Chapter 1: Angel

Thirteen Years Ago

It’s my 10^th birthday! I’m so excited! Today is the day that I will get my wolf!  I’ve been waiting my whole life for this moment. Okay, it’s only 10 years, but it’s my whole life.

At any point today, I could begin to hear her, but I won’t be able to shift until after dusk. Because it’s a school night, we celebrated my birthday over the weekend with my friends and pack members. My father, the lead warrior of our pack, The Great River Pack, has taken tonight off so he and my mother can be with me during my shift.

My mom has kept me home from school today. She is a teacher and also took the day off to spend with me. We’re currently sitting at the table, eating my favorite breakfast, french toast.

“Angel, honey, you need to calm down. She’ll be here when it’s time. All wolves wake at different times of the day.” I’m bouncing up and down in my seat, barely able to contain my excitement.

“I know, but Mom, what do you think she’ll be like? Will she be like me? Will she like me?”

My father walks in, kissing me on top of my head. “Short stack, what’s not to like?” My father is a giant of a man. Six foot six inches, broad chest, solid muscle. I’m currently only five feet tall. Hence the nickname. My mother is a decent 5’9” so I’m hoping to hit a good growth spurt in a few years and maybe get to her height or taller.

“Thanks Daddy.” He smiles and sits down to have breakfast with us before heading out to training.

“So, what are my favorite girls up to today?” He asks.

“Well,” my mother starts. “This morning, we’re going shopping for some camping gear, so we can take a weekend soon and all go camping in the woods after Angel gets her wolf. Then because the birthday girl has requested pizza for her birthday dinner and chocolate chip cookies for dessert, I think most of our afternoon will be spent cooking and baking. And finally, before we go out to shift, we’ll open presents.”

My father finishes his breakfast getting up. He leans down to kiss my mom before coming back around and giving me a kiss on the cheek. “Sounds like a great day! What time should I be home for dinner?”

Mom has followed my father with her eyes since he kissed her. I hope to one day have someone to love the way they love each other. "We'll plan to eat at 5pm, then presents around 6 before heading out no later than 7pm.”

“Ok, see you then. Take care of my girls.” He says as he heads out. He always says that to us when he leaves for work.

Mom and I spent the morning shopping. We got all kinds of camping equipment, some extra blankets to fight against the Minnesota snow when we go camping in winter. Even with our wolves, the winters get really cold here.

We’re making cookies and I’m getting nervous. I still haven’t heard my wolf. What if I don’t get her. It happens sometimes. It’s rare, but it has happened that a person born of two werewolves doesn’t get a wolf spirit. As the day has gone on, I’ve gotten increasingly worried that I won’t get my wolf. What if the Moon Goddess doesn’t think I’m worthy? What if I did something to make her mad and now I won’t get my wolf. What if…

‘What if you’re worrying for nothing?’ A voice says.

I stop and look at my mother. “What did you say?” My mother looks at me, then smiles. “I,” she stresses the word, “didn’t say anything. Perhaps someone else did?”

It takes only a second for me to understand what she is saying. “Are you my wolf?” I say it out loud. My mother has stopped to watch me.

‘You know I’m in your head and you don’t actually have to speak out loud, right?’ My wolf asks me. I start jumping up and down. “Oh my goddess, oh my goddess, oh my goddess. She’s here mom, she’s HERE!” I’m screaming at the end.

My mother hugs me, looking into my eyes. Her eyes darken, her wolf, Rain, coming forward. “What is your name, little one?” My mother asks with Rain’s voice overlaying making it deeper.

I can feel my wolf push forward, wanting to answer. It’s a strange feeling, like I’m fighting myself for control. ‘Relax. We are one. I will never hurt you.’ My wolf tells me.

So, I relax and let her come forward. “I am Alessia.” My mother gasps.

“Mother? What’s wrong?” Why does she look like that?

She gulps audibly. “Nothing sweetheart. It’s nice to meet you Alessia. We can’t wait to see your wolf form this evening.”

She steps away from me, looking distracted. “Honey, can you keep track of the cookies while I step away for a few minutes? I’ll be right back.”

‘What do you think that was about?’ I ask Alessia, watching my mother walk into the next room. I’m already loving having my forever best friend in my head. I feel her smile. ‘I love you too, Angel. And I’m not sure why our mom is acting strange. She seemed happy to see me, but something is definitely wrong.’

