The Unknown

Chapter 8

The warrior then goes to the stairs and clears his throat. All eyes immediately shoot to him. He steps back to the wall behind the top of the staircase to keep a watchful eye from above. Other warriors are positioned around the property to maintain surveillance.

My father takes his place at the top of the stairs and gracefully begins to walk down. I can only hope to one day be half the Alpha my dad is.

I count to ten to give him time to get to the bottom just like I always have before I step up to take my place at the top of the steps. Being an only child, the Alphas only child, I must walk down the stairs by myself. Just like I have for the other ceremonies.

This isn't how things are supposed to be. The Luna shouldn't be dead. There isn't supposed to be only one Alpha child and a female at that. But those hunters took that away from us.

Knowing that I have already waited long enough I slowly begin to walk down following my father's footsteps as well as all the Alpha's before him. Knowing this will be the last time I will get to walk these white marble steps just being plan Mia, the last time as just being known as the Alphas daughter, I take the steps slow. The next time I step foot on these steps that I have grown up playing on I will be known as the future Alpha.

Even when I find my mate he won't take my Alpha position. He won't be known as Luna either because that is only a title given to female mates of the Alpha. Honestly, I'm not sure what he would be called. But I won't have to worry about that for at least a year hopefully.

Shaking myself out of my thoughts I look around. Seeing the faces looking up at me I witness, as well as feel, happiness and well as sorrow. This will be the first time in my packs history that the Alpha title won't be given to someone with Alpha blood. I feel them feeling sorry for my father for not having a son to pass the title down to.

Pushing that from my mind I focus on the happy thoughts. Being of Alpha blood I get a since of how my pack members are. Once I am Alpha the feelings will get strong and I will be able to communicate with my pack members at any time even if we are in human form. In wolf form we can mentally talk to each other but only Alpha can communicate mentally in human form. That is just another benefit of being Alpha.

I scan the crowds faces again and spot Colton standing next to a pack member named Jess. Colon's eyes immediately lock on mine. He raises his eyebrow and continues to stare.

By now I am down at the bottom of the stairs standing next to my father. He extends his hand out to me and I take it like always. I now must walk around with my father and talk to people. Normally my mother would be with him and I would be excused to go hang out with my friends but because she's gone I have had to take care of some of the roles she would have done. Thankfully I knew that I only had to talk to Alan and Robin, my dads third in command, and a few other pack members.

After sharing a few words with them I go to find their sons, Luke and Oliver. Oliver will be my beta and Luke my third. Doing a quick glance around the room I spot Luke and Oliver off to the side and Colton in between us. Colton chooses that moment to turn around and see me looking at him. He starts to take a step in my direction, but I beat him to it.

His face lights up because he thinks that I'm walking up to him. His face then falls as I continue to walk past him right up to Oliver and Luke.

I grab Oliver in a hug. "Hey guys."

He squeezes me tight before letting me go and I find myself in Luke's strong arms. Not only are they my future beta and third but also my best friends other than Avery.

"Hey girly how are you holding up?" Luke asks me.

Oliver pushes him a little in a playful way. "Of course, she is holding in there. She's our girl, what more do you expect?"

"Thanks guys. I'm just so nervous about this." They know about what is going down tonight. Them and their dads are the only ones besides dad and I that know. Everyone else believes that Oliver is going to take over and Luke will be beta then they will pick a new third.

"You will get through it and we will have your back. Now, for the run, and the rest of our lives we will have your back." Luke gives my arm a squeeze. He's going to make me cry.

I then feel the eyes boring into my back. I know who they belong to before I even turn around. "I'm going to go talk to others before we get started. I'll see you guys in a little bit."

Before they can protest I turn and walk to the back doors and catch Colton's eyes as I walk out. Hoping he gets the message to come out and talk I go to the side of the house.

He must have received the message because he comes walking out moments after me. The look in his eyes say that he is in shock.

"What do you want to know? One at a time please" I ask him before he has a chance to attack me with questions.

He didn't even have to take a moment to think about that. "I looked for you when I got here because like you said my mom explained everything, but I couldn't find you. I then see the Alpha come down the stairs followed by you. Why were you up there and not down with the rest of us?"

I don't know what his mom, Jess I assume, has told him about my family so I guess I should fill him in on some things. "Well, you were correct that was the Alpha that came down the steps. But to me he isn't just the Alpha."

"Please don't tell me he is your boyfriend or anything. I saw him take your arm and lead you around once you got down. That man is old enough to be your dad!" he interrupts me.

I start laughing. "Well if you didn't interrupt me I was about to tell you that he is my father."

He seems to put things together then. "wait so if that man is the Alpha and you're his daughter and what my mom told me is true about this being the royal pack in the United States that would make you like the princess." He drops his voice down to not more than a whisper. "That also means that the woman that my father killed wasn't only your mom but also this packs Luna." Shock and guilt fills his face.

"Yes, you are correct again. My mother was the Luna and ruled alongside my father, the Alpha. What Jess has told you is the truth also. Our Alpha is the royal Alpha of all the American packs. But to answer your other statement, I am not a princess. I am simply known as the Alpha's daughter. Now do you know why we are holding this meeting tonight?"

"No, mom didn't tell me. She just said that everyone will be here tonight and that it will be very important."

I'm about to tell him what is going to go down tonight until Jess comes over.

"There you are Colton! I've been looking all over for you." relief fills her voice. She then sees me. "Oh, Mia I didn't see you over there. I hope that you aren't upset that I brought Colton to this tonight. Alpha Williams said it would be a good idea to get him use to the pack."

Smiling I turn to her, "I don't mind. My dad was right, he should get use to all of us and the sooner the better." I then turn to Colton and act like we just met "How are you holding up? I realize how strange this must be for you. I bet you were shocked when you found out that werewolves were real."

He catches on to my act, "Oh it wasn't too hard for me to believe. I always assumed that you guys were real. It's going to take some time to get use to my first friend being the Alpha's daughter though." He gives a joking laugh.

"I'm glad that you're befriending him Mia. Thank you for helping him settle in to this crazy world."

Before I can muster a reply, Oliver comes running around the corner. "Mia! It's time to start. You wouldn't want to miss this." He turns to Colton and Jess then "We are about to get started. Everyone's is getting in their places, so you might want to also." Oliver then starts tugging my arm towards the small stage that has been set up in the yard.

Time to make this official.