Good Things

Alpha Ascension by A. Star

“Xavier Wesley! You are called to testify!”

I entered the lecture hall on Wesley College’s campus that had been turned into a makeshift courtroom for the purposes of holding a trial that could cost my dumb ass cousin his life.

He’d broken a century-old treaty between our wolf pack and another, and now he had to answer for it. Other members of our pack were in attendance, but I was the only one who’d been summoned to testify.

I started down the narrow row of stairs on the left side of the room. Remy, Darien, and Foster, younger wolves in my pack, looked solemn as they sat together in the middle of the lecture hall. At the front of the hall, sitting behind a long table and wearing all-black tailored suits, were the three nobles of the King’s Congress: Stefan, Marcus, and Jackson. They advised the lycan king, enforced his laws, and held court for any violators. They were the judges and the jury, and your testimony only held as much weight as they said it did.

As I approached the professors’ podium, I tried to play it cool, but then I spotted Roman, the king of the werewolves himself, and I almost couldn’t keep it together. He was conspicuously seated in the shadows on the right side of the room in a throne-like chair that had been brought in just for him. He also wore a black suit that made me look like nothing more than a door-to-door salesman in my collared shirt and tie. I had assumed all of the wolves in suits on campus were just for the nobles, but now that I knew the king was also here, the overly-intrusive pat down they’d subjected me to before letting me in the room made more sense.

Standing before Roman and the congress, I couldn’t help but think that I should have helped Kane go lone wolf–or on the lam–like he’d suggested the day before. With the king there, the nobles would be far less likely to cut Kane some slack. In fact, if Roman wanted them to, they would sentence my cousin to death without even hearing his side of the story.

Roman Diallo was descended from the purest of African bloodlines. Most of us shifters, my own family included, were of African descent mixed with a bunch of other stuff. But not the Diallos. They were “untainted” and Roman carried himself with all the dignity of someone who knew how important he was. He was the last male in the Diallo pack and it was mating season. He was finally going to take a female, make her his queen, and produce an heir. But apparently, not before he made Kane pay for breaking the treaty.

My cousin sat in the first row of chairs some feet behind the podium, looking smug and defiant. His younger brother, Eli, sat next to him, clearly terrified. Eli was a timid wolf who liked to avoid fights and conflict in general. I could imagine he was freaking out on the inside, as he should be. His brother was in a shitload of trouble, not that Kane seemed to care much.

I gripped the sides of the podium and bowed my head to the king. “Sire.”

He didn’t reply, but I saw a half-smile curve his lips. When Roman and I were pups, a smile like that had always meant he’d cooked up some trouble for us to get into. But now he was the king and I was just a subordinate. I didn’t know what to make of his smile anymore. All I knew was that it couldn’t mean anything good for my cousin.

“My lords,” I said to the nobles. They, like the king, had nothing to say in return, but I didn’t expect them to. They were a bunch of hard-asses that showed very little mercy to those brought before them for crimes against the lycan throne. And as far as they were concerned, every crime committed by a wolf was a crime against the lycan throne.

“Xavier Wesley, son of William Wesley,” Stefan said. “Are you ready to take the oath of integrity?”

“Yes,” I replied. I wasn’t, but I couldn’t say that. The only thing that mattered now was that once I took the oath, every word that came out of my mouth had better be the truth. Lying to the congress was punishable by death, and I didn’t have time to die. There were still too many girls left to date in the world, and I planned on starting with the incoming freshmen at Wesley College, which was my family’s private university in Mirage, Georgia.

But that was only if I survived this trial.

“Xavier, do you swear before this congress that your testimony will be honest and true, and do you understand that any false declarations are punishable by exile or death?”

“I do.”

The nobles exchanged glances and then looked at the king. Roman nodded and the questions began.

“Do you understand that your kin, Kane Wesley, has been accused of violating the sacred treaty between the Wesley and Gray packs?” Stefan asked.

“Yes,” I replied. “I know.”

“What exactly is your understanding of the treaty?”

“In general?”

He shrugged. “Sure.”

I blew out a breath. “We, the Wesley pack, are not to venture into the Gray pack territory under any circumstances. The same applies to them. Even the call to mate must be ignored if it means violating the treaty.”

The nobles nodded their approval. “And do you know why this treaty was put in place almost a century ago?” Jackson asked.

I swallowed hard. “I do.”

“Then even you must agree that Kane’s actions cannot be taken lightly?”

I dipped my head. “I know that they can’t.”

I glanced back at Kane for a brief moment, wondering if for once I might find him in an actual state of panic. But of course, Kane was cool as ever. He almost looked as if he didn’t care about anything that was happening at the moment, like he didn’t even notice the king had taken time away from his court and the search for a mate just to attend his trial. I almost forgot where I was for a second and laid into Kane. This fool really thought the nobles were just going to give him a slap on the wrist and send him on his way. But the hammer was about to come down on him, I could feel it, and he wasn’t even going to see it coming.

“So on the night of January eighteenth at around eleven that night, did you witness Kane leave the Wesley territory as he claims?” Marcus asked.

“Yes,” I replied. “But he wouldn’t tell me where he was going. I offered to go with him anyway, but he told me no. He said he wanted to go alone, and I didn’t argue. It wasn’t my place.”

“Did you feel a certain obedience to him as your future alpha?” he asked.

“I won’t lie and say that wasn’t a part of it. But Kane is also my friend and I trust him.”

“Did it ever occur to you that Kane had found his mate and was leaving to be with her?” Stefan asked.

“No. I mean, finding a mate is everything to a wolf. I guess I just didn’t think that he would keep something like that from me. Even if she was a member of the Gray pack.”

“Does it bother you that he didn’t tell you about his mate?”

“Of course it does. We’re not just pack members, we’re family. The last thing I’d ever expect from any of my family is to be betrayed by them.”

Stefan and Marcus shared a look. “Kane has admitted to claiming the Gray female for the first time in September,” Marcus said.

“What?” That was over four months ago! I glared over my shoulder at Kane. He didn’t dare look back at me. “How did Clarence not pick up on her scent before now? Aspen is his daughter after all.” Clarence Gray was the alpha of the Gray pack, and yup, Kane had screwed his daughter.

“You may not be aware of Aspen’s skill as a healer. She is well trained in the art of covering up the mating scent.”

I hadn’t even known that was possible. Females and their tricks. “Has she been exiled yet?”

Jackson shook his head. “No, but her father has threatened to do so if there is any further contact between her and Kane.”

I growled. Keeping Kane away from this female, especially since she was the one he’d claimed as his mate, was going to be virtually impossible.

“What are the three virtues of an alpha?” Stefan asked, catching me off guard with the change of subject.

“Uh, courage, loyalty and respect,” I replied. Any wolf, alpha or not, that didn’t know the three virtues wasn’t worth their fur and fangs.

“Do you believe Kane embodies these virtues?”

Damn. I hadn’t expected that question. “In his own way, yeah.”

“What does that mean, in his own way?”

Damn. Damn. Damn. “I’ve known Kane my entire life and he’s always been the bravest wolf I know. As pups, he was always the first to try some crazy stunt or explore some new part of our territory. I’ve never known him to be afraid of anything. As for loyalty, he always had my back growing up and we always respected each other.”

“And now?”

“Now? I still feel the same way. I just wish he’d confided in me about his mate. Can’t help thinking that maybe he wouldn’t be on trial right now if he had.”

“We agree,” Marcus said. “As your fellow pack members in attendance have attested, you are the one the pack most trusts and confides in.”

So I’d been wrong. The others had been called to testify. “I just try to do what I can for my pack. Sometimes that means just lending an ear.”

“We’re aware. The king also has good things to say about you. He’s told us that your friendship is the one relationship he values more than anything.”

