Chap 5 The A.T. Alpha Test.

A/n: Thank you to all who have helped me in the story.

It was the last night before graduation and we were all in high gear to be ready. The last 3 months were brutal but worth it because I could legally by pack law marry Kate. I didn't ask her yet but I thought that by the end of Graduation I would pop the question in somehow. It was the last training day of alpha school and we were all missing our homes, the others missed there families but since I didn't have one I was only worried about what I would find where my den used to be. It might seem kinda strange but that was the only home I've ever really known. I had built it big in case I wanted to start a family and looks like I would have one soon. My only fear is what if Kate says no when I propose or if she isn't ready for that kind of relationship. I stayed up most of the night thinking about what to say to her. In fact I spent a little to much time thinking of what to say, I forgot about the test. The test was an obstacle coarse built to test what we learned. It is the last step in becoming an alpha, and if you failed the test, you don't become an alpha. It wasn't that hard except the leap of faith. The leap of faith was a jump the size of a dens floor and you barely get a running start. But the snow was basically all melted so it wouldn't be all that bad. I somehow fell asleep but for only 3 hours.

It was time. We all got up and one of Winston's instructors was there waiting at the entrance of the den. "Bury your den." He said. "Why." Mary asked. "So no one uses it as a shortcut next year." He said. "Come on guys lets just bury the den." Jay said. We all started trying to take down the den from the outside. Once it came down it felt like saying goodbye to a friend. We all had good memories of this place. We built it, lived here, became friends and found love. It took some time but we did it. Yeah it was hard but everyone wanted to become an alpha so we had too.

We left the area we used to called home and into the test area. We took one look and it looked to about a mile of hard, intense testing to see if we were alpha material. First there was an small pond we had to swim across, then at the end was a little cliff we had to climb out while in the water. Then we had to run a five hundred feet over hard rocky, mountainous terrain. Then we all had to take down a human dummy they found at a camp. It was supposed to simulate a take down, turn around that we had to scale a human machine they said could fly. I took one look at the machine and doubted them. Then we had to jump down of a tiny cliff and then the leap of faith. It was about five times the size of a regular wolf. It was the hardest part of the course. So I had it all down except the last part. I looked at Winston who had two instructors at his side.

I looked to the right of me to see Duncan and Cody. I lightly punched Duncan on the shoulder. "Miss me?" I said. "Yeah, hey you look kinda tired." He said a bit worriedly. "Yeah, I've been thinking about popping the question to Kate." I told them. Duncan and Cody seemed surprised, but jay didn't seem surprised in the least. "I saw that coming." Jay said. "That's not the only thing you saw." I said. "What's that mean." Cody asked. "Nothing." Jay said. "Jay saw me and Kate about to do it." Duncan and Cody just stared wide eyed and jaws open but Jay just gave me look as if he was going to kill me. "Let's just get this over with." Jay said in an upset voice. We chuckled a bit at this. "Alright everyone line up." Winston said. We all ran to the line in front of the start and the three girls I didn't know we're in front and then it was Kate, then Mary, then Cody, Duncan, Jay, and then me. I was nervous as hell to go last. "Alright everybody you will now be tested on how good of an alpha you really are. And remember if you fail, you don't become an alpha." Winston announced. "Go Peter."

Then an instructor started to run the course. First he jumped in the lake and started swimming then he reached the cliff and griped a hand hold and pulled himself up. The cliff was only five feet high but it was still a ninety degree cliff. He made it up and started to run the five hundred feet to the dummy. He snuck up behind and prepared to jump. After a few seconds he jumped and took it down. Then he ran for the machine he stepped on it but it wiggled when he stepped on it so he slowly walked across it. Then he carefully stepped off. The next step was the leap of faith. He jumped off of the cliff and jumped. Below him was a tiny canyon easily survivable without damage but if you fell in, you failed. He gracefully landed at the edge. "Do it exactly like that and you will be an alpha." Winston said. "Now first in line go." The girl in front did every thing accordingly but she learned something the instructors and Winston failed to mention. The five hindered feet we run was all sharp jagged land and she came back with blood on her paws, and with that sight, we all we prepared for what was to come. Then Winston let the second in line go and it was pretty much the same the rest of the time. When it got to me it was mid day. I saw Jay finish the course. "Congratulations Jayson you are now an alpha." Winston said. "Thank you sir." Jay said. "Now Humphrey…" Time stood still as I knew what he would say.