Mom comes back in the kitchen and tells me that dad will be home early. It’s not 20 minutes later that he walks in the door. “There’s my birthday girl.” He says, but I can see that he looks stressed out.

“What’s this I hear about you getting your wolf? Alessia is her name?”

“Yes, and she’s perfect Dad!” I exclaim, giving him a hug.

My father’s wolf, Ward, pushes forward. “Let me meet my pup, little one.” He says.

Alessia pushes forward and this time, I am relaxed and it goes much faster. I see Dad’s eyes widen before he reaches out pulling us to him for a hug. I hug him back, excited to have him home early to celebrate.

When I pull back, dad is looking at mom. “Alpha Peter asked to us to bring Angel by tomorrow so he can meet the newest member of his pack.” Mom is looking at dad and there is a weird, silent conversation going on.

“But!” He says, looking back at me and smiling. “I have a great idea! Why don’t we take that new camping gear you got today and go someplace really special for your shift. We can stay the night out under the stars. I bet Alessia would like that.”

I turn to my mother. “Oh, can we mom? Pleeeeeeeease?”

My mom is still looking at my dad. There is definitely a silent conversation going on. ‘They are mind linking. They don’t want us to hear what they are saying.’ Alessia says to me. She’s curious about this behavior as well.

Mom turns to me. “Sure, let’s eat dinner then while you go pack some clothes in a duffel, I’ll pack up some food.”

“Yay! This is going to be so much fun!”

It was nearly dark before we headed out. “Sweetheart, why don’t you lay down and take a nap. We’re going to go find a really cool place, out of the way. The first shift always takes the longest and it can be painful, but we’ll be right there with you.” My dad says. I don’t know if I can fall asleep, I’m so excited, but I lay down in the back of the car and close my eyes.

When I wake up, I can hear my parents talking. “As soon as we break our pack link, he’ll know something is up. Shouldn’t we wait until we’re further away? They can still track us this close.” My mother was asking my father.

“Yes, we should wait until closer to morning, but before he’s awake. If we do it at just the right time, he may not wake up and if we’re very lucky, he won’t notice until later in the day. By then, we’ll have dumped the car and hopefully be in the mountains.”

My mother continued to express her concerns. “Won’t she be too tired. We’ll be faster in wolf form.”

“If she gets too tired, I can carry her. She’s still small and Ward can easily carry her for hours, if needed.”

I sit up. “Where are we? Why are we still driving?” I ask.

My parents look at each other, not answering me. Now, I’m starting to get angry, this was supposed to be my day to shift for the first time and we’re just driving. “What’s going on?” I ask angrily.

My mother turns to look at me. “Sweetheart, we had to leave the pack. It was important.”

“What do you mean, ‘leave the pack’? We’re going back, right?”

 “Alessia? It’s my father that asks. “Do you know what you are?”

“Yes. I am a Guardian.” Alessia replies.

“Wait. What do you mean you’re a Guardian?” I ask out loud so I can figure out what is going on.

It’s my mother that responds. “When you first let Alessia forward, her eyes glowed a bright golden color. Only a Guardian’s eyes are gold sweetheart.”

“I don’t understand. Why do we have to leave the pack because Alessia is a Guardian?” I ask my parents.

“You and Alessia will be very powerful, Angel. More powerful than an Alpha when you get older. We were worried that Alpha Peter would try to force you into a mate bond with his son. He would not want to risk losing you to another pack. Having a Guardian makes a pack infinitely stronger. No alpha has ever willingly let an awakened Guardian leave their pack.”

“In every instance that I’ve ever heard, the Alpha either forced the Guardian into a mate bond with them or their Alpha heir. There was only one that did not force his Guardian, but his Guardian is a male, not a female, and the males were friends before the boy got his wolf.” My father turns to look at me briefly before turning back to the road. “We didn’t want you forced into a mate bond, Angel. We want to give you the freedom to find your mate when you are old enough.”

“So, what will we do now?” I ask.

My mother answers this time. “We will stop in another hour or so, when we feel we are far enough away from the pack. Then we will let you shift. After you shift, we will renounce our pack and run to the mountains on foot. From there, we will have to wait and see.”

Wait, renounce the pack, do you mean…?”

“We’re going rogue.” My father answers.