LUKA'S POV

3 YEARS LATER

"Come on young Alpha push yourself. You're stronger than that!" I growl at Gamma Jo and aim to give a right hook to her jaw, but she dodges it easily and trips me. I land face first in the dirt as she lets out a laugh.

"Oh what a shame! Maybe I'll train with Naal." She snorts. "He'll most likely put up more of a challenge. Maybe next practice pup." Gamma Jo scoffs and I hear her footsteps retreat but I'm not giving up just yet. Spitting out the dirt from my mouth I get up and dust off my pants. Gamma Jo stops in her tracks and I get in my fighting stance.

You maybe my Gamma but I'm going to make you submit like a pup.

My wolf speaks through my frustration and she slowly turns to me.

"I'll make you eat those words pup." She races towards me and I push back my wolf so I can focus and get ready for her famous left hook. Gamma Jo is probably one of the best fighters this pack has ever seen and if I can beat her, there is no one that can touch me. She dives forward and I catch her hand before it can make an impact. She's quick but I'm catching on too. I twist her arm until I'm behind her. She growls and bucks against me, knowing that her height is a great advantage but I'm not going to fall for that again. I jump onto her back and lock my legs around her waist making sure to secure them around her centre of gravity. Gamma Jo wrestles against my grip but I remain firm and when I feel her begin to tire I take the opportunity to harness a small amount of my wolf's strength and flip her onto her back. Her growl is heard all throughout the field.

As we continue to descend I alter my position so that my legs are hooked around her neck. We fall to the ground in a thump and I begin my hold. As I guessed Gamma Jo throws her legs up to hook my own neck but I am able to jump back fast enough that she flops face first in the dirt. I jump on her back and grip her arms to hold behind her back. I push my face into the side of her neck baring my canines, as my wolf growls for her to submit. It takes a while but she realizes she has lost and she slowly submits.

The crowd around us cheers and I step away from Jo feeling both thrilled and dead-beat tired. Helping her up she pulls me in for a hug.

"I am very proud of you young Alpha. You grow stronger every day. Now the entire pack knows their young Alpha is one to be feared." She kisses my cheek, like she did on my tenth birthday and I smile, but I've grown out of that crush a while ago. My wolf growls at her, not liking the clear act of disrespect she had just shown and she bows away knowingly. I can feel the presence of my father growing closer and once he claps his hands the crowd clears a path for him.

"Excellent job pup. Everyone continue training. Luka and Naal come with me." I turn to the sound of Naal grappling with his father before he pins him and gets up.

"Yes Alpha." He spits some blood onto the grass and pushes his hair out of his eyes.

Naal received his wolf when he turned twelve, which was last year. It is commonplace for pack members, both male and female, to be blessed with their first shift between the ages of twelve to fifteen. Naal was one of the lucky ones that shifted early. His shift didn't go as smoothly as mine though.

***Flashback***

"Naal I need you to focus on your wolf or I will have to call him forward and that will be even more painful." My father says patiently.

There have been sixteen shifts this year and Naal makes the seventeenth. He is also the only one to shift at the age of twelve. During every shift, except the Alpha's, the pups are lined up outside under the full moon. The moon doesn't have much of an effect on us, but the full moon during a first shift is seen as a blessing from the moon goddess, so the elders always find it better to evoke the shift then. As the moon rises the elders call on the moon goddess for a blessed shift and soon after it usually begins. Not everyone shifts at the same time; sometimes it can take minutes, hours or even days. It seems to be hours in Naal's case.

"Argghh!" He cries out again as another bone shifts out of place. His shift is taking longer than the others. There are only two other pups that are struggling with the shift.

"Focus Naal!" His father yells at him and Naal snaps his canines at him. He has developed his canines first which is a good sign. His body though is still resisting the shift. If he doesn't focus on his wolf form then father will have to call his wolf forward, causing him to submit. I've only seen that happen once and the pup had to stay in the infirmary for two months because of the damage it did to his body. When an Alpha has to force a shift it basically means ripping the wolf out of dormancy and through the body. Absolutely painful.

"Aaaah! Arrggghh!" His voice is getting deeper and his face is finally forming a snout. His eyes are switching between green and black thankfully showing he is finally giving control to his wolf.

"That's it Naal! Come on man you're almost there!" His head snaps to me and his snout takes its full form.

"Luuka!" He growls out my name and my wolf jumps with excitement at his pending transition as he already recognizes him as his Beta.

