Rise of an Alpha Female (Two Moons Book 1)

by A. C. Gruptay

  Alpha Sorin continues to look angry, even more so now, if that's even possible, but sits down.

  Alpha Aaron on the other hand, looks relieved, and Jena realizes his offer was more of a political move to thwart the Southern Star's Pack possible ascension to a position of even more power.

  Her lessons in pack politics place the Mountain River and Southern Star Packs in a multigenerational rivalry, occasionally descending into small conflicts.

  While Southern Star has a number of wolves that is many, many times larger than Mountain River and also significantly larger than Oasis Pack, even if not by such an order of magnitude, the lack of access to a fresh, abundant source of clean water has left them unable to attack the Mountain River Pack territories head on, and Magnus had never agreed to trade more than a certain amount of water to them, keeping things balanced.

  Jena once more realizes how true her father's words were and still are: 'Water is scarce. Water is life. Respect the water.' Especially considering how different the quality of warriors with access to clean water is compared to those that have to recycle dew, rain or even snow like the northerners. She could easily add 'Water is power,' to that saying.

  A poor pack is one that can only afford to trade for water for the Alpha family while a decent pack will be able to provide water for not only the Alpha and his family, but their higher ranking wolves and also the Home Guard.

  This is the reason why pack takeovers are mostly unheard of, as nobody wants to risk their most prized warrior wolves, those that defend their homes into fighting other similarly superior wolves defending their own homes.

  The fact that in Magnus's pack everyone gets access to fresh water is a huge deal, even if not all of them are warriors.

  And these three poles of power have kept and still keep each other in check, for if ever one of them would want to take on the others, the remaining two would ally and take him down a notch, restoring balance.

  "So where is this elusive mate of yours? If I may be so bold," Elder Jacan interrupts.

  Maybe once she gets her mate here, we could all rest easy under the rule of a proper, MALE Alpha, like it should have been from the get-go, and some semblance of normalcy can be returned to this pride. Oh wait, she made us a pack... Damn disrespectful bitch! Jacan thinks to himself.

  "He is momentarily unavailable, not that it would matter, Elder Jacan, as I would never relinquish my position as Alpha."

  Of course, you wouldn't! That would make you seem like you are normal in the head, which clearly is not the case.

  "There is only one option left then," Beta Lindator speaks.

  "Go on," someone says.

  "A duel tournament of all contenders for the title of Alpha of the Oasis Pack, with everything going for elimination. As the highest ranking member representing the Oasis Pack, I will have to participate in the first duel. Winner of the first duel stands to be challenged, then the winner of the second duel stands to be challenged and so on. Once a person loses or retreats from the actual duel, they can no longer participate. Though I do not wish to become Alpha, be advised I will fight to the best of my ability, as I wish to make sure our future Alpha is worthy of the position. Normal duel rules apply, and if a contender is an Alpha, all his ties with his pack will be suspended for the duration of the fight, using the Duel Nullifier Tea which the Elders will prepare."

  "Your turn Xav! Challenge him!"

  "Beta Lindator, I wish to challenge you."

  "I'm sorry young one, Xavier was it?"

  "Yes?"

  "You haven't even finished your training, so I'm sorry to say you aren't allowed to participate."

  "Unless you postpone the duel for two months when he graduates," Brayden says.

  "In different circumstances maybe we could, but the sole reason we are having this conversation now when we should be celebrating and commemorating our dearly departed Alpha Magnus is exactly because of the dire situation we are all being forced into with the threat of the warhogs. So I'm sorry, but no."

  "Then I will challenge you."

  "Very well Mr. Brayden, I'll see you tomorrow at dawn in the central plaza. Would anyone else like to announce himself today, or would you rather see who the victor is first?"

  A couple of Alphas from smaller packs step forward, signing up.

  "Let me just add, for your information, that if my son is not the winner in any of the duels, I will step up to challenge the victor and promise to not take it easy on you at all," Alpha Sorin says nonchalantly.

  No other challenges come and the first of the earlier Alphas backs down from the duel.

  "And if that happens, I will be happy to challenge you, Alpha Sorin," Alpha Aaron adds in turn.

  Sorin freezes on the spot, his head snapping to Aaron, hatred daggers shooting from his eyes.

  "So it's back to this? You want Oasis Pack for yourself so that you can rule over everyone?"

  "Not really, but I sure as hell won't let you have it. If your son manages to win the other challenges, though, I won't challenge him."

  "And to make that even easier to decide, and because I haven't had a good fight in quite some time, if any of you two is still standing with no other challenger, I will enjoy dueling you myself," Conall adds in from his spot between two swigs of wine.

  "Is that a joke Master at Arms?" Aaron asks looking at him.

  "How many times have you known me to joke, Aaron?"

  "I remove my challenge," Alpha Aaron concedes.

  "I... also withdraw my challenge," Alpha Sorin says.

  "Moons damn it! Oh, I'm sorry! Did I say that out loud? Pardon me!" Conall says moving back to focusing entirely on his meal.

  Later that night, within the area designated for Southern Star, in the large tent of the Alpha a cloaked figure enters.

  "Aaa, Elder! I trust you had no trouble getting here? You weren't followed?"

  "No, we are in the clear. Though I have to emphasize the foolishness of you summoning me here, with so many eyes wandering about."

  "Are you calling ME FOOLISH?"

  "No, not at all, though you have to admit to the risks taken, especially by me."

  "Yes, yes, you'll get what you deserve. Besides, you said yourself you were not followed, so I don't see a problem."

  "So may I know why I have been called upon?"

  "WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT BACK THERE?" Alpha Sorin yells at the cloaked figure, gathering the front side of the cloak in his hand and raising the Elder one-handedly in the air, causing the hood to fall off as Elder Qubdaig thrashes about.

  "Father, if you would put the Elder down and allow him to explain? By the look on his face you should also rephrase your question as he either doesn't understand what you mean or is pretending not to," Brayden says, placing one hand on his father's shoulder.

  "Why did Conall interfere? He never expressed any wish to leading a pack before, and I know he had the chance to. Why now?" Alpha Sorin asks again, after putting the Elder down.

  "Let me start by saying your son is truly wise beyond his years. Honestly, I do not know. Though I suspect he wishes to maintain the three-point balance between the three strongest packs in the Southern Calla Region."

  Sorin huffs, unhappy with the reply.

  "Would you like Alpha Aaron to become Alpha of the Oasis Pack as well?"

  "WHAT did you just SAY?"

  "I didn't mean it! Just making a point. Are you 100% sure you could defeat Alpha Aaron in a Duel?"

  "But if my son takes it, nobody minds? How the bloody hell is that possible? He is MY son!"

  "Once the pack bonds are established with the pack, he would first be an Alpha, and then your son."

  "Father! I would never betray you!" Brayden says alarmed.

  "Shut it, son. The Elder is unfortunately right; you start seeing different angles once you are an Alpha. If your grandfather came here right now asking for anything I would think would not benefit me or my pack, I would laugh in his face."

  "And since your brother is
not here, don't think I don't know about the little plan you came up with."

  "I didn't..."

  "Like I said, shut it. While I admire your ambition, there is no way I'm retreating until you can take ME down in a Duel, and then I hope you'll have the decency to let me become an elder in your pack. Your training is excellent, you are a fine warrior, and I have no doubt you will do fine tomorrow. Remember to save some of your strength for the second fight, which is with an actual Alpha. And try not to hurt your future Beta too much, he seems the loyal, obedient kind. Just subdue him fast."

  "Yes, father."

  "And that plan?"

  "I won't give it another thought!"

  "You do that and we are going to have a problem. No, focus on it, it's a good plan. Just remember in the end you will still have Oasis Pack and I'll annex Mountain River to Southern Star and really start training warriors. Once you feel ready to challenge me, you can take over and rule over Southern Calla. If I'm lucky, I'll live to see you attack the North. Just quell your impatience and think long term. Actually no, focus on tomorrow, become an Alpha and then everything else I said."

  "Yes, father. Thank you!"

  "Your presence is no longer required, Elder. Oh, and Elder? Consider yourself privileged to have heard what you just did. Consider your moves carefully and smooth things to work in that direction. Breathe one word wrong or to the wrong person, and you won't live to see the consequences. You may remove yourself from my presence."

  Chapter 18 - Fights for rights

  The morning of the duels comes fast, and almost everyone has gathered for the show with very high stakes.

  "Just like that?"

  "Just like that what?" Jena asks back.

  "You just gave up on your birth pack last night without so much as a fight."

  "Is this coming from my Beta or my friend Alastair?"

  "Your friend."

  "Smart answer and you're an idiot."

  "Did you just compliment and insult me in the same sentence?"

  "See? Smart was justified."

  "You're deflecting me from the question and dodging the answer."

  "Being observant is a good quality in a Beta."

  "You think I'm observant? Thanks! Hey! You did it again!"

  "Did what?"

  "Deflected from the question."

  "What question?"

  "Why didn't you say anything last night?"

  "About what?"

  "This is not going to work on me, you know?"

  "I've noticed. So would you please get the hint already?"

  "About what?"

  "Finally!"

  "So do you actually have a plan?"

  "Of course."

  "Thank the Moons for that!"

  "For what?"

  "I don't know."

  "There is hope for you yet."

  "Gee, thanks!"

  "C'mon you two, the first fight is about to start," Hannah says, running by.

  "Hannah, that's your Alpha you just orders about," Alastair growls after her.

  Hannah skids to a halt, and turns around, looking at the ground.

  "I'm sorry Alpha, Beta."

  "Don't mind him; he's being a little prick! We are friends, and you can always call me Jena, both of you, you know that, right?"

  "Unless we are talking to you in an official manner or there are outsiders around," Alastair points out.

  "OK, fine, except in those cases," Jena concedes.

  "You two really work well together, you know?" Hannah compliments.

  "Thank you," Alastair blushes, unused to the high amount of praise he has been getting in the last couple of minutes.

  "Jena and Mr. Prick, leading us to glory!" Hannah says and starts running.

  "That's it! Get back here you! I'm going to kick your butt like when we were in training," Alastair says as he starts running after her.

  "Gotta catch me first. Oh and without Joel seeing you," she laughs and picks up her pace.

  "That went well," Jena says out loud.

  "Compared to what?"

  "Elder Amisha, what brings you here?" Jena says, acknowledging her former teacher.

  "Just on my way to witness the duel, same as everyone else."

  "And doing a little eavesdropping on the way?"

  "Please, Diplomats don't do that; they acquire information or accidentally hear things."

  "Preferably vital to the welfare of their pack?"

  "If they are well trained, yes."

  "I see. So what do you think of all this, Amisha?"

  "It had to happen. Though it would have been better if it was next week or something, so we could properly express our feelings about the loss of our Alpha."

  "It is what it is."

  "Truer words..."

  "Indeed. So was there something you wanted to say?"

  "Say – no. Ask, maybe."

  "Ask away then."

  "How do you feel?"

  "Same as last time you asked. Angry. Only more so. My father is dead, and strangers are about to fight over a Pack that was supposed to be my birthright. But it's not, because my genitals are not hanging on the outside of my body."

  "If you mean to say male rights to lead a pack are unfair, then in all equality, you should have no birthright claim on the Pack just because your father was the Alpha. Be fair and consider all things equally. At least today. An outsider would have just as much right to take over as you do, provided he proved worthy."

  "You are correct, as always."

  "I do my best to help. Maybe you'll drop by so we can talk about the real reason you feel so angry in a couple of days when things cool down."

  "No idea what you mean."

  "Aham. You know where to find me. By the way, Conall wanted to talk to you. He said you should seek him out where he once told a story to a girl."

  "Did he say when?"

  "Did I mention I was talking about Conall?"

  "Right. I'd better go see him."

  "What about the fight?"

  "An Alpha, even more so than a Diplomat, needs to prioritize. Or at least that's what my mentor told me."

  "Can't argue with that."

  "Yeah, she is a smart woman I really admire. I’ll see you later."

  Walking through the familiar settlement, Jena can't help think of her father and consequently her mate. And the letter! How could she forget the letter? Amisha said her father had given the Elder a letter for her. Would this letter finally elucidate if her father knew about her mate? About him being in the other world? The Earth?

  Why would the Moons pair her with someone from another world? What if she never went there? She would never have found him! Him and his carefree little life, with abundant water for everyone and all sorts of weird contraptions, to make everyone's life easy. And he already had a mate! Well, they hadn't marked each other but still.

  Would she still have gone if she knew? Well, if she knew she could go in one year and bring her mate back, she would.

  Even if he had a girlfriend?

  "Yes, Jena. And you know it! Once we marked him, he would forget all about her. Remember he almost took you on your offer. He wasn't really that sure of his relationship despite it being a lengthy one.

  And if your guilt-ridden conscience wouldn't let you do it, I would have. Because in the end, you know it was the right thing to do for both him and us since nothing in the world or even that world can compare to the bond between soulmates."

  "I know, Lana. And you're right. Thank you for being my strength when I falter."

  "We are one. It's what we do."

  "Let's focus. Conall should be around here somewhere."

  "Why are you here, young Alpha?"

  "I'm answering your summons, Master at Arms."

  "I did not call for you."

  "And yet here you are, exactly where she said you'd be."

  "Though I've told no one of my whereabouts."

  "So why did you come here then?"

  "This is my
meditation spot. You are actually intruding on that."

  "What made you chose this exact spot?"

  "It is the spot where a seed was planted about a year ago. It caught and is now growing strong."

  "Are you referring to m..."

  "A seed. Take it as you will. Why are you here Jena?"

  "Because you sum..."

  "We've already established that is not true."

  "Why are you not in the plaza, watching the duel?"

  "There is nothing worth seeing. Yet."

  "What is that supposed to mean?"

  "Exactly what I said."

  "But you stopped both Alpha Sorin and Alpha Aaron from fighting."

  "I did no such thing. In fact, I offered to have the winner fight some more."

  "With you!"

  "True."

  "And they both backed out."

  "And that is my fault how?"

  "You knew they would back out."

  "Maybe. I took a guess."

  "I need to know why."

  "Need to or want to? Be honest!"

  "Want to."

  "What makes you think you deserve an answer?"

  "It involves my father's pack."

  "And at the same time, it doesn't involve your own pack. So one can say it does not involve you. You are already an Alpha. Looks to me like you were in a hurry to become one and you used your training at the first opportunity."

  "I did what I had to with the situation I was presented. I will not apologize to you or anyone for doing what I considered and still consider the right thing to do at the time."

  "Good. Seems all that training wasn't completely wasted on you."

  "Master Conall, you have the strangest way of giving compliments."

  "So I've been told. Like I said, now that you are already an Alpha, all your dreams have basically come true. What more could you want? Why should you care about this fight?"

  "Because Oasis Pack is mine. It belongs to me."

  "Careful Jena. That is a dangerous road to take. No pack belongs to an Alpha. The Alpha belongs to the Pack. It's Alpha Aaron of the Mountain River Pack, not the other way around."

  "Yes. It belongs to me to protect. As in the responsibility to see it survive and prosper belongs to me. Just as I belong to the Oasis Pack, no matter what anyone else says."