2

Can't take the heat?

Fuslilis Pack

Andricia

Tranquility is something that my pack thrives on. Training has always helped us keep the peace between everyone through mutual respect. Every one of us is ranked and has the opportunity to move up or fall. The older we get, the lower our ranks get; the younger we are, the higher and faster we rise. As long as I can remember, I’ve been at the top. I lead my pack fiercely with no regrets; I demand respect and am given it. My warriors worship me, and the pups look up to me and wish to be me one day. My beta and gamma have my back with anything my pack may go through. The only other creatures we ever see are rotten rogues that stumble into our territory by accident. Once they enter, they never leave; they become our territory. Remains litter the outskirts of our grounds as lawn ornaments.

We reside peacefully in our paradise, with no outsiders bothering us. My only worry is our numbers. When I took over, we had over 140 pack members. Now we have 80 and are dropping. A majority of our pack was older, and sadly, our youngest pup is 8. The last male wolf in our pack passed away about 7 years ago. We aren’t sure why, but all of the males in our pack died from an illness that tore through our pack. For some reason, it had no symptoms; they would just drop dead, and their bodies would instantly deteriorate until there were only bones left within seconds. Ever since we haven’t seen a single male wolf walk into our territory and survive whatever plague hangs over it. The only wolves that make it in are females and, sadly, rogues.

No one in the pack seems to worry about our numbers, as we have no reason to need high numbers. We can always take care of ourselves, but no one comes to threaten us with war. No excitement, just peace and tranquility.

I sit on the lawn where our table for eating is. My pack gathered around it as I sat at the head of the table; they all waited patiently for me to start eating. The tranquility is unsettling to me; I crave excitement and danger. I stare at my pack, examining how patient they are with me. Not a single one of them is eager to eat; they respect me. I huff and take a bite, giving in to them. I crave for one of them to step out of line, but it doesn’t happen. I don’t even have to give orders; they just know what to do and when to do it. I eat slowly, examining my pack as I do, and they all follow my lead to a T, ensuring not finish early. After a few more bites, I decided to call it a night, and I rose from my seat. All of the ladies bow their heads in respect as I turn and walk away toward the packing house. It is an older manor that can house up to 200 wolves. There are a couple of cottages in the woods behind the manor for families that want their own space, but sadly, we don’t have that anymore. All members like to reside in the pack house.

I push through the double doors, which close behind me on their own as I stomp up the stairs. My room is on the entire 4th floor, but it is the smallest floor. It doesn’t seem too small, though, because it’s all in one room. My room has several windows in every direction to look out over my territory. I can see where the tree line starts and stretches into the distance, looking never-ending.

I’ve never left my territory. We get supplies delivered to the guard shack at the end of our territory. I have one trusted member who leaves to go into town to deal with banks and such. I enter my room, and immediately I calm down, as I no longer have to worry about anyone watching my every move.

I took the alpha position at the age of 11. It’s been nine years since, and no one has been able to rise above me. I took my place in combat—I’m not sure how—but the alpha gave up and bowed to me. As soon as I shifted, it was the strangest thing since that was the last time I shifted. I don’t talk to my beast, and she doesn’t talk to me. I can feel her there, but she doesn’t seem interested in communicating with me. I’m not bothered because her presence is comforting, even if she is silent. The only form of communication I pick up from her is her attitude. Most of the time she is bored, yawning, napping, and downright unamused. The last time I got any reading off of her that wasn’t like that was when she challenged the alpha.

---

*flashback*

It was the annual challenge of the Alpha and Luna. They were a ferocious duo, making everyone tremble in their presence. I never really paid any mind to them, and often I never saw them.

"Is there anyone who dares challenge me for my title?" The Alpha roars as Luna holds her head, and high power radiates from both.

I watch as not a single person steps forward, all bowing their heads. It’s confusing because most of us want to move up in rank. Are they that scary? I’m not intimidated by their act of deciding who's the bigger, better beast. I watch as a smirk lands on the Alpha's face as he smugly looks back to his Luna. That awoke something within me; I felt my beast perk her ears. Before I could react, my feet were carrying me forward through the sea of people towering over my 11-year-old body. Soon I break through and take a couple more steps in front of the pack.

