Orphaned Mate

Chapter 3

       It didn't take Alec and I long to reach the Pack House. Once inside, he stood beside his father at the front of the room, and I settled in beside Jace. Jace changed a lot too, when he went through puberty. He became taller, and more broad and muscular. He made himself fit enough to be a proper Beta with all the training him and Alec do together. He had he the same hair color as me, but he got our father's chocolate brown eyes. He wasn't as tan as Alec, but he was definently tanner than me. 

Once the pack was ready for the meeting, Alpha Dominic's spoke up, "As you all may already know, we have a few promotions to take care of today." 

       He turned to look at us, signaling for Jace. Jace stood in front of our Alpha, practically shaking from excitement. Alpha Dominic smiled down at him, knowing how much Jace has been looking forward to this day. 

"Jace Hartman, although you will not be the acting Beta right now, you are promoted to Beta, as of this moment. You will begin learning the skills and responsibilities a Beta will need to know by shadowing our stand-in Beta, Keegan. Once my son becomes Alpha, you will become the acting Beta. Serve this pack with honor."

My brother smiled from ear to ear, and nodding his head in thanks to our Alpha. My brother returned to stand by my side, signaling me to stand in front of the Alpha. Now, it was my turn.

"Willow Hartman, due to your obvious abilities to protect this pack, you will be promoted to Head Warrior, as of this moment. You will become acting Head Warrior tomorrow. Serve this pack with honor. "

       I smiled a gracious smile at my Alpha, and he returned a smile. I headed back to my spot beside my brother. The Alpha closed the pack meeting, and the pack began doing the chores, with the exception of Jace, Alec, and I. The Alpha mind-linked us to request that we meet him in his office. The three of us walked together, entering his office at the same time. 

He looked at Alec and I, "Even though you two have already had a run for today, would you three be willing to join me on one?"

The three of us smiled in unison, and replied with our various forms of yes. It wasn't often that the Alpha requested a run, especially during chore time. 

"Great" the Alpha said, and we all began walking outside and to the woods. 

       Once reaching the edge of the forest, we all stripped and shifted quickly. I always looked like the odd man out, when I was in wolf form. Jace had a more gray coat, while the Alpha Dominic and Alec both had brown coats. We started with a light run, heading into a part of the forest that we didn't visit much. I wasn't even acting Head Warrior yet, but I was still keeping myself prepared for anything. Alpha Dominic noticed this, and mind-linked only me. 

"Relax, Willow. We aren't being attacked, and haven't been for a very long time. You have nothing to be wary of," he said. 

I simply nodded in his direction, and tried to visibly relax.

       After a while of our light run, his ears stood up, turning towards the East. His head snapped in the same direction, causing worry to creep up into the pit of my stomach. Seconds later he took off into the general direction, and I struggled to keep up. 

I mind-linked the Alpha, "What are you doing? Please slow down. Alpha, what is it?"

"Another wolf is here, not from the pack," was the quick response I received.

       I was running as fast as I could, somehow managing to keep up with him, but Alec and Jace had fallen too far behind. They weren't even in range for any of my senses to pick up on their location, and I was too focused trying to keep up with the Alpha to mind-link them. We closed the distance between ourselves and the unidentified wolf in our area, coming into a small grassy clearing. The gray and tan wolf stood there, looking back at us.