The Sovereign Heir (Book 1)

August 2, 2013

“Princess Elaina, I commend you on your ability with assisting the others in your legion in training. You’ve become a marvel to watch over these years. Your legion loves you like family and you them. Bryant is almost as excellent as you.”

With that I smiled at Elder Olivia as we walked through the flower gardens, “My brother is my heart and always will be. I know one day we will both be mated and living different lives. But we will always have each other’s back.”

“Speaking of mates, I hear the Empress and Emperor were able to hold the hounds at bay for your betrothal until your 18th birthday, which I am glad for. We do not wish for you to be paired to the wrong man, with an eternity of regret.”

“I understand the mating process and its importance. But what if I choose no one? What if I decide to ride the wave alone? Is that being too selfish?”

Olivia composed herself to speak, but I heard her thoughts before she made them audible.

“ It is ultimately your choice, and no one can force your hand, even a destined mate can be rejected. You may be challenged constantly for your throne, but you my dear are more than capable in managing it, that I know.”

“Thank you, Elder Olivia. I truly respect your candor. Thank you for accompanying me to the portal .”

“It is not every day that we send off one such as yourself, becoming a freshman at Stanford University. I foresee you doing remarkable things and expanding farther than any of us anticipated.”

Olivia bowed as the portal opened. I couldn’t help myself and hugged her instead, which caught her completely off guard. She hugged me back as we stood there for what felt like forever once she let me go, I stepped through going home.

“Elaina!” My mother practically screamed and tackled me in a hug. “I missed you too, Mom.”

She held me so tight, like I would disappear. I noticed as I got older the hugs became longer. I am almost as tall as my mother. I was a little over five feet tall at this point at 120 pounds of toned muscle. As fate would have it my body started to mature a little faster. I had a hard core, bigger legs, hips, and a rather large bottom. I wasn’t all too pleased with it at first, especially when it came to pants. If it gets any bigger, I’ll end up with lower back pain forever. But I’d make one hell of a stripper with this body .

“Look at my girl, you look so, so…”

“Just like her mother.” My dad walked in scooping me into a bear hug.

“We have three more weeks with you until the big day. We are going to live it up, Munchkin.”

Scrunching my face with my dad still crushing me. “ Dad, you promised you would stop calling me that when I was accepted to Stanford, uugh.”

“ I know, I can’t help it. You’ll always be my munchkin.”

“Hey, big sis!” Bryant came running into the foyer fist bumping me. He was all dressed in training gear, along with our dad.

“Where are you guys off to?”

“We are going to do some training with Uncle Ken, want to come?”

“Darn right I do!” Of course I couldn’t curse in front of mom, but Bryant got an ear full in the realm.

“Elaina Renaud, you just got here! You’re just going to run off like that, young lady?”

I put my head down sighing. “Okay, I’ll stay in with you, since you really don’t want me to go.” I was guilt tripping the hell out of my mother, waiting on her to cave in. Mom could see the disappointment on my face, she gave in finally! “Alright damn it, you three go , I’ll make lunch. Surf and turf sandwiches and raspberry vinaigrette Greek salads.”

“Woohoo, that will be perfect!” Bryant was super excited for that, so was I. Missing my mother’s cooking during summer training was hard. My grandmother often snuck in treats portaled through by my mother. I don’t think I could have survived without it. Granted the realm food was decent, but nothing like my mother's.

I ran up three flights of stairs to change my clothes before my mother found a way to make me stay. Orbing downstairs instantly next to my dad and Bryant. “Here you go, Munchkin.” My dad hands me a wallet sized box with the cheesiest smile on his handsome face. I shake it and sniff the box making my brother laugh. “ Is it what I think it is?” Ripping the box open, my eyes bulged. ”Wow! black ops tactical gloves. Where did you find these?” I leap on my dad giving him an even bigger hug than earlier. “Well, you know this old man wasn’t always a scientist. I called some old connections and they arrived just in time before your first day at Stanford.”

I put them on at once and off we went through the forest we shared with the Sedena pack. The Sedena pack was one of the largest packs in the United States. Luna Renee and Alpha Ken were not blood, but still family. I can’t say the same for their son Ashton. Ashton was the total opposite of his parents and sister, entitled, obnoxious and arrogant. Thinking about him irked my soul to no end. I loved his sister Nicole, we had so much in common. She encouraged me to pursue my hobby with fashion, by being my model. Even though I hadn’t actually made anything for retail, I had fun making clothes for us.