My father leaves for a few minutes to check on the other two pups. One is almost finished with the transition, while the other pup, a female named Mara, needs an Alpha command for her to shift and when it happens... it's as if her human body completely bursts apart to form a small brown wolf. She howls in pain but my father licks at her face giving her some comfort. I know her because she's also in my class at school. Her parents shift and take my father's position in comforting because he returns to us.

Another bone cracks out of place and I turn to watch as Naal's skin begins to sprout dark brown fur. His legs are the next body part to transition to his wolf and they are long indicating he will be a fast runner.

It takes only another minute before he finally shifts and he looks awesome. I immediately want to test his mindlink but my father beats me to it.

"Naal I want you to try your mindlink understand." His snout shakes and his eyes focus on my father. After a few minutes my father grins and nods at me to try.

"Can you hear me Naal?"

"Yeah! Can you hear me? This is so cool!" I laugh out loud and start to run past him.

"Let's see how fast you are Beta Naal." He growls in appreciation at the title and follows quickly behind me. I run to a tree to strip off my clothes and shift right on the spot. Shaking out my coat I search for Naal only to feel his presence trying to sneak up on me. I jump to the left right before he hits me and I yelp feeling a rush of adrenaline hit me.

"Nice try!" I yell through the link, loving that I can finally talk to him through it. We playfully nip at each other trying to tackle the other before we run laps through the forest and around the new pups. I let out a howl of pure glee and Naal bellows out his own. It is so good to finally feel the power of our wolves.

***End of Flashback***

The pack members nod and continue to train in human form. On Mondays we train in our human forms to build our strength, resilience, speed and tactics. On Tuesdays and Thursday we practice in our wolf forms to build strength, speed, teamwork, hunting, sense-enhancing and agility. Whenever he can father will lead the practices, but the majority of the time Jo is leading. Naal's parents also oversee the practices as well because they are the head enforcers. I love how well the pack works together.

Mara brings Naal and I two water bottles, one to drench ourselves in and the other to drink. We thank her quickly and follow behind my father. He leads us straight to his office to find Mr. Dawson waiting on the sofa causing us both to freeze.

"Luka, Naal it's so nice to see you again. It has been a while." He stands up to greet us but both of our wolves growl in response. Mr. Dawson looks to my father confused. "Did I greet them in the wrong fashion?" Father looks towards us sternly but our wolves continue growling.

"Luka! Naal! Show Christopher some respect. He has been away on an important task and has recently returned to brief us. You will reign in your wolves and apologize, now." The threat was as clear as day and his Alpha tone was seeping into his words. Both Naal and I sighed before apologizing.

"We apologize Mr. Dawson, we just weren't able to come to terms with the fact that you and your family packed up your things and left for three years without a word. Excuse us if we aren't overly enthusiastic." I say sarcastically. Becoming a teenager can do that to a guy. My father growls but my wolf growls back and all the while Mr. Dawson is silent.

"Luka." My father's voice booms around the room but my wolf doesn't back down, knowing that he is also an Alpha and should be treated like one too.

"Hey! Hey! The boys are in the right to feel what they want. Raelynn and Abrielle were furious as well." That stops me short. Who's Abrielle?

"Abrielle?" I ask clearly confused.

Mr. Dawson smiles at me and takes out his phone. His screen saver is a picture of himself, Mrs. Dawson, an older looking Raelynn and a little girl who is the split image of Rae except her eyes are brown, not blue.

"Wow she's beautiful Mr. Dawson." Naal says stepping closer to the phone. Mr. Dawson smiles at Naal and unlocks the phone allowing him to scroll through his pictures.

"How old is she?" I ask slowly.

"3 years old in November." He takes back his phone and a somber look replaces his smile. "But enough about that. I am here to report my findings while I was away. You guys should take a seat." At that time a woman walks into father's office to hand Naal and I shirts. We put them on and sit next to Mr. Dawson.

"What exactly were you sent away to do Mr. Dawson?" I ask while adjusting in my seat.

"Your father sent me to the Blood Moon pack to investigate some claims against the reigning Alpha and his son. As you know Alpha Joshua's son Thomas is to be the new Alpha as of next year, but apparently they deemed him fit at the age of 16." My father scoffs at his comment.

"But every Alpha is to be appointed at the age of 18, how could he have bypassed the elders?" I ask obviously intrigued. Mr. Dawson glances at me sadly before turning to my father.

"I was able to deduce that the elders are being held captive. I don't know for sure but asking around the town, that was the conclusion I came upon. Since they don't live near humans their entire territory is purely wolf. The people aren't as lively as I remembered them to be. They've become quite grim as of lately and a young man told me he saw the elders being pushed into a car." Mr. Dawson turns to me frowning.

