by Drea Shane
I let out an aggravated scream into my pillow, muffling the sound. Then came the growl of frustration. The shoes and clothes digging into my body from underneath only served to fuel my anger. Kicking and shoving, the earlier pile of treasured goods now laid strung out across the floor.
The full force of my emotions hit and I finally broke. Tears filled my eyes and pooled into the soft pillow below.
If there was ever a time to need my mom, this was it. I craved her presence and guidance. How was I going to make it through this process with all this turmoil going on inside of me? I didn’t have a clue what was happening. Was this normal? Did the other female wolves go through what I was?
Mom would’ve been by my side, explaining every moment of this process to ease my worries, confusion, and fears. If only we hadn’t gone so far in the woods playing hide and seek that awful day.
Regret for how things played out back then filled me as I watched the wolf take away my best friend, my mom, and my Luna.
At some point, thoughts slowed, and I grew lethargic from the overwhelming emotions. Sleep found me, again.
As this dream settled in, the previous one came rushing back with crystal clarity. Greece. I was in ancient Greece, somehow, and it wasn’t Heaven. Why here, and how did it feel so familiar? The questions dissipated once everything moved forward.
A girl about my age was sitting at a table. The table and chairs were made of a dark, rich wood with veins of gold throughout. The set was breathtaking.
I watched the girl. Her wheat-colored hair, similar to mine, was braided and resting on her shoulder. She wore nothing but a shift of shimmery fabric. This girl was so beautiful, and she wasn’t human. I could feel that fact in deep in my bones.
My face scrunched up in concentration, trying to ascertain what was going on and who this gorgeous girl in front of me was.
“Sister, are you well? Why haven’t you joined me? Mother will be back soon with our meal. I hope we have time to visit Father tonight. It’s been many moons since he’s granted us an audience.”
It took a minute to register what was happening. She was looking straight at me. This wasn’t an observance, but I was actually present. Sister? Father? Who was I?
Not sure what else to do, I hesitantly stepped forward to take a seat next to whoever seemed to think I was her sister. How peculiar.
I discretely watched my ‘sister,’ trying to copy her mannerisms. I didn’t want to be caught somewhere I shouldn’t be. Was I an imposter? An observer?
One thing became clear. I was making the choices in the driver’s seat of whomever this happened to be. But who was she? Who was I?
I could be crazy and found this place after riding my dragon through another dimension. Then the possibility of having a sister was high. Yes, a sister named Berthalia Gertrude, and a dragon that went by Disco; living in the land of Eureka Van Hilltop.
I rolled my eyes. Insert reality here—too bad I didn’t know where my sanity was.
The door opened, drawing my attention to the person stepping inside. Oh, my, goddess. This woman was otherworldly. Her ethereal beauty oozed love and kindness.
I couldn’t help gaping at her. Whoever she was demanded respect, adoration, and worship. We were in ancient Greece, I reminded myself.
Goddess, really. This being was a goddess. Was she my goddess? Her glossy, golden hair flowed down her back in waves. Every inch of skin shimmered softly. Her eyes met mine, and the color of cornflower shone like gemstones.
“Daughter, are you experiencing problems? Something is different. I can tell.”
“Pandia’s definitely not well, Mother. She’s become mute. I don’t think she’s of sound mind either. Do you think those obnoxious witches cursed her? I don’t understand why Hecate protects them.”
Who was Pandia? Hecate was a Greek goddess. I wasn’t that familiar with her, other than the standard information I’d read in history books. No matter; the woman was already responding to the girl.
“Ersa! Don’t speak about your sister like that. She’s probably just worried about the visit to your father tonight. He’s not exactly easy to garner attention from. Commanding the skies and meting out justice day in and day out is very time-consuming.”
“My apologies, Mother. That was inappropriate. I shall mind my tongue more carefully.”
The girl, now with a name—Ersa—wasn’t mistaken. Something was wrong with me. Who were these women? If they’re goddesses, why was I there?
