AN: Thank you for the reviews I got and the response to this as well. I'm actually shocked at how much I did get. Here's the next chapter. Reviews and criticism are welcomed whole heartedly. I hope you enjoy this one as well.
I've been sitting here for the past five minutes, mouth wide open, not speaking, with Luna's head nudging my leg while whining. I don't even I blink, all I can do is sit here. I can hear my wolf howl in pride, prancing around like she rules the entire world. 'Q you do pretty much rule your world,' I think, 'no one can touch you.' My aunt and mother both raise their eyebrows at me, smelling the slight hint of arrogance but also the underlying fear. So many questions run through my head. Will my mom really pass it on to me so easily? Am I going to have to fight her or worry about another family member trying to take it from me? Will I be a good Alpha, a strong Alpha?
"Quinn say something," Aunt begs. My wide eyes slide over to lock onto her ocean colored irises.
"I don't know what to say," I begin. We sit there for few more moments, before I see them start to get restless out of the corner of my eye. So I ask the first thing that comes to mind. "What happens now," my voice quivering.
My mom's eyes soften as she looks at me, clearly seeing how afraid I was, as she answers, "Well first we have to show the transfer of power."
"I don't have to fight you do I," I ask before she can continue.
"No, Quinnie, you don't," she assures me with a smile as I physically relax. "I just have to bow to you in front of the pack and declare that you are the succeeding Alpha now."
"San and Britt are going to freak," I state with a smirk.
"They know."
"Did everyone know besides me?"
"Pretty much," I hear as Santana walks in the back door, Brittany not far behind, shaking out her raven hair. Leaves and dirt come flying out, my aunt snarls quietly as the mess hits the floor. 'They've probably been out hunting, I can't believe they went on their first hunt without me,' I think displeased. 'Though they probably were just going at it in the woods like usual,' I decide before shaking my head trying to erase the thought. "I see you made it home alright," San continues as she rummages through the cupboards and B through the fridge. "You had us worried, especially Britt-Britt," she says trying to downplay her own concern, "after you took off and didn't come back."
"I just wanted to get a feel of my newly found self. I didn't want to struggle in front of anyone," I claim stubbornly, not wanting to seem careless. I knew the dangers of a new wolf running around unsupervised. I could've lost control if I had gotten ahold of a new smell or if anyone threatened me. 'You wouldn't have. You're better than that,' I think with pride.
"You sound like a lone wolf Quinn," Aunt say with a hint of grief in her voice. My face completely falls into a deep frown.
"No," my mom demands forcefully, making Aunt Renee tremble by the sharp tone. "She spoke like a true Alpha." My face lights up at the sound of pride in her voice. Not for the first I'm glad she came back, but this time its because she's the only one who would understand that an Alpha can't struggle in front of anyone thanks to their enormous pride. Brittany grips my shoulder, and smiles when I look up at her, a little bit of peach juice running down her chin.
"Didn't you just finish hunting," I accuse her softy, pointing at the juice.
Wiping her chin off she replies. "No. We were too busy trying to track your butt. I was trying to find you, because I still thought you were missing. I can't believe you can already block out other's thoughts." She stops and takes a deep breath, but I still hear the sadness in her words as she says, "Please don't block me out again, Q, I'm not use to you screening us like that and I don't like it. You never have as a human, the Unholy Trinity have always been on a different level. Always were able to communicate without words, even before the mind reading stuff transforming gave us." Her voice losing the sadness midway through and is replaced with anger as her voice began to grow in volume.
"You didn't hunt yet B," I ask to change the subject before she starts full out yelling. I could bet my wolf wouldn't be handling that well.
"No Q, I didn't. Did you," she asks calmly like she hadn't just been angry a second ago. I shake my head in response and amazement at her anger control.