"You have already met them Luka, elders Eldimir and Seraphia. Apparently they've been missing for some time now and even with three years spent near their territory I couldn't get a word in and barely a word out. I figure they objected towards giving Thomas power at such a young age but Alpha Joshua thought otherwise. He and his son have been ruling side by side for over a year now and it has become quite... tyrannical." He pulls at his hands, a sign that I would soon learn could tell whenever Rae was nervous or upset.

"Well then something has to be done." I speak up again annoyed that Thomas was able to be an Alpha so much earlier than the rest of us. If we have to wait then so does he.

"Yes something does need to be done, but until we receive a distress call we can do nothing." My father says calmly. I am fuming while, as usual, Naal is quite and observing while we converse.

"What? How can we wait? It is clearly stated in pack law-"

"And pack law has been taken captive unbeknownst to the rest of us. We wouldn't have known about this if it weren't for sending Christopher in. If this pack is as dangerous as he says then the distress call will be soon. You know we can't interfere unless asked or provoked. That is law and I know I taught you better Luka. You must think with your head and not allow emotions to overcome you so easily." I sit back in the chair and nod knowing father is right and I was out of line.

"Until then we will have Christopher and Jerri continue with their visits to Blood Moon pack's outskirts and territory to maintain contact. They may be a small pack but that doesn't mean they aren't dangerous, we must stay alert at all times." Mr. Dawson rises to give my father a handshake but I rise in irritation.

"No! You can't take her away again! She needs a stable home." I'm about to speak but Naal beats me to it. We all turn towards him and he shows no embarrassment at all.

"Naal..." Mr. Dawson says stunned. His face goes red before he slowly nods conceding to Naal's demands. My father and I though, watch quietly at this sudden outburst. Naal is mad, I can feel it. I just don't know why. The presence of Naal's wolf grows stronger and I growl in order for him to submit. His eyes snap to mine but he obeys and steps back. It seems I wasn't the only one that was troubled by Rae's abrupt departure.

"I... You're completely right. We shouldn't have them constantly moving around. They really missed it here, or at least Raelynn did and now that we're back I don't think I could take the heartache of her tears again." He turns to my father asking for permission as he continues.

"We can continue to visit on work-related trips but we must stay within the pack territory. It's better for the kids and safer for all of us. If things become too dangerous or we are compromised I ask if we can stay on your territory." My father's eyes widen before he smiles wide and pull Mr. Dawson in for a hug.

"You're one of my best friends Christopher, my home is your home. Always." They laugh heartily and clap each other on the back. Naal's eyes are still black but he has gained control over his wolf finally. I choose to mindlink him while the men are bonding.

"Hey what the heck was that?" His eyes dart over to mine and they begin to change back to green.

"I just didn't think it was fair to do that to Raelynn, she deserves stability and a family that is always there for her. She deserves m-us. Willow too." We both chuckle at that last part and the men look over to us.

"I completely understand. It's great to know you care about her as much as I do." He smiles in my direction and I do as well, but when I hear what he thinks my heart thuds against my chest.

"You'll never understand just how much I care about her." I know for a fact that he didn't mean for me to hear that, so I act like I didn't.

"Chris it would be such a pleasure to have you and your family join us for dinner." Mr. Dawson smiles.

"Three years is too long to go without your wife's amazing cooking. How are Kiera and little Willow?" The tension is completely gone as the men casually talk. Naal and I dismiss ourselves, with me heading to my room and Naal heading home.

For the past three years I have been through training. When I finished school all those years ago my training became a constant, since there was no need to waste time with school studies. Training my body and my mind to align itself with the pack was absolutely necessary. The first year was the hardest because I was still adjusting and I gave too much control to my wolf. Incidents like the one I faced with my old teacher happened more times than it should have during my first year. Doctor Ewan said it was because I was beginning to go through puberty and it only grew worse.

During the month of July Raelynn and her family left pack territory without a trace and I didn't take it well. I asked my father a multiple of times to tell me where she was so my mind could be at rest but not a word was said. At first I was angry... a lot. My wolf had majority of control over my emotions and I allowed him. I was angry and confused and mad as hell. During that summer I spent most nights in the woods in my wolf form, he sought comfort in the sanctity of the forest. But once school started my father had had enough.

***Flashback***

"Luka!" I hear my father's voice but my wolf grunts, burying his head further into the leaves.

"Don't act like you can't hear my voice pup! Shift!" His footsteps indicate he is about a yard or two away from me. My wolf has been coming to this tree for the past month and a half for solitude. It's close to a stream, so whenever he is thirsty he can drink and it helps that the stream also attracts little animals for us to hunt.

