The Alpha's Daughter

Chapter Two

            “Welcome! Welcome! Welcome!” A girl shouted at the group of us. Upon arriving to the camp we were all shuffled into a big building with bleachers on one side and a stage at the other. They called it Mass Hall.

            The woman standing on the stage looked about twenty-five and had bright red hair and a large nose that seemed to twist to one side. She was small and used big hand motions to make up for her size, because of this she was almost comical to watch.

            “Welcome new and old wolves to Camp Luna! Here you will connect with wolves from all over the country and will learn our history, religion, and government system while enjoying your stay that is jam packed with fun activities!”

            “I so don’t want to be here,” a girl behind me whispered. I put my hand to my cheek and sighed, at least I wasn’t the only one being forced here by their parents.

            “First things first! We want all of you to get to know each other. There are just over one hundred members this year, and we believe it’s important for everyone to know each other! Wolves are pack animals after all!” There was a scattered chuckle but obviously she had been hoping we’d all laugh.

            She cleared her throat and said, “I’m Shelly, lead camp director. Shane is our creative advisor, Kim handles the housing problems, our cooking team is over there, and Mr. Potts is our teacher here.” She waved her hand at a group of people standing around the stage. They didn’t look overly excited, but who was at seven thirty in the morning?

            Shelly clapped her hands together and shook her hair out of her face before turning back to us all. “To start off, I’d like you all to go around and talk to as many people as you can!” When no one moved Shelly added, “The one who can name the most people at the end gets a prize!”

            Suddenly people were up on their feet, talking and laughing with each other. I stood up and rubbed my hands on my jeans, wishing Ryan was here with me. He was a lot better with people.

            “Hi,” a girl said next to me, “I’m Redly.” I smiled at her and offered her my hand. She shook it and smiled back. I was suddenly relived she had singled my out, if not, I would have remained standing alone.

            “Ebony,” I introduced. I looked Redly over, drinking in the finer details. She was tall and curvy with brown hair that just met her shoulders and solid brown eyes. She seemed nice, normal. As I dissected her she seemed to be doing the same with me.

            “Choice or force?”

            I laughed, “Force, you?”

            “Choice,” she said with a smile. “Last summer it was force, I chose to come back.”

            “Did you have fun?”

            Redly shrugged, “No, but I learned a lot. And not everyone was terrible I guess.”

            I nodded and looked around, girls seemed to be cliquing while the boys were still straying around the outside, not eager to enter the madness just yet. Redly and I stood awkwardly together, neither knowing how to make the conversation last.

            “I’m Christie,” one girl said, coming up to Redly and I. She had all the assets of a Barbie—minus the blonde hair. Her smile was acidic as she scanned me, I could tell by her expression she was regretting coming over here. “Yeah…”

            “Ebony,” I introduced.

            She raised an eyebrow, “Interesting.”

            I felt my smile drop a degree, “What’s interesting?”

            “Your dye job,” she said, pointing to my bangs. A strange smile crept onto her face while she flipped her brown hair over her shoulder. Everything in me wanted to do something to wipe the smile clean off her face.

            “My hair is naturally like that,” I said in defense. I should have let it go, but it wasn’t in my nature. I didn't like be challenged. My hair was naturally like that, it was a trait I had earned from my mother.

            She scoffed, “Yeah right. Blonde hair and black bangs? Like I believe you.” I crossed my arms over my chest and set my jaw, not liking the way she was talking to me. Unfortunately, the alpha blood in me made me really hate being talked down to.

            “Look, I’m not going to start shit with you on the first day. You don’t want to believe me? Fine. Don’t. Just don’t make a big deal out of it, swallow my words, smile, and leave.”

            Her jaw popped open and she looked like a fish as she tried to reclose it with no success. “You shouldn’t be so rude to people," she said ironically.

            I shrugged, “Sorry.” After a moment she turned her nose up and scampered off, probably to tell the other girls to steer clear of me.

            “That was pretty rad,” Redly said with a grin, “I’d never have the guts to say any of what you just said.” I could tell by her aura that she wasn't a high ranking wolf, of course she wouldn't have the personality to stand up for herself.

            “You can’t let people push you around,” I said, absentmindedly.

            She nodded, “Yeah, I guess not.” We sat down together, neither of us interested in talking to anyone else. We decided to room together since we only knew each other. Redly was quiet, but insightful. I wasn’t sure if she was quiet because she didn’t know me that well yet or if it was because being inverted was in her personality.

            After ten minutes of solid chatter Shelly waved her hands around her face frantically, trying to gain our attention. Once everyone had quieted down, she smiled and picked a volunteer who tried to name most of the people present.

            The winner was a short guy with black hair who had named fifty-seven people. How his memory permitted him to do that, I had no idea. His prize was first pick of the cabins which was something we all envied him for.

            “Great! Now that we’re all a little more comfortable with each other I think it’s time we play some games! Everyone out to the field!” Shelly informed us that she and a few others would be coming around asking us to pick our cabin mates. Redly and I had decided to stick together.

