1 Chapter 1

Kash View

We are the Ridge Mountain pack. Located in the valley between two prominent mountain ranges in North America. The valley is green most of the year, escaping the winter harshness the ranges further north happen to experience. Our pack has owned this land for many generations and have had very little issue with neighboring packs and rogues. The distance alone made it hard to try and steal our lands and rogues rarely wandered this far south. We have waterfalls, meadows, lush green forests and amazing hunting grounds surrounding us. Not much more a pack can ask for.

My favorite spot to relax, when possible of course, was a small creek not far from my house in a small poppy field. I snuck out every couple of nights to this very spot. It felt like my only haven amongst the chaos I called life. The water was a beautiful blue green glacier fed haven. The forest surrounding the area, gave it an ethereal feeling every time the moonlight snuck through the branches. The animals that came to drink, have gotten used to me as I never hunted them. I was just another being around them. It felt nice to be accepted, even though I knew they would still be cautious of me in wolf form.

My name is Kash. Though young at seventeen and the Alpha's second born son, life for me, though more relaxed than my older brother, was still filled with some responsibilities. Most of which was called school. My older brother Jace, who is twenty-two, spends most of his time training with father. He graduated from high school and immediately went into training to become the next leader of our pack, the Alpha position. I was second born and usually after high school I would start training as a warrior. With my status, I could have also become the leader for them.

However, I was not born as an alpha like my brother or father, or anyone in my family. Unlike a position, we also have second genders. Packs have the ranks of Alpha, Luna, Beta and Delta followed by the other pack members. My father is current Alpha and my brother is to follow. The Luna was my mother. Our Beta is away right now training my brothers best friend for the future position of Beta. Currently the Delta, the position I could have held, is helping out with small errands though at times of war they step in. Then there is gender status. Alpha, beta and omega. Alpha born usually end up as warriors and protectors of the pack. They have an over powering presence and pheromones depending on their status. Betas have no pheromones, and do not react to them. Betas make up the majority of all packs. They tend to do the basic jobs like teachers and doctors that having pheromones would hinder. Then there is the rare omega. The omega is only known to calm down alphas. The exact reason of an omega is still unknown. Being rare, about one in every one thousand wolves born will be an omega, there is little research done. An omega can only pair up and mate with an alpha.

My status is an omega. A very rare, actually, unheard of to me, male omega. I will never match my brother's height of six foot nine or gain the muscles most known for all wolves. My body is slim with a tiny waist and standing at a small height of five foot seven. Even the females of our pack tower over me, with average heights of six foot; including the omegas. Not even blessed enough for getting the werewolf tanned skin, with mine being pale like a porcelain doll. At least I have the rare silver eyes with the contrasted black hair, the only thing to match my family line. To make matters worse, when I hit sixteen, I started my heat cycles. Yes, like a female, it turns out I can get pregnant. My only blessing is that my family does not shun me for this. In fact, I am treated with extra special care, and that drives me nuts.

Which now brings me to my current situation. At my age, I would normally be at the local high school. Taking classes, socializing, and having a normal teenage life; whatever that might be. Maybe even planning a party for my eighteenth birthday; which was in two days. Life does not work like that for me. I am home schooled. Always have been. Since I was the age of five my father has had tutors brought in for my learning. Not just for regular schooling either. I have been taught many other subjects like etiquette and dance of all things. I struggled with it before my heats started and hated it even more after. I had become exhausted of being treated as a breakable item. Both my wolf and I longed to break free of this unrelenting pattern of being a caged animal.

Today the weather is gorgeous with not a cloud in sight, which means, I have zero concentration for the books in front of me. I could feel my wolf itching for a run, but we both know we shouldn't. It was one of my fathers many orders. Since I was old enough to shift, I was never allowed to run without an escort. In fact, I am never allowed anywhere without one, even in human form, truth be told. Of course, he did not know of my late-night runs while the pack slept.

Other issues have arrived with the annual ball coming in two days. That's right, on my birthday. All my body guards were busy with my father and Jace, making sure the grounds were secure for the visiting packs, leaving me trapped in my room until someone was available. To me, the time spent waiting was agonizing.

"Ugh. I can't do this anymore." I vented my frustrations to myself, throwing my pen down and closing my books. The last paper can wait another day I thought. Soon I looked back out the window to the empty training field below me. I was jealous of the wolves who got to do the pack warrior training. The destiny of my line was this training, but my body would not handle it I was told. I was too small and fragile. It still did not stop me from wishing. Maybe I could have gained something from it. Even some sort of self defense or muscles. That would have be nice. Sighing, I turned away and looked at my phone. It was only thirteen hundred hours. The meeting was planned for another four hours.

