Joseph

As the sounds of the forest’s white noise filled my ears, I became acutely aware of my surroundings. My pointed ears perked up, and my nose twitched slightly. I flicked my tongue out to moisten its tip when my gaze fell upon a butterfly.

A delighted giggle escaped my lips. At five years old, I was entranced by all things colorful, just like other young pups. I began to stomp my paws on the ground in an attempt to catch the butterfly fluttering around me. I wanted to capture it and give it to my father, hoping to bring a smile to his face just as it had mine.

Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed a figure slowly approaching me. It was a massive wolf. My eyes darted around, looking for a way to escape. My father always said that alphas never back down from a fight, but lone wolves frightened me greatly. They could easily tear me to shreds.

Surprisingly, the wolf transformed into human form. The stranger sat down in front of me, crossing his legs on the forest floor covered in dry leaves. The leaves crunched beneath him, and his mouth twisted downward, but he kept his attention on me. I wondered what he wanted.

The stranger greeted me with a friendly tone, addressing me as “pup.” He allowed me to sniff his hand before running his fingers through my fluffy fur, scratching me behind the ears. I let out a contented rumble, enjoying his touch.

I blinked at him, noticing that he was still gazing into my eyes. My friends had always remarked on the uniqueness of my eyes, with their subtle gold outline just above the green irises. This color was rare and often only found in powerful alpha wolves, a trait that the elders could immediately recognize upon meeting me.

Feeling a sense of trust, I moved closer to the stranger, sniffing cautiously. He then spoke words of encouragement, telling me that I would become a great alpha. I bared my teeth in excitement, knowing that my father had said the same thing to me every day. Hearing it from the stranger made it feel even more meaningful, and I longed for him to praise me in front of my father so that he could feel proud.

The stranger then picked me up swiftly and placed me on a bed of leaves, informing me that he would give me something to remember him by. As he lifted my arms, I made a face, and he focused on the white fur on my belly.

As I stared at the stranger, my eyes narrowed in suspicion. I wondered what he was looking at, but before I could move away from his grasp, he held me down.

Muttering under his breath, the stranger placed his hand over my chest, focusing all his energy on the spot where his thumb was pressing. Although I had never received a mark before, I trusted in his instinct. Suddenly, a blinding light emerged from between his fingers, causing me to clench my eyes shut and let out a yelp as the mark settled into place. Despite the pain, I didn’t move away, feeling a forcefield of energy around us.

As soon as the stranger released me, I wiggled out from under his hold and stood up on my two feet. The pain was so intense that I had to shift back into my human form to calm myself.

Suddenly, a long howl echoed through the forest, causing me to freeze. It was my father’s signal, and he must have been looking for me. I realized that my pack must have been worried about me sneaking away to play in the forest. Sniffing the air, I determined that they were close by.

I woke up abruptly, drenched in sweat. It took me a moment to realize that I was in my bedroom. Why was I having that dream again? It had been years since that incident occurred.

After my pack found me, I couldn’t recall anything about the stranger who gave me the mark. The symbol was still visible on my chest, and I had spent countless hours trying to decipher its meaning, but to no avail.

I got up and made my way to the full-length mirror, examining the mark on my chest. As I rubbed the skin around it, I tried to remember the stranger’s face, but it was always obscured by a dark shadow.

“Someday,” I thought to myself, “someday, I’ll find that stranger and get the answers to all my questions.”

Heading toward the packhouse, I was greeted by several people who bowed their heads in respect. It was a reminder that I was no longer just the son of the pack alpha; I was the pack alpha now.

Closing my eyes, I used my wolf to summon my beta, Liam. Our connection was strong, built on trust and closeness.

“I’m close to you,” Liam’s voice echoed in my mind.

“Did you call that beta’s family? I want to get this over with as soon as possible,” I asked, referring to the arranged marriage that would make me the Luna of the pack, a necessary tradition for an alpha to rule with a mate by their side.

No one from my pack was interested in fulfilling that duty, so we had to look outside. Liam had suggested a family that would be easy to convince, given my name and status.

“They’re on their way. Two of the guards are receiving them from the station,” Liam replied, bobbing his head.

I smirked, feeling the anticipation building. “Good. I can’t wait to meet my Luna.”

I was really excited.