One True Alpha

Chapter 17

My stomach was bloated as I rubbed it. The fruit Terrance has sent me helped ease my stomach as everyone started to excuse themselves. "Terrance, my Luna would like to show you the territory," my father said as he stood up. My mate simply nodded with a whispered affirmative.

"If she comes back with a hair out of place, I'll find my offspring someone worthy to give her an heir and your father ground meat in a coffin," he said sternly as Terrance's face paled. I gave him a reassuring smile as my father motioned for me to follow him. My mother simply placed a peck on my father's cheek as she passed him by. "We'll be fine, my love," she said as she took the elbow Terrance offered. As they made their way outside she whispered words into his ear.

As the door closed behind them my father coughed to grab my attention back to him. "I'm proud of you my offspring. Not many Alpha's do so well on their first Hunger," he said as he rubbed his cheek against my own. His wolf purred in approval. "I just wish the moon gave you someone from a more progressive pack," he said as my wolf held in a growl. She did not like anyone insulting what was hers.

"It won't be long now, maybe a couple more years," my father said to himself as we went in the direction of the training grounds. "What do you mean," I asked as we continued our walk. "For you to take over our pack as alpha," he said with a smile. The dirt felt good against my bare feet as we took our positions.

"Father! I'm only 18 years, barely out of my juvenile years," I stammered. My father wasn't given the responsibility until the end of his twenties. He chuckled as he looked at me. "Your wolf is progressing much quicker than I was, Iris. I would not give you the pack to run without helping you through the first couple of years. As your father, I will always do my best to support my offspring," he said reassuringly.

"I just don't want to let the pack down because I took on more than I can swallow," I admitted, my wolf wanted to be leader but I had to be logical one in our relationship. "That is a good worry to have. My wolf and I admire that quality. You were never a wolf to kill for sport. Always hunting what you needed but never more than you could carry. The pack sees that in you as well...now," my father said as my heart swelled in pride.

"I love you father. But, I'm not ready. We still haven't finished going over the history of the pack's across the sea," I said pathetically. My father gave me a look. "Even if something were to happen to me, I believe you would make a fine alpha," he said as my wolf purred in agreement.

"But, my mate," I said making my father growl. "All Luna's need a transitional period. Just like any wolf that has to learn the customs of their new pack," my father said. "It would just be easier if I were born a male," I said sadly.

"Offspring, do you think your mother gave me an easy time," my father asked. "Her customs were different from our own. She hated the Hunger. She cursed at me when we forced the future Luna to go through with it, even more so after it was complete," he said. "It took time for her to finally accept what she would be to the pack. Terrance got his lesson much sooner than your mother. Although, your mother faired better than he did," my father said with a small smile of pride. "Philip was able to organize it well," I commented. "Ah, young Sarah's mate. He should have know better than to mess with an alpha-born's mate," my father said. I nodded in agreement as he continued on as he got into his fighting stance. I enjoyed learning and sparing with my father. His movements were becoming more and more predictable as we continued to spar.

I could feel his eyes on me as my mother and Terrance approached us. My father and I had a few new bruises on ourselves. It was nice to get back into training. My mother had banned me from training a week before the Moon Blessing Festival. She wanted me to look presentable to the mate I was destined for. My father, eventually agreed to her demands. Wolves love pleasing their mates.

"How was your walk, my Luna," my father asked as he went to my mother. "Very nice. I think we had a good lesson but I would like a shower now," my mother said as she smiled at my father. I internally gagged at her meaning as my father and her walked away hand in hand.

Terrance and I stood in uncomfortable silence as we regarded each other. I could tell his want to be the Alpha had not wavered and caused a rift in the bond. "Stay out of my head, Iris," he demanded which made my wolf bristle. "Don't tell me where to go, young gamma," I growled as his own wolf bristled. I purposely went into his mind, not deep. I just felt his irritation and anger towards me for being able to be in his mind. He wouldn't be able to do that until he marked me, until he accepted who he was that wouldn't happen. Confusion that any pack would allow a female to be their alpha, we were supposed to be biologically weaker than our male counterparts. The last part made me snarl.

"I only have to stay here a year. Once that is over, I'll either be Alpha or I'll leave. Your choice really," he grumbled as he pushed past me. My wolf snarled at him as his shoulder hit mine in a show of disrespect. "You either accept who you are supposed to be or you can leave and I'll find a more than capable male," I said as he snarled back. His movement was quick as I felt my back against a tree. The rough bark dug into me as I gasped in shock. All the warmth in my body went to my lower belly as I swallowed.

"Quit saying shit like that," he growled as my heartbeat increased. I could feel my eyes dilating in need as my legs opened only slightly. "Then you shouldn't force yourself where you aren't needed," I retorted, feeling my eyes water slightly. His eyes couldn't decide whether to look at my lips or my eyes as his breathing increased. The closeness was making the bond stir. I rose to my toes and pressed my lips against his. His body held me close to him as I deepened it. Terrance relaxed as the bond tightened its hold around him. His wolf purred as his mouth opened for me. I switched positions as I pushed him against the bark. He growled in approval as I felt him melt into me.

His mouth was warm and delectable. I couldn't help the shiver that ran through my body. I wasn't prepared to be pushed away. "Don't use the bond against me," he yelled as his thoughts flooded my mind. "So it's only okay for males to use the bond to their advantage? As if you weren't just trying to manipulate me to give up my position for you to stay," I growled, my canines out. I could sense some of my wolves watching us quietly.

"I will not bow down to some female. Just because you lost control and marked me first doesn't mean you're more than me," he growled out. My wolf didn't like his assumptions as she growled. My feet moved as if they had a mind of their own. My wolf was at the surface as she started to circle this male. She would not allow any wolf to challenge us and win in front of the pack. We worked too hard to gain their respect to lose it now.

"You and I both know whether or not you go home, you won't be Alpha," I said as my canines extended. The wolves of Ironclaw were making their presence known as they started to form a circle. Any chance to see a challenge usually had wolves circling to see the victor.

My nose and lips curled as I growled at him. "I'd rather bow down to my brother than some Western she-wolf who doesn't know where her place should be," he growled out as he displayed his fangs at me. Several of our wolves gasped at his display of challenge. They had learned a long time ago not to challenge me. No one challenges an alpha born Ironclaw wolf.

My wolf was quick with her shift. Exploding from my skin to fur as her jaws locked into his shoulder again. She would not allow her Luna to disrespect her. Terrance's fight was out of him almost immediately as he relaxed in her grasp. Her teeth were not as fierce as she liked to be, his shoulder still tender from the Hunger. She may not like his challenging words but she didn't want to cripple him either. I could feel the bond forcing him to calm down in his mate's grasp. My teeth left his shoulder as I shifted back to skin, my clothes hanging off me in shred. "Do not ever challenge me in front of the pack, again," I hissed in his ear before dropping him to the ground. The wolves that surrounded us grumbled at my mate.

I let out a warning growl towards all of them turned their necks towards me. A few of the Omegas dropped to the ground with their bellies exposed to me, if they had been in fur their tails would have been between their legs.

I spied Phillip watching me with Sarah by his side at the front of the circle. He wasn't wearing a shirt as he displayed fading scratches from his mate. The mark on his neck was too close to the jugular in my opinion but he displayed it proudly. I could smell him on Sarah as she kept her eyes away from my own. Her wolf would not do anything to show aggression towards an Alpha-born without reason. A raw fresh mark was displayed on her shoulder. I felt the acidic taste in my throat as I tried to swallow down my jealousy.