I am 16 today. My fur was jet black with a shine that glistened a deep blue almost purple in the sun or moonlight. My eyes were violet in hue. My wolf has been with me since birth, there is no distinction between us. We are one in the same. I never shifted into my human form, mostly because I didn't see a reason to, partly because I didn't think I could. I tried many times worh the instructions of my father or brothers, even a few pack members tried to teach me how to shift into human form but to no avail.
I was comfortable as a wolf though so I didn't mind very much. My brother davenport was already acting as alpha as he was 8 years older than me and the eldest son so his birth right gave him the title once he reached of age at 18. Daven was a good alpha, he took good care of the pack. Daven always looked out for the weakest members before the rest and this is what made him so well liked in our pack.
I was excited to run, it was my favorite thing to do. This was my normal. I would wake up deep in the forrest watch the sun rise, trot to the river that split our pack from the neighboring pack, have a drink and splash in the water, then run for hours. I would run with purpose, looking for anything out of place, as fast as I could around the packs perimeters over and over again, keeping an eye on my pack and it's safety. Then I when the sun started to settle I would slow down to a trot once again find my bed that I had made for myself out of vines that had grown from the trees, leaves, and sticks and sink deep into slumber then starting all over again.
Some days were different but I didn't stray much from routine. No one bothered me, when other wolves did see me they knew what I was doing and who I was and left me to my business accepting my guarding with thankfulness. 'The blood wolf' was what everyone outside of our pack called me. At first I liked the name, it sounded powerful and regal in a way. But as I grew older I learned the term came not from the blood moon I was born under but the blood I had spilled before I even entered the world. And the wolf part was simply bc no one had ever seen me in human form not even myself.
On the anniversary of my mother's death,my birthday, I would visit her grave and sit a top it. I did this every year since I was born out of pure instinct to be close with my mother. Today was no different. Straying partly from routine I woke up with the sun but instead of passing by the river I solemnly made my way to the graveyard perched on a hill far from the rest of the busy pack. Once I arrived I lay flat on my belly onto of my mother's burial place. As if on schedule, my father and brithers arrived shortly after the sun crawled its way up the sky and settled there.
'Morning little wolf' I heard father say as he reached the top of the hill first.
'Still as punctual as ever I see.' Said Dylan, the youngest of my three brothers.
'Hey tiger,' said Derrick, which earned him a snort from me, he knew I was a wolf. He laughed in response.
'Hey' Dylan said sadly. I gave him sad eyes as I looked back to mothers grave. I knew her death affect me and Dylan the most, we didn't have much time to experience her before she passed away. Neither of us had a mother's guidance or love to remember.
Dylan silently walked up to my side and sat cross legged next to me with his arm casually draping itself over me in a co.fortabke position as he leaned into me to rest in sadness together. Out of all my brothers, Dylan and I were the closest. Dylan stroked my fur as father spoke to us
'I know I am no longer the alpha here but I must remind you all to attend the annual mating ceremony' he earned sighs and growls feom all of us. We were all tired of attending such trivial occasions. Daven found his mate the day before he took over as alpha after he turned 18, he was now 24. Derrick was 21 and has no I merest in finding a mate seeing how losing one had weakened his father and made him fragile un his eyes. Dylan was 19 and had a girlfriend but had not yet found his mate, he was content how things were. As for me I didn't think much of mate's. I had never really witnessed such a connection, it all seemed foreign to me.
'Don't give me any sass here I am only trying to helo you all find your other half and have a happy life' father said longingly.
'Gross' Derrick said under his breath earning giggles from all of us.
'Who is gonna help Brooke prepare for the ceremony?' Asked Dylan woth a mischievous smirk. 'You know fluff out her fur and adorn her head I a crown of wildflowers?' He laughed out loud as I stood as regal as possible head held high perched my back legs looking for an answer.
'Don't you worry, we have the best maids to attend to her. She will be the most beautiful wolf there' father said with certainty a gleam in his eye. 'Your mother would be so proud of you all, you especially Brooke. You have gr9wn into such an amazing wolf' a year slipped from fathers eye and I couldn't help but whimper and nuzzle his hand un comfort. He stroked my head and Hughes me tightly.
'Okay okay, it's time to get the preparations ready let's go' daven said feeling uncomfortable with the mood shift.
'Okay' the other two boys said in unison while they started walking sown the hill, I slowly followed behind to the packhouse looking back to see my father spend more time woth mother. It was like this every year, me and my siblings would stay with mother until the sun reached the middle of the sky about noon, and once we made our way hime dad would stay u til midnight to be with her.
I dont have experience with mates but if I had one I would want then to love me as deeply as father loves my mother even still today. We reached the oackhouse and I trotted inside tailing my brothers listening as they talked about random silly things, I chided in every once in a while woth a huff or bark or yip depending on the situation. Even though I couldn't speak in this form they understood me perfectly.
Daven sent me upstairs to my room, I never slept in the packhouse but I still had a room with a bed and many clothes and things for the moment I finally shifted into My human form. For now the room was useless but it was nice to have anyway for occasions such as the ceremony preparations. A subtle knock came to the door and 2 of the packs maids entered upon hearing my bark through the door giving them both permission to enter.
One of the maids gave me a proper bath woth nice smelling soaps and conditioning treatments to soften my fur while the other prepared other things in the bedroom. Once bathed I exited the giant bath tub and sat still for the maid so she could dry my hur. It always took so long but it felt mice so I didn't mind. Once finished the maid added scented oils to my fur making the fur glossy and extra soft.
'I bet you'll find your mate this time' the maid whispered next to my ear woth a beautiful genuine smile. I rolled my eyes at her as she laughed. We finally finished in the bathroom and exited into the main bedroom when I saw what the other maid had prepared for me. I saw a deep violet nail polish sitting on the bed next to a thick chain with a dainty pendant in the shape of a tear drop In a Deep violet color hanging from it, and a matching head peice. I looked at her with a word look on my face. She picked up in my emotions and justified, 'you know to match your eyes.' I huffed at her rolling my eyes at the ornaments before me. No wolf needs such things. But I allowed her to take her time with me anyways.
Once finished all my claws were painted and the pendant around my neck and head oeice made me feel important and beautiful. I was ready. The maids left me and I decided to walk out and check on my brothers. They were all dressed.
'Finally! How is it the girl still takes forever to get dressed and she doesn't even wear clothes?' Said Dylan smiling, I growled at him menacingly.
'Stop teasing her dylan' Draven said. Dylan left the comments there not wanting to upset our eldest brother but held a glean in his eye that told me the comments had only begun.
We made our way to the car, an extra large SUV with the backseat taken out to accommodate my size. The drive ti the ceremony was nit very long but this was a rare occasion for me as I usually did not step outside of our territory even for things like this. The most I had been seen was on my daily runs around the boarder. I had left the territory only a handful of times for very important matters where I had to attend only due to the fact I was alphas daughter.
We arrived at the ceremony shortly before it began, my brothers exited first as u waited for one of them to pop the trunk so I could make my exit as well. Once the trunk opened I noticed hushed whispers all around us in the front of the large venue. I tried not to listen but once I fully exited and looked aprind it was hard not to see all eyes were on us, or rather, their eyes were on me.
I suddenly felt small even though my wolf towered even my brother davens wolf. But I refused to show my discomfort. Instead I stepped slowly with lazy calculated steps behind my brothers. The looks they gave onlookers must have been fierce as any who dared look in my direction or speak the title given to me by outsiders had shrunk away with wide eyes as if caught red handed. This event was going to be interesting I thought to myself.