"SHIFT!" His Alpha tone is clear as day and I take back control, evoking the shift with ease now that I'm used to it. I have some clothes tucked near the tree in case a situation like this happens, so I throw on my underwear (because I don't understand how guys can put on jeans without them) and some shorts and a t-shirt.

"What's up dad?" I play nonchalance. Father sighs as he walks closer.

"This has got to stop Luka. I am more than happy with you becoming in tune with your wolf, but the constant running off and hiding in the woods... it takes away from your training."

"Being here gives me serenity dad. I really like it here." Father falls to the floor and motions me to sit next to him.

"Luka you're not just coming here because of the serenity it brings, I know you're still upset about Raelynn leaving." I sit beside him and huff.

"What's so wrong with knowing where she is?" He laughs.

"They will be back Luka, just know that." I lean against his body and look up at the sky.

"You're really good at keeping secrets."

"Being an Alpha can do that to you." We both laugh and he helps me up. "Now enough of this running away nonsense. You will resume your training and prepare yourself for school; Willow wants you to be there to take her to school. Come on pup."

***End of Flashback***

My father really was good at keeping secrets and I learned not to ask any more questions about where Rae could have gone. Instead I focused my time on training, studying and friends. I missed her but there was nothing I could do.

By the fifth grade Naal and I became pretty popular, being the oldest kids in school. Guys would ask us to play Manhunt with them and girls would giggle and watch us. Aria and I talked more than usual and Nancy always bothered her about it. Everything was... normal to say the least. Three years later and I am getting ready to go to the eigth grade. Which means I will be entering high school soon.

I enter my room and fall on my bed in exhaustion as the training with Gamma Jo from earlier today hits me. I smile to myself in victory. It took two years but I am getting better at fighting in my human form I just need to stop relying on my wolf so much.

"Lukkie?" I groan and sit up. Willow has taken a liking to that stupid nickname for over a year now.

"What is it Willow?" She walks into my room and sits on the bed.

"So I heard Raelynn is back." She says casually so I just nod.

"What's your point?" I ask getting bored with this conversation already. She smiles devilishly at me and shrugs.

"Oh nothing... I just think someone has a crush on her." My anger flares at her annoying comment and I get off the bed.

"Can you guys cut it out? I wasn't upset because I'm in love with her! I was just startled! And besides that was two years ago! I'm over it now so drop it already." Willow snickers and starts to walk around my room.

"You're so full of it Luka! I wasn't talking about you." The words die in my throat as I eye my sister.

"Then who are you talking about?" She laughs, like those annoying girls in her class and heads for the door.

"I don't know I seem to have forgotten already... See you downstairs!" She slams the door all the while singing to herself leaving me utterly confused.

Who has a crush on Rae? Do I know this person? Is he her age?

I give up on my guessing and gather my clothes to take a shower, one small whiff of myself and I know I stink.

***

"So Raelynn how are you enjoying being an older sister?" My mom asks as we eat dinner together. Tonight we are serving Rae and her family, my family and Naal and his family, so basically a casual dinner. Rae looks up from her plate and smiles towards her little sister. Seeing them sitting side by side the resemblance is amazing.

"She can be a brat when she wants but I wouldn't wish her any other way. I love her." Abrielle smiles at Rae and eats a spoonful of mashed potatoes. It's so good to see her treating her sister with respect and love as I have learned to treat Willow.

"Luka are you excited to go into the eigth grade? That's one year away from high school." Mrs. Dawson asks my cheerfully. I politely smile in her direction all the while watching Rae.

"It would be nice to be the oldest grade in school again." Everyone laughs at my answer and I shrug my shoulders.

"Jerri did I get your recipe right for the potatoes? I know I had it lying around somewhere but as usual I misplaced it." My mom asks Mrs. Dawson and everyone begins their own side conversations. Naal is sitting beside me, playing with his peas, while Rae checks Abrielle to make sure she is eating everything properly. Looking at her now... she looks... well older. And in an obvious state at that. 

Her hair is longer, losing the tight curls and adding more of a wavy look to it. Her eyes seems brighter and bigger, her skin a little darker, her cheeks are losing the baby fat, her teeth, now fully grown in are straighter and less rounded, her lashes are longer and her eyebrows are thicker. Her posture is better and so are her mannerisms, she seems more mature than before and of course that is what aging does.

"Luka, Naal, Raelynn and Willow can you help clear up the table?" I don't realize I've been spending a good amount of time just staring at Rae.

