The sliding door on the back porch slid open quietly with ease. I hoped my father was still sleeping as I crept up the stairs and around the corner to my bedroom. My bedroom was the first on the right in the long hallway that held two other bedrooms and a bathroom. I had my private bathroom that branched off my bedroom so only Avery used the bathroom down the hall. My father's master bedroom was on the opposite side of the house on the first floor with the other bedroom, my father's study, and a master bath. Our house had too much room for only three of us but it was necessary.
Shutting the door to my room, I slowly made my way to the center. I looked at my giant pink bed longingly. I wanted to curl up in it and fall asleep for eternity. I sighed. My toes sank into the white carpet that made up a circle in the middle of my bedroom. I didn't have anything on my walls and I had no pictures of my family lying about either. All I had was my shelf of books and my vanity. Such a big room with a whole lot of nothing in it.
With a huff, I changed into my jeans and a white sweater. I put on some fuzzy white socks since my toes still felt the aftermath of my freezing paws. I sat down looking into my vanity. My wolf's fur was lighter than my hair, a darker brown that waved past my shoulders instead of a creamy blonde color. Most wolves' coloring reflects their human forms but not always. Mine seemed to reflect my mother's blonde hair despite me not inheriting it human-wise.
I had recently cut off a lot of my hair since it was spring. It used to flow down to my waist but now it hung a few inches below my shoulders. My eyes were green-brown like that of a swamp. I envied my sister's ice blue eyes but mine was our mother's. She had walked out on the pack long ago when I was around two years old. She didn't want to be a part of the wolf life anymore and I didn't blame her.
My father had to lead the pack alone. But surprisingly that didn't make our pack any weaker. I missed my mother, but my father was an incredible Alpha. He didn't need her to lead.
Three major packs surrounded the Shade Pack. River Pack, Red Pine, and Owl Pack all ran with pretty much the basic wolf pack hierarchy with Alphas. We also all followed laws enforced by the council. A group of elders from each pack maintained the peace. No one ever defied them and they never died.
I shivered, not wanting to see them again. Not because they were frightening or anything but because they were just old. like OLD OLD. Imagine five wrinkly geezers with black beady eyes staring into your soul as they asked you questions. It was unsettling.
I was about to grab my hairbrush when a sudden knock at the door startled me.
"Aylin, are you in there?" The Alpha's voice was loud and consisted of pure authority. But he was also my father so my daughter's attitude sometimes overruled my wolf's instincts.
"No," I said turning back towards my mirror to put a little mascara on to distract from my puffy eyes.
The door clicked open and I huffed. It was rude to enter without my permission. My father stood in my doorway, his business casual pants and collared shirt that he usually wore seemed a little wrinkled making me feel a little wary at what's got him so stressed out. His dark brown hair was the only neat thing about him at the moment. He stared at me now, his piercing blue gaze making me look away.
"Good morning," I mumbled, getting up to walk to the kitchen. He followed.
"Good morning, I have something I need to talk to you about." My stomach twisted as I sat down at the kitchen island. I felt my appetite fading so I pursed my lips in disappointment.
"I know." I sighed, waiting patiently as he poured himself a cup of coffee. He took a sip and then looked at me. I felt my stomach clench.
"Remember the conversation I had with you about choosing the next Alpha," he began. I swallowed. How could I have forgotten? I wanted to blurt out but stayed silent. "Well, I haven't heard anything about you finding your Bond. Your sister has even found hers and she's a whole year younger than you. I just don't know what would happen if something were to happen to me and you were to be Luna all by yourself." I knew where this was going and I didn't like it. It wasn't my fault that I didn't find my Bond yet. Avery found her Bond within the pack. Mine had to be from another. And that's when it got messy and political.
"I just don't think I could choose any of the guys in our pack to become Alpha if I don't find my Bond. I still have time." I crossed my arms defiantly. "What's wrong with being Luna on my own?" I added bitterly.
"Everything. Once you become Luna the spot opens for Alpha and suddenly you aren't a person anymore, Aylin. You're a prize that comes with the position of Alpha. Not all of the wolves are going to be so kind." I swallowed the bile coating my tongue. He wasn't wrong but he has been Alpha all by himself for more than ten years.
"I don't think-" I began but was cut off.
"I've decided for you." He said sternly. I wanted to punch something right then. I could hear the blood roaring through my ears. Can't he just listen to me?
"I met with the Alpha of the Red Pine Pack and he agreed to an arranged alliance." I froze. That didn't sound good. "The agreement includes a marriage, of course." I couldn't believe what I was hearing. My jaw dropped in disbelief. "He said his son, Noah, hasn't found his Bond yet either." I couldn't grasp what he was saying anymore. It was a nightmare it had to be. No way he would force me to do this. What, were we in the middle ages? I barely knew Noah. He goes to the private school on the edge of town that bordered Red Pine's territory so I never saw him unless we had pack business which we hadn't recently.
"I didn't agree to this," I growled bitterly. I wanted to scream. All my life decisions have been made without my consent. It's not like I wanted to be Luna either. And now I have to be the mate to a guy who probably doesn't even like me?
"Aylin, listen to me. Noah is a nice boy, I met with him and he has the same feelings as you do but he knows it's what's best for both of the packs." My father looked at me pleadingly. He was just worried about the welfare of the pack, not his daughter's well-being. I had to leave this house before my anger took control.
"No." I simply said getting up from my seat. I wasn't going to listen. I couldn't listen. This is one decision I wasn't going to let be made for me. I wanted to experience love not be forced into it as a political arrangement.
"Aylin, it's not your choice. You have until the Festival before it's announced to the other packs." I was already out halfway to the entryway. "Come back here right now!" My father yelled making my wolf cower in submission but I ignored it. I ran to the door needing to talk to Avery. She would calm me down. My father didn't bother chasing me. He knew I'd only run. I slipped on my shoes and slammed the door behind me. Who does he think he is?