"Me."

Every pack member's head snaps to me, and a couple of gasps escape people. I hear mumbling coming from behind me about how I’m so young and small. The Alpha will tear me apart. Luna's eyes dart to mine; she is startled, and her hand goes over her chest. I know exactly what they are thinking. The poor orphan girl who was found at the edge of the territory as just a baby had no idea where she came from and no parents. The Alpha turns slowly, his eyebrows furrowed tight, and his face shows concern. He walks to me, and I am barely taller than his waist. He drops to one knee, so he is at eye level with me.

He speaks to me in the softest, most caring voice.

"Andricia This is no challenge for a mere child; why don’t you wait until you are older and stronger? We can have you train more with the warriors. I can even help in your trai-"

I plant my feet and throw my palm flat into his chest. He flies to the edge of the ring, landing on his back. Luna gasps, her jaw dropping and eyes going wide. The Alpha lifts his head, making eye contact with me.

"I’m ready now."

He jumps back onto his feet and cracks his neck. He removes his shirt and throws it out of the ring, preparing to shift. My beast is now paying full attention with a smirk. He shifts swiftly into his large, pitch-black beast. Every pack member has a black beast, which means mine will also be black as night. This will be my first time ever-shifting, but I have confidence and trust in my beast. I close my eyes and relax, allowing her to do her thing. It’s quite painful, and my body is hot everywhere, but I don’t show my discomfort. Within seconds, it’s over, and I open my eyes. Shock fills Luna's face, and the Alpha takes a step back, his eyes full of questions. Gasps trickle from behind me, escaping the pack members. My beast pays no mind to them and stares down the Alpha, holding her head high and not cowering one bit. The Alpha looks at Luna, and it seems she has regained her composure and nods to the Alpha. I guess that he is signaling for him to attack, but to my surprise, he doesn’t. Instead, he bows his head low and bares his neck in respect, signaling that I won the challenge. I’m completely shocked, but my beast just smirks like she expected that all along.

---

I don’t understand what would have provoked the Alpha to give up his title so easily. I tried asking my beast, but she didn’t respond. When I asked the Alpha, he said he was just passing on what was rightfully mine, whatever that means. Since then, every year for the challenge of the alpha, I enter the alpha ring, and every member immediately bows without me even asking for a challenge. Even the old Luna bows low after the passing of her mate. Strange.

I push off the door, as I had been leaning backward against it, and stride toward my closet. I change into my tight black training clothes that will keep me warm on my run. I throw on my black combat boots and exit my room. Every pack member I walk past bows to me with a smile on their face. I spot Kira, my beta, and Lorissa, my gamma, talking in the living room. I walk to them just as they end their conversation and immediately turn their attention to me. I grew up with these two as I didn’t have parents, and their parents helped care for me.

"Alpha." They say it in unison as they bow their heads.

"Did you like dinner?" Lori asks with a smile on her face.

She’s always been a sweetie. I bet she told the kitchen staff to make my favorite.

"It was perfect, thank you, Lo." My hand gently lands on her arm, giving a reassuring squeeze. Even if I didn’t have an appetite, I would appreciate them trying.

"Not much of an appetite still?" Kira asks with worry written all over her face.

"I am doing better." I smile at her, even if it is fake; she won’t know the difference.

"I swear I ought to kick your beast's butt for making you so uncomfortable with such normal things," Lori says her cheeks turning red with anger.

A slight giggle escapes me, and Lori and Kira stare at me with wide eyes. I honestly don’t know where that came from at all. I rarely laugh at their humorless threats, but I guess my beast thought that was funny and forced it out of me.

"I want to know what she’s like. Why won’t you just shift for us?" Kira asks, tilting her head to the side.

With that, my beast yawns once again and naps. Lazy ass.

"She doesn’t want to or sees no need to." I honestly don’t know why she has no interest in shifting.

They were both at home in bed during the challenge, so they didn’t see me. For some reason, not a single pack member speaks of it either. I need to go; these guys are holding me up.

"Be back in twenty," I say as I turn and walk away from them without another word, heading straight for the front door.

"I don’t get why you do this every night!" Kira shouts after me just as I make it out the door.

With that, I headed straight into the woods for my jog.