chapter one
It was the middle of winter, days were short and the nights were cold. The freezing temperatures made it difficult for anyone in the pack to stay human form,the lack of winter clothing was dreadful, but this was due to failed hunts. There was barely enough food for the pack to survive,but the boy knew better than to complain. Being the son of the pack leader, Alpha Frederick Black, the boy knew he had to stay blanked face and continue to be brave and not let fear show. As the future Alpha, he had to gain the respect of the pack at a young age, even if that meant being as cold as his father.
But the boy knew it was the only way the pack would survive, without a leader, a commander, they would be lost, even the men, but especially the women. Lives of the men of the pack were at great risk, despite the shadowed nights without star light to guide them through the forest and freezing temperatures, the men still tried to seek food, but nearly always returned empty handed. The women would stay home, take care of the children and be ready to comfort and welcome their mates back into pack territory. There had been more than one occasion where a man didnt return, because their pack had been attacked by rogues. It destroyed a little part of the boy when news would be brought to the fallen wolves mate.. He would watch their faces twist into several different emotions, but it always ended the same. They would break down, fall to their knees, curse, cry, yell, call to the heavens, call for their mate.
It wouldnt be long after till they would kill themselves.
A submissive cannot survive without their dominant, it was impossible. They were bonded by mind body and soul. Even before the news is given, the submissive or dominant KNOWS...they can feel it. The boy remembered his mother describing it being like having a part of you torn away by force, leaving you with an empty hollow feeling that can never be replaced.
He had watched only recently a submissive die a slow painful death. She starved herself at first, no one could force feed her, she was already dead before she past, she was no longer the person she had been. In the end she had gone into the woods and never returned. The following day her body was found in a nearby river, she had drowned herself in her sorrows and grief. It was soon revealed she had been with child. She was going to be a mother.
Dominants struggle to survive but can cope longer than a submissive, but they too have lost their life mate, their lover,their best friend, in the end it destroys them until they are driven mad. Some kill themselves before insanity can take them. Losing their submissive through death is a dominants worst nightmare, it destroys them to the very core, they are no longer the man they were before.
The boy only three years ago classified these men as no longer true men. No woman should destroy a man in that way, no man should become that weak, even if they had just lost their mate. But this was the time the boy barely understood mating and bonding. The bonding ritual joined the two destined souls from birth together, parting would kill them.
The boy knew one day he would have a submissive by his side, being only 13 it wasnt time yet. You go through the transformation of gaining your wolf soul once you turn 16. Its an excruciating event where the boy had witnessed multiple men and women go through. Their bones would change shape, break and crack until they form a wolfs body. Fur would cover the once naked form as claws extend from the newly formed four paws. Then soon the eyes, jaw, nose and ears of a wolf would form, a snarl escaping as they prepare to howl for the first time.
His father when in wolf form stood beyond 6ft when on two legs. His fur was brown but could be mistaken for crimson due the amount of blood he was normally covered in after a hunt or an attack. He had many scars on his human body, the biggest being across his chest which he had gained when a fellow pack member attacked him when he was only in human form. And yet, the boys father had still killed the traitor. His mother had seen to his fathers wound, the boy had watched as she cleaned and stitched it, never did his father once say thank you or look at his wife with love.
Though, it came as no surprise to the boy, his father was cold. Even to his own submissive, to the boys mother.
The pack had been invaded last summer by a passing pack named SlaughterFire, they were a mere pack of rogue wolves. Though they were not the only rogue packs travelling the forest, if you listened closely enough, you could hear them breathing from a distance. Waiting.
It was because of them there was little food. Little clothing. Leading to the boys own pack starving and freezing, struggling to survive. Especially underage pack members such as himself. But even the cabins were cold, no bed was warm enough, the boy always feared he would get frost bite in his sleep.
In winter time it was impossible to grow crops or fruit, they relied specifically on meat, without it, they struggled to remain alert and strong. For water during the winter when the closest river had frozen over they would pile snow in buckets and let it melt inside their home, thankfully, it snowed every year.
Today was no different from the last few months, it was freezing and dark. But in the center of the pack territory was a fire where all pack members could huddle around, trying to keep warm, some in their wolf forms, others not.
Creeping out from his cabin, the boy looked around his pack territory in disgust and horror. He watched as a mother of three cradled her children close, they were clearly not of age of transformation, so their mother used her own fur and body heat to try and keep them warm in wolf form. The boy could tell, despite the amount of fur the female had, she was shaking, the cool night wind ghosting across her, seeming gentle but leaving its mark.
Casting his eyes across various pack members, the boy shivered as the cool night air caused goosebumps to form. He jumped slightly when arms wrapped around his waist. Turning his head slightly, the boy knew it was his mother, she was very petite, only 5ft, he at 13 was already 5'4, though it was expected that he would grow to his fathers height or further. In wolf form his father was 6'5.
"Logan, come back inside, its cold tonight." His mother said quietly as she gently tried to guide Logan back inside the cabin. Logan shok his mother off and growled, looking straight ahead at his pack.