"Really? And I'm guessing you haven't either Santana," Mom ask to which Santana answers negatively making my mom chuckle, making us look at her questionably. "Three of the feistiest girl I know, spent hours as wolves without getting their first taste at hunting." We just give cheshire smiles. She moves her head back and forth, continuing, "We'll take you out, but first we have to finish our talk. You two can stay," she motions towards S and B. "But don't eat to much," she commands as San starts making three turkey and cheese sandwiches. She puts mustard on one of them instead of mayonnaise, and slides it my way. Taking a huge bite, glad that she remembers how much I hate mayo. I sigh happily recalling how great of a sandwich maker she is, especially when I'm hungry.
"All right, let's keep going," I say around another big bite.
"What questions do you have Quinn?"
I swallow hard around the amount of food before asking, "How long have you all known? What were the first signs? Is it hereditary? What about B? What,"
"Whoa Quinnie! One question at a time," my mom interrupts.
"For a girl who didn't have much to say a few minutes ago you sure can talk now," my aunt teases.
I look at her with a smirk. "Yeah, well my brain has finally caught up with all of this. Also, I'm starting to really like this idea," I say proudly. "Plus, my wolf has quieted enough for me to think. Now how long have you four known, what were the signs?" My aunt clears her throat, looking worriedly at my mom. The smell of panic rolling off her, making the hair on my arms stand on end. 'This isn't going to be good, they're going to bring it up,' I realize. 'They know this is a subject that is beyond off limits.'
My mom sighs. "The day of Granny's birthday," she starts hesitantly seeing the incredulous look on my face. "If you would've seen yourself that day, Quinnie, you would've been astonished by the power you were showing." She stops explaining as she realizes how hard I'm breathing to try and stay. They all can probably smell the anger pouring from my body. By the way they shift into defensive stances, San in front of Britt and Mom trying to cover everyone, I can tell they're waiting for me to snap which doesn't help.
"Q," Brittany whispers while moving towards me, San trying to grab ahold her, as if I'm a wounded animal, which in a sense I guess I am. "Quinn. Please calm down. Your momma isn't trying to make you mad or hurt you, she's just trying to explain to you what the growns ups saw that day," She finishes tentatively. My eyes lock onto her clear blue ones. I could see my eyes flashing bright gold in hers. Luna, who seemed to have left, comes back to lick my hand tenderly. Aunt Renee tells me to breathe through my nose and out my mouth. After 30 minutes of me calming down, I growl for mom to continue.
"Good, your control is already beginning strong," she warily praises. I wonder for how long while looking pointedly at her to finish her explanation. "Quinn you ran so fast towards me that day you were practically a blur, I'm surprised Santana and Brittany could keep up with you," she adds thoughtfully. "You put so much strength behind your hits, some of my bruises lasted for weeks. No ordinary werewolf child could have so much power at such a young age and not grow up to be an Alpha. You should have heard the explanations I had to give Marcus and his boys," at the mention of them I scowl harshly until she locks eyes with me to see if they're back to their normal hazel. Since they are she ask what else I felt that day.
I sit there, taken aback in realizing I never thought of the feelings past the anger. "Well, I was angry," I say. To which I hear San mumble something that sounds like no shit. I shoot her a hard glare, and she actually scoots away from the weight behind it. I look down at my hands for a few seconds before I continue, "I was hurt and I felt threatened a little." My wolf whimpers as the hard memories of the other emotions come back to me for the first time.
"Was it just you that was hurt or was it something else? How did you feel threatened?"
"My pride, I guess if I had to pinpoint exactly what else was hurt that day, not just me. And I felt those people," I spit out spitefully, "were gonna take my spot with you. That they were going to tear apart our family more than it already was. That you were replacing me, and there was nothing I could do about it. I felt so helpless, and I hated it," I finished miserably. I wipe the tears that had escaped my eyes without me realizing it, as I look down.
My mom puts her hand over mine and clears her throat, I look up at her to find tears in her eyes as well. "Replacing you, Quinn Fabray, would be the most difficult thing in the world," she tells me.
"What do you think an Alpha's most outstanding qualities are," my aunt asks after everyone relaxes again.
"What is this, a test," I question sarcastically.
"Just answer the question," she retorts back.
"Well, they're very territorial."