            There was a stampede as people rushed out of Mass Hall and spilled into the field just outside of the building. It was easily the size of two football fields and was surrounded by trees on three of the four sides. In the middle people were gathering, putting on coloured vests and shoving each other around playfully.

            Redly nudged my shoulder and said, “Wait until you see these idiots, they go full out when we play games.”

            A Frisbee had been thrown into the middle of the field and already teams were being drawn. I looked around, wondering where I’d be placed. Redly and I walked over to the group of people being separated into teams.

            “Blondie!” a boy shouted at me, “Let’s go!” I caught his eye and raised an eyebrow. He was tall and wide with sandy brown hair and brown eyes. He smiled at me, making his eyes squint.

            “I have a name,” I said as I approached him. 

            He looked me over once, unashamedly, “I bet you do.” He threw me a blue vest and I laughed as I pushed past him, no longer feeling the need to concern myself with him. I looked over my team and smiled. We were pretty stacked so I doubted I’d have to do much.

            “Mine!” I heard someone shout. Everyone looked over to see two people embracing and I felt my stomach contract. I had forgotten a lot of wolves came here in hopes of finding their mates.

            Everyone clapped for the newly mated pair and I found myself doing the same. The male wolves backed off a few steps, giving them room and time to get acquainted. Shelly, who was beside herself in joy, ushered them off the field so they could be together and talk.

            What seemed like a big deal to me, was a normal occurrence here at Camp Luna. Everyone turned away after a few seconds as though their newly found bond was nothing important.

            The same boy from before walked over to me, apparently he had read the confusion on my face. “Mates find each other here all the time, it’s nothing to get excited over. Well unless some totally scandalous mating happens.” He grinned down at me, “I’m Ethan by the way, and hell, do I wish I was your mate.”

            I scoffed, “Yeah, right.” I tried to be nonchalant, but I could feel my cheeks heating up slightly.

            “Aren’t you going to tell me your name?” he asked, feigning hurt.

            “No.”

            “Game on!” Shelly shouted and then everyone was moving wildly. I was never one for team sports, I liked to run by myself and that was pretty much it. Our team scored and everyone cheered. I clapped a few times just to keep up appearances even though I could really care less.

            Redly caught my eye and waved, she was on the opposite team. She stuck her tongue out at me and did a small dance of victory. Apparently she wasn’t as shy as I had thought. I felt my wolf respond to the challenge and suddenly I was moving, trying to get open.

            Ethan, who had the Frisbee, looked my way and grinned. The plastic disk flew my way and I held out my hands, ready to catch it. Just before it was about to touch the tips of my fingers, Christie intercepted the pass and caught it between her red nails. She grinned at me briefly before launching it back up the field.

            “Gotta be a little sharper,” she said with a smile. I narrowed my eyes at her and said nothing. I tried to play it off cool but I was too pissed to come up with something witty. I knew I’d probably think of something to say to her later tonight when I was alone and when it was too late.

            “Nice miss,” Ethan yelled at me. I flipped him off and ran back up field, trying to make up for the play I had lost. Another ten minutes into the game and my team was up by one. Things were growing intense as the touch game had turned to tackle.   

            Ethan was tackled by a blonde boy and then another three boys joined them in a doggy pile. Girls whipped each other to the ground using their nails as weapons and the rest of us tried to avoid being hit.

            “See?” Redly said, jogging over to me, “Didn’t I tell you they get intense?”           

            I laughed, “Barbaric is a better word.” My laughter was cut short as someone threw the Frisbee at me. I caught it out of reflex and took my three steps before launching it to some girl I had never met. She caught in in the end zone and my whole team went wild.

            After that boost of confidence I was able to attack the game with a newfound hunger to win. I scored point after point and set up play after play. Unfortunately, the other team was just as good.

            When it came down to the final minutes of play, I had it all worked out in my head, the perfect path to victory. The play I set up was golden, and would have worked out perfectly if he hadn’t of gotten in my way.

            I was running to set up the last assist of the play when I ran into him, not even seeing him in front of me until my nose was smashed up against his chest. My first thought was that I had run into an electric fence because tiny bolts of electricity were jumping all over my skin.

            Butterflies ravaged my stomach and my palms and cheeks instantly heated up. I felt my jaw move as I tried to speak but I couldn’t even handle taking a step back. Finally, two hands clamped down on my shoulders and pushed me away.

            I looked up at deep blue eyes, like the ocean at night, and felt like I was disconnected from my body. Time seemed to stand still as my ears tuned out the sound that was flying around me. It was me, and him. And that was it.

            Looking at his face at that moment, everything about him seemed perfect. He was everything and I knew I’d be only half a person without him. He was my past, my present, and my future. All in one. He was mine.

            And just as I was about to declare him as my mate, his hand clamped down over my mouth. “Don’t you dare.”

            Instantly, my dizzy thoughts and raging feelings dampened to cold dread. He didn’t seem so perfect anymore. He wasn’t ugly, but he wasn’t exactly handsome either. He was intimidating.