"Of course mom." I nudge Naal's side and he gets up to help as well. This is how it always is in my house. My mother will cook the food, the kids will help clean up and my father will serve out dessert. Everyone has a role. Naal and I collect the plates, while the girls get the cutlery and cups. Working as a team we all separate into sections, one pair cleaning off the food from the dishes, the other pair rinsing the dish and putting it in the dishwasher. By the time we are finished father has apple pie and ice cream waiting in the living room for us. Mr. and Mrs. Dawson serve out the dessert and we all sit by the television enjoying one another's company.

"Raelynn I can't eat all of this, can you help me?" A sense of deja vu washes over me as I watch Rae help her little sister eat. My apple pie gets cold rather quickly and my ice cream melts away as I spend majority of my evening watching Rae. Since the Dawson's arrived Rae has been busy with Abrielle, not that it bothers me or anything, I was just hoping to spend some time with her. Now that she's older I know we will have more in common than before.

"Rae come with me for a sec, I wanna show you something." Her blue eyes catch mine and her smile widens.

"Sure. I'll be right back Elle. Stay here ok?" Her little sister nods while trying to get ice cream off her nose with her tongue. I get up and lead Rae to the games room.

"What's up Luka?" She asks standing in the doorway. I look over to her before picking up a controller.

"You wanna play?" I've always loved watching her eyes light up with excitement, as they are right now.

"Definitely!" She runs to my side and grabs the controller, somehow calming my agitated wolf. I turn on the television and start up Mario Kart for us to play. It was the first game I taught her to play and she caught on pretty quickly.

"Who do you want to be?" She looks towards me before quickly looking away and choosing Mario. I laugh because she always chooses him.

"Fair enough I'll be Luigi then." We start the game and race against the computer. It feels so good for things to be back to normal again. I smell Naal coming towards us along with Willow and Abrielle, taking away from our privacy. Before he gets to the doorway I call him.

"Hey Naal can you bring us drinks? And Low can you bring the napkins in case anything spills? Abrielle you can help her." They all mutter quick "OKs" before they're gone. Rae shoots me another look that I almost didn't catch, but again she turns back to the screen and blushes.

"Um... Luka?" Pausing the game, I angle my body so I can see both Rae and the door.

"Yeah?" She takes my hand in hers and I can feel her pulse racing. Interesting I didn't hear it until now.

"Um... I... I missed you." I smile and pull her in for a hug.

"I missed you too Rae. It freaked me out when you just left like that, but I get that you couldn't do anything about it. Where did you go anywa-"

"I LOVE YOU!" She blurts out the three words and then covers her mouth. I hear a gasp behind me and see the three of them all staring at us. What am I supposed to say to that?

"Uh... Thanks?" She smiles shyly and un-pauses the game. Everyone slowly makes their way into the room while I continue to stare at Rae. In what way did she mean that? Does she love me like a sibling as I do her? Or is it more? Might as well ask.

"Rae what do you mean you love me?" The blush becomes a pretty shade of pink as she looks at me from the corner of her eye.

"Oh you know... like love love." Willow chimes "Ooh" from behind me and I hear a faint growl.

"As in?" She turns to me getting frustrated.

"Gosh Luka you're the teenager not me. I would have thought you would understand what I meant when I said I love you." She rolls her eyes and wins the race, mainly because I'm not paying the game any attention anymore.

"Oh... well that's... nice. Thanks. Again." Willow flicks the back of my head as she passes me to play with Abrielle. Naal is lurking in a corner and I turn to him for help, but he completely ignores me.

"I know you don't feel the same way for me. I get that you're older and I am younger, but I've loved you for a long time now and I just thought it was time to tell you." Her maturity is astounding.

"When did you realize... you felt... like that?" I ask trying to create a proper sentence.

"Well I've always had a crush on you when I was younger." Her blush gets deeper in colour as she begins to hide her face in her shirt. "Because you were so different and nice and you saved my life." She pauses at that and I reach out to squeeze her hand.

"It was stupid of me to take that cub now that I think about it, but you... you shifted right there, your first time! You were so big and scary but I knew you wouldn't hurt me. You just jumped right in front of me and daddy and you saved me. Maybe that was when the crush really started... but when we left and I wasn't able to see you again... I just knew that I loved you." Another faint growl is heard and I shoot Naal a look to shut him up.

"Wow Rae... I love you too... but not in that way. You know that right?" She giggles and calls for her sister to sit beside her. Abrielle snuggles into Rae's side and begins to button bash an unplugged controller.

"Oh I know... I also know time can change all things." Naal scoffs at the same time that I do and comes to sit beside me. He grabs a controller and joins the game. We all start the race again and speak no other words about love.

 ABRIELLE ON THE RIGHT >>>>>