"You mean we're," Mom corrects me patiently, "Not they're."
"Okay. We're extremely territorial, more than normal wolves. Also, we're incredibly prideful, if our ego is hurt it almost feels like a physical wound. We're also almost overbearingly protective of those we care about, but the other wolves are as well just not as much." I motion towards the other girls who were sitting in the same chair with B on San's lap, her arms wrapped around her shielding her still from me, eating their sandwiches.
"Correct," my mom smiles.
"That was when I knew," Mom reiterates. "You showed everything in that description that day and you haven't really stopped." I look towards the other three, waiting for their revelation on the subject.
Around a mouthful, Santana answer with food coming out as well, "Well, I had my suspicions in first grade when you threw Jewfro up on the wall by his shirt before I could even get to him, threatening him for making Britt-Britt cry." The air lost the rest of the tension at the memory.
Wiping the food off that had landed on me, I chuckle as I remember that day. "Can you blame me? He was wiping boogers and snot on her while calling her stupid and I wasn't gonna stand for it. Nobody messes with B and gets away with it if I have anything to say about it." San nods her head in wild agreement before kissing Britt's cheek before whispering something in her ear. "Anyway, he never did it again after that, now did he," I smile crookedly.
"That's when I knew as well," Britt states enthusiastically as she has Santana get up so she can wrap her arms around me, "Thanks again Q."
"No problem B," I answer finishing the rest of my sandwich in one bite.
Aunt Mary chuckles as she says, "You're something else Quinn. But I knew when those lovely hazel eyes flashed gold for the first time. Your mom's did the same. Every Alpha I've seen their eyes glow gold instead of their eye color just going brighter."
"How old was I?"
"Not even a full year. Judy's didn't even flash till she was going on three." Mom growls at her teasing tone as she finishes.
"Your other questions Quinn," she asks, shifting the attention back to me.
"Do I have to worry about anyone in the family staking a claim on this?"
"No," my aunt reassures me. "This is a birthright sort of thing. You can't lose it unless someone challenges you and wins."
"Yeah, and even I'm not stupid enough to fight an Alpha who showed power so young," B says surely.
"B! You aren't stupid remember?," Santana tells her lovingly.
Brittany kisses her, and thanks her before returning to what she was saying. "You'll have the job Q until the Alpha in the next generation of the family comes around."
I look at her and with skepticism high in my voice, "How do you know?" I'm not use to her knowing things I don't.
"Mom talked about it in that lesson you were, uh," she stumbles around her words, glancing at her mom, "you know too busy to attend."
"Yes, because skipping to run around with that trashy girl was so important," she snarls. I gape at her. "I know."
"How," I ask while blushing from being caught. She just gives a small smiles and refuses to answer, taking delight in just sipping her tea. "Oh well, we broke up." I didn't miss her or mom's smile grow. They never did like Mack that much due to the fact she was bitch to practically everyone, especially my family, and also her family being the rival pack we always butt heads with didn't help much.
"Good! If I see that puta again I swears I'll," San begins to shout before B lays a calming hand her shoulder.
"Don't worry S," I tell her, "I warned her to keep herself and those other mutts from coming around our area." San just gives a small smile and starts playing with Britt's hair.
"But yes Quinn it's been in our family for centuries. Only one Alpha has been born to each generation as to try and avoid conflict within our family. That's also why I'm stepping down from power so easily, anyways I'm getting too old as Maribel keeps reminding me," she says sneering as Santana shrugs apologetically for her mom. "But now you get to spend more quality time with me." I groan quietly. "Who did you think was going to train you Quinn?"
"I don't know. I was just hoping I wouldn't actually need more lessons. I mean you even said I was powerful," I say a little too optimistically.
"Even more reason to make them mandatory." I groan even louder this time, dread settling in. "And yes, you have to be there."
"If I'm not," I challenge as I realize the other three watching the exchange with interest.