"Go." I started running then jumped into the pond. It was freezing but I didn't care, I just swam to the cliff. I got to it and griped a small foothold with all my might and pulled myself up to the next part. I started running across the sharp rocks that with every step felt like hell. I finally after what felt like hours made it to the dummy. I got in the position and pounce tackling the target. I then ran back to where the machine was. I started running back when I stepped on an sharp rock that tore through the padding on my paws. It hurt but I had to keep going. I took another step and saw the blood stains of other wolves new and old. I had keep moving toward the machine. Every step I took felt like walking on glass. Step after step, I wanted to give up, but the stakes were too high for me. If I gave up I would lose Kate for good, so I pressed on trying my best to ignore the pain and tiredness. I somehow made it to the machine and jumped on it. I then found out why it wiggled when you step on it, below it was nothing for at least forty feet. The machine had some sort of wings on it. One on top, another on the bottom. (A.K.A. Old biplane upside down making a bridge in a small canyon.) I took another step on and it wiggled more. I then started walking across it keeping an eye on my footing. But I looked up at the front to see a big wooden stick like thing sticking out of the front of the machine block a straight path out of here. I walked up to the front and decided to jump off the side of it. I didn't have much room to jump so I closed my eyes, took a deep breath and hoped for the best. I lifted all my legs and flew through the air. I was in the air for only a few seconds but what felt like ages. I then made contact with the ground and opened my eyes. But I then remembered what was next. I backed up to the machine and looked at the finish the last obstacle in my way, the leap of faith. I knew this was it, all or nothing. I had only seven feet of a head start. I started the run at full speed, still on my bad paw. I got to the edge and jumped. All the flight I was thinking 'all or nothing.' Then I realized something at the peak of the jump. I wouldn't make it.

I was going to hit the edge but I thought. As long as I make it up to the finish line without hitting the ground, I wouldn't fail. I was coming in fast and hard. Then it happened, I hit the edge of the cliff where the tip of the grass met the rock. But I couldn't grip it tight enough and fell. On my way down I was gripping anything I could, until I finally got a grip on the side of the rocky face. I griped it with all my might. I looked down and I was only a foot away from the ground. Then I looked up and saw Winston looking down at me. "Humphrey have you touched the ground." I had a tiny hope that I hadn't failed yet. "No sir." I said gripping the wall. "If you can climb up with out falling you can become an alpha." I heard this and looked for another foot hold. I knew this was it all or nothing. I gripped it and pulled myself up. I had probably twenty feet to go. One by one I pulled myself up with a wounded paw and only 3 hours of sleep. I pulled myself up to where I was able to see the top. I was so happy to finally marry Kate if she said yes. So I pulled on the last hold but it was a mistake. I gripped it but it wasn't sturdy enough and broke lose as I started pulling. I fell again but caught my self on a root and started again up ten feet. I pulled up on the root and found a hole big enough for my paw and used it to pull. I did it over and over until I got to the last one and pulled up one last time to see everyone waiting for me. I pushed one last time with my legs and made it up. I stood on the grass one second then fell down from exhaustion. But everyone still cheered for me. "Congratulations Humphrey you are an alpha." Winston said. I felt accomplished at that point. "Thank you sir." I said getting up. "Alright alphas lets head back to Jasper." We were all happy to hear this. After ten minutes we made it home to see everyone waiting for us to be back. They cheered to see us come back. I saw me schoolmates run to their families happily.

This went on for a couple minutes until I decided to ask Kate something. I found her talking to her friends. I walked up to her. "Hey Kate can you come with me?" I said. "Sure." She answered. I lead her to my den. I built it big so if I wanted a family I could have a place to raise it. And it looks as if I might fulfill that goal. "Hey we're alone and I don't know about you but I know what I want to do." She said in a sexy voice. "No I have something else in mind." I said. "What is it?" She asked. I knelt down and prepared my question. "Will you marry me?" I said as I knew it was once again all or nothing. I saw her eyes open up wide. She starred at me for a while until she took a deep breath.

"Yes."

A/N: Need ideas for wedding. Anything will do.