My wolf was itching to get out and I felt more irritable as the minutes passed. There was no way I could ignore it any longer. Knowing my heat was not due for a couple more weeks and my wolf should not be this irrational gave me little concern. This behavior was common a few days prior to my heat, not so much now. Even the warriors that guarded me knew this and were prepared for my backlash during those times.

Looking at the door, I started to plan. If I was quick, maybe I could go for a fast run to the creek and back before they knew I was gone. Having done it many times before, but never during daylight, I knew the distance and path better than any. Gathering my nerve, I crept out the window. Unknown to me while sneaking out, the meeting was already over with my father getting ready to greet the first guests that arrived a day early. A meeting of my father and brother and several visitors in front of the pack house missed the escaping omega out the back window, me.

"Good afternoon Alpha Dax and son, Jace of Ridge Mountain pack. I am Beta Zion of Royal Eclipse Pack." The man greeting my father was outgoing and friendly compared to the dark man walking behind him. He stood the normal average of about six foot four for a male werewolf. He had dirty blond hair and grey eyes. His build was a little larger than normal, suggesting some warrior training in his life. "This here is Alpha Atlas. I am sorry we are early but we hope that the accommodations requested have already been prepared?"

The alpha he directed my father to was taller than average. Even his aura he gave off was stronger. He was no ordinary wolf however. He was a royal; The Royal to be honest. Though packs were run by an individual leader we called the Alpha, it was the royals in each area that kept the peace between the packs. If you looked into it, deep in the history of packs, the royals actually owned the land. To prevent backlash to the royal families, somewhere down the line the land was divided between packs. The land given was based on pack locations and size. Some smaller packs felt they should have the same land and tried to take from other packs. That was when the royals would step in. They acted like a moderator. All alphas took good care not to offend the royals knowing if they ended up in a dispute, they could have a harder time. The royals still had their own packs to manage as well, so the dispute had to be of great importance for a royal to step in.

Alpha Dax smiled at the beta. "Yes of course. Completion was finished last week. As for being early, I have to admit I suspected you would arrive early and have already stocked the cabins as was requested. Will you care to join us for an evening meal tonight?" He finished shaking the hand of the beta. The question of course was directed at the Royal behind him, but it would end up being the Beta to answer.

"That would please us greatly. Please make room for ten private guards as well. We never dine without them." Beta Zion grinned at the pack before him. They did well, as was expected of this pack. The dinner he agreed to would bite him back as he knew his boss hate socializing, but the whole point was to meet other wolves and find his boss a Luna. Even if he was not so keen on the idea. "Thank you for taking your time to see to our needs. This has been greatly appreciated."

"My son Jace will take you to the cabins. Can we expect you at about eighteen hundred hours for dinner? I won't make it a large affair, as I know you must be tired from your travels and need rest." Alpha Dax smiled when the Zion nodded his head at the time, while his son then took over the care of the guests. Jace was well prepared to handle this situation and others for the up coming ball and Alpha Dax knew this. On the way back to the pack house Alpha Dax spotted a familiar figure trying to creep past the main door heading back into the house. "Kash." He spoke with his authority causing his other son to freeze.

I knew I was in trouble just by the tone of his voice. Sighing I walked over to my father who had a very severe look to him. "Yes father?"

"Do not yes father me. Could you have not waited a couple more hours? We just had guests arrive. How would it look if one of my son's were caught sneaking around behind my back?" He patted my shoulder. "Look, the Eclipse Royals just arrived and will be joining us for dinner. You will join us tonight. No hiding in your room. Your birthday is soon, and you need to meet other wolves to find your mate. Socialization is part and parcel for this to happen."

This was how my birthday is always brought up now. Finding my mate and nothing more. Since my heats started, I decided I did not want a mate. To be honest, I was scared to find a mate. "Not interested father."

"I will use my authority if I have to. I worry for this family. My oldest is twenty-two and still has no mate. Without a Luna at his side, he cannot properly take over the pack. Then my youngest denies me an extended family as well. When will I have the time to retire and enjoy life, spoiling grandchildren?"

I growled. "That has nothing to do with me. Besides, I am abnormal and live a very secluded lifestyle. Honestly, I do not want to find a mate.  What good will it do me anyways? I have nothing to offer as a wolf or a man." I huffed and stormed off back to my room. The talk of finding a mate was always a sore spot for me as soon as I started my heats. What wolf would want this being or body? I can tell you, with how the females in the pack already look at me with pity; none.