Two

Morrigan was born during the worst snowstorm the pack had seen in decades, and coupled with other factors, the birth was too much for her mother. Her mother died after welcoming her second child into the world, and losing his mate was simply too much for her father to bear. He died a few days later.

Taking a deep breath, Morrigan grabs her boots from where she had set them and carries them upstairs with her. The cabin is still quiet, meaning that Oskar and Anders must have left for dinner before she came home.

Anders is only two years older than Morrigan, but that makes him next in line to be Beta. Oskar spends almost all of his time training and teaching him everything he knows.

Stepping out the front door of the cabin opens up to a dirt street lined with houses similar to Oskar’s. In one direction, the street leads to the path down the mountains, and in the other direction, the street leads to The Commons. The latter is the direction Morrigan heads in.

The Commons is a large, cleared space in the center of the pack used for almost everything; rituals, meals, ceremonies, and more. In the middle is a large fire pit often used for cooking, surrounded by benches and tables. Again, almost everything is made out of wood. As Morrigan approaches, women of the pack crowd around the fire, tending to tonight’s meal. One of these women notices her approaching and raises a hand to usher her over. 

Jasira, Idris’s mate, is a very well-respected member of the pack. Without Morrigan’s mother, Jasira is the second highest ranking woman of the pack, just underneath the Luna. She’s a gorgeous woman with soft facial features, but she’s also a skilled warrior. Her hair is tied back into an intricate bun, and though her eyes used to be the common brown, they turned the same icy blue as her mates after he marked her, symbolizing her as a member of the Gamma Family. Morrigan quickens her pace when she sees her, knowing that she’s about to be forced into helping with the food.

In the span of half an hour, all of the benches around the fire fill up with pack members, and many are left standing. When dinner is ready, younger members of the pack are assigned to bring plates of food to the Leaders and Elders. Once they receive their food and begin eating, the rest of the pack is free to fill their plates as well. After Morrigan gets her food, she makes her way over to where Idris and his family sit. Idris and Jasira, being the Gamma’s, get their food first and spend the rest of their time checking in with other pack members. Their son, Erwin, is on the brink of nineteen and will be the next Gamma, and he takes his parents’ example, moving around The Commons and conversing with a variety of different members. That leaves their daughter, Amira, who’s only a few months younger than Morrigan.

Morrigan takes her seat next to Amira. Some say that the two look nearly identical, though Morrigan would argue that Amira is prettier. Amira has her fathers icy blue eyes, and her hair is braided into a bun.

“Father told me about your training today,” Amira says with a small smile, nudging Morrigan’s arm with her elbow. Morrigan only rolls her eyes.

“It’s really nothing,” she mutters.

“C’mon, Rigan, you have to admit that you’re good,” Amira continues. “Not just good–really, really good. Your brother wasn’t even close.”

‘Rigan’ is an affectionate nickname that the Gamma family calls Morrigan in private. Her brother, Anders, has been put on a pedestal by Oskar. Morrigan clenches her jaw–if Oskar believes that she’s trying to upstage her brother, he won’t be happy.

“If I say it, will you stop talking about it?” Morrigan asks her cousin.

“If you say it, will you mean it?” Amira retorts. 

Morrigan’s cheeks flush. She opens her mouth to say something in response, but then quickly closes it. Amira’s right–she wouldn’t mean it. Amira titters before they both dig into their food. They sit together on the bench, talking and eating together, for nearly two hours before the Alpha calls everyone’s attention.

“Warriors,” he addresses. With just his authoritative voice, everyone stops their conversations and turns towards him. “In a few days, members of the Royal Guard will be arriving. They’ll watch you while you train and train you themselves, and eventually, if you desire, they’ll decide if you have what it takes to join them in the capital.”

Morrigan leans into his every word. She’s been hearing of the Royal Guard ever since she was a pup, stories about heroes from all across the continent that save packs and keep peace in the kingdom. It’s one of the things that has pushed her to always do her best in her training, in hopes of one day being able to match their skill. It’s that determination that allowed her to continue her training.