"Seeing as I'll also be physically training you, you will be driven harder than you ever have during Cheerio's practice making Sylvester look saintly," she answers lowly, making me and the other two cheerleads wince at the thought, with a dangerous glint in her eyes. I gulp a bit. Yes, I may be an Alpha, but she's still in command so she still has power over me. "You will come until you are deemed finished and worthy," she commands with another voice laced with her voice that I don't recognize.
"How long are they going to last?" I ask in a quiet whispers.
"How ever long it takes till I decide you're ready. I's all up to you and how hard you decide to work."
"Do I have to wait until I finish before you pronounce me your successor?"
"Is that what you want," she asks slyly.
"No!" I practically shout. I'm basically bouncing in my seat now, the idea finally taking full control of my mind. I'm going to enjoy this. I hear my howl so loud in the back of my mind that I almost wince. She settles to just yapping realizing she hurt me. "Can we do it now? Lets call the pack."
"Quinnie," Aunt Renee reprimands lightly.
"We're going to have at least one lesson before that," Mom tells me making me deflate.
"Who was your mentor," I ask curiously while petting Luna in between her blue eyes.
"Grandpa John, on of the greatest wolves in our family history after your Great-Grandma Lily."
"Wait. Gigi was the greatest werewolf in our family history?"
"Maybe even more," she answers cryptically.
"Well, I hate to break up this little history lesson, but I'm getting antsy, and Q is going to burst at the seams if she doesn't do something besides sit here. Can we go hunting yet," Santana questions after she had been pacing for the past two minutes.
"Yes of course," my mom answers. " I want to my little girl and her partners in crime on their first hunt. Even if one of them does speak out of line," she says, warningly looking at Santana, who turns away sheepishly.
"I'm sorry ma'am." Mom just grips her should in acceptance of her apology which makes San smile gratefully at her. It has always shocked me how easily S back down to my mom, Alpha or not.
"I'm coming too, I want to see my girls in action." Aunt Renee insists. "I haven't been hunting with your mom in a long time."
"Renee call Maribel. She'll want to be here for this," Mom says as an after thought.
After she finishes the call Britt, San, and I rush out the back door towards the woods, throwing clothes all over the back yard, pushing each other while giggling, until we're in our underwear. "Girls," we hear my mom shout behind us, making us slow down. "Remember go into the shadows and dig deep within until you find the release for your wolf and then let go of your control enough to allow her to come out."
We step into the dark shadows of the woods appreciating the fact that we live out on the border of the city limits for the hundredth time. After five minutes of deep concentration I feel the fire rip through me and the bones snapping into their other position. I hear more than feel my front paws hit the ground. I look up to see San struggling so much that she is drenched in sweat. Another ten minutes go by, Aunt, Mom, and Mrs. Lopez have already joined the three of us as wolves, before Santana opens her eyes. I see the usual, almost black switch to a warm brown. She looks over at me, ignoring that Brittany has already switched too, she growls loudly and yells, "What the fuck?! You already switched, come the fuck on!" My wolf starts to take control after she growled and I snap at her heels which finally causes her to snap, and her dark brown wolf stands defensively in front of me in the next second. I bare my teeth, and look into her eyes that were inches below mine and see they're the color of chestnuts. I huff out a breath and stand fully out of my crouch to show her I wasn't going to attack but I still had more power than she did.
"No worries S, I won't hurt you. It wouldn't be anywhere near fair to you," I tell her smugly.
She starts to growl at me before I hear B, her tone wavering, "Q, be nice. Stop the violence."
I look and see that the four of them are standing a few feet away from us in stances that show they were to break up a fight, with Mrs. Lopez and Britt closest to San. I look back to Santana and see she's shaking slightly from squaring off with an Alpha, well soon to be anyway. I move towards her and she starts to flinch back but I just nudge her neck with my head. She relaxes after a moment, and I know I'm forgiven as does she.
"S, just make sure you don't growl at me for awhile okay? I lost control."
"I'll try not too. You know even though you're gonna be an Alpha and I respect that, that this pack is known for our unfailing pride." I nod my head in amused agreement.
Maribel bumps my mom playfully and says, "Reminds you a bit of us, don't they?"
