The Mark of an Alpha

Turmoil wreaks havoc in my mind. There is an unsettling feeling of loss and insanity that resonates with my wolf.

My wolf claws at my emotions, bite on my thoughts and howls at everyone trying to mind link me.

She wants some kind of peace. Some kinds of silence.

My body is numb.

My mind is everywhere and nowhere.

It is hard to even breathe.

The night that my father died Dr. Graham had me rushed to the infirmary with Andrew trailing behind me. Andrew suddenly became my caregiver, he called the doctor to check on me.

All my energy is drained as I see Dr. Graham. "I need a healer, now!" She yells as she guides us to the private room.

The machines beep and the nozzle connect to me makes a loud wheezing sound as it forces air into my lungs.

The night that my father died my wolf was able to numb the world, quiet everyone that tried forcing their way into my head, and most importantly numb the pain of having my father’s mind ripped out of my life.

Andrew refuses to walk away from me. He sleeps sitting on the seat by my bed as the doctor runs her test.

“Where the hell is her mate?” She snaps at someone when I manage to pull myself out of my unconscious.

“He can’t handle her pain,” Andrew sighs, he sounds more exhausted than I feel.

“Does he think she can handle her own pain? He needs to be here,” her voice is hoarse with sadness.

I welcome the darkness. I do not want to open my eyes and face a world without my father. Without our alpha.

“She needs to wake up soon,” she whispers, “his funeral will be in a few hours.”

No matter how hard I try to force unconsciousness upon me hearing about my father’s funeral pulls me towards the light.

A sob cuts through my throat as my eyes open and Andrew’s red eyes stare back at me. He tries his best to put a smile on his face, but his smile only forces tears out of his eyes.

“Mel,” he half sobs and yells.

Pulling the oxygen mask off my face I stare back at him.

“I-” my heart constricts as I look over at Dr. Graham and her bloodshot eyes and tear-streaked cheeks send my wolf plummeting down.

Away from my core, away from my mind, leaving me all alone to feel everything.

I’m so sorry, Melany. The doctor's mind links me. She is the first person I heard in a while.

Dr. Graham pushes into my mind along with a few others.

The elders will have concluded their discussion and with Alpha Blake’s Last Words they have made a decision.

The alpha has been notified.

Those wolves will pay dearly for taking away our beloved alpha.

Andrew softly grips my hand.

There is a new alpha, someone has taken my father's spot. My heart sinks.

Perhaps this is for the best.

Melany, we don’t have to go! Andrew breaks through.

“I have to,” I whimper. “He died because of me,” I release a shaky breath. “He died because he wanted to save me!”

Andrew shakes his head as his palm pressed against my cheek, “He died because he would rather give his life and join his mate than you die and never have lived.”

“But it is still my fault. I was stupid,” I snap, I was stupid for letting my hormones get the best of me.

“Melany,” Dr. Graham interrupts my thoughts, “I was with your father before he ran after you. He caught wind of wolves descending and he looked for you. When you were out of the packhouse he ordered his Beta and Omega to head into the forest. They were ordered to send back any and every pack member,” she takes a deep breath.

“I was in heat,” I blurt out. "I am the stupid one that didn't want to be mated as soon as I found my mate."

“Is that why you think these wolves were coming?” Her eyebrows furrow as she takes a deep look into my eyes.

I nod.

“They were coming for your father, it didn't matter if you were out there or not. A young wolf wanted to start his own pack and he thought it was easier to go after an older alpha to gain his pack. You just happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time.” That black wolf wanted to get a pack by killing off my father.

“He was also in heat,” Andrew squeezes my hand.

“You saved this pack,” she says, “your father would have gone insane if something happened to you. He barely survived your mother’s death and losing you would have torn this pack apart and be the end of him.”

The cold air whips around us as Andrew helps me into my seat.

Someone has taken care of my father’s burial. I was nowhere near ready and still, am not close to facing this.

We are gathered in the forest. In a small clearing as trees cover us from the world. Chairs are arranged neatly as the Moonless Pack takes their seats to say their last farewells to their leader.

On our way here I heard that Cas and Denis had their burial yesterday.

I was out for two days and forced to wake up for this. A small part of me wished that I would have woken up to pay my respects to them. They fought hard against the rogues. Fought to protect us, me. I am nowhere near to face this so I hope their families understand why I wasn't there.

Cas’ and Denis’ families sit behind us in the second row. Part of me wants to turn around and tell them I am sorry.

Sorry for not being ready to fight when it came to life and death. Sorry for not giving in and giving Cas and Denis a chance.

Denis left behind a mate that is pregnant with his first offsprings. Taking a chance I look back and her once long smooth blonde hair rests on top of her head in a messy bun. Her eyes and nose are swollen red. The circles around her eyes are a deep purple. She glances over at me as her hands rub at her swollen belly.

Cas’ mate is screaming into someone’s chest as her body trembles. The man pulls her up as her knees give and her eyes go to the crowd. A moment ago they were brown now a black orbs stare off at us.

“Get her out of here,” someone next to her snarls. The man carries her into the trees where a howl rips through and my shoulders hang low.

She lost herself to her wolf. The pain of losing her mate must have sent her over the edge.

“Take care of her,” the man says. I have seen him with my father a few times.

His faded black hair is pushed to the side as his mature features settle into an impassive expression. He walks over to the front row and sits at the end of the row.

People make their way towards me and give me their condolences. Dr. Graham takes the seat on the other side of me and puts her arm over my shoulder.

You know if you can’t handle it no one will judge you.

I shrug and sink further into my seat. Andrew wipes his hands on his jeans.

“I will give the speech, Mel,” he swallows loudly. Andrew hates talking in front of huge crowds but he will do this for me because I have no one else.

The elders take their place by my father’s casket - two at the head and foot of the casket.

They all nod at Andrew as he walks up to the podium. His hands tap at his thighs as he licks his lips. His gaze stays above our heads, not wanting to make eye contact.

“Hello everyone,” his shaky voice quiets the crowd. His hands grip the podium tightly making his knuckles turn white. “Alpha Blake’s daughter is not in a place where she can speak with the pack,” Andrew whispers unable to speak louder. “I can’t speak for her.”

His gaze drops and he gives me a weak smile, “But I can say what I had the privilege to see with my own eyes. Julian Blake had many titles alpha, friend, foe, but most of all he was a father.”

The tears whelp up in his eyes only enhancing mine.

“Sure," he sighs, "he had one offspring. One if you get to know her you will see what Alpha Blake stood for. He raised her to be the very best she could be and not fall into the stereotypes. Women can be more than the nurturers of a pack.”

There is a round of applause. My father did what other packs alphas refuse to do. He allowed me to train with his men. It allowed me to rank amongst them instead of forcing me into school and becoming a healer.

“If you were born into this pack Julian was a father to you. We have all endured a loss in our life. Some of you have lost your father in battle and who was there to look after you? Alpha Blake. He was the type of alpha to put his pack before his well being.”

The back of his hand harshly wipes away the tears.

“Most of you know that I lost both my parents on the same night.”

Anger swells in the pit of my stomach and I know where they are. Andrew’s parents stand in the back. Hiding behind a group of people. “They are not dead but they gave up on me. Julian,” he takes a deep breath, “took me in even though he did not have to.”

His eyes drift to me and I give him a trembling smile as more tears gush out.

“I know that not all of you had the privilege to live in the packhouse. Most of you did not get to see the struggle of our beloved alpha. Raising a child on his own and then having an adoptive son later thrown in the mix would drive anyone insane. He hated walking up to the fridge and grabbing the empty milk carton.”

I laugh and nod my head remembering my father knew exactly who was the culprit. Andrew.

“But all joking aside he had to deal with two crazy teenagers. Every night no matter how badly he was hurt he always looked in on both of us. I remember waking up to the door opening and he would look down at me and say, ‘Just making sure you’re safe, son.’ Living under the alpha’s roof I felt safe and loved.”

He loved you so much.

When my words reach him Andrew breaks. His tears rush out and his knees give out. Sam rushes to his side and easily helps him back to his feet.

“I’m sorry! Julian,” he turns to look at my father’s casket, “I’m so sorry,” Sam guides him back to his seat.

My arms wrap around his shoulders and Andrew’s face is buried into my shoulder as he sobs into my shirt.

Yaziel, an elder, with waist-long white hair and faded brown eyes stands up from the head of the casket and makes his way to the front.

“Now I will read Alpha Julian Blake’s Last Words,” Yaziel looks at me.

The patrolmen start shuffling around. They whisper amongst each other. Marcus clears his throat and his eyes shift from Andrew and me. I didn't notice that he was here. I haven't seen him since I pushed him away from me.

“Andrew,” he whispers and nods his head towards the trees.

“What is it?” I hiss at him. There is this indescribable tension between us.

“We have some visitors.” Is all he says as my eyes follow his gaze.

There must be at least twenty of them. All of them stop at the trees. Their dark eyes staring at my father’s casket.

Andrew looks in the same direction. Without thinking I get to my feet and walk over to the patrolmen.

“Ms. Blake,” one of them says but I ignore them and walk straight to the biggest wolf there.

His body is covered in midnight black fur and his dark eyes stare straight back at me. Walking up to him he lowers his head. The rest of the wolves follow his lead and a painful whimper rumbles through his chest.

His fur is smooth as my hand presses against his head. Slowly my hand drops and the wolf's head whips up and a howl burst through the air. The howl ripples through the pack. The wolves before us all howl and off to the distance more howls erupt.

The wolves of the mountain have come to pay their respects to a fallen alpha.

Dr. Graham walks to me and says that they need to get started with my father’s last words. I whisper my thank you and head back to my seat.

The wolves lower down and quiet down as the last words are about to begin.

A wolf’s last words are equivalent to a human’s will. An alpha’s last words are announced at their funeral. This is a way for an alpha to let their pack know that their pack will not fall apart.

Yaziel clears his throat and flips through the pages. When he settles on one his eyes stare at me as if I were the only one there.

His voice is harsh with all the years of ordering and stories he has told;

“Our beloved alpha has fallen. Even after death, he looks after this pack. Here are the last words that he wanted to leave us with: If this is the letter that is chosen as my Last Words this means my Beta, Omega, and I have passed. I want to let Joline and Brenda know that I have set aside money for you two. Your mates were the best warriors I could have asked for. I know in the end they went down fighting. Joline, I have set aside a small cottage for you to raise those young pups of yours.”

Denis’ mate mouths a thank you to the sky and then covers her face as she weeps.

“This was my last resort letter. I have planned out for every outcome and this is what I prayed to the Moon Goddess not to happen. This means that I have no one to fill my shoes. This pack needs someone to take care of them. To watch over them and protect them like a loved one.”

Yaziel shakes his head but continues.

“My beautiful and courageous daughter,” Joline stops her weeping and takes in a shaky breath.

Oh no.

“It is with great sorrow that I tell you this. I know that you never saw this happening but I need you to be brave. I need you to push away the fear that you feel and be brave for you and for the pack that will follow in your footsteps. Red, I want you to understand that I may have never wanted this for you there is not a doubt in my mind that you will do great things with your title. My little girl, my baby, you are now the Alpha of the Moonless Pack.”

“What?” The word rips through my throat as my wolf growls loud in my head.

The wolves around us erupt into a howl as my wolf hurls through my mind.

“Melany,” Andrew’s fingers dig into my arm as I try to regain my balance. The earth is spinning too fast in its axis. Gravity has decided to stop working at this time.

My world is spinning and I do not know which way is up or down. The air has thinned and my lungs fight to keep the little bit of oxygen in my lungs.

Melany is alpha.

A woman alpha.

What was Julian thinking?

She is just a child.

Someone else must be better equipped to take this position than Melany?

The rumble of thunder quiets the voices in my head allowing me to gasp for air.

“Alpha Blake chose his daughter for a reason. She must have proven herself to him and thus entrusted her with his pack.”

Yaziel’s eyes travel through the crowd.

“She is young," too young, "but think about it this way,” he clears his throat, “Alpha Blake’s Beta had his wolf for ten years, he would have been next in line. His Omega had nine years with his wolf. If my math is correct Melany has had her wolf for approximately nine, almost ten years. She lost her childhood to carry the burden that we get as teenagers!”

Someone agrees with him in the crowd.

“We have seen her train. Seen how she follows orders.”

“We’ve seen her disobey orders,” an older man remarks.

Yaziel huffs, “You know...” The elders are conversing amongst themselves as Yatziel glares at the group before him.

I get to my feet, “You know what? Of course, I disobeyed orders. Don’t act as if you listened to your parents your whole life. I had the fortune and misfortune to have a father that was also my alpha. We did not quite see eye to eye but he knew that was part of raising a child. We don’t do everything our parents want.”

Looking over at Yaziel he smiles at me and nods his head, “that’s all the proof that I need.”

The black wolf pushes through the trees and stands next to me. He snarls as if daring anyone to challenge me. His pack steps up and my pack quiets down.

“As of now, I want to introduce to you Alpha Melany Blake.”

Alpha. I am not sure how I feel about this right now.

The cheers and hollers send a shiver through me. Howls erupt from the wolves as the black wolf lowers his head and then makes his way to his pack.

I am the alpha of this pack.

Faces invade my eyes.

A young girl with big eyes gleaming with admiration as she looks up at me.

A little boy with his eyebrows dipped in confusion as he pulls at the shirt of his mother.

The men clap slowly as they whisper amongst themselves.

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You know with this you’re going to have many obstacles in your path.

Yaziel’s words pull my attention to the elders. The men that sit before my father’s casket.

I know. I know but this will show them that females should not be overlooked as just the pack’s nurturers but as a fighter and ultimately as their leader.

Yaziel gives me a small nod and slowly approaches me, “Come here, my daughter.”

His words slightly stun me as he wraps his arms around my body and gives me a tight hug.

“All hail your new alpha,” Yaziel raises my hand as my father’s once pack drop to their knees and bow their heads.

Andrew kneels before me. I can feel his pure love for me radiate out of him. Everyone is here, all except one.