The large two story house sat right in the middle of the houses and stores with roads crossing the grounds while trees hung over them to make a very shady Pack house. Within the town that was hidden away from the real town roamed hundreds of werewolves left in right as they walked and drove the streets of their town. I watched as we drove further towards the larger house as small packs of wolves crossed from the tree line towards the people who walked the streets doing their normal lives duty. If I didn't feel so scared to death, I would have commented on the beauty and health of this large growing pack otherwise.
"Nathan," I looked up at Beta Duke again, fearing it would be my last time before he drove off and never came back for me, childish thoughts but still very real thoughts that lingered dangerously. "Just be yourself." Simple words filled the car before doors began to open from the passenger and driver seat before I clicked my door open and got out of the car. The smell of the pack's unique scent washed over my nose as Ash made his presence known in my head; ready to fight or run if needed.
I followed Beta Duke as we crossed from the grovel to the nicely clean cut grass to the sidewalk that led to the gleaming doors of the pack house. Duke stood at the door looking more stressed then I was as he rocked back and forth while we waited.
"Are you good?" I questioned as I raised an eyebrow. "You are looking worse than how I feel." The comment radiated off as a light joke but still struck a small nerve that seemed to push Beta Duke over the edge.
"It's gonna be weird,' He barely whispered as he glanced anywhere but near me. "Two years flew by so fast. Now it's just gonna be so- different." The silence that followed his words were louder than any cry of anguish to ever been heard.
"I will come back," I simply said. "You guys will always be my family, even from hundreds of packs away." I hated feeling this drowning feeling that consumed me with doubt. The thought That I would never see Duke, Luna or even Blue was such a hard weight that I had been carrying for months but now the moment had come with the full weight and no relief.
"Good, good." He sighed, more to himself than anyone else. The pack door swung open revealing a very happy middle aged man. The first thing I noticed was his bright white smile that made his sun tan skin glisten while his blue eyes gleamed like the ocean waves as he welcomed us with open arms.
"Duke! So good to see you!" He laughed lightly as both tall men gave a burley hug.
"Good to see you too, old dog." Duke smiled brightly at his old childhood friend as they shared a silent moment with each other. "This here," Duke wrapped his arm around my shoulders as I gave an awkward smile towards the newer man by the door. "Is Nathan, the one I was telling you about." Duke gave a light squeeze to my shoulder as a fearful shiver ran down my spin.
"Nice to meet you Alpha Bru." I slightly bowed my head in respect towards the Alpha but not once did I meet his eyes. I felt his Alpha wolf presents linger longer then it should have been for the air became once more breezy and free of any Alpha dominance.
"Nice to meet you as well." The alpha hummed. I looked at the hand that was being offered in a more human greeting than submitting but I couldn't bring myself to lift my hand, to even think to touch his hand at all. I squeezed my knuckles until each finger popped as I swallowed deeply in fear of what would come next, I then without a second thought, lifted my gloved hand and shocked firmly with the simple smile on my face. Duke looked at me with his all knowing look as he watched my gloved hand slip away from the Alpha hand without a moment to spare. I knew what Alpha Bru was expecting, a boy needing a Beta title that needed more baby care than any at all. But I refused to fold into what people thought of me and rather find a newer solution to my problem.
Like physical touch, I learned quickly that I hated any sort of skin to skin contact so I came up with a solution of wearing gloves whenever I'm out. I refused to be the odd one that needed to be pitied for the rest of my life. Alpha Bru had glanced down at my gloved hand, but never asked the question that danced within his eye, but that didn't stop his smile to falter for a second.
"I think you will love my son, he has the same vibe you give off." Alpha Bru laughed as he turned and walked further into the pack house.
"Did you hear that?" I questioned Duke with a raised eyebrow. He returned swiftly with both of his eyebrows raised as he awaited my answer. "I give off a vibe." I stirringly say, almost like Beta Duke should be jealous.
"A vibe?" Duke questioned the topic altogether as we walked further into the large homeroom area that was filled with seats of all sorts. "I think he meant a mood, Nathan. You are a full fledged mood." The weight of stress from this meeting seemed to lighten a bit as I got swift glances and small smiles from random pack members that crossed my path.
"Are you jealous?" I question. As we entered a kitchen area figures that smelled with more dominance lingered more than the other lower roles. I smelled the Luna closest as I made eye contact and smiled at the small Mexican mom that quickly made her way towards us.
"Well hello there!" She exclaimed as she latched towards her husband. "Welcome, welcome!" Her hands were full of some form of batter as she brisked it gracefully. "I am Luna Sof, It's wonderful to see you again Beta Duke!" Then she glanced at me, her small size inches smaller than my 5'9 but she couldn't be shorter than 5' 5. Her bright green eyes glistened as she took in my baggy sweatpants, black turtleneck with the gray hoodie that hung loosely. The gloves on my hands didn't give her the best impression of me as I seemed to have looked like a thief who was trying to get away with it. I gave her another gentle smile then nodded my head in respect of her role. She smiled a little brighter before glancing back at her husband once more. "And you must be Nathan." she hummed in knowledgment before turning towards the kitchen and calling out something in spanish.
I felt this dreadedness sweep over me as I stood rigid in fear. Something was wrong, or at least wasn't right. My wolf paced in my head as I stood a light straighter, I felt I needed to rub the shiver that rushed me in waves, away before it swooned me over.
"Nathan?" I looked at Beta Duke as he glanced my way. He had to sense the feeling that began to radiate off of me as impulses of fear and dread spread through the room.
"I don't know. " I muttered the answer to the unspoken question. I rubbed my arms back and fourth before the presents of my anxiety appeared. Two figures appear by Luna Sof's side, shadowing her figure as the teen boys laughed at something someone said.
"These are my sons, Axel and Grain." I stopped moving, I stopped breathing. The air that once filled my lungs now wrapped around my throat and tightened at every heated second that passed. In front of me, stood a very tall boy with blue eyes and a goody smile. His brownish bangs hung loosely around giving him the more immature look rather than the next to be Alpha look. The other boy who stood a little shorter was less relaxed. The boy was more burly than Axel but less thick in the muscle area of his arms and chest. His bright blue eyes pierced mine as I fought to lunge at him. This boy, the boy who cost me everything, the one who told the Alpha and betrayed me and the future Alpha. In front of me stood Grain Bryce, the traitor.