"Oh you have no idea," Mom replies back, the three women laughing.
As B continues to nudge San I step back from them to circle around and get a better look at their wolves. While San is definitely shorter, Brittany is almost eye to eye with me, giving me the perfect view of her ice blue irises, meaning I'm the tallest wolf now. They're both very lean, just looking at them I know they're probably two of the the fastest wolves I'll find anywhere. I look at Britt's back to see the sun play off her blonde fur it almost hurts to look at it's so bright. San's fur is so thick and the shade of sepia, that you get the feel of warmth when you look at her. On San's left rib is her marking, a light yellow lock, B's a dark brown key on her right rib.
"Fitting," I tell them as I relay to them what their markings are. San licks Brittany's muzzle and buries her face into the blonde neck. Seeing their marks reminds me to ask Mom what mine are. "Momma," I start and everyone turns their attention away from the love fest to look at me. "Can you tell me what my mark is? I couldn't see it in the mirror." They all come to stand over as I reluctantly lower myself enough for all of them to see. I hear each one of them mentally gasp at the same time. "What is it? What's wrong?!"
"Quinn! You have two of them," Brittany whispers excitedly.
"Yeah, I figured as much when I saw one on each one of my shoulders,' I reply with sarcasm heavy in my tone. 'But I didn't know what it meant since there's two instead of only one. So what are they? God, please, tell me they at least match?"
Momma barks in laughter. "They match. They're wings Quinnie, pure black, like the darkest night, on your shoulders running down your entire back." I see my aunt shake her head in disbelief out of the corner of my eye.
"What's wrong Aunt Renee," I ask.
"I just can't believe it. I haven't seen or heard of two marks since Grandma from anywhere. I knew that my girls were destined for greatness, but this is beyond even my expectations." Tears of pride actually fall from the three grown women's eyes. San and Britt put their heads against each wing making me smile.
"What do you mean great things?"
San lets out a puff of air in exasperation as she pulls away and answers, "More like amazing things Q. Your two symbols mark you for even more greatness than just being an Alpha."
"Another lesson I skipped?"
San's wolf just smirks glancing at her mom, telling me that was her lesson day, as Maribel growls so I take that as my answer. I look at her with an apologetic look. She brushes it off with a shake of her head. Her brighter than normal ember eyes glinting with so much pride as well. Her fur a couple shades lighter than Santana's with grey in patches through out. She's as tall as San, but bulkier. Her mark is placed right over the left side of her chest, a heart, grey in color. Aunt Renee stands beside Maribel and her wolf looks just like B's beside the grey through it as well. She's shorter than Santana, Brittany definitely got her height from her dad. Her mark on her right flank, a dark quarter moon.
My mom starts chuckling, "Renee and Maribel use to skip all the time to go chase whatever football player they were sweet on that week, Quinnie, don't stress too much about it. They use to be so mad every time I opened my mouth, because I knew everything while they floundered each time dad or Uncle Dave asked them a question." I notice her skull mark seems almost faded on her practically white fur but still distinct, her eyes were as gold as mine. She stands as tall as Brittany but with a slightly heavier build than B. All six of our heads jerk up at the same to sniff the breeze that blew the scent of a nearby deer.
"Lets go girls," my mom says her glowing gold shining with mirth. "Girls pay attention. Slink down like this," she instructs as the three older wolves lower their bodies together until their stomachs almost hit the dirt, to which we copy easily. "Hunting works best if you do it as a team. Listen around you, take in every sound, every smell, and especially listen to each other. Always go for the neck it's the quickest for the animal that way. And remember your instinct never lies. Who wants to take point?"
"Go ahead Q. Might as well start practicing being the Alpha," B replies from my left with what I mistake as a hint of jealousy.
"Are you sure," I ask.
"Yep. I'm just happy you aren't blocking me out this time."
I smile so big inside that my wolf shows it as well and I take off with the other following closely being. Our noses are pressed firmly to the ground, I catch the scent first. With a tiny howl, I take off with them trailing closely behind.
