Chapter One

Alexander

Alex

The cool breeze of spring whizzed softly through the trees, which swayed in the direction of the wind. The wind rustled on the rooftop of the Crystal Moon pack, and it seemed like there was going to be a drizzle later in the day.

“Son?” Alpha James Heartman suddenly said with a bright smile on his face.

“Hm?” Alexander barely responded, having a blank expression on his face as he stared at his father. They were seated in the dining room, having breakfast.

“I’ll be appointing you as the Alpha of this pack before the end of today,” Heartman announced, and Alex stared at him without saying a word. “Your mother and I… Heartman continued, holding Lauren’s hand, and both of them were beaming with smiles. “We have both decided that this is the perfect time to tour around the globe.” “I would not be able to do this with your mother if I do not retire now,” he explained, and Alex still said nothing; his green eyes were fixed on the chair opposite him as if that was where the voice of his father was coming from. “You’ve been the acting Alpha since I became too feeble to rule.” “The people already see you as the alpha, but I shall make it official tonight,” he said further.

“Don’t miss us too much, okay?” Heartman added.

“I’ll miss my son, James,” Lauren said, making a pout on her lips as she placed her hand on Alex’s own on the table. “Won’t you miss me, Alex?” She asked sweetly, but as usual, she got the cold shoulder from him. He was unresponsive to her tender words or to her soft hand on his.

She looked over at Heartman, who shook his head and shrugged. She took her hand away from Alex’s. They’ve been this way with him for years and could never fully understand why he was this way, this cold, to even his parents.

He still did not portray any emotions toward what he had just been told as he continued eating in silence. Neither of them knew the thoughts that went through his mind.

Lauren leaned into Heartman, and he cuddled her, extracting a giggle from her. Alex stood up as soon as he was done eating, unbothered by the romanticism or affection going on between his parents.

He walked out of the dining room and headed out of the packing house. He met his beta, Hendrix, standing outside, the breeze blowing through his hair.

Hendrix turned around when he felt a presence, and he saw Alex. “The weather is quite unpredictable today, don’t you think so, Alex?” “We have no idea if it might rain or not,” he said to him.

Alex walked down the few flights of steps on the porch. “Go straight to the point, Hendrix,” Alex replied.

Hendrix’s face brightened. “Today might not be a good day to step out,” Hendrix revealed his thoughts.

“A drizzle scares you?” Alex inquired as he walked past him.

“Of course not.” “I’m just being skeptical,” Hendrix replied.

“It’s not going to rain,” Alex assured him, as he took the route that led to the river in the woods, with Hendrix right behind him. The river was a place he stayed to meditate and clear his mind of all the thoughts troubling him. Hendrix was the only one he interacted with very well, and he trusted him more than even his own parents. Only Hendrix was aware of the things that troubled his soul.

Mia

Mia Jayden stealthily advanced towards a reindeer, a distance away from her and her peers. Her chestnut-colored curly hair was pulled up in a ponytail, but stubborn strands still fell at the corner of her face. She held an arrow in her hand, propelling it into the right position to hit her target. She was like a predator stalking its prey, which had no idea of the danger lurking around the corner.

With the reindeer in focus, Mia angled the bow properly, and with the arrow balanced in a fixed position with the string, Mia pulled, but without relinquishing her hold on the arrow yet. “Steady, steady,” she muttered under her breath. “Release,” she said, and with that, she let go of the arrow, which hit her target without missing. The reindeer hollered in pain as it took off.

“Go, go, go!” Mia urged her peers as they started running towards the reindeer, and she pulled out two arrows and fired them at the reindeer, while her peers threw knives and stones at the reindeer.

In no time, the prey was lying dead on the ground. Mia smiled triumphantly as her peers surrounded the catch.

“Mia, it’s a big one!” René exclaimed in delight.

“Yes, it is!” The others spoke in acknowledgement.

“Come on, let’s prepare it,” Mia said with a huge grin on her face.

An hour later, the reindeer were roasting over a campfire, and Mia and her friends danced around it. Her laughter was infectious as she swayed to the songs sung at intervals by her friends. She was carefree and free-spirited, without a single worry in her heart. Her hazel-blue eyes and the delicate features of her face reflected the innocence of her mind.

•

The sun set in the sky, and the weather that had been misty in the morning was now clear. Mia returned to the pack house with her friends, and as soon as they got there, they immediately dispersed to their various abodes. Mia walked into the pack house to see her mother pacing the living room in worry.

“Mother!” Mia exclaimed happily as she rushed over to her.

Karen looked up to see her daughter rushing towards her, and before she could brace herself, Mia crushed her in a tight hug. “Oh, mother, I’ve missed you,” she said, squeezing her tight.

“This hug will not salvage the fact that you’re in big trouble, Mia,” Karen replied, feigning annoyance despite the fact that she was glad to see her daughter back home.

Mia pulled away. “What have I done now?” Mia asked, pouting her cherry lips.

“Mia, this is not the way the daughter of an alpha behaves.” “You stayed out late!” Karen reprimanded her.

“It’s just dusk, mother.” “You worry too much,” Mia said, smiling.

“Mia, an alpha’s daughter, doesn’t behave this way,” Karen reiterated, and Mia mimicked her with a funny expression on her face and started to laugh. “I’m serious, Mia,” Karen said sternly.

“You don’t have to worry.” I’ll do as you say. “See,” she said, lifting a pack of meat. “I kept this for you and your father from my catch today.” “I’ll take it in and shower quickly,” Mia said sweetly, giving her mother the million-dollar smile before walking away, and Karen sighed.

The sun was completely ridden off the sky as the moon took its place. Under the light of the moon, Alex was kneeling before his father, the elders, and the pack members. “We have gathered here today to officially make my son, Alex Heartman, the leader of this pack,” Heartman said. “From today, he shall lead the pack, and all matters shall be controlled by him as usual.” “The respect you’ve given him while he was still the acting Alpha shall not cease,” Heartman said to the people, and Alex kept a poker face.

“Alex Heartman, do you swear to protect this pack and do whatever is best for the interest of the pack?” Heartman asked.

“I solemnly swear,” Alex replied, his voice a deep, masculine rumble that instilled fear in the hearts of the fearless and yet bequeathed a tenderness unknown to any. His steadfast tenacity was what had dubbed him fit to be the alpha and no one else.

“I hereby officially appoint you as the alpha of the Crystal Moon pack,” Heartman said proudly, and the pack members howled into the cold air.