The Rejected Alpha

Chapter 1

Last time I walked these halls, a time so far behind, but yet so close, was when I was still a freshman. My puberty hadn't hit me yet, so I looked very different from what I do now. I had big, round glasses and braces too. It wasn't that long ago, but it seems like it was years ago. I could see many similar faces and many unfamiliar faces too.

Ours wasn't a town where new people moved to often. Nor did the local inhabitants leave the town to move away. We were a close-knit society, where everyone knew each other. The halls in this school hadn't changed much. There was still red chipped paint on the walls, and the lockers were still not fixed. Yet all the students of this school loved it.

As usual, the school was bustling with students. Some of them running a marathon to reach their next class before the teacher locked the gates. Some were casually leaning against the lockers, gossiping with their friends.

I was just as thrilled to be here as I was dreading it. Being new in any circumstance is daunting. Having to prove to others how you fit in with them. Fitting in was yet another thing that frightened me. High school is a very interesting phase of life for some, and a disaster for others. It all depends on how much you are willing to change yourself, to fit in according to the standards set by your peers.

Just as I was turning around the corner, I heard someone shouting, telling someone to move out of the way. What I didn't realize at that time was that it was me who was being told to move.I had just turned around when someone came crashing into me. It felt like a gentle push to me, but the other person fell flat on their ass. It was a boy around my age. He looked a little panicked maybe because he was afraid that someone had seen him fall, in such an embarrassing manner. He looked around and when he didn't see anyone else in the halls, he turned his gaze towards me in a threatening manner.

I wasn't afraid of him even a little bit, but to keep up my façade I acted as if I was scared. He got up, dusting his pants, gave me a mean look and walked the other way, muttering profanities under his breath.

Responsibilities are scary. They give you a false sense of being a grownup and having the independence to make your own decisions. But in the end, they remind you of the days you were carefree and didn't have to worry about what colour clothes you were going to wear the next day. Simply put adult life sucks. It sucks having responsibilities and having to make decisions for yourself and for others.

Being a werewolf was a big deal. And to top it off, being the next in line alpha was even harder. Your parents and everyone else around you had big expectations from you. They expect you to automatically become responsible after receiving the position.

These hopes were becoming too much for me to handle. Heading a pack of werewolves like the Monara pack brought with it power and even more responsibilities. Our pack was the largest in the area with as much as 500 members. Despite being so large in number we were a close-knit pack. We all lived in a small town just by the river. Our ancestors had taken over this town decades ago. They had fought a bloody war with the Anexus Pack and emerged victoriously. Since then my family has been in this land for generations.

Nobody in this school is supposed to know who I am. I wanted to keep my identity a secret. Since they don't know who I am, they don't have to pretend around me.

But after what happened right now, I don't think I am going to be anonymous anymore. Rumours spread fast in high school, and bad rumours do so even faster. Soon the whole school will form their opinions about me. Some might even judge me. But I have to remain calm and keep my inner wolf in control. One thing I had learned in these last few years is how to keep calm in situations like this.

It will take time but if I want to keep my secret, I'll have to try harder.

I didn't have this sort of courage back in high school. I did have good friends, ones whom I could count on. There were also people who talked to me because of what I was, an heir to the alpha. They only cared about me because I was one day going to be the leader of this pack and they wanted to gain my favour.

I was tired of all the attention that I got. Those innumerable birthday party invitations and fake smiles in the hallways, and those unnecessary praises. A position of power puts one in a difficult position. Any sort of power show would lead the others to think that I was arrogant and if I didn't tell them anything they would assume that they can take advantage of my vulnerability. Then one day something happened and I decided that I am going to go away to someplace where none of the people knew me and were just like me. People who understood what it felt like to be me and somehow felt the same way.

I would admit that it was a coward move, to just run away from my problems. But at that time, running away seemed like the only good option for me. I wasn't as brave those days as I am now. If I could change my decision that day, I won't change it for anything.

That decision is what made me into the person that I am today. Those times strengthened me and gave me the courage to stand up for what I believe in.

Now that I am back, I am not going to make the same mistakes my younger self had made.I convinced my parents to keep my return a secret from everyone, even the elders. They don't think it is a good idea and think of it as deceiving the pack. As the leaders of the pack, their responsibility is towards their pack first. But I know that when they think of this decision as my parents, they have complete faith in me and my decision.And their support is all I need.

If I don't want to be hurt once again, I have to remain strong. I won't wear my heart on my sleeves for the world to see. All I have to is pass this year peacefully and take up my rightful position as the alpha of the Monara pack after completing school.

This journey won't be easy for me or for my parents. Asking them to keep a secret is asking too much. But the loving and understanding parents that they are, they support my decision to keep my identity a secret.

My first class for the day is world history. Despite being an alpha, a naturally superior race of werewolves, I had never been good at studies, especially history. A groan escaped me when I saw my timetable.

In addition to this, students were still staring at me wherever I went. I finally found my class after going around the hall twice. The whole class went silent when I stepped foot inside including the teacher. My eyes roamed around the class, looking for a friendly and familiar face. It finally landed on a beautiful blonde girl sitting on one of the last benches.

I felt an unfamiliar connection to the girl which I couldn't quite figure out. Unfortunately, all the seats near her were occupied. There were only two empty seats. One in the front of the class, near a doe-eyed young boy. And the other one in the corner beside a girl who had her face covered with the hoodie of her sweatshirt. I couldn't see her face but something about her behaviour sparked an old memory. I decided to sit in the front seat. The teacher did not bother to introduce me to the class, for which I was thankful, and continued with her boring lesson.