A Beta's Second Love

Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Tyler’s POV

            I stood in the parking lot starting at the school. It was three stories tall and the dark gray stone gave it a creepy feeling. Glancing around me, I started to long for my old school and friends. But I had neither anymore.

            Last year, a rouge attack on my old pack resulted in the deaths of over half of us. That included my alpha and his family along with my twin brother. Those who survived moved in with a pack from the north. I wanted to go with my friends, but my father’s brother offered him a place in his pack. Dad told me that Uncle Ralph had one of the strongest packs in the United States.

            Dad and Mom wanted to live with Uncle Ralph in the pack house, but I told them that I didn’t feel comfortable with that. So Uncle Ralph gave us a small house on the edge of the territory. It was surrounded by thick woods, and had a driveway that was almost a mile long.

            My name is Tyler O’Shea. Yes I’m a girl and yes, my parents did give me a guy’s name. But I’m cool with it. Because the pack was so small they didn’t have the up-to-date medical equipment that most of the more successful packs have. The doctor knew that my mom was expecting twins, but she couldn’t tell the sex of either. So she made a guess. Since having twins that were a male and female was rare, she told my parents that mom would most likely have two male boys. But when she had a boy and a girl, everyone was surprised. I was born first and Sam followed exactly five seconds after me.

            Sam was the best brother any girl could ever wish for or want. He died protecting me from a rogue. I shuddered when I realized that tomorrow was not only my 18th birthday, but it would be marking a full year since Sam died. I knew that Mom and Dad would remember soon. Uncle Ralph had done his best to try and keep them busy. I guess he thought that school would take my mind off of it.

            Dad and Uncle Ralph were twin brothers. While Ralph had been born first, Dad came along almost an hour later. Mom would always laugh and say that Dad did things in his own time. No one could make him hurry up. Dad met Mom at a dance or a ball that his pack, the Nightshade, threw. She was the daughter of the alpha from the Sterling Lights. But because Grandpa had an older son to take over the pack, he gave Dad the Beta position because of the alpha blood that coursed through him.

            Mom and Dad used to brag about me and Sam being special. For some reason, with both alpha and beta blood in our veins, when we shifted at 14, our wolves were stronger and larger than any wolf, including Grandpa’s. Since our first shift, we’d only met one wolf that was taller than us. He was the alpha of the Royal Hunters. I didn’t like him at first, but he grew on me a little.

            When Dad used to brag on me, it used to make me so proud to be his daughter. Now, when I remember the words he used to say, shame fills me. Even with all my strength and abilities, my own brother was killed. I was surprised to learn that we were immune to silver, but wolf’s bane would still hurt us, still kill Sam and I. On the day that Sam died a rouge had managed to inject me with just enough of that poison to make my wolf’s strength that of a normal one.

            I knew that my parents were starting to get worried about me. I have almost completely stopped talking, and I spend most of my time either in my room reading or working on Sam’s bike. Dad wanted to sell it, but I refused to speak to him or mom for a month solid until he said I could keep it.

            From the corner of my eye, I could see a wolf streak through the woods. I’ve missed the feeling of running wide open, wind running through my fur and the feel of moist dirt under my paws. Since the death of my brother, the shame that both my wolf and I felt, was just too great. We haven’t shifted since then.

            The ringing of the school bell pulled me out of my thoughts. Grabbing my book bag from the passenger seat, I step out of my truck and slam the door shut. I sigh and make my way slowly to the office. As I made my way down the hall, I could feel the stares on my back. I kept my head down and kept walking. I knew that they could smell my wolf, but because I was a member, albeit a new one, of their pack, they were confused because I didn’t smell like a rouge.

            A couple of jocks let out a wolf whistle, and I pull my jacket closer to me. Uncle Ralph had decided to put off announcing our arrival and acceptance into the pack for a few weeks. He said it was just because he had a lot of duties to attend to, but I knew he wanted to give me time to adjust and settle in. He could give me as much time as he wanted; there was no way I was settling in here. I had already been accepted into a college in north Alaska. My first semester started two months after I graduate. I haven’t told mom or dad yet, because I knew they would freak out. But I needed space. I needed to get away from the reminders.

            Stepping into the office, I hit the little desk bell and waited. I was surprised to see Uncle Ralph’s mate pop out of the office down the hall. She smiles when she sees me but I just keep my face blank. “Tyler.” She says opening a file. “Just the girl I was looking for. Here’s your schedule for the year, your locker number and combination.” She says as she hands me two pieces of paper.

            I glance down and growl softly when I see that math is first. “Your uncle said that you would be here this morning. Though, if it had been me, I would have waited to start on Monday.” She drones on and on. I wince at her perky tone. No one should be allowed to be this perky in school and this early. I give her a weak smile and turn to leave.

            “Tyler.” She calls out and I turn around. “Yes Luna?”

            “If you need anything during the day dear, just call on me. I’ll see that you get what you need. Oh, and just call me Aunt June. We’re family after all.”

            “Yes Luna.” I mutter to low for her to hear. I hurry out of the office and down the hall. I’ve never used my locker and I wasn’t going to start this year. I was looking at my schedule when I crashed into a wall. I feel back, landing hard on my butt. Looking up, I look right into a pair of stormy blue-gray eyes. His dark brown hair made his eyes pop. I quickly lower my eyes and pick my things up. I could feel him watching me as I make my way down the hall, this time keeping my eyes on the people around me and not on my schedule. It was a miracle that I found the room.

            As I opened the door, the voices inside stopped. Stepping into the room, I was welcomed by dead silence. Walking up to the teacher, um Mr. Darcy, I hand him my schedule. “Ahh, so you’re Tyler. Welcome to my class.” He smiles and then looks around. “Well Ms. Tyler. There are two seats open. One is by Mr. Jonathan Page, and the other is in the back of the room. Take your pick.” He says and signs the back of my schedule.

            I look at the first seat. The guy, Jonathan, was smiling at me. I mentally shudder. No thank you. Walking to the back of the room, I slide into the desk. Looking around the room, I almost start laughing at the look of disbelief written on Jon’s face. He must get what he wants every time. I sigh and listen to Mr. Darcy has he drones on about the rules and what not. This day I can already tell is going to be long.