            He removed his hand, plucked the Frisbee out of my hand, threw it down the field and then ran off. I turned on my heel, watching him go. Was that it then? The magical moment of the mating bond was over?

            Much to my dismay my eyes stung and my nose prickled. I cried when I was frustrated and I hated it. I sniffled a few times and walked back towards my half of the field, barely aware that the other team had won the game.

            Ethan ran over to me and said, “What the hell happened? I thought you had that.”

            “I did,” I said dryly, “Until that guy took it out of my hands.”

            “Who?” Ethan said, looking around. I stared over his shoulder at the guy who had stolen the Frisbee at me, the guy who was supposed to be my mate. Ethan followed my gaze and said, “Axel?”

            I felt a shiver run down my spine at the name. It was just as intimidating and unfriendly as he was. “Yeah.”

            “He’s kind of a jerk, he doesn’t talk to anyone,” Ethan said, narrowing his eyes at the guy. “I was here last year and so was Axel, we don’t get along, per say. I'm not really too sure why he even bothered coming back, it's not like he spoke to anyone anyway."

            I shoved my hands in my pockets, “Whatever.” I pushed past him, feeling the tears sting my eyes again. I wanted to leave this stupid camp, I was embarrassed and hurt.

            “Everyone!” Shelly yelled, “While you were playing we took into account who you all asked to be paired with for living quarters and drew up a diagram for you all to find your cabins! Everyone please come and get a map of the ground and find your name on your cabin!”

            Maps were handed out and I managed to grab one without being trampled. I searched for my name and found it fast, Ebony Evers wasn’t a name you missed easily. I was in a cabin with Redly, much to my relief.

            “We’re together!” Redly said, walking over to me, “But Christie and Paula are beside us.” I looked down at the map and frowned. Of course they’d be stuck beside us. I felt my heart skip a beat when I noticed who was beside Christie. Axel was staying in a cabin by himself, no partner.

            We grabbed our things and headed over to our cabin, trying to memorize the way to get there. Redly told me that the year before her cabin was on the other side of the grounds so she wasn’t too familiar with this part of the camp.       

            Christie caught our eye as she walked into her cabin and narrowed her eyes in response. Apparently she wasn’t too thrilled being stuck beside us. I couldn’t help as my eyes strayed over to Axel’s cabin. There was no sign anyone was in it. The curtains were drawn and the lights were off, everything about the small wooden building screamed ‘leave me alone.’

            “Shall we?” Redly asked, indicating to our door. I smiled and fished the key we had been given out of my pocket and unlocked the door. The inside of the cabin smelled like pine and dirt. 

            A bed was pushed against the two far walls with a window above each one. Beside each of the beds was a small nightstand with drawers for our clothes. The only other things in the room were two small desks, a big shaggy rug, a small skylight in the ceiling, and a tiny bathroom to the left.

            “Cozy,” I mumbled.

            Redly laughed, “You get used to the size.” I took her word for it as we both started to unpack, sharing little things about ourselves as we did.

            “My dad’s an Omega,” Redly said, not sounding bitter in the least. I frowned, Omega was the lowest rank in the pack. Omega wolves had to eat last, attack last, and were the punching bags of the pack.

            “Oh,” I said trying to make my voice light, “You don’t mind?”

            She shrugged, “Not really, my pack isn’t overtly terrible to him.” She folded a few pairs of jeans and looked over her shoulder at me, “How about you? What’s your rank?”

            I suddenly felt guilty, “My Dad’s an Alpha,” I told her.

            She nodded slowly, “I could tell. You’re one too, right?”

            I blushed, “Yeah.”

            She laughed, “You don’t have to feel bad for me, Ebony. I’m cool with my rank. It’s no big deal. I wouldn’t touch the alpha position with a stick, no offense.”

            I laughed, “None taken.” I was liking Redly more and more. I decided to change the topic to something else, “You mated?”

            “Nope,” she said, “If I was, would I be here?”

            “I guess not,” I mumbled, chiding myself for not realizing beforehand.

            “How about you?” Redly inquired, a smile in her voice. “Are you mated?”

            Instantly I was defensive, “No,” I snapped, “What makes you ask that?”

            “I was joking,” she said, holding up her hands. It was in her nature to be submissive, especially to me. I felt guilty right away for pulling rank, I wanted us to be friends. It was bad enough most of the people in my pack were half afraid of me, I wanted things to be different here.

            “Sorry,” I mumbled, running my hands though my hair, “Touchy subject.”

            She nodded, “Don’t want a mate?”

             “No.” I felt as though knives had been stuck down my throat. It wasn't that I didn't want one, it was that he didn’t exactly want me. 

* * * 

Hey everyone! 

Here's the second chapter, hope you enjoyed it! It would have been up earlier but I had an unbelivably busy week! I'll post the next chapter either Tuesday or Wednesday! (: 

Don't forget to vote, comment, fan & share! (: