FATED BEYOND THE PACK (rejection and redemption)

"You cannot refuse this union, Foxy. You know that."

Alpha Aric said, his deep voice carrying the weight of an immovable decision.

"Your marriage to my son has been decided since the day I took you in."

I swallowed hard, my heart pounding against my chest. I respected Alpha Aric, loved him as a father, but this was too much.

"Alpha, please..."

I pleaded as I stepped closer.

"You know I love this pack, this has been my father's pack once, you and I know that, and I am grateful for everything you have done for me. But I am not like the others."

I looked away as I tried to fight the tears that's starting to blur my vision.

The last words I said cut down through my throat like it was some kind of a sharp metal I was forced to swallow.

"I've never shifted."

I added, my voice was barely above a whisper.

"I'm not a true wolf."

The silence that followed felt suffocating. A night breeze rustled through the trees, but neither of us moved.

"You are still one of us."

Aric finally said, though his voice lacked its earlier certainty.

"You are Weldon Fox's daughter, yes he is long gone, but for our people your alpha father still lives in you, your blood and your heritage is alone to command respect. This pack needs you, Foxy, Shadow Walker pack needs you to be its Luna."

I clenched my fists, hearing those words from Aric made me sick.

I was once the alpha's daughter, I was so proud of it then, and now I don't even know if the blood and the heritage Aric was talking about even exists.

"Then let me help the pack my own way, Alpha. Do not force me into a marriage with Alaric. He deserves a mate who can run beside him in the hunt, who can fight by his side when the time comes."

Alpha Aric let out a heavy sigh, he rubbed his temple as he stared me down.

"You underestimate my son. Alaric understands your struggle. I know he can be cruel sometimes but what happened last night, the words he said, I promise you he didn't mean any of that."

"Does he?"

My eyes burned with intensity, I tried so hard not to raise my own voice but I just couldn't help it.

"Or does he just feel bound by duty? Or maybe he thinks he had no choice because that's what you tell him to do? Alpha Aric, I loved your son, it wasn't a secret not even to you, but he despise me. And that is enough reason to deny this union. He will resent me, and I will resent myself."

I said, my voice cracked as I tried to swallow the painful truth about what Alaric trully felt for me.

The only man I have come to love, ever since I was just a little girl. Who would have thought that he would despise me, so much that he would refuse even just the mere idea of marrying someone like me?

I managed to wipe the tears the fell down my cheek before turning to face Alpha Aric again.

"Let's go, you have to prepare for the wedding, Foxy. Everyone is waiting for us."

Alpha Aric said with full conviction, I let out another sigh before I followed him as he walked towards the pack house where everyone is ready for tonight's occasion.

We were walking in silence when Alpha Aric stopped, his silver fur rippled under the moonlight, muscles tense as if sensing something was amiss.

I followed closely behind, my heart suddenly started hammering against my chest.

Everything was so fast, I wasn't even able to call for him, and it happened.

I heard a faint whisper of movement from the woods, quickly followed by a sharp whistle.

And before I could even react, an arrow struck Alpha Aric's chest. My whole body trembled as I watched his body jerked, Aric let a strangled growl escaped his throat as his legs buckled beneath him, I felt my whole body trembled in fear and shock when the scent of blood filled the air, it was thick, metallic, wrong...

It was like the night when the lone wolves barged into our cabin, suddenly, the memory of me watching in horror as my parent's life started to drift away played in the back of my head. Like a play in a theater that was too traumatizing to watch.

"No!!!"

I screamed to the top of my lungs, I quickly lunged forward, my voice a desperate whimper, but it was too late.

I didn't have to take a second look or examine the arrow to know how deadly it was, the poison from its sharp blade worked fast, sinking into Aric's veins, twisting his body into violent spasms. His amber eyes, once burning with wisdom and strength, flickered dimly as they found mine.

"Run..."

He rasped, his voice barely audible.

I stood frozen, my breath shallow. I wanted to fight, to tear apart whoever had loosed the deadly arrow, but there was no one. No enemy scent, no rustling of leaves. Only the hollow silence of the trees.

I witnessed how Alpha Aric gasped one last breath and his body stilled. And a void opened inmy chest, swallowing me whole.

I should run.

I should listen to his last command.

But how could I leave him?

How could I leave the alpha of Shadow Waklker pack, the wolf who had guided me since my parents death, the wold who somehow protected me, or maybe even loved me, lay lifeless on the ground.

Who had done this? Who could possibly betray Alpha Aric?

I asked in silence as I let a soft cry escaped my throat. I tried to embrace his lifeless body, I wanted to, but I couldn't move an inch. It was like I was nailed to the ground, unable to think or even take a step forward to touch him.

I watched him silence as the tears rolled down my cheek.

