"Crap! I'm so dead." I hissed as we drove home from the mall.
"Relax Amaya. Calm down." Ashley said as she tried to calm me down. How could I calm down? Dad was going to be so mad.
"How can I calm down if I was supposed to be home an hour ago?" I asked angrily as I glanced at the passing forest.
"I'm sure it's fine Amaya. It's not like you had to be there. I'm sure your father and brother can manage without you." Sage said as we finally saw the packhouse come into view.
"Dad told me to come back in time to welcome the council members, this will not look well." I said as I shook my head.
"They aren't even here yet." Sage pointed out as we arrived in the empty driveway.
"I am not meeting them in this." I said angrily as I pointed at the clothes I was wearing. "It would be rude if I just showed up in casual mall clothes." I told my friends as I quickly jumped out of the car and stormed off.
'As if you care about what you're going to wear.' Ares chuckled in my head.
Of course I hated wearing all that formal attire, but I didn't want to embarrass my dad. I was a dutiful daughter with a rebellious side.
Just because I did what was needed didn't mean I wanted to.
"Amaya!" I heard my mom call out. "You're finally back!"
"Hey mom, sorry about that." I said, walking over to her, scratching the back of my head. I was ashamed to be so late.
"It's alright honey." Mom said with a smile as she hugged me. "Your dad decided that the future alpha of the Shadows Pack shouldn't be dressed in something pink and frilly."
The way mom described one of my more formal gowns made me laugh, pink and frilly was true. Although I rarely wore that one.
"Mom, you and dad both know that the chances of me becoming the next alpha are very low." I told her with a frown.
Mom simply shook her head and sighed.
I knew that everyone wanted me to be alpha, even my brother who should want the position wanted me to be alpha, but that wasn't the way our world worked.
"Mom, I'm a female, I will meet my mate and I will have to be his Luna." I said with a sigh as I turned and left.
It was a truth that everyone should have accepted by now. There have been very few female alphas, most taking power because of unfortunate circumstances.
'It's as if the moon goddess only places female alphas when tragedy strikes.' Ares says in my head, making me frown.
'We both know that we are meant to be alphas.' I told her. 'But that's not how life works, that's not how werewolf society works.'
My room is on the fifth floor of the packhouse, that's where the alpha and his family lives.
Unlike other original packs, we chose to live in the packhouse. Other alphas have a separate mansion.
My ancestors thought that to properly lead their people they should be as close as possible to them, that's why we live in the packhouse.
The fourth floor houses the guest rooms for visiting alphas and other dignitaries.
In the case of tonight's council meeting we know that not everyone gets along, so I'm sure that my mother has also prepared the third floor guest rooms.
Third floor houses additional guest rooms and some rooms where stray members of our pack can live. Most are single members looking for their mates or warriors.
For some reason our pack warriors prefer to live in the packhouse rather than with their families. According to my father this is because of who we are as alphas. We are a warrior pack, one that has always been strong when it comes to fighting.
As I step into my bedroom I am shocked to find what my dad wants me to wear. I thought it would just be a simple dress that would closely resemble a business attire, but what I had in mind was different from what was in front of me.
Hanging on a coat stand was a formal military uniform in the darkest shade of black possible, a symbol of the Alpha of the Shadows pack, with silver accents in honor of the moon goddess.
I walked towards it, leaving my door slightly ajar. I touch the delicate fabric,brushing my hand on the gold and silver medals.
'It's gorgeous.' Ares coos in my head.
I wiped a tear from my eye, not realizing that I had begun to cry. How could a simple piece of clothing suddenly turn me into an emotional mess.
"Ah, you've seen it." My brother, Merrick says as he passes my room.
I turn to find him leaning against the door frame with a cheeky smile on his face.
"It's- it's-" I stutter, I'm at a loss for words, I can't believe that my dad had given me this.
"Gorgeous, overwhelming?" Merrick said with a laugh as he came over and hugged me. "You deserve it Amaya. You deserve all of it."
"Aren't you hurt or offended?" I ask as I wipe away the tears from my eyes.
"Amaya, you've known me my whole life." Merrick says as he looks at me. "When have I ever wanted to be alpha? Even Apollo has no desire to be alpha."
My brother was right, I knew for a fact that his wolf never felt like an Alpha. As a matter of fact when I teased him for being alpha his wolf would correct me.
"This uniform. . ." I begin to say as I walk up and touch the fabric.
"It's the uniform of the future alpha, of all future alphas of our family." Merrick says with a nod.
"You and dad planned this?" I ask.
"Of course." Merrick says. "I convinced dad to give it to you for your birthday. He wanted to, but he was worried that I would get offended. I swear, everyone keeps thinking that this alpha title means something to me when it doesn't."
"Merrick, I can't be alpha." I tell him again with a frown.
'You were willing to accept the role when you saw the uniform.' Ares hissed in my head.
'A lapse of judgement.' I told her. 'It won't happen again. We can't hope for things that aren't ours. The title of alpha belongs to Merrick and Apollo.'
"Right." Merrick said with a wink as he left the room.
I take a deep breath and sigh. This uniform symbolizes the next alpha or the shadows pack.
If I wear it, it tells everyone on the council that I am my father's heir.
'And what if we don't wear it?' Ares asks.
'Then it would be telling them that there is no heir to the Shadows Pack.' I tell her with a sigh.
'Amaya, which is more dangerous, the Shadows Pack having a female for a future alpha or having no future alpha at all?' Ares asks me.
I already know the answer, and she does too.
Having no chosen heir makes us vulnerable both to enemies outside of our pack and to those within our pack.
If I do not sit at that meeting in this uniform it means that the title of alpha is there for anyone to take.
'Think of our pack Amaya.' Ares reminds me.
I sigh as I pick up the uniform and go to change.