"Its a little up towards the North. S and B go for the kill. You got this." I smile crookedly when I see them simultaneously nod their heads in determination at my sides. We catch up to the deer, a buck actually. B bares her teeth, they wait a for a few seconds, slinking down, and then they launch forward at the same time, grabbing the buck securely around the neck on both sides with their teeth. They shake their heads concurrently, effectively ripping out its throat, as the rest of us bite at his legs. I walk up to B, bumping her in the shoulder. "Nice job Britt."
"Thanks Quinn." Her eyes shining with happiness, muzzle covered by the buck's blood.
"I'm proud of you too kid," I tell Santana as I try to lick the blood off my own muzzle after eating a bit.
"Just because you're a week older than me, it doesn't mean you can call me that,'"San says irritated.
Trying hard to keep a joking nature to tame the wolf from lashing out on being told what I can and cannot do by another wolf, I nudge her playfully and say, "Oh, you love it." I watch S move naturally to my right side, and I knew then that she belongs there, she's my right hand, my second in command.
After finishing the buck, we walk back home, enjoying being in form with each other as a pack. We get home an hour later, changing back into humans, and putting clothes on all in silence. As the moms finish and go to prepare a lunch for when Bryan and Juan come home on a rare lunch break, Santana calls out to me.
"Hmm?" I reply.
"What do you say we go to the lake," B asks for her, hopeful.
"When?" Turning to look at them, a huge smile on my face, I see a mischievous glint in both pair of eyes.
"Now of course," B expels like its obvious.
I nod, smiling even wider. "Yeah let's call the rest of the glee club up and have one last day out before summer vacation ends." I run upstairs to put my green polka dot bikini top with a white tank top top over it and a pair of girl black board shorts on. I love the water, its my favorite place to be, next to the foundation. I call what I'm guessing is going to be my pack soon, and get even more excited when they all say then can come.
"Come on Q," San bellows up the stairs. "You're holding up the party. I wants to get my tan on." I roll my eyes as I put Luna in her harness and leash, I start to walk downstairs before I get a feeling to grab a hoodie. So I grab my favorite grey OSU hoodie and run down to the kitchen. As I walk in with Luna I find that the two of them have everything we'll need ready to go. Three coolers, two packed with food and the other with drinks that I'm assuming are for just the three of us knowing how we consume food. There's also a tote of frisbees, variety of balls, and towels.
"You had this planned, didn't you," I accuse them with an amused look.
"Yep," they answer gleeful. "We're celebrating you being the new Alpha. That's why everyone was free to come." S tosses me my keys, "And oh yeah. You're driving."
"Well yeah, seeing as I didn't hit a cop car during my driver's test."
"That was not my fault he shouldn't have been getting his donuts and coffee on that day then his car wouldn't have been there to hit," she defends harshly as Britt and I shake our heads at her. "I'd rather B drive but you have more space."
"Come on Luna," looking down at her, missing Santana sticking her tongue out at me. "lets load up." Gripping her leash tighter, I pick up the soda cooler easily while S and B grab the other coolers and Mom grabs the tote as the other women follow us out to say bye.
We finish putting Luna in the back seat of my black Chevy Colorado with the supplies strapped down in the bed. After B tells Luna to save her a seat in the back we go to say bye to our moms. Hugging my mom, she whispers so low in my ear that San can't hear, "Looks like you two have some things to talk about." She gives me a kiss on the cheek and winks. I touch her arm as I pull away and we lock eyes.
"Do you think she'll make a good one," I ask her. She just gives an earnest smile and subtly nods her heads as S looks over, looking at me weird.
As I hug my aunt goodbye she warns us that we can't stay out too late since we have school in the morning. Mom tells us to stick the tote and empty coolers, after spraying them out, at the cabin while I hug Maribel. We start to walk back towards my truck when I hear Aunt Renee call my name. I turn back to look at her, as S opens the back door for B.
"When you get home we're going to have a long talk about certain muddy wolf prints I found on my new white carpet." All I do is a smirk back as an answer, while my wolf huffs and attempts to pout.