Her Fate

“Up, Daddy! Up!” I giggle as my father smiles lightly and lifts my small body up. I give him the tightest hug I can give as my mother brings in cookies from the kitchen. The mouth watering scent fills my nose and forces my mouth to salivate.

“Those smell yummy!” My father places me on the couch and plops down beside me. My older brother, Derrick, is quick to grab a cookie as soon as our mother puts them on the coffee table.

“Pace yourself, boy.” My father growls. Derrick swallows loudly and bows his head in submission. I pat his head lightly in hopes of comforting my brother.

My mother clears her throat and sits on the couch arm where my father put his hand on her back. The fire in front of us spits lightly and I can’t help but take in the amazing decorations.

The tree is full and lit with white lights. My father cut it down from the forest surrounding our territory. Old and new ornaments dot the branches.

Our fireplace is big and brick. My father takes pride in it, so it’s cleaned regularly during the winter. Our stockings are hanging on the side instead of the mantle. We learned that lesson last year.

As I finish my milk and cookies, my father places a small present in my lap and Derrick’s. My smile widens as I rip through the wrapping paper. I squeal with delight.

“No way!” Derrick exclaims. We both hold up brand new IPod with matching cases and headphones.

“Thank you guys!” My brother and I jump on our parents with glee. My mother giggles as Derrick hugs her tightly. He and my father have a strained relationship, so they just exchange knowing looks.

“Now, off to bed kiddos!” My mother smiles, “You’ll get to play with these tomorrow after you open your other presents.”

“But Mama!” I whine, “Daddy has to tell us a bedtime story!”

“She’s right..” Derrick winks at me, “It’s tradition.”

My father scoops me up in his arms and clears his throat. My mother sits on the opposite side of the couch with Derrick in her arms.

“Tell us the history of the pack!” I exclaim, “Please, Daddy?”

“Oh, honey, I don’t think -” My father puts his hand up to stop my mother’s words. She simply nods.

“Long ago, way before your mother and I were in charge, our pack ran within the Celestial Realm.” My father smooths my hair and continues, “Our wolves were worshipped by the humans outside of the Realm’s borders for protection. Our wolves always found their mates with the humans or each other before the day of the Fates.”

“Who are the Fates?” I stuff a cookie in my mouth.

“The Fates are the ones who separated our wolves from the Celestial Realm, sweetie.” My mother smiles, “They are above every God, Goddess, and Celestial. We are their subjects in a sense.”

My father continues, “Every thousand years, one of the Fates dies. This would tip the even balance of eight around their table. So, our first Alpha made a deal with the Fates in order to have the ability to visit the Celestial Realm whenever we wished.”

“What was it?” Derrick asks impatiently. I feel a small growl escape my father. My brother cowers in submission.

“Every thousand years, the Fates would have a banquet with our pack.” My mother comforts Derrick while glaring at my father, “One of our males with the chosen wolf would replace the Fate who has died.”

“I would hate to be their mate.” I say innocently, “To be so far apart..”

“That’s why it’s against the pack ruling to mate with the male who is chosen.” My father says, “Any female who mates with a Fate is to be executed. If not, her wolf would have to be ripped from the female in order to sever the bond.”

“That sounds cruel.” I sigh.

“It’s for the betterment of the pack and Fates, Princess.” My father stands with me in his arms and hugs me lightly, “You don’t have to worry, though. No female has ever been the mate of the chosen males.”

1 - Alpha

“Lucy!” A voice calls, “Last time I’m telling you! Your breakfast is going to get cold!”

I groan loudly in response and shove my head underneath my pillows. The silk sheets are just too comfortable.

“Lu, come on, Mom is going to kill you at this rate.” I hear Derrick’s voice through my bedroom door, “Dad is getting mad, too. You know we can’t eat without you.”

“I’m coming. I’m coming.” I breathe heavily, “Let me get my robe on.”

Derrick’s footsteps fade down the stairs as I reluctantly rise out of bed. I yawn loudly and stretch for a moment. My queen sized bed is a trap for those who hate the mornings.

I grab my robe from my desk chair and slip it over my shoulders. My bunny slippers welcome my cold feet with ease.

Once downstairs, I take my usual seat to my father’s right side and smack my head on the table. The cool surface helps me cool down for a bit.

“You okay, Princess?” My father puts his palm on my forehead, “You’re burning up.”

