful howl, thanking the Moon Goddess for this blessing, and the peaceful forest erupted with a joyous response from her pack. Her mind-link flooded with voices congratulating her. This was the happiest she had been in a long time, and shifting into her wolf was the final piece she needed to become the Alpha she was meant to be.