The howl of the pack still echoed in the cold night air, but there was no mourning in them. Only revelry.

I tied myself into a bun before forcing myself to join the others, I wiped the tears from my cheek as I gathered the remaining strength in my system as I watched the others happily dancing as if nothing had happened few hours ago.

A feast was being held right in front of the pack house, flames licking at the sky, their light illuminating the triumphant face of Alaric.

The new alpha of the Shadow Walker Pack.

I sat at the edge of the crowd, the cold air brushed against my skin as I watched them with grief.

Grief to the fact that it almost seemed like no one ever spoke of the blood that had barely dried beneath their paws. No one mentioned the body of their Alpha, lying somewhere in the darkest part of the pack, abandoned like a carcass rather than the leader he had been.

"Why do you sulk, Foxy?"

A voice broke through my dark thoughts, my body froze when I turned to see Alaric, his face grim and his eyes glossy from the light of the fire.

"You look like you lost something important."

He said, my stomach twitched when I saw a faint smirk escaped his lips.

YOUR FATHER DIED! HOW COULD YOU NOT CARE? INSTEAD OF GRIEVING, YOU THREW A PARTY AS IF WHAT HAPPENED WAS SOMETHING TO HUGE TO CELEBRATE?

I wanted to scream at his face, but no matter how I try, i just couldn't.

"I- I did."

I said, my voice barely above a whisper.

"Our alpha. Your father..." I looked away before another tear fell from my eye.

Alaric scoffed.

"Leaders fall, Lyria. It's just the way of the wild. He wouldn't be able to fight it, it's his time to die."

"No!" I growled before turning to face him again I gathered all my courage to meet the intensity of his glare.

"This wasn't nature, Alaric. This wasn't fate. Your father was murdered. You and I know that! How can you just sit around and celebrate instead o-"

Alaric narrowed his eyes.

"Careful, Foxy. That's dangerous talk."

He warned cutting me off. And there I stood in silence, even starting to hate how coward I am that I can't even fight for what's right.

Before I could respond to Alaric, laughter erupted from the center of the gathering, I watched as Alaric quickly stood atop a makeshift throne of stone, his black fur resembled the darness I felt inside my chest and his fangs bared in a grin.

"Look at you all!"

Alaric called out, his voice ringing with triumph.

"Eating, drinking, celebrating. Just as my father would have wanted!"

A few uneasy chuckles rippled through the crowd, but most of the wolves cheered.

I felt bile rise in my throat.

I can no longer take part of any of it.

I stepped forward, pushing past the gathered wolves and I stood before Alaric, the new alpha.

"You think this is what Aric would have wanted?"

I snarled, my voice shaking with anger.

"For his own son to stand over his grave and mock his death?"

Alaric tilted his head, eyes gleaming with amusement.

"Oh, Foxy, you wound me. Do you think my father didn't know this day would come? He trained me to be strong. Strong enough to take the throne and now that time has come, perfect timing for our wedding night."

He said, his voice filled with mockery.

He stepped closer, his voice lowering to a whisper just enough for me to hear.

"You were always his favorite, weren't you, Foxy? Did you love him?"

My breath hitched, but I didn't let him see me falter I met his gaze as I spoke.

"I respected him."

I said through gritted teeth.

"Unlike you."

He leaned back, laughing.

"Come now. What's the point of dwelling on the past? The pack needs a leader, and that leader is me."

"You aren't fit to lead."

I cried.

"You don't deserve his place."

Alaric sighed dramatically, then turned to the pack. "You hear that? Lyria doesn't think I deserve my throne."

His eyes darkened, and his next words sent a shiver down my spine.

"Maybe she wants to challenge me for it. O no... I almost forgot."

He said as yet another smirk escaped his lips.

"You are weak... Your wolf is missing."

A deadly silence fell over the pack house, all eyes turned to me.

I could feel their stares burning into my skin, as I begin to see how mockery started to fill their giggles and laughs while staring me down.

My heart pounded heavily against my chest as I let anger fill my heart in.

I could fight him. I could try. But I know the truth, Alaric may be young, but he was powerful, ruthless.

How could a wolfless female like I am win against the new Alpha?

"I don't want to see you here anymore, Foxy. Now might as well make yourself useful, our wedding ceremony will be tonight, go ahead and prepare."

He ordered with his smug face, my stomach tightened as I watched him close, my eyed filled with confusion.

He made it very clear once and before, he doesn't want to marry me.

"Wh-why would you still want to marry someone like me who according to you is weak and unworthy of being your mate, let alone LUNA of YOUR pack?"

I asked emphasizing every the words.

"What makes you think that I would want to be bound by marriage to someone who hated me the most?"

I added, I immediately looked away as he took a step closer to me, staring me down.

"Hate?"

His eyebrow raised before letting out a mocking laugh.

"I despise you."