I fought back a smile. “I value our sire’s friendship, too. But that’s just until I find my mate. Then I plan on acting like I don’t even know him.”

Roman burst out laughing, which gave the nobles permission to laugh too. I allowed myself to smile and felt some of the tension ease from my shoulders.

“After hearing what each of you has had to say, a judgment has been reached,” Jackson said once their laughter had died down. The smile fell from my face and I held my breath as I waited for what came next.

“Stand up, Kane Wesley.”

My cousin did as he was told. He still looked stupid and smug and I couldn’t help but want to strangle him.

“Is there anything else you’d like to say before we deliver our judgment, Kane?” Stefan asked.

“No, my lord,” he replied. “I’ve told you everything there is to tell. I love Aspen and I don’t regret a thing.”

“We know,” Stefan replied with a smile. “That is why we hereby proclaim Xavier to be the new ascending alpha of the Wesley pack.”

My head jerked toward Roman. “What?” I had to make sure I’d heard right. The king nodded once and my stomach dropped to the damn floor. This was unprecedented. Throughout our family’s entire history, I’d never heard of an alpha being stripped of their inheritance. Never.

“You can’t do this!” Kane shouted. Finally the sucka was realizing the severity of the situation. He strained against Eli, who was holding him back from doing something stupid, like going ape on the nobles. “I’m the Wesley heir! How you just gonna up and take that from me?”

I saw Roman’s eyes turn icy blue. He was about to snap and Kane’s ass was finished if he did. A Wesley alpha didn’t have shit on a Diallo royal. My cousin really needed to shut his damn mouth.

“You have violated a sacred treaty!” Stefan shouted at Kane. “The punishment must fit the crime! You’re lucky we don’t exile you as well.”

“But why me?” I asked to intercept any response from Kane. “Eli is Uncle Bart’s son, too. Why not him?”

“You are the most senior Wesley within the pack,” Jackson said. “Because of your father, you understand the politics surrounding high-ranking lycans. We see a great leader in you and know that you won’t let the king down.”

I stared at Roman, my childhood best friend, like he was a stranger. How could he do this to me? I didn’t want to be the alpha. I wasn’t the heir and I had been glad about it. Being alpha was a responsibility I wasn’t sure I was boss enough to handle. However, it was clear I didn’t have a choice. Uncle Bart was dead. Kane could never be alpha now and Eli was too young to take his place. I was the next eldest, so the burden fell on me. My father would have been so disappointed in me if I turned my back on the pack and went lone wolf. That’s what I would have to do to escape this and I wasn’t willing to do that. I loved my pack. I could never abandon them or dishonor my father like that.

Never.

“Okay,” I said. “I’ll do it.”

“Man, that’s messed up, X!” Kane exploded behind me. “We’re supposed to be family!”

My fangs extended without me even forcing them to. “Nah, what you did was messed up!” I snarled. “You screwed yourself over. You knew what was going to happen if you messed with that female and you still did it! You put the entire pack in danger, so don’t come at me with that family stuff, cuz. You weren’t thinking about the family while you were out there getting some. I’d like to think that she was worth it, but knowing your history with females, she isn’t.”

Kane looked at me like I’d just throat-punched him. I’d never spoken to him like that because I’d always respected him as my alpha, even before Uncle Bart died. But it was just hard for me to believe that Kane loved Aspen, even though he’d stated that he did. Even though he’d claimed she was his mate. Just because Kane embodied the three virtues didn’t mean he wasn’t selfish. He’d only been thinking about himself when he’d crossed into Gray territory knowing it was forbidden. Love had nothing to do with him betraying his pack. So hell no, I wasn’t going to let him blame me for his idiotic mistake. He’d made the choice, and these were the consequences.

Still didn’t mean I wanted to be the alpha though.

Roman rose from his seat and everybody rose with him. I retracted my fangs, because best friend or not, baring my fangs to the king was a bad idea. Though him and I were both tall and built like the predators we were, Roman’s pure African ancestry put him out of reach. He was built less like a wolf and more like a lion, with skin so dark it was almost another color entirely. He was not to be tried in any way, and I knew that better than anybody.

Roman made his way over and stopped right beside me. He laid a hand on my shoulder and I looked at it before meeting his dark gaze.

“Soon, Xavier,” he said to me. That was all. Then he stalked up the stairs and out of the hall in silence, not bothering to look back at a single one of us. I couldn’t be sure, but I swore I heard a couple of my pack members breathe a sigh of relief once the door shut behind him.

“Can I request a favor, my lords?” I asked, realizing that the nobles hadn’t left with Roman. This trial wasn’t over quite yet.

Marcus tilted his head in my direction. “Go ahead.”

“Look, I know Kane messed up, but I’m asking you, please don’t exile him.”

The nobles exchanged amused looks. “Convince us why we shouldn’t,” Jackson said.

I grimaced, realizing they had indeed been about to kick Kane’s ass out of the fold.

“We’re family,” I said again, as if they hadn’t heard me the first few times. “Family doesn’t turn their backs on one another, especially during the hard times. Family loves. Family forgives. What kind of pack would we be if we kicked a member out every time they let us down?”

“That wasn’t a problem for Bartholomew,” Jackson replied, clearly referring to what had happened with Darien’s father.

“I’m not Uncle Bart. I think we can work this out with the Gray pack. We can move past this.”

“Oh no,” Marcus said. “You’re not working anything out with the Gray pack. Clarence would literally eat you alive. Leave the negotiations to us. Oh, and if my tone failed to clarify, that was an order.”

I nodded, though I really wanted to argue them down some more. “I understand.”

“Good. However, let me warn you. Kane is still your responsibility. We expect you to keep control of him and he is not, under any circumstances, to see the Gray female until we have reached terms with Clarence.”

“You can’t do this!” Kane shouted. “She’s my mate! How can you keep a wolf from his mate? That’s torture!”

“No, that’s life!” Stefan growled. “And sometimes life’s lessons are torture. Our order stands. Stay away from the Gray female, Kane Wesley, or the next time we summon you, the Huntsman will be with us.”

I wasn’t scared of much, but just the word “huntsman” made me want to climb under my bed and hide. The Huntsman was an infamous lone wolf mercenary raised in the jungles of Africa. His first loyalty was to himself. His second was to Roman. He hunted down anyone and anything the king wanted him to. And if Roman needed an executioner? The Huntsman was happy to lend his services. It was said he was immortal and couldn’t be killed, but that was only because no one had ever tried to. He was no ordinary shifter, and if Kane wasn’t willing to accept anything else, he had better accept this. If he did anything to go against the nobles’ order, the Huntsman’s face would be the last one he ever saw.

“I give you my word, my lords,” I said. “Kane won’t see Aspen or go anywhere near Gray territory.”

I could feel Kane seething with rage behind me, but this time he stayed quiet. Good deal, because I was already over his arrogant ass. If I was going to do this alpha thing, then I was going to start now. That meant putting Kane in his place, if need be, and keeping him there.

“That’s good to hear,” Stefan said. “A tough journey lies ahead of you, Xavier. It’s not easy being alpha. Seek the counsel of only those you truly trust. Seek wisdom. Stay close to God, and only blessings will come to you.”

“Thank you,” I said. Roman had always been serious about his faith, so it only made sense that he would choose nobles who were too. I wasn’t crazy religious, but I was a believer. I appreciated the nobles’ advice.

Marcus’ cell phone rang and he answered it without saying hello. He listened for a moment then hung up. Stefan and Jackson seemed to understand what had just happened without Marcus saying a word.

“You must excuse us now,” Stefan said. He stood and the other two rose with him. “Our sire will be expecting us to arrive at his estate soon after him. We cannot keep him waiting.”

“Of course,” I replied.

“Court is adjourned then,” he said. “You’re free to go.”

“Go with grace,” Jackson said. With that, the nobles filed out of the lecture hall and I was left alone with my pack.