"Its cold every night mother. Even inside." Logan said lowly, his voice deeper than most his age. His mother looked around nervously, Logan knew she was keeping an eye out for his father, she was afraid to upset him.
"Your father wont be pleased. Please Logan, come back inside." Logan's mother pleaded, she couldn't force him, she knew her place. But she loved him dearly, always showed him kindness when his father wasn't watching. His father, Frederick, was not the affectionate type, whether he had been before Logan was born was still a mystery, though be dared not ask his mother. To make up for his fathers insensitivity, his mother was always there for cuddles when he was a little boy, but now, he was just like his father. Cold. Distant. Bitter.
A true Alpha.
Despite the fact he disliked the sort of man his father was, he was a respected Alpha and had held the pack together even during difficult times such as these. He kept the peace with the humans, who Logan dared to never ask about. To werewolves, humans were vile feral creatures that saw them as monsters, even though they would gladly kill one of them in an instant. However the agreement that has stood for many generations has indeed prevented such situations. There is a point in the forest where humans dare not go for that is entering werewolf territory, however, they knew humans needed to hunt for food and so allowed them deep enough into the forest where they could find deer, hares, birds and any other animal they could find. It was against pack law to interact with humans, no human was permitted into their territory and therefore no one dared to communicate with them. As for as Logan was concerned, humans were below his kind, mere cockroaches.
Looking at the pack for one more second, Logan shrugged his mother off when she put a hand on his shoulder and went back into the cabin and sat by the lit fireplace, hoping the heat would soon warm him up slightly.
He listened as his mother took a seat on a deer-skinned sofa, her body shaking from the cold. She was so skinny, so small. Logan looked at her with narrowed eyes.
"Have you eaten?" Logan asked, frowning at his mother, who stared at the dancing flames absently.
"There isnt much to eat darling." His mother said with a soft smile, putting her arms around herself, she sat back into the chair and ignored the slight rumble her belly made at the mention of food. Logan's frowned deepened.
Swallowing, Logan turned his attention back to the fire just as his father came into their cabin, his chest uncovered, his scar on display. Logan could tell by the slam of the door he wasn't happy. Though he never was, or never seemed it.
"Isabelle, i told you to stay upstairs." His father snapped whilst frowning at his mate, Logan tensed whilst waiting for his mothers reply.
"I-I know, i just came down to speak to Logan." Isabelle stuttered as she stood up slowly, her eyes wide.
"You have spoken to him, get back up stairs and into bed." His father ordered, whilst pointing to the stairs, Isabelle took one last glance at her son and then nodded before doing as she was told.
Once she was gone, Logan stood up and turned to face his father, who crossed his arms, a frown still on his face.
"If your mother gets up again, make her go back to bed."
Nodding, Logan remained silent, still staring at his father.
"She isnt well," His father said with narrowed eyes, Logan again nodded, not questioning.
The silence was painful, Logan could feel sweat trickle down his neck despite the cold, his father always made him feel small, insignificant by just standing their, staring him down. But to Logan, this was normal. Most would feel comfortable with their father, as well as respecting him, however with his...Logan felt unworthy.
"You will one day be the Alpha of this pack," His father said after a few moments of silence. Logan took the time to study his father, he seemed tired. His face was lined with wrinkles. Due to his parents having him quite late on, they were older than most parents, nearly in their 50's. His fathers once dark brown hair now had elements of silver, but this was not only a disadvantage, it showed his age, his experience, his wisdom, just like his scars showed his bravery, his past, his loyalty to the pack.
He was a truly respected Alpha.
But not a respected dominant.
"...Logan?" His father snapped, "Were you listening to me?"
Looking down in apology, Logan shook his head before meeting his fathers eyes, they held hidden anger but he could tel, his father was trying to contain it.
"I was saying...you will one day be the Alpha of this pack, you will, take my place at 18, I am hoping you will find your submissive by then," His father paused, thoughtfully, "Remember a true Alpha is a commander, can control, can protect and is respected. To lose the respect of the pack..." His father took a step forward, his face blank, "If you lose the respect of the pack, you are no longer my son. Is that understood?"
Logan had heard this before, many times. He understood. It no longer hurt like it use to in the past when he was younger, but he soon found out that it was wrong for an Alpha dominant to cry..."Yes sir i do."
Nodding in approval, his father looked towards the stairs, "Back to you finding a submissive. Always make sure they know their place."
Logan nodded, he knew what was expected when he found his submissive, again it had been told to him many times. He understood. "Yes sir, i know."
Nodding, his father looked at Logan, "Tonight i'm going hunting with the men, to help find food," Logan could have sworn he saw his fathers eyes cast to the stairs, a hint of worry in his eyes as he did so, "Make sure your mother remains in bed..."
"Yes sir."
Walking towards the door, his father paused but didn't turn around to face Logan, "You are just like me son." With that he opened the door and left, the door slamming as he did.
"You're just like me..." Logan repeated in a whisper and growled, he knew he was. And he hated himself for it.
He knew his father was a respected Alpha, he did his best to take care of the pack, and Logan knew he also had what it takes to take care of the pack. He was a born Alpha dominant, all will respect him. And he will be known as the future protector of the Silverback pack.