The woman turned and winked my way. Winked! She clearly knew something.
I bolted straight up from loud banging. Ugh. I felt as if a Mac truck ran me over. There wasn’t any part of me that wanted to answer the door.
I really wanted to close my eyes and drift back to the warm feelings I had while dreaming. The more my mind cleared and consciousness returned, the farther the dreams faded. They were just out of grasp, slipping away.
The heat radiating from the necklace and its luminescent intensity was the only clear sign that these dreams meant something.
“Sydney June Redling! Open the door right now or I’ll go get my key! If that happens, you won’t like the repercussions, young lady!”
Oh shit! Dad was pissed! That was never a good thing. “I’m coming, hold on,” I shouted. Before he knocked the fucking door down, I climbed out of my wonderfully warm bed and stumbled to open it.
Not everything was about me. This was definitely about me. What level of hell was this?
The lock clicked and I stepped back quickly to avoid a direct hit with the force he used entering. If it hadn’t been for my increased speed and balance, I’d lay sprawled on the bedroom floor.
Dad stood in front of me, eyes narrowed in suspicion. My brows furrowed. Was it because of the mad dash from dinner or something else? I’d no desire to turn my back on an angry wolf. I walked in reverse until the bed hit behind my knees, and I plopped down on the edge.
Dad stormed all the way inside. He let out a loud and imposing growl as he stalked toward me and sniffed the air.
Okay. Where was he going with this? After a minute or so, he let out a deep breath and stepped away. I watched him warily as he moved over and sat in my desk chair.
We watched each other, clearly both of us holding back a slew of questions. Knowing he was the Alpha and I was not, he demanded my compliance. I looked away and bared my neck to him.
“What have you been doing up here? There hasn’t been so much as a peep from this room in hours. Were you out running again? Haven’t we already established how dangerous that is?”
He had me too confused to even interrupt the accusations he hurled my way.
“Any wolf that wanted could have claimed you! The whole point of Assembly is to give you a choice! Alpha’s are swarming our territory, and all it takes is one. The chance for a true mate swiftly taken away, leaving you with a lifetime of unhappiness.”
I thought Dad finally finished berating me, but nope—not that lucky.
“You get one mate, sweetheart. One mate for life. That’s a long time to suffer just because you wanted to go for a run!”
He was angry and riled up. I didn’t expect him to think the worst. Then again, I hadn’t really given him a reason to trust me.
With his temper so strong, he struggled for control over his wolf. I needed to be delicate with a response. Any more stress or anger would draw his animal side out no matter how hard the struggle became.
If that happened, my punishment would be swift and painful. His wolf had different motives and would demand obedience, reminding my wolf who was Alpha.
I showed my neck again to ensure he only saw compliance. “No, Dad. That’s not what happened. I never left my room, promise.” My voice was slow and steady, treading carefully. “I fell asleep. All the up and down rollercoaster of emotions sapped my energy. I wore myself out mentally.”
He took a few measured gulps, thinking about my response. Picking every word apart for any sign of a lie. When he didn’t find o
ne, a deep breath escaped him with a whoosh.
“Sorry, sweetheart. You just scared me. When Joe reported no sounds coming from inside, I sent Grant up to guard so Joe could look for you. When he didn’t turn up any sign of you, we thought something had happened.”
There were so many things wrong with just one huge misunderstanding, words slipped my mind again.
“I came up to search for any sign of an intrusion, hoping one of the Alphas hadn’t taken you. That was one of the scariest moments I’ve ever had. You have no idea just how precious you are, Sydney.”
“I didn’t mean to worry you, Daddy. There’s just so much going on with me, I can’t separate my emotions. My wolf is becoming more aggressive, and every little thing sets her off.”
I hated looking weak, but this was Dad, and he offered himself as a confidante.
“Our instincts are different, too,” I said. “It’s like she’s overpowering me. I have no idea what’s happening. It’s pretty confusing and unsettling.”