“She’s on the week before her birthday, Dean.” My mother smiles, “Sixteenth to be precise.”

“Is your wolf knocking already?” My father asks sarcastically, “You can’t be that old already.”

I stick my tongue out slightly before my mother sits a plate of biscuits and gravy in front of me. The smell fills my nose and I dig in with nothing but my hands.

“Yep.” Derrick laughs, “Your wolf is literally on the surface.”

“Shut up.” I growl and try to wipe my hands and mouth with a hand towel. Derrick winces at me.

“Lucy, honey.” My mother puts a hand on mine with a knowing expression on her face. I raise an eyebrow.

“I knew you’d be an Alpha.” My father smiles proudly, “I’m proud, Lucy.”

“What are you talking about?” I ask puzzled, “I just told him to shut up and- Ohhhh..”

Without knowing it, I ordered my brother to shut up with the power of an Alpha behind my words. Hence why he winced.

“I’m sorry, Derrick.” I say, “I didn’t know.”

“It’s okay, squirt.” My brother smirks, “Practice on me so no one else will have to bow.”

“Nonsense, as an Alpha, she has the right to make anyone bow to her. Such is my daughter. Princess, come home straight after school.” My father begins to eat, “With your wolf being so close to shifting, I’d like you to be home as much as possible.”

Knowing my father, he’s torn up about my sixteenth birthday just like any other normal father would be. But me running across my mate would be a troubling thing. There are traditions to uphold in this pack.

And having a mate without power or status is not one of them.

“Be careful, you two!” My mother shouts out the front door before shutting it as Derrick pulls out of the driveway.

I pull the sun visor down and check my hair one last time. My black hair reaches just below my shoulders. I decided to style it half up half down today.

I hate the brown eyes I inherited from my mother. My father was blessed with striking green eyes with hints of blue here and there.

I chose a pair of workout shorts and hoodie paired with a pair of sneakers for my outfit today. The weather is foggy but is supposed to clear up by noon.

Derrick has his hair back in a man bun today. His outfit is a simple t-shirt and dark pair of jeans with biker boots. His black hair sets off his off colored brown eyes well.

My brother blasts Eternally Yours by Motionless In White as we turn into the road leading into the school. Him and I nod our heads to the beat. I even sing a line or two.

Derrick and I are fairly close as the age gap between us is barely two years. He’s a senior while I’m a sophomore. We joke about how he should’ve been born second with his lack of responsibility compared to me.

Derrick pulls into the school parking lot and rolls his windows up. The engine shuts off and I let out a heavy sigh.

“Are you sure you want to go today?” Derrick asks, “You wolf can spring up at any moment.”

“It’s an all wolf school, Derrick.” I reply, “If I shift in the middle of a lesson, there will be someone there to help me.”

A knock comes to my window. I look up to a pair of blue eyes staring down at me.

“Moranna!” I open the door to my best friend.

“It’s about time you two got here.” Moranna laughs, “I was about to go looking for you.”

She and my brother exchange looks. I roll my eyes and get out of the car.

“Bye, Derrick.” I shut the door and pull Moranna towards the school.

“Lu, I’m sorry.”

“Moranna, you think he’s your mate.” I say, “You still have a few months before you turn sixteen. Until then, you’re my friend. Not his love sick pup.”

Unlike packs on the other end of the country, we wolves on the west coast shift at 16 rather than eighteen. Our need for a mate sooner rather than later made that more than apparent.

Moranna twists her blonde hair nervously. She wears her casual, pink spring dress and pair of wedges.

“Speaking of wolves.” Moranna nudges me, “Have you gotten your wolf’s name yet?”

“My dreams are coming to me in freaking waves.” I sigh, “My wolf is here and there, but nothing yet.”

Moranna and I make our way to our homeroom, our seats are next to each other. We sit and I catch a glimpse of a few unmated males looking my way.

I growl. The males bow in submission and turn to the front of the room.

“Damn.” Moranna laughs, “Good thing I’m the next Beta Female. I would be sick from that much Alpha energy.”

I break my concentration from the males and groan, “I seriously hate this. I made Derrick bow this morning without even knowing I was an Alpha.”

“Your dad is the Alpha, Lucy.” Moranna pulls out her binder and pats my back, “It was bound to happen. Especially since you’re the last of their heirs and Derrick has never shown any signs of having the gene.”

I smile weakly and pull my binder out as well. This is going to be a long week.