I turned to face them, hating how awkward it now felt to be around them. I’d walked into that room a fellow subordinate and now I was leaving it as their alpha. How in the hell had this even happened?

Kane flopped back into his chair and stared blankly at the wall behind me. Clearly, shock had set in. He’d just been impeached as alpha and then told he couldn’t see his girl anymore. He would get over not being the alpha, but losing Aspen? Never. I just hoped that once the shock wore off, he wouldn’t start obsessing over her or get himself killed trespassing onto Gray territory again. I wasn’t above assigning him a babysitter, not when I knew how strong the bond was between a wolf and his mate.

The rest of my pack hadn’t yet moved from where they’d been seated during the trial. Remy, who we sometimes called “Bulldozer,” crouched low to gather his momentum then pushed off, leaping over nine rows of seats to land beside me. None of us had hops like Remy, that was why Darien and poor Foster, who barely had any hops at all, took the stairs like normal people.

“I wonder,” Remy said, “if the nobles were high when they decided that you should be alpha.”

I punched him, but Remy was a solid wall of muscle and I was pretty sure he didn’t even feel it. “Honestly, I think they were,” I replied. “I haven’t even processed that I’m actually the alpha yet.”

“Well, better you than this asshole.” He gestured at Kane, but our cousin was so out of it, he didn’t even hear the insult.

“I told him this was gonna happen,” Eli said. He looked almost as distraught as his brother. “I told him it was either exile or they were going to keep him from seeing Aspen. But the alpha thing? I didn’t see that coming at all.” He glanced at me, then looked away.

“I didn’t ask for this,” I said. “I was perfectly okay with Kane being alpha.”

“I know, cuz,” he replied. “I’m just worried about him. This was what he always wanted and now it’s gone.”

“Yeah, by the dummy’s own doing,” Remy said. “Breaking the treaty was literally the worst thing he could have ever done. He’s lucky they only threatened to sic the Huntsman on his ass.”

“But it was his mate,” Eli said. “We all know what that means and I bet there’s not one of us here that wouldn’t have been tempted to do the same thing.”

“Breaking the treaty or not breaking the treaty is the same as choosing to do heroin or not choosing to do heroin,” Remy replied. “It’s black and white for me. A true alpha would have resisted for the sake of his pack. Kane gave in without a second thought.” Eli couldn’t argue with that so he just shut up all together.

Foster sat down beside him. “I’ll study lycan law and see if I can find some loophole that allows Kane to see his mate. I already looked over the treaty and it seems ironclad, but I’m nothing if not resourceful.” Eli gave Foster a half-smile and nodded his appreciation.

“That’s cool of you, Foster,” I said, feeling the need to show mine as well. “Thanks.”

“No problem. I’d do anything for you guys, you know that.”

This was true, and Foster wasn’t even our blood. He was a Wesley, but he hadn’t been born one. My mother had saved him from sure death when he was just a few days old. Unless the mother is human, shifters are born as wolves and shift for the first time usually about a month after birth. Foster had been born a sickly runt so his mother had abandoned him in the woods at the edge of our territory. We didn’t know what pack she was from, but whatever. Her loss, our gain. Not only was Foster a great friend, he was damn near a genius and was studying pre-law at Wesley College. He could have gone to any school he wanted, but Foster wasn’t one to venture too far outside of Mirage. I’d told him he would have to in order to go to law school. Just the idea of it had scared the shit out of him, so I’d let the subject drop and hadn’t brought it back up since. Besides, he was only a first year. He had plenty of time to get used to the idea.

“I’m more interested in who you’re going to choose as your beta,” Darien said. He was the son of my father’s youngest brother, who’d been exiled before Darien was born. We all knew the story, but none of us ever brought it up. It wasn’t just a touchy subject for Darien. It was a touchy subject for all of us.

“I don’t even wanna think about it,” I said. “None of you suckas are qualified.”

“Man, whatever,” Remy said. “Just don’t pick Kane.”

“I don’t want to be alpha.” Kane blinked like he was finally returning to consciousness. “Or beta. Or anything. I just want Aspen.”

Remy groaned. “Aw, man. If this is what love does to a wolf, I’m going monk.”

“Fool, you wouldn’t last a week,” Darien said.

“Yeah, you’re probably right,” Remy laughed.

“This isn’t funny,” Foster said, pushing up his glasses with a finger. “He’s really in pain.”

“The price of betrayal usually is pain,” I said. At that remark, Kane finally made eye contact with me.

“I didn’t mean to betray the pack,” he said, actually sounding remorseful. “But I swear to you, I couldn’t stop myself from going to her. The need...it’s like nothing I’ve ever felt before.”

“Said every asshole who’s ever free-based,” Remy commented, his expression flat and uninspired.

Kane glared at him. “Screw you, bitch. I can’t wait to see how you handle having a mate.”

“As long as she’s not a Gray female, I’ll handle her just fine, homeboy.”

“All right, chill,” I said. “You heard the nobles, Kane. They’re going to work it out with Clarence so you might be able to see Aspen. Foster’s got your back, too. But if you do anything to mess this up, I’m not going to bat for you again. So get control of yourself, young, and don’t make me regret not letting them exile your ass.”

Kane nodded half-heartedly. “I got you. Imma be cool.”

“You better. Now let’s go. I don’t know about ya’ll, but my stomach is touching my back.”

“Food sounds good,” Foster said, standing.

“Food always sounds good to you,” I said.

“This is true.” To be so skinny, Foster could pack it away like nobody else I knew.

My pack and I exited the hall and I let all the others, except Remy, walk ahead of me. My cousin stared at me like I’d lost my mind when I stepped in front of him and blocked his way.

“Should I be worried that you’re trying to get me alone?” he cracked.

“Yo, shut up,” I said to him. “I want you to lay off Kane. He’s going through enough without you adding your bullshit to it.”

Remy frowned. “Is that an order?”

“Pretty much.”

His eyebrows shot up. “Damn, okay. I’ll back off the whiny little bitch.”

I shook my head. “See, this is why the rest of the pack can’t stand your ass.” I walked off, but Remy refused to let my comment go and followed me through the building and outside into the student commons. It was pretty cold out, especially for Georgia, but shifters didn’t really feel the effects of weather change. Our bodies were built to instantly adapt.

“What do you mean the rest of the pack can’t stand me?” Remy pushed.

“Are you really that dumb or do you just look like that all the time?”

“I’m serious, X. The others don’t like me?”

“You care?”

“Yeah, I care!”

I stopped walking. “Remy, you’re an asshole. I thought you were aware of it, but apparently not. You ride everybody, but then when they turn it back on you, the fangs come out and you’re ready to rip their throats out.”

He looked surprised. “Damn, I’m that bad?”

“Hell yeah. Nobody minds the jokes really, but you gotta learn to take that shit if you want to dish it out.”

Remy was quiet a moment, but then he nodded. “I feel you, cuzzo.”

“Good.” I walked off, and he followed me again.

“So now that we’ve got that out the way, are you gonna make me beta or not?” I growled at him and he fell back. “I’ll take that as a yes!” he shouted after me.

I didn’t stop to acknowledge his arrogant ass. Remy was the obvious choice for beta, but I hadn’t even come to terms with being alpha yet. I had a lot of thinking to do first, mostly about my ascension and pending metamorphosis.

To be alpha, I couldn’t stay the way I was. I was no bitch, but alphas had to be the strongest wolves in their packs or risk being dethroned by some ambitious ass subordinate and his homies. An alpha’s metamorphosis was initiated during a ceremony presided over by the king himself. That’s what Roman had meant by ‘soon.’ A letter would arrive in a few days stating the date and time of the ascension ceremony and Roman’s return. I really didn’t have that long to wait, especially since we didn’t have an alpha at all. If Uncle Bart was still alive and had only decided to step down as alpha, the ceremony could have been delayed for weeks, months even. But with no alpha, I had two weeks tops to accept my new role and prepare my mind for the metamorphosis.

Physically, a metamorphosis was brutal. I’d be out of it for days while my body transformed. Problem was, I’d feel every bit of it and would continue to suffer in silence until the process was done. For me, pain was just a part of life, but metamorphosis went beyond pain. It was physical devastation and I just wasn’t ready for it.

But ready or not, this was happening.

I was the new Wesley alpha and it was time to ascend.

The new school semester was about a week away so my days were still my own. I woke up just before sunrise the next morning and decided to go for a run. Normally, I would have dragged Remy out of bed and made him go with me, but this morning, I wanted to go alone. I’d barely slept all night because my mind was so busy running the possible scenarios of how my metamorphosis would end up. Was I freaked out? Hell yeah. It was times like this where I wished my dad was still alive to talk to. Six years had passed since he’d died and there wasn’t a day that went by where I didn’t wish I could take just one more run with him. If he’d been around, he would have helped me chill out and not be so anxious about the whole thing.

I stepped out into the cold, morning air and immediately shifted into my wolf form–a dark silver beast with patches of white on my paws and underbelly. Running as a human was lame and I got a much better workout as a wolf. I took off into the woods behind my cabin at full speed, and I didn’t slow down for anything, not trees or other forest animals. I was pretty sure I ran over a few squirrels, but I didn’t care. Nothing was better than this. Sprinting through the forest at a speed I could never reach as a human was exhilarating no matter how many times I did it. Twigs snapped beneath my paws as I dug in and pushed myself as hard as I could go.

Two hours later, I laid across my bed, exhausted but feeling pretty good. I showered, dressed, and then headed into town. Wesley College sat on the outskirts of Mirage surrounded by woods and not much else. The only semblance of civilization was downtown Mirage, if it could even be called that. I stopped to grab breakfast at one of the only food joints in town, Mama Patty’s Good Stuff. It was owned by one of the elders in our pack, Mama Patty, and everyone ate there every chance they got. The food was bomb and Mama Patty was hilarious. There were times where I’d sat there shooting the shit with her for hours just because. She was that amazing.

But that morning, I couldn’t stay and chat. I grabbed a couple of fried chicken biscuits to go, then headed to Genesis House, the retirement home in Mirage. I had been taught to always honor my elders and value their wisdom, so volunteering at the senior living home was a no-brainer for me. Besides, I found the elders at Genesis House entertaining. They wanted peace and quiet, but never even attempted to live up to their own expectations. They complained and argued with each other, and gave their caretakers one hell of a hard time. Elsie, my favorite, was the main shit-starter, and that morning, I found her in full rant mode as her nurse gathered up the dirty dishes from breakfast.

“They’re trying to kill me, Xavier!” she shouted the second I walked into the room.

“What happened this time, Elsie?” I asked, tossing my jacket over the back of the chair across from her.

“They want me gone early. Can’t wait for the cancer to take me!”

I smiled at Veronica, Elsie’s cute nurse. “What is this crazy woman talking about?”

Veronica held up the tray of dishes. “She thinks we’re trying to poison her.”

“They are! This slop they serve can’t possibly be considered healthy for anybody!”

“Yet I see you ate every bit of it,” I laughed.

“Well, what am I supposed to do? Starve?” She eyed the small paper bag I was carrying. “But if I had known you were going to bring me one of Patty’s chicken biscuits, I would have pretended to be asleep when Veronica came knocking.”

“I didn’t bring you a chicken biscuit,” I said with a wink. “These are both for me.” Elsie grinned.

“The food here is not that bad,” Veronica said. “I eat it.”

“And look at ya,” Elsie said. “Nothing but skin and bones! That’s because there’s not a drop of nourishment in this mess.”

“Veronica looks good to me,” I said with a grin. “Very good.”

She rolled her eyes. “Elsie, be nicer to X than you were to me. We need our companions and there are not a lot of good guys like him around Mirage.”

“Ha!” Elsie laughed. “You’d be surprised how many guys like him are around.” Elsie wasn’t a shifter. She was just...perceptive. She knew exactly what I was and that Mirage was full of people just like me.

With an unknowing smile, Veronica shook her head. “I’ll be back in an hour to take you to your treatment, Elsie.” She winked at me and then left. As soon as the door closed, I gave Elsie the chicken biscuit and looked through her old record collection while she gobbled it down.

“So,” she said once she was done. Her hazel eyes studied me. “What’s the news, mutt?”

“Nothing much,” I replied. “Kane has a mate now.” I didn’t want to dive into the details with her just yet.

“That’s a big thing for ya’ll, right?”

“A wolf’s mate is everything, yeah.”

“Then tell him I said congrats. When’s the wedding?”

“Hopefully never,” I muttered.

“What was that?”

“Nothing.” I returned Elsie’s records to their crate and sat down. “So am I reading to you today?”

“You’d better,” Elsie said, leaning closer to me. “But first, do that thing with your eyes again.”

I grinned and then closed my eyes. When I opened them, I saw Elsie’s face light up. I’d shown her my wolf eyes, which were bright yellow with round black irises. In all the time I’d been visiting her, it’s the only part of my wolf side that I’d ever let her see.

“Hot dog!” she exclaimed. “I can’t believe I still get a kick outta that!”

I laughed. “Me neither. I would think the wolf thing would be old news to you by now.”

“How could such a thing ever be old news, boy?”

“I don’t know. Maybe because it’s just old news to me. I don’t even think twice about it.”

“I would think none of you would. But to us humans, you’re like alien creatures to us.”

“Aliens!?”

“Or something like it. You’re just cuter.”

I laughed but then a moment later, I got serious. “So how are the treatments going?”

“Oh, about as expected.” Elsie rubbed her bald head which was wrapped in a colorful scarf. “They’re eating me alive.”

I shook my head. “I hate that you have to go through that.”

“Me too. That’s why I’m giving them up. This is my last week.”

“Good.” This announcement should have really hit me hard, but all I felt was relief. Chemotherapy was about as bad as the cancer itself, if not worse. Elsie had always hated the treatments and if this would help make the days she had left a happier time, then I was all for it.

“Xavier.”

“Yeah, Elsie?”

“You know you’re my favorite mutt, right?”

I grinned. “Yeah, Elsie. I know.”

“You gotta promise me something, boy.”

“Anything.”

“You gotta promise that when this cancer takes me, you’ll take care of Cynthia.” Cynthia was Elsie’s parakeet. I thought she was nothing but a winged noise box, but Elsie thought she was a feathered angel. Couldn’t tell her nothing about her bird.

“Of course I’ll take care of Cynthia for you,” I said with a cheesy smile, eyeing the cage where the bird was napping.

Elsie’s eyes narrowed. “You’d better not eat my bird!”

I burst out laughing. “I promise I won’t eat Cynthia. At least, not without frying her up first.”

“You ain’t shit, boy!” Elsie laughed and I laughed some more with her.

“Now,” I said. “Do you want me to read to you or not?”

“I certainly do. I’ve picked out a new one for you too. It’s over there on my dresser.”

I rose to retrieve the book. Once I saw the cover, I shot Elsie a look. “The Three Little Pigs is not new.” I’d read it to Elsie at least fifty times. Any books with wolves, full-length novels or picture books, were her favorites.

“So I lied,” she said. “Sue me. All I know is that you’d better do the voices. Growls, barks, woofs, oinks, all of it.”

I sighed. “Would I ever read the book any other way?” Elsie smiled and settled back to listen. Halfway through, I stopped reading because my heart just wasn’t in it. My mind was still on the trial, but even more so, the verdict and my pending metamorphosis.

“Elsie. There’s something I’ve got to tell you.”

Elsie peeked at me through one eye. “Juicy gossip?” She sounded hopeful.

“Real men don’t gossip. But I have an interesting story to tell you.”

She grunted as she sat up straighter. “So you did have news. Spill it.”

“It’s about Kane,” I said. “He broke our treaty with the Gray pack.”

Elsie was quiet while she processed this. I could tell she was working out the details. Cancer had incapacitated her body, not her mind. She was as sharp as ever. “His mate is a Gray girl.”

I nodded. “The trial was yesterday. Roman was there.”

“The king?”

“Yup.” I explained what had happened during the trial.

“So who’s gonna be alpha if not Kane?”

I lifted my eyebrows in answer.

“You? Well, hot dog! That’s great news!”

“No, it’s not. I’m not ready to be alpha. I don’t deserve it.”

“Boy, hush your mouth. You’ll make a great alpha.”

“You think so?”

“A good boy like you? I have no doubt. You’re smart and you have a good heart. From what Darien tells me when he visits, you’re not just a cousin but a best friend as well. I think he and the others would follow you to the ends of the Earth.”

I thought about that for a minute and realized she was probably right. ”Thanks, Elsie.” She nodded with a smile.

“So when will all of this be official?”

“Soon,” I said. “There’s going to be an ascension ceremony where I’ll have to go through a...metamorphosis.” I paused. “I won’t be able to come see you for a few weeks after.”

Elsie looked at me. “It’s going to be that bad, baby?”

“Yeah. It is. I won’t...I won’t look the same.”

“I picked up on that. That is what metamorphosis means, ain’t it?”

I smiled. “Yeah. But what if they don’t let me in to see you because they don’t recognize me?”

“Hmm, good point. Guess you better come back with a good cover story to explain the changes.”

“Great,” I huffed. I couldn’t imagine any excuse being convincing enough to explain how I had changed so drastically in only a couple of weeks. Even plastic surgery as an excuse wouldn’t hold up once they really thought about it. But I was going to think of something. Being alpha wasn’t going to get in the way of my being a companion at Genesis House. I refused to let it.

I read two more books to Elsie, then I headed home. I would have stopped by to visit my mother, but she’d gone out of town with her mate, Nathaniel, for the weekend. So I headed back to the Wesley campus and spent the day in the library to continue mapping out the trip around the world I planned to take in a few years.

Late that night, I was woken up by someone banging at my cabin door. Cursing, I got up and answered it, ready to beat down whoever was on the other side.

It was Remy.

“Why are you banging on my damn door like that?” I asked him. “What’s going on?”

“It’s Kane,” Remy said. “He’s woken everybody up looking for a fight. With you.”

I dragged my hands over my face. “Damn, I haven’t even been the alpha for a day yet, and I already have fools trying to challenge me!”

“I know, but Kane has realized this is the only way he’ll ever be alpha. He thinks that if he goes through metamorphosis, he can take on Clarence.”

“Is he out of his damn mind!?” I shouted. “Clarence Gray has twenty years on him! He’ll break him in half!”

“I know this, but Kane doesn’t seem to care. All he can think about is Aspen.”

I growled. “This mating shit is really starting to piss me off.”

“What are you gonna do?”

“Answer the damn challenge, what do you think?” As alpha, I had no choice, metamorphosis or not. If a subordinate issued a challenge, lycan politics dictated that the alpha had to step up or step down. If they bitched out, their pack had the right to vote them out as alpha. I wasn’t going to let this happen my first day on the job, not that my pack would ever vote me out. But if I didn’t fight Kane tonight, I could look forward to being challenged on the regular in the future.

“Damn!” I pushed past Remy and stormed outside into the darkness.

All of the pack members who lived on campus, guys and girls, were gathered in the clearing behind the student cabins belonging to the college’s benefactors, which we called “the dell.” Most benefactor’s kids attended other universities so the cabins remained empty for the most part. The pack usually came together here for wolf games, which ranged from wrestling as wolves to bare-knuckle boxing as humans. But tonight, the dell was going to be a battleground and I planned on establishing my authority using Kane’s face.

My cousin paced the dell, huffing and growling like he was hopped up on something. Remy went to stand with Darien and Foster and I stepped up to confront Kane. The entire pack fell silent.

“Heard you’re looking for a fight,” I said.

Kane glared at me. “This isn’t what I want, X. But I have to do it. I can’t let the congress keep me from my mate.”

I couldn’t believe we were having to go through this again. “Do you hear yourself?” I asked. I looked around at the other pack members. “Do ya’ll hear this guy? Once again, he’s putting his own wants before the good of the pack!”

“She’s my mate!” Kane yelled.

“She’s a Gray!” I yelled back. “That’s the problem! You violated a hundred-year-old treaty for her! You put us all in danger for her! And now that I’m the alpha, you’ll be lucky if you ever see her again!”

That did it. Kane lunged at me, but I had expected him to.

Pivoting to the right, I wrapped my arm around his neck and flipped him over my back. He slammed to the ground and I punched him in the stomach to keep him down there. Air whooshed out of his lungs, but he was only out of it for a second.

He rolled back and drew his legs up, planting his boots in my chest. He kicked out and I went flying backwards. I hit the ground hard, popping my shoulder out of place. With a quick snap, I set it right and back-flipped onto my feet, ready to get back at it.

With a roar, I took my wolf form, shredding my clothes in the process. Kane realized I was about to go for blood so he followed suit, morphing into his brown wolf.

We circled each other, and some of the other pack members growled and snarled in an attempt to aggravate one of us to attack first. I took the initiative and went straight for Kane’s throat. He tried to jump out of the way, but I had always been stealthier so he didn’t get far.

My fangs clamped down on his shoulder, having just missed his throat, but that worked for me. Kane yelped in pain, twisted and batted me in the face with a paw. His claws ripped through the flesh on my muzzle, forcing me to let him go.

He came at me again, using his full strength to tackle me. We rolled toward the pack in a furious ball of fangs and claws, stopping just short of taking several of them down.

I dug my claws deep into Kane’s side and slashed. He howled and reared back up onto his hind legs, batting me yet again with his paw.

The head shot dazed me for a minute and Kane knew it. He took the opportunity to try and clamp down on my throat. I dodged the attempt and when he stumbled, a blow to the back of the head took him the rest of the way down.

We don’t have to keep doing this, I said, using my wolf sense to communicate with Kane.

Yes, we do, he replied, back on his feet. I have to be with Aspen. So that means I have to take on Clarence.

He’ll kill you.

Probably. But for her, I’d die with a smile on my face.

You’re an idiot.

I’m sure you’re not the only one who thinks so. But then again, you don’t have a mate yet. When you do, then you’ll know. Then you’ll be the idiot.

Maybe so. But I won’t betray the pack I’m supposed to lead. Not for my mate. Not for anyone.

Yeah. We’ll see about that.

The two of us lunged at each other at the same time. We collided and rolled, clawing at each other as we both fought to get the upper hand.

I clamped down on the scruff of his neck and rolled, flipping Kane onto his back.

I jumped on him and took a few shots at his face and ribs. My claws came back covered in blood and fur, and I knew I’d gotten in some good hits.

But Kane wasn’t out yet. He knew where my weakness was and he exploited it. He swatted me so hard in the face this time, my nose broke. It hurt like hell and the pain should have put me out of the game. But it didn’t. It just pissed me off.

I went kind of crazy at that point.

I bit and tore at any part of Kane I could get at. He tried to defend himself, but there was just nothing he could do. I was relentless. I was merciless. I went for blood and I got it. I went so hard, I almost passed out. Exhausted, I collapsed on the ground, choking as I tried to pull air into my lungs. After I was able to catch my breath, I used my last bit of energy and changed back into my human form, leaving Kane a bloody mess on the ground.

The pack was dead quiet as they waited for what I was going to do next. After a quick three-count, I reached up and snapped my nose back into place. The pain pissed me off all over again, so I balled up my fist and slammed it into Kane’s face. He yelped as his jaw shattered and I knew the fight was officially over. He wasn’t starting anything back up after that.

My cousin, back in his human form, lay curled on the ground holding his face together. I circled him like he was my prey, but I only did it to make a point to my pack. This could have been any one of them and I needed them to understand that.

“Hope ya’ll were paying attention,” I said to them. Then I yelled, “Were you paying attention!? This is what will happen to anyone who challenges me! I am the Wesley alpha and you are my subordinates! I make the rules, you follow them. You challenge me, I put your ass down!”

I circled the entire group, making eye contact with as many of them as possible. “In a couple of weeks, I’ll go through metamorphosis and every one of you knows what that means. You’re all still welcome to challenge me after that, of course, but I wouldn’t suggest it.” I stopped where Kane was folded up on the ground.

“Get up,” I said. He peeked up at me through swollen eyes and I smiled. “You heard me. Don’t make me ask again.”

With grunts and groans of pain, Kane slowly climbed to his feet. One hand held his jaw and he used the other to cover himself. Eli rushed forward to bring him some clothes and I let him. Nudity wasn’t something shifters thought twice about, but I knew Eli really just wanted to check up on his brother because that’s what he did.

“Take him home,” I said. “I’ll tell Elliott to come check on him after his shift in the morning.” My mother was the pack’s healer, but since she was out of town, her assistant and fellow nurse at the Mirage hospital, was filling in for her.

“Thanks, X,” Eli said. “Yo, Darien. Give me a hand with him.” My cousin rushed forward to help. They propped a groaning Kane up between them and the pack parted to let them through.

“Good show, X,” Darien muttered as he passed. A minute or so later, the three of them disappeared into the darkness, headed in the direction of Kane and Eli’s cabin.

“The rest of you should turn in as well,” I said to the pack. “I don’t expect to be back here anytime soon. But like I said, the choice is yours. Challenge me, I’m going for blood, and you can be sure that I won’t take it as easy on you as I did on Kane. Happy nightmares, bitches.”

I didn’t have to push through the horde of pack members to leave. They moved out of my way and practically killed one another doing it. I strolled out of the dell cool as the wind and started toward my cabin. I put up a good front, but Kane wasn’t some punk omega who’d only learned to fight yesterday. Even though I was the victor, my cousin had been a worthy opponent and I was feeling the results of that in every part of my body. I would need at least a couple of days to recover.

Someone followed me out of dell. From his scent, I knew it was Remy. “You sounded real tough back there,” he said. “Kind of reminded me of Uncle Bart.”

I ignored him and kept moving. After a minute, I heard him stop.

“I’m just saying!‘” he shouted after me. “Maybe you were always meant to be alpha!”

I stopped too and turned back to face him. I smiled. “You know what, Rem? I actually think I was.”

Three weeks later...

“It’s time.”

I nodded at my mother, who smiled at me and opened her arms for a hug. Rolling my eyes, I did what she wanted because I always did whatever my mama wanted.

“Are you ready, baby?” she asked.

“As ready as I can be to endure never-ending, mind-numbing pain for days on end.”

My mom’s brown eyes filled with tears. “I’m worried about you.”

“Don’t be. I’ve never heard of an alpha coming out of metamorphosis any worse than when he went in.”

“I don’t care about any of that. I just can’t stand the thought of you going through all that pain. I’m not just a nurse. I’m your mama, and mamas can’t stand to see their babies in pain.”

“I’m not a baby though.”

“You will always be my baby,” she said with a smile. “Always.”

I grinned and hugged her tight. “I’ll be fine. I’m a Wesley, remember? We’re as tough as they come.”

My mother pinched my cheek. “Speaking of, the entire pack is here. Even Granny Marcella and Papa Mike refused to miss it. They and the other elders think this is the last ascension they’ll ever be a witness to.”

“I hope not,” I replied, though I knew it was probably true. My grandparents were already pretty old and shifters weren’t immortal. We aged just like humans. The only difference was we had superhuman abilities and we healed fast. Other than that, we lived and died as humans did.

“Has the king arrived yet?”

“Yes,” Mom replied. “And it’s probably not a good idea to keep him waiting, even if he is your best friend.”

“Yeah, you’re right. It’s never a good idea to piss off a guy you’re forbidden to punch in the face.”

My mother laughed and pushed me out of my room and toward the front door of my cabin. Remy and Darien were outside waiting for me.

“Hey, Ms. Cecelia,” they greeted my mom.

“Hey, boys,” she replied. “Why do ya’ll look so sad? Like Xavier just told me, he’s only been sentenced to metamorphosis, not death.”

“Sorry, Ms. Cecelia,” they said.

“Don’t apologize,” she laughed. “Just smile. Xavier needs all the support he can get today.” She kissed my cheek and then headed toward the main campus where the ceremony would take place.

I looked at my cousins. “Are you two about to cry?”

Remy gave me the finger. “Are you? You look scared as hell, boy.”

“I’m good. Just gotta get ready to take this pain is all.”

“I’m kind of hyped,” Darien said. “Not to see you in pain, but for you to be alpha. You’re the best of us, X. The king made the right decision.”

“Thanks, D,” I said. “Even though you sound soft as shit right now, that means a lot.”

He snorted. “Yeah, you’re welcome, bitch.”

I laughed. “Now I’ve stalled long enough. Let’s go and get this ascension over with, yeah?”

We walked to campus in silence. It was cold out but I didn’t care, even without a shirt on. I hadn’t seen the point in wearing one since I was sure I would just end up ripping it off when the metamorphosis started.

The commons, which had been filled with voices and laughter, became dead silent the second I appeared. Roman stood in the center with the nobles, who all wore long, black leather jackets and leather gloves. Like me, Roman was shirtless, exposing his seventeen tribal tattoos representing all of the wolf packs in his kingdom. This was the largest the lycan kingdom had been in over two hundred years, and that was a good thing for Roman. If he could keep the packs strong and thriving, then he could possibly be named the greatest lycan king ever.

Remy and Darien joined Kane, Eli, Foster, and the other younger members, and I entered the fire circle that Roman and the nobles stood in. I saw my mom with Nathaniel and their two little pups, Asa and Kennedy. My little brother and sister waved enthusiastically at me, and I wanted to wave back but I had to stay focused and keep control of my emotions. I saw my grandparents sitting with the other elders, as well as the rest of my extended family that lived in Mirage. Not everyone in my pack was a Wesley, so there were several other families there as well.

The sun had pretty much set so the fire circle was our main source of light. I walked to the center of the circle and knelt in front of the king while drummers from the king’s court played batá and dundun drums. I’d never attended an ascension ceremony but I’d been schooled on it by my Uncle Bart’s beta, Junior, over the last two weeks since receiving the letter from the king. The most important thing he’d told me to do was front tough and not speak unless the king spoke to me first.

Roman circled me and I kept my eyes facing forward, focused on nothing in particular. “Xavier Wesley,” he said in his booming voice. “You have been called upon to serve this kingdom as one of its treasured leaders and strongest warriors. Many eyes are upon you this day, not only of those who are present, but of those who have come before you.” He lowered his voice. “I know your father would be very proud of you right now.” I nodded because I didn’t want to speak. I was feeling a little emotional and if I cried in front of my pack, then I was going to have to insist that they skipped the metamorphosis and killed me right there.

Roman started chanting in Yoruba while the drums played. I didn’t have a clue what he was saying, but then again, there weren’t many of us who did. Some of the elders spoke a little Yoruba and Igbo, but for the most part we were an English-speaking pack. I couldn’t help but think that maybe it was time to change that.

Stefan handed Roman a wooden dagger because silver was indeed poisonous to us and we avoided all other metal alloys just to be safe. Stretching his arm out over the bowl Marcus held, Roman slit his wrist and continued to chant as blood poured from the gash. When he was satisfied with the amount in the bowl, he licked the wound, instantly sealing it. Jackson held up a glass chalice and Marcus poured a generous amount of Roman’s blood into it. The king accepted the chalice from Jackson and then turned back to face me.

This right here was why dozens of bodyguards flooded the campus every time the king came to visit. He had to be protected at all costs because the blood of a Diallo male was like a rare diamond to wolf shifters. It was laced with pure adrenaline and regenerative properties unlike any other shifter bloodline in history. Drinking it would launch my metamorphosis and change me in ways I could never imagine. I’d seen the results of Uncle Bart’s transformation, but Diallo blood didn’t affect every wolf the same. There was just no way to predict what Roman’s blood was going to do to me.

The king approached and gestured for me to stand. “Are you ready?” he asked. The drums were still playing and he spoke so low, I was sure I was the only one who could hear him.

“Hell no. But I’m your servant, right? This is what you wanted.”

“This is not what I wanted, X. But I needed you to be the alpha. I need someone I can trust.”

I frowned. “What do you mean?”

His expression became dead serious. “Lycans everywhere,” he whispered, “here and in the Motherland, are in great dang–“

“Sire,” Stefan interrupted. “Please. Another time.”

I couldn’t believe how acute Stefan’s hearing was to be able to hear whispering over the drums, but somehow he had. Roman and I stared at each other for another few seconds before he looked to the ground.

When he looked back up, he smiled as if everything was okay. “When I was only a pup, my father often recited a certain proverb to me. He said, if we stand tall, it is because we stand on the backs of those that came before us.”

“I know that proverb,” I said, having heard Uncle Bart recite it before. “I won’t let our ancestors down, sire.”

The king smiled and offered me the cup. “Drink now, Xavier, so that your life may begin.”

“Don’t you mean my new life?”

“No,” he said. “That’s not what I meant at all.” He forced the chalice into my hand then slowly backed away from me.

The drums played louder as a signal that the time had come. But all of a sudden, I felt very uneasy about this entire ceremony. I couldn’t put what the king had said out of my mind. The kingdom was in danger? What did that even mean, and why did Stefan insist Roman wait to tell me?

I looked around at all the wolves gathered in the commons. They all stared at me, waiting on me. It was time to ascend. As much as I hated it, the danger to our kingdom would have to wait.

I lifted the glass in thanks to the king for his sacred offering. Then I drank it.

It went down as easy as a cup full of blood could, but it wasn’t long before I was on fire.

Roman’s blood burned through my body like acid. It torched my veins and turned every thought in my head to mush. All of my senses were wiped out and I couldn’t see or hear anything. The pain was unlike anything I could have ever imagined. I felt my body hit the ground and if anybody tried to help me, I didn’t know it. It didn’t matter anyway. The metamorphosis had begun and there was no way to stop it. I was going to suffer for days. My body was being torn apart so that it could be rebuilt again. Bones were breaking, muscle was tearing, organs were dissolving and my brain was being reprogrammed to think that it wasn’t as traumatic as my body was telling my brain it was.

My vision returned, blurry but there. I reached out for someone, anyone who could help me find relief. No one came because they couldn’t. The pain of an alpha’s metamorphosis wasn’t meant to be alleviated. Metamorphosis was a test of a wolf’s strength to survive the worst pain they would ever know.

I felt my ribs snap and I bellowed in agony. Claws ripped through the tips of my fingers, sharp as the blades of knives. My fangs shredded my gums as they burst from my mouth. Then all of my teeth started to fall out, one by one. I heard my mother scream and memories of my father flooded my mind.

Dad, I’m going to make you so proud.

That was my last coherent thought. Then everything went black.

Eight days later...

I couldn’t believe I was alive.

For days, I’d suffered pain like nothing else in this world. I was so glad it was over, shocked as hell that I’d survived it.

My eyes burned as they adjusted to the light shining in my window. I could tell it was late afternoon by the position of the sun, but if I hadn’t been near a window, I wouldn’t have known what time it was. I felt like I’d been out of it for months, a year even. My body was that thrown off.

With a wooden arm, I reached up and felt my face. My jaw ached like crazy. I was aware of its new shape–more broad, more pronounced. I reached into my mouth and ran my fingertips over my teeth. Normal wolves only had four fangs. I now had eight. No wonder the fools who challenged alphas rarely survived. Wolves already had crushing bites that injured and maimed. Two more sets of fangs ended lives, no question.

I slowly pushed myself up into a sitting position, swinging my long, stiff legs to the floor. I held my hands up in front of my face and willed my claws to come out.

Damn, I thought. I’d only seen claws like these in movies. They were so sharp, they could slice through flesh and bone like it was nothing. I retracted them, thinking that if I made one wrong move, I would be the one sliced up.

With some effort, I stood up for the first time on my new legs. I could tell I had grown but I couldn’t be sure how much. As I stretched out, I groaned with relief because my body felt like it was tied up in knots. The bones in my shoulders and back ground together as they shifted around. It wasn’t painful but it was a feeling neither me nor my bones was used to.

“Who the hell are you and what have you done with Xavier?” I looked up to see Remy standing in the doorway.

“Hey,” I said. I froze because my voice was deep as hell. It had been kind of deep already, but I’d dropped at least another octave during my metamorphosis. Smiling, I accepted that as a good thing.

“It’s about to be a panty parade around here,” Remy said. “The ladies are gonna be killing themselves to get at you. Please make me your wingman.”

I made a face. “You sound real suspect right now.”

“Man, shut the hell up. You know what I mean.”

I grinned. “I’m just messing with you. I’ve known you swung that way since we were pups.”

“Yo, if you weren’t big as shit right now, I’d rip your spine out your asshole.”

“Point proven,” I laughed. Remy just gave me the finger.

“So I’m thinking I need to talk to the king about loaning me some of his blood,” he said. “Metamorphosis would change my life, boy.”

“Damn, do I really look that different?”

“Hell yeah. I’m actually kind of scared of you now.”

“You should have been scared before, punk.”

“But I wasn’t though.”

I laughed and moved to go stand in front of the mirror. What I saw surprised me. I still felt like me...but I didn’t look like me. At least, not the me I remembered.

I’d been right. I was at least two inches taller than I had been before, putting me at a solid six foot five inches. My skin was darker, at least a couple of shades, but I still wasn’t nearly as dark as Roman.

“Damn, X,” I muttered. I really was big as hell. I wasn’t one of those oversized fools shooting steroids six times a day, but I was packing some serious girth now. And it was all solid muscle.

“You kind of look like Roman,” a voice said from the doorway. It was Darien. He entered the room and stood by Remy.

I couldn’t deny it. I did kind of look like the king. “Hey, D,” I said, turning away from the mirror.

“What up? Welcome back to reality.” He sounded chill, but his expression said he was anything but. My appearance was as shocking to him as it was to Remy.

I turned back to my reflection. I studied it for a moment. “This didn’t happen to Uncle Bart. I saw the pictures of him before his metamorphosis. He changed but he didn’t look like Roman’s father.”

“Diallo blood does different things to different alphas,” Darien said.

“I know, but still.”

“Maybe a Wesley stepped out on their mate somewhere along the way and you’re actually a Diallo,” Remy said. “It’s possible. The Diallos got those good genes. You remember Roman’s sisters? They could make me step out on a lot of things.”

“Shut up, fool,” Darien replied. “Didn’t nobody step out on their mate. Just look at Kane. He can barely get out of bed because he misses Aspen so much, let alone summon the energy to cheat on her. Wolves mate for life.”

“Unless they don’t. I know that’s what we’ve been told, but what if that only applies to non-shifters? What if we, because we are half-human after all, don’t? I’m just saying, nothing is impossible. Look at us. Most humans think we’re impossible.”

The fool had a point, but I wasn’t ready to dig into any of that mess just yet. “My mom here?”

“Yup,” Darien said. “She never left your side the entire time.”

“Until today, she wouldn’t let anyone see you either,” Remy said. “She caught me trying to peek in your window a few days back and I swear, my entire life flashed before my eyes. I don’t think I’ve ever ran from anyone so fast before.”

I laughed. “Yeah, my mama can be scary when she wants to be. But especially when it comes to her pups.”

“I see that.”

“Are you ready to go outside?” Darien asked. “The rest of the pack is dying to see you.”

“I know,” I said. “But I need a shower first. I smell like a stray.”

Remy held up his hands. “I wasn’t going to say anything, but you really do.”

I rolled my eyes. “Gather the pack in the dell in about an hour. I’ll meet you there.” My cousins nodded and turned to leave. “Oh, and tell everyone I’ll be announcing the new beta then too.”

“You got it, boss,” Darien said on his way out of the room. Remy only grinned and pointed at himself.

“Get the hell out of here,” I laughed. He laughed too, then ran after Darien.

After my shower, I joined my mom in the kitchen. She had cooked enough to feed our entire pack even though it was just me and her. While we ate, we talked, but not about my metamorphosis. I could tell the whole thing had been hard for my mom to witness and honestly, I didn’t want to hear the gritty details. I remembered the pain just fine, no reminders were necessary. So we used the time to laugh about Remy’s many attempts to sneak into my cabin and watch me wolf out.

A little while later, the sound of howling let me know the pack had gathered in the dell and were calling me to join them. My mom, though reluctant, finally went home to her mate and pups, and I left my cabin for the first time in over a week.

All talking and howling stopped the moment I appeared in the dell. For a minute, everyone just stared at me. I couldn’t help but feel a little self-conscious, even though I understood how they must have been feeling. I looked completely different and that wasn’t something they would just get used to in an instant.

“Hey, X!”

“What up, X?”

“How you feelin’, X?”

I spoke to everyone who spoke to me, making sure to take a moment to shake hands with Kane. He didn’t seem so bitter anymore, but I knew this thing with Aspen wasn’t over by a long shot.

He gripped my hand, then pulled me into a one-armed hug. “Make our fathers proud, X,” he said to me. “Be the alpha I wasn’t able to be.”

“I’m gonna try, cuz,” I replied. I didn’t know what had changed in Kane, but I hoped it was there to stay.

“Speech! Speech! Speech!” Remy started chanting. It took less than a second for the rest of the pack to join in.

“Okay, okay,” I said, moving to stand in the center of the dell. “To be honest, I really don’t even know what to say right now. This is the first ascension for all of us. I know this...new look of mine is going to take some getting used to, but I’m still the same Xavier I was before all this. My changes are only physical. And now that the metamorphosis is over, we can move on. Uncle Bart left a great legacy behind, and it’s going to be up to us, not just me, to keep that going.” The pack sounded off their support with a chorus of howls.

“But first,” I said, “I have to name the beta.”

“Ooohhhh!” The pack goaded me. I just laughed at them.

“The person I’ve chosen is more than worthy of being beta,” I said. “He’s not only a cousin, but one of my closest friends. I trust him with my life, and I trust him with all of yours as well.” I pointed. “I have chosen my boy Darien as the beta of the Wesley pack.” The pack erupted with howls and cheers because everyone liked Darien and I knew he was the right choice.

“Really?” he said, coming to stand beside me. He sounded about as shocked as Remy looked.

“Yeah, really,” I said. “You deserve it. When it comes down to it, I know that I can leave my pack in your hands and not have to worry about a thing.”

“Damn, X. I don’t even know what to say.”

“Just say yes, fool.”

He grinned and stuck out his hand. “I got your back, cuz. I’m in.”

“Better be,” I laughed. We shook and then I held up my hands for silence. “I know everyone expected me to pick Remy,” I said to the pack, “but I have a different job for him.”

“Oh yeah?” Remy said. I watched his disappointment morph into curiosity.

“Yeah,” I said. “I want you to be the pack general.”

“What?” His expression let me know he hadn’t seen that one coming at all. “You serious, X?” Pack general wasn’t beta, but it wasn’t too far from it.

“Why wouldn’t I be serious? No one has hops like you. No one can fight like you. You’re a natural warrior and I’ll expect you to turn the rest of these mutts into warriors, too.”

Remy laughed into his fist. “That’s what’s up!” He came over to dap me up. “Thanks, X.”

I grinned. “It’s nothing, cuz.”

All the tension behind my reveal was gone now, and the pack was already getting comfortable with the changes. I let them spend some time saluting Darien and Remy’s new positions while fielding questions myself. But after a while, Darien pulled Remy and I aside. The other wolves looked a little confused, but of course, they weren’t going to ask what was going on.

“What’s wrong, D?” I asked with a laugh. “You look scared.” Remy smiled.

“I’m not scared, X. I’m concerned.”

“About what?”

“About the kingdom,” he said. “Is there going to be a war or something?”

I stiffened. “Why are you asking?”

“I don’t know. I guess because Uncle Bart never saw the need to have a general. First official day on the job and you’ve already got Remy signed up. What’s up with that?”

I didn’t see the point in lying to them. “Look, at my ascension, Roman told me the kingdom is in danger. He didn’t say why or what the danger was, but I believe him. Whatever it is, we need to be ready for it, that’s all.”

“Damn,” Remy said. “Guess I better start getting their asses together now rather than later.”

“I agree. Start next week, in fact. But don’t tell anyone the real reason why you’re going so hard. Tell them to just get used to it.”

Remy laughed. “That won’t be a problem.”

“Good. Darien, you and I will meet first thing in the morning. A lot of ideas came to me during my metamorphosis and I wanna talk to you about them.”

“You were able to think through all that pain?” he asked.

“Yeah, I know. Shocked me too. But it happened.”

“Okay. I’ll be there, boss,” he said with a smile. “But tonight, we celebrate. I’ve invited everyone to my cabin later. You coming through?”

I didn’t really want to, but how could I say no? “You know I am. Wouldn’t miss it.”

“All right, see you then.” Darien met up with a few of the other pack members and they vanished into the woods. I assumed it was either to go for a run or go on a hunt. Our human side preferred the grocery store, but our wolf side still enjoyed hunting fresh meat. As far as we were concerned, we had the best of both worlds.

“I’m headed to the library,” Remy said.

“The library? Do you even know where it is?”

“Ha! You’re such a comedian. Yes, I know where it is, asshole. I need to study up on battle strategy. That way, I’ll know how to train the pack.”

I didn’t think all of that was necessary, but I wasn’t about to deter Remy from taking initiative. “Sounds good,” I said.

“I’ll see you at the party tonight.” He left and that was the rest of the pack’s cue to swarm me. They loaded me up with more questions about everything from my metamorphosis to my plans to find a mate. I answered the questions the best I could, but my mind wasn’t really there. There was just too much going on inside.

Now that I’d ascended, it was time to lead my pack. That meant all the hard decisions would now be mine to make. Anything went sideways, and I would be blamed for it. I answered directly to the king and Roman wasn’t going to give me a break just because we were friends. In fact, he would probably be harder on me than any of the other alphas.

I couldn’t help but think on what threat to the kingdom could have Roman so stressed out that he would bring it up during my ascension ceremony. I knew it had to be serious and I was already feeling the pressure of how I was going to protect my pack from it. Because if I didn’t do it, who would?

Who would fight for us, if not me?

Who else would die for the pack, if it came down to it? I would, without hesitation.

I wasn’t afraid. I was determined.

I was going to do whatever I had to do.

Danger could bring it.

And the Wesley werewolves would be waiting.