“Clearly, you need to know more. Without guidance and information, your wolf is becoming agitated; leaving you in an unstable state. I know I’ve already expressed my apologies for your lack of knowledge, but I’m sorry. You should’ve learned. Instead, I became overprotective. Let’s get some things set up and prepare you for tomorrow.”
Dad pulled out his phone and tapped on the screen, texting someone—most likely Joe. Once finished, he looked at me as if contemplating something. He went right back to the conversation.
“First things first, Sydney. We need to keep you protected. A guard will always stand outside the door during this process. It’s not much different than our current protocol.”
When he continued, I wanted to shove the horrible words right back down his throat.
“I apologize for the other safety measure, but we need to seal your window to prevent intruders. I won’t take chances with your life, and I can’t worry about you doing something impulsive.”
Oh – no – he – didn’t. I was about to let him have it when there was a knock on the doorframe. We both turned and noticed Joe standing there, carrying a small toolbox. Dad nodded but my eyes bulged in realization.
“Sometimes I wrestle my inner demons. Tonight, my outer demons want to murder you!” I shouted.
My fists balled, and anger licked all common sense. My wolf wanted to protest and desired her freedom. By sealing the exit, she felt like a caged animal, ready to lash out at the offender for his mistreatment of her.
I tried to leash my wolf to prevent her from taking over. That was a wasted effort when Joe began to hammer nails into the window frame. After about the third nail, he finished, and she broke free.
My shoes fell to the ground, and the sleek white dress I’d been wearing turned into ribbons. Now a very pissed off white wolf stood on all fours, a snarl coming from her. She wasn’t rational. Joe’s eyes widened, and he raised his hands in a gesture of peace. His eyes quickly turned down, and he bared his neck in submission.
I focused solely on him. My wolf viewed this act as a betrayal. She had started to bond with Joe, and he was locking her away. My body slipped into a crouch, ready to pounce and attack.
The moment I sprang into action, the movement was forcefully halted. My Alpha had his hands in the scruff of my neck, a strong and painful grip. Even in human form, he was a force to reckon with. His grip tightened as he asserted dominance. I was too angry, and my wolf just dug her heels in, refusing to let this go.
When I didn’t give in, he roared with such force, even Joe dropped down and showed his neck. My Alpha wasn’t finished with me. Before I could gain control of my wolf, he took his tight grasp in my fur and tossed me across the room. My head hit the dresser as the rest of me slammed against the far wall.
There was so much force behind the movement, my wolf faded out, and I soon followed. Darkness swallowed me whole.
My eyes felt glazed and heavy when I tried to open them. Blinking several times, I regained focus and saw my dark ceiling covered in the glow of stars. It was the closest I could get to watching the night sky, with all the restrictions put on me growing up.
I turned my head both left and right, but nothing seemed out of place. Some of what happened came back to me in a horrible wreck of a situation. No . . . my wolf let out an involuntary whimper. It wasn't a dream; everything had been real. I blinked back tears.
The image of Joe surrendering to appease my wolf wasn't even the worst. I’d tried to attack him, when just a while before we’d been kissing. My emotions really were off the charts.
Verbal sparring was part of my sparkling personality. Physical sparring should never take place outside of the ring—or a bed. Ugh.
If my dad hadn't been there, I would've felt so much guilt over trying to hurt Joe. I'm glad he stopped me. I still ached from my Alpha’s punishment. It didn't matter, I deserved it.
That was the first time I'd ever disobeyed an Alpha command when the full force of his dominance bored down on me. In fact, I didn't even know my wolf could overcome his control.
Remembering the shredded clothes caused panic. Did I turn back into a human, naked and unconscious in front of Joe? It felt different now that there was an intense romantic spark between us.
My cheeks tinged pink just thinking of his reaction. I remembered the forest scene that had his eyes roving over my nude form with a predator’s intentions.
Goddess, I was still naked. Someone rolled me in a comforter to keep my creamy flesh covered. Dad or Joe must’ve carried me to bed. They’d tucked me in like a burrito with my whole body wrapped inside.
