Pack Life

I woke up slowly and fought my way to consciousness as if trying to swim up from deep, dark waters. I was 9 again, there was smoke everywhere. People were running around trying to escape the fire, there were gunshots. I closed my ears, trying to shut out the chaos, someone grabbed my shoulders. It hurt. I looked up at the face of the man, but it was all blurry. Then I was running again, I hid under a table and shut my eyes and ears again. "Do not be scared, I will protect you......" Said a gentle voice. I turned and there was a boy, a few years older than me. He was hiding along with me while the smoke billowed around us.  I woke up sweating from my nightmare, breathing hard. I checked my watch, it was still early. Five am to be precise. Most of the juveniles and younger wolves would have already started their training. But I was on a vacation. I could catch a few more hours of sleep. Though I could not sleep anymore. I lay in my bed and replied to a few emails, exchanged a few messages with Mark. My thoughts automatically shifted to the green-eyed stranger. "Mate, I want my mate!"  My wolf was suddenly alert. I had been thinking about him a lot... I mean a lot!  I had not left the pack grounds for a week, scared that he might try to get in touch with me? Kidnap me? However, nothing of that sort had occurred. I did not see him again after that day. Maybe he was not interested in a mate either. My wolf was disgruntled by this. But I was relieved. Perhaps, I might go out to that club which Emma had been pestering me to check out. *********  In a few hours, I was in the common dining room. I could have eaten at home as well with Linda and Rick, but I liked eating with everyone else. I was talking to a few youngsters about their warrior training when Emma arrived to join me. "So, you finally decided to come out of hiding," she commented. "I have not been hiding! I was simply resting," I replied. Though she was right, I had been freaked out ever since I had bumped into that green-eyed Adonis.  My wolf purred as I thought about him. I shook my head to dispel his thoughts. Emma rolled her eyes at me. "You haven't been to any of the training, either." Wolves are very physical beings. They are extraordinarily strong even as humans, so they require a lot of physical activity to remain fit, strong and dispel their energy. Our wolves also need regular outings, so running through the woods at least once a week is recommended otherwise our wolves get antsy. Urban wolves like me do regular gyming. They shift and run on the weekends. My father ensured that all members of the pack, including females, were trained to fight. Rouge attacks and inter pack wars have reduced in modern times, but they were common earlier, they still happened among more savage packs. A woman who could not protect herself was worse than a burden during such wars. They had to be protected. Hence, my father ensured the pack females were also trained as warriors. Mark often said, how did I manage such heavy exercise in my delicate figure. I could snap him with my fingers if I wanted to, but I never showed him my strength. "I am on a vacation! Can't I take a break? " I said exasperated. I suddenly felt something and asked," Emma, are you pregnant?" She nearly choked on her orange juice and looked at me incredulously," What! No. I had my heat 6 months back, and I am not due for my heat until next week. Why do you say so?" "I just had this feeling," I mumbled. "You are doing that again." She spoke. "Doing what?" I asked puzzled. "Remember when we were kids, and we were playing in the treehouse, and you told Rick that he would fall from the tree and a few days later he did?" "Yeah so?" "It means I may get pregnant," Emma said. I rolled my eyes," are you saying I can curse people?"  "Oh please! Being pregnant is not a curse, Bobby and I," she blushed a little," we have been thinking of starting a family now." I smiled, Emma and Bobby had been mates since they were 18 but unlike others, they believed in family planning, getting University degrees, and experiencing life before starting a family. Bobby was my brother's beta as well as a business partner, and Emma was studying medicine. She also taught little pups in primary school every so often. I was proud of her. "So, you are saying I can see the future?" I chuckled. "Maybe, sometimes what you say happens." She was serious. "Well, then I hope you get pregnant soon and have a cute little pup," I laughed, rubbing her belly, pretending to bless her. Emma laughed along, but she sure looked happy. I looked at several pairs sitting together. Most wolves find their mates after turning 18, some take longer. It is not like I never tired looking for a mate. When I was 18 and foolish, I used to attend these mating parties and balls organized by different packs. I never found my mate, and some Alphas were a nuisance. They just wanted a strong Alpha female for having their pups. I stopped looking for my mate by the time I was 20. "So, this club which I told you about. It is a new club, but it's already picking up. One of the influencers praised it on her Instagram... Alice, are you even listening?" Emma followed my eyes and gasped. "What is he doing here!" She muttered. "Who is he?" I asked, looking at the tall dark man emerging from one of the cars. He could not see us, but we could see him from the dining room. "Alpha Adam Conner, Rick had a huge argument with him in the last Alpha meeting," She blurted out. "Why?" "They have been trespassing in our lands claiming they were chasing the rouges, but it's been repeating, so naturally, Rick was pissed." "Oh! Rick works hard, sometimes I feel guilty of not being there to help him." I murmured. "Maybe you can move back, here? I am sure you can easily find a job here." Emma said hopefully. I bit my lips guiltily. I had contemplated returning after finishing college, then I got an internship which was too tempting to refuse, then I met Mark. It just was not meant to be. "How are things, BTW? Is Rick facing too many issues?" After my father died, Rick and the previous Beta managed to keep the pack together. I was too young to understand anything, and I was so traumatized that the pack doctor recommended sending me away somewhere far. "Things have been peaceful since the last werewolf wars. All packs are following the peace treaty. Those who don't face sanctions from the other packs." Emma explained. "That's a relief," I said. About 15 years ago, the werewolf world was rocked by infighting, some greedy Alphas and rogues had started capturing and looting other packs. They used to kidnap unmated females, especially alphas and claim their packs. There are rarely any female Alpha leaders, it is not because the leadership goes through the male lineage. It is simply because males are naturally stronger than females. If an Alpha lost the challenge, then the leadership passes on to the winner. There are very few female Alphas who are strong enough to beat all the males of a pack, so female Alphas are rare. The last one Catherine the strong ruled like 200 years ago. She was an Alpha who ruled her pack after her father's death. I huffed," glad I am not living here, I have never liked politics." Emma burst into laughter, and we started planning for our club outing. I did not think about the green-eyed Adonis at all.