Ashton was always trying to get my attention, after Bryant was born, he was more aggravating, becoming more mysteriously competitive with my brother. I mean come on now, Bryant was five years younger than Ashton and three years younger than me. My brother and Nicole got along really well, besides me she was his best friend. They were thick as thieves; I wouldn’t be surprised if they are destined mates.

We ran through the forest until we arrived at the training grounds, making sure to keep my pace slower with my father. Bryant was almost as fast as me, with all our training. Bryant and I played a game of leapfrog off of the high tree trunks. We came upon the clearing to see Uncle Ken, Ashton, and Nicole in the middle of the sparing circle. Ashton was next in line to be Alpha, he was going to be a hot mess of a leader, if he didn’t get his shit together. I thank the universe for allowing me to bypass going to school with him. I graduated early due to my high IQ, by twenty one I planned to have my doctorate in advanced genetics and microbiology.

“Princess Elaina, Prince Bryant, your majesty, Emperor Titus,” Uncle Ken said all while bowing. My dad rushed him, doing one of those grown men back slapping hugs. My dad and Alpha Ken were close to the same height, my father having a two-inch advantage. Uncle Ken was bulky, while our father was a lean muscle machine. “Laina, glad to see you joined us for some private training. Nikki has made some impressive advancements thanks to you. Ashton could use a little switch up.”

While both our parents ironed out the details, I could feel Ashton boring holes in me with how intensely he stared. I really tried to ignore it, with my super sensitive abilities, it felt as if he was waving a monstrous red flag in front of me. To be polite I gave him a tight smile for all of five seconds, then turned away. Making the effort to not read Ashton’s mind was incredibly hard, especially with him practically screaming it. “She looks so beautiful; my goddess I can imagine the way she will fill out when she gets older. Her ass is perfectly round. Her hips, thighs and legs turn me on, wonder how they would look on my shoulders?”

Eww, oh my god, he is such a fucking pervert. Granted he can’t help it due to him shifting a little over two years ago. With the shift comes the horny hormones that are completely out of control for the males. As if I would ever consider anything remotely intimate with him. Don’t get me wrong Ashton is very eye appealing, but there is something about him that rubs me the wrong way besides the obvious, something sinister. She-wolves and other supe females throw themselves at him, not me though.

I’m not even sure if I want a mate or even sex for that matter. My agenda is to save us all, becoming the best leader I can, with my brother when my parents step down. That is if he doesn’t run off with his future mate to her territory . My mom was so bummed when Bryce left with his mate to the vampire/witch territory deep in Louisiana. Not only is my aunt a vampire but a hybrid witch. A Voodoo queen to be exact, Aunt Brie ( Brigitte) was the shit, teaching me more to expound on my lessons in the realm. She said my powers with magic alone were nothing she had ever seen before or even documented in ancient texts. “A natural witch has limitless potential, Mon Cher, and you are just that, illimité,” in Aunt Brie’s creole accent.

Alpha Ken or rather Uncle Ken interrupted my thoughts.

Uncle Ken ran down the rotation amongst the six of us. “You guys got it?” in unison we answer, “ Got it.” Uncle Ken and I entered the circle. He lunged missing me several times as I made minute steps out of his reach with great speed, countering every lunge with a hit. I could tell Uncle Ken was holding back as he came in with a left then right hook. I caught him with a gladiator kick straight into his chest, landing him twenty feet outside the training line.

“Oh shit, I just killed Uncle Ken!”, covering my mouth. “I’m sure I didn’t use a tenth of my strength. Dad what do we do?” Just then Uncle Ken sat up, everyone stands, heading in his direction “Whew, I didn’t see that coming, I know you’re still holding back, young lady. We aren’t done yet. Show me what else you got.”

“Are you sure, Unc?? I don’t want to put you in the hospital.”

“Baby girl, I’m an Alpha. I heal faster than any other werewolf; I can take it. Just don’t use 100%, otherwise I’m surely going to be dead. Let’s go!” I gulped, not sure of what to do, looking over at my dad, he gave me a reassuring nod. “Okay , I’m ready!” Uncle Ken was using his full strength, pivoting around me attempting to catch me off guard by placing me in a head lock. Before he could tighten the hold, I step into his left side, connecting a one-inch punch to his torso, his body travelling backwards in a pike. Before he could even land on the ground, I was behind him, knocking him forward. I was in front of him in an instant hitting his pressure points on his inner thighs, dropping him to his knees, both my feet on the sides of his head launching Uncle Ken with me in a backflip. When it was over my godfather was eating dirt.

“I concede, baby girl! You handed me my ass and I’m wolf enough to admit it.” I reached down giving Uncle Ken my hand to help him up. Nikki was excited to learn my new moves. Well, I can’t say they were new but adaptations to video games I played with Bryant. Street Fighter, Tekken, DOA and Mortal Kombat are my best inspirations. Ashton thought his father went soft on me. Truly his father didn’t, he came for me in full blown Alpha combat.

Our rotations went fast. Bryant was up next with Ashton; I didn’t have a good feeling about it. Ashton was butt hurt from losing to me. Bryant had our dad down seventy five percent of the time. While in between sparing , I took Nikki to the side showing her my moves and technique. I appreciated her for being my friend, despite all the she-wolves always glaring at me with distain. I felt rage radiating from Ashton with his face composed.

“I’ll show him and my dad who’s better.”

“Dad, he is going to try and hurt Bryant . Ashton is unstable.”

"Wait, Munchkin, and let's see what happens. If he does anything, I'll stop it."

Ashton went after Bryant in a mad assault. My brother manages his own for a ten-year-old. It didn’t hurt that Bryant was extremely tall with long arms. He countered all of Ashton’s moves.

“He isn’t ?”

“Laina, what?”

“He is about to shift on Bryant!”

Before Ashton could even complete his shift, I shifted in a second jumping between them. By the time I landed, Ashton tried to leap over me to lunge at Bryant, but my wolf was faster, catching him by the throat. I pinned Ashton down. I could hear everyone yelling.

“Bryant, get out of there!”

“Ashton, how dare you attack your godbrother, you know better!”

“Bro, are you freaking crazy! Mom is going to kill you!”

“Ashton, shift back now!” Uncle Ken said in his Alpha authority.

Ashton took his paws trying to push my upper body away. I used my paws pinning him in place before I loosened my grip, allowing Ashton to shift back as I remained in wolf form.

“Holy Shit! When did you get your wolf, Laina?” My dad exclaimed in shock.

“She is much bigger than me and nothing is bigger than an Alpha wolf! My goddess, I’ve never seen anything like it, has she shifted into a Lycan yet?”

“No, not that Delilah and I are aware of.”

Everyone is gawking at me with their mouths open. I pushed into Bryant with my nose talking to him telepathically. “Are you ok? Are you hurt? Talk to me, tell me what’s wrong.”

“Laina, look at yourself, you’re massive! Have you been shifting in the realm when no one is watching?”

“Yeah, I just didn’t want anyone to feel intimidated by me during training, especially you.”

“Never sis, everyone looks up to you even if you think you don’t deserve it, you’re kind, strong with the biggest heart I’ve ever seen.”

I looked at my reflection in Bryant’s eyes. I was huge and definitely bigger than Uncle Ken. Uncle Ken threw a pair of shorts towards Ashton. “Get up, boy, you better explain yourself now!” Ashton admitted he was mad at Bryant for being better in training, especially with my brother being five years younger. He gave a half assed apology, but I heard what he was thinking.

“I’m going to show that little shit I’m better than him, my Dad and Elaina too. She won’t be able to resist me once she turns eighteen. She will be mine, whether she likes it or not. All her training will end once she is my mate and I’m made emperor. I’ll make sure her brother is beneath me!”

What a little sicko, thinking I would actually accept him. After seeing him today, I definitely want nothing to do with him ever! Bryant and Ashton shook hands. I still hadn’t shifted back. I didn’t want Ashton seeing me in all my glory. Ken, Ashton, and Nikki said their goodbyes. My dad and Ken made plans to hunt later next week. My dad was now focused on me. “Elaina, Munchkin, I got some clothes here. Shift back behind the trees.” I took the clothes in my mouth and trotted off. My dad gave me ace wraps for my feet since my shoes were now in shreds. “Let’s orb back home instead of running. Laina, would you do us the honors.” My eyes twinkled and we were back home.

Uproar-Lil Wayne