Hesitantly, I struggled a bit, trying to access my arms from underneath. Once free, I made sure the blanket draped over my breasts. Slowly and a bit timid, I leaned up and looked around.
No one was with me. I doubted looking at anyone without shame was a possibility. Carefully rising out of bed with the comforter wrapped around me, I checked the door lock. Nobody could enter without permission.
My chest heaved in relief. Instantly, the comforter fell to the floor. I stretched my arms overhead and rolled both shoulders. Next, I forwent my usual tank and boy shorts, instead dressing in a pair of yoga pants and an oversized T-shirt.
No need to dress up since I had no plans of seeing anybody else tonight. But the extra clothing was a precaution. That's when my eyes caught the books sitting on the desk. Strolling over, a note sat atop the stack.
Sydney,
After your display of dominance and temper I thought it best to leave you alone for the evening. Here are several books to read at your own pace. While they may not look important, I assure you they are.
You also need to speak to your personal assistant, so she can introduce herself. Get her acquainted with whatever you need. You can trust her with our secret. That’s her story to tell when she’s ready.
I love you with all my heart. You and your mother are the world to me. I know you're scared, but Assembly is the right thing to do.
Love,
Your dad and Alpha
P. S. Her name is Lila Huntington. You can reach her via FaceTime. Her information is already on your laptop and in an email.
Tears sprung to my eyes as I took in everything the note said. I'd expected a lecture on my earlier behavior. Instead, he was taking care of me and soothing my worries.
After some reflection, I set the books aside, grabbed my laptop, and started it up. When the screen winked on and loaded, the time displayed in the right corner as well as the date.
Friday, May 13 08:06 PM
It’s getting late, but with the amount of sleep I’d had, losing a bit tonight wouldn’t be the end of the world. Part of my mind was telling me to learn as much as possible. The other part lectured me on the importance of sleep before another crazy day. My wolf had stayed oddly silent.
“Thanks for the help tonight,” I grumbled to my wolf. She started a shit-storm with Joe and Dad, leaving me with the aftermath. I wasn’t sure how to face Joe ag
ain.
Sure enough, there was a window minimized on the taskbar for FaceTime. I clicked on it using the keyboard touchpad. Immediately, the window popped up. There was a call button to the left of a picture, and an end button on the right.
Studying the picture itself, I stared at the woman who’s going to help me get through Assembly and finding my mate. She looked younger than I expected, somewhere around twenty.
Her hair was down on both shoulders in honey-colored, wavy tresses. Her smile was close-mouthed but displayed a quirk to her bow-shaped lips. With large caramel eyes, she looked like an adorable doll.
With a deep breath, I clicked on the call button to meet Lila Huntington.
The screen said ‘connecting.’ My nerves were starting to get the best of me. This was the first woman I’d talked to since Mom. All kinds of scenarios about how this would go ran rampant in my mind.
Finally, there was a clicking sound, and the screen filled with the face I just studied. My camera light flashed, and a miniature picture of me sat in the right-hand corner. Adjusting my posture, I came into clear view.
Instantly her face lit up. Seeing her excitement eased my worry a bit. I gave her a shy smile, uncertain what to say. Luckily, she saved me the trouble.
“Oh-my-gosh! Aren’t you just the picture of perfection. You must be Sydney! Your daddy has spoken lots of kind things about his wonderful daughter. I can’t tell you how excited I am to work with you,” she said in a twangy, southern accent.
I loved the sound of her voice. The tone let me know she was speaking genuinely. Her excitement was contagious, and my own expression brightened.
“I’m Sydney, perpetual hot mess and resident shut-in, at your service. It’s great to finally meet you. The clothes you sent just from speaking to my dad were beautiful. I wore the white dress to dinner this evening.”
Her hands came up to cover her mouth, eyes crinkling in obvious delight. “I’m Lila. The white dress was my favorite. I knew it would look good on you. Only someone that beautiful would do the dress justice.”
