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It wasn't difficult to see where the packs named originated from. Ash covered the mountain as our car drove higher and higher, it was eerily beautiful how the black covered the grass. The ash was constantly falling, for what reason? I haven't the clue. No one does really. Mountain Ash claimed to be the highest ranking pack in the country, I assumed it was because Alpha Rush is a Kage.

Wolves ran at our sides, moving swiftly through the trees, never taking their eyes off our cars. It was quiet as our cars came to a stop. Pack members stood around us, staring but never saying anything. They stood firm, faces unmoving, bodies still, eyes focusing on our forms. I felt as if I were being dissected, a prickling sensation runs through my body at the thought. A wave of anxiety slowly seeping in. 

I had expected more ogling towards our men, though all I continued to see were squinted eyes and furrowing brows. It seems my first assumption was wrong, I could only guess how many of my assumptions are to be true. Only time could tell I suppose.

 I blended into our crowd of men, not wanting to be seen yet. I had been in Black Rain for many years, yet everyone assumed I wasn't a warrior. Most thought I was a maid, or a pack caretaker as Alpha Featherstone once said; though i suppose that was better than being known as a "stress reliever". Alpha Aron of the Exodus pack claimed that a woman is worth nothing more than whats between her legs. 

My alpha wasn't too happy about that one.

All of their assumptions stemmed from the fact that a woman was too weak to hold her own in a pack specifically designed for warriors. I guess they didn't have much faith in the gods. It is known that Apollo chooses members of our pack specifically, or that is the belief anyways. 

Either way, men sucked.

An omega approached us, head down, nodding at us to follow her. I felt my skin crawl as I witness this petite girl shy away from us, her arms too thin, it makes my mind wonder back to another life. I shake the thought away and follow the girl into the building and up the stairs. She spoke softly as she explained where the Alphas, Beta and Gamma would sleep, then where the rest would stay. Alpha Samuel, Joshua, and I followed the girl to the fourth floor.

Joshua is our Gamma, and I am the Beta. We are both the toughest fighters in our pack, aside from Alpha Samuel and Francis, a wolf who left us before our travel to Mountain Ash. Joshua and I had both fought hard when it came to choosing Beta, my teeth had clamped down onto his arm, taking a chunk of his flesh. The warriors were all amazed by my animalistic fighting when in human form. That's what won me the title.

Alpha Samuel's room sat across the hall from mine, while Joshua's room sat to my right. The omega had told us that Alpha Rush's room was two doors down, on Alpha Samuel's side. My lip quirked up at hearing this information, I was interested in seeing how the two Alpha's would be having to lead together. But they both knew they could not argue with the council, they would have to suck up their masculinity and play nice. 

After putting my things away into the closet, I went in search of Samuel. I needed to be near a familiar face. I raised my fists to knock, but the door opened before I had a chance, "I knew you'd come," he walked towards his bed, leaving the door open as a sign that I was welcome to pass.

He patted the spot next to him on the bed, "come my little warrior," I smiled crossing the room and sitting beside him. I let my head fall onto his shoulder, "so this is our life now?"

"it is," he smiled sown at me. we sat there for a while, enjoying the comfortable silence. Samuel and I knew each other well, no words needed to be said to understand what we were going through. We just lost our way of life overnight, and now we had to adapt. I regained my composure, then returned to my new room.

Dinner soon came and Alpha Rush was nowhere to be seen. His father, the old alpha, said he was in the middle of something. I scoffed at that, bringing unwanted attention to myself. Whispers spread around the table about a girl being a part of the Black Rain pack. Many questioned how much truth was in the stories passed around the werewolf community. 

Surely, a weak female couldn't be a warrior? 

"Misogynistic assholes," I grunted as I stabbed my roasted purple potato.

I put my focus elsewhere before my knife could accidently fly out of my grip and into someone's shoulder, I also wondered where this alpha was. It is seen as disrespectful for the Alpha not to show when another Alpha is present. I could see Samuel slowly losing his patience, but he simply began to eat his dinner with a scowl on his face, ignoring everyone.

The room was slightly awkward as some of the Mountain Ash members tried talking to our pack, but as the drinks starting flowing so did the conversations. It wasn't long before some of my own had started to mingle with the Mountain Ash. It didn't shock me how stand-offish most of my pack were, we were all adjusting to our new life. A life no longer hidden in the shadows, with the new possibility of finding our mates.

Then it was like the moon goddess heard my thoughts. A short girl with silky red hair tried talking to Butch, only to get a grunt in response. I had first thought the girl should thank her stars, Butch was the type to attack when someone bothered him. I assumed he was playing nice.

Dinner had progressively gotten better, Alpha Samuel seemed more content with his now full belly, and more of the pack began mingling. However, the red head didn't give up trying to talk to Butch. She kept making comments and asking questions, trying her best to be welcoming. When it looked like he was finally going to snap her in half, myself and a few others in my pack got a twinkle in our eyes, but that was before their eyes met.

The wide eyes and loud gasps made it evident that they were mates. Little miss red blushed as Butch made the first move, and introduced himself.

I kept to myself, feeling overwhelmed by the many voices and many bodies in the room. I wanted to sleep away the stress, but then an idiot from Mountain Ash decided to speak. "so, how did you get into the pack," the two males beside him smirk as he continues on, "I heard you have a special ability" 

Special ability?

Noting my confusion, he leaned in closer towards me, "I heard you have a way with that body of yours" my stomach churned as his eyes scanned me from head to toe. A few more of his pack members tuned into our conversation, some giggling, others just watching the scene unfold. 

Joshua moved from beside me, his body slightly covering mine as we all stood from our seats, "watch your mouth mutt! You are speaking to the beta of the Blackrain pack, show some respect,"

Respect. Huh? The one thing that I thought would change when i joined the pack. Being apart of well known pack, one would think you would at least get some form of respect without demanding it, and here I thought we were regarded for being the Warrior pack. The ones that put ours lives on the line to protect anyone and everyone.

Yeah, some respect would be fucking nice,

But I guess I was just some whore.

My eyes met Josh's, I could see the small flicker of yellow in his chocolate eyes. He was naturally a hothead, one who would challenge an alpha if he felt he wasn't being treated fairly. That's when I would step in, unafraid of the pain to come from the backtalk, or "disrespect".

"Watch your tongue before I cut it out !" my hands were still as my promise echoes throughout the dining room. 

"Eli stop it, Alpha is here already," someone muttered from the small crowd that had started to form around us. It was now that I noticed the chairs that had been pushed away, the plates left unattended at the table, wolves giving space for whatever was about to occur. It was too late for Eli to retreat. He had been warned by Josh, but he still disrespected a beta. The punishment would be up to me, this was the way of my pack. Nothing lethal, but a stab here and there wouldn't hurt.

Well, wouldn't hurt me anyways,

I grabbed the steak knife that lay beside my discarded food, as the look of recognition overcame Eli's features, "come on you little rat," I grab at his hand and palm the knife into his hand, "maybe you'll have a chance with this,"

The emotions running through his face finally landed on one of determination as his eyes finish scanning the room. This poor rat wouldn't back down with his pack looking to him, looking to see if the rumors were true. Who was the girl in the Blackrain pack? The pack whore or the packs beta. Either way, one of us would end up on the floor, and a show would be put on for those around us. 

I almost felt bad,

I could have walked away and been the bigger person, but then again this is who I am. Pushing things further than it needs to be, probably why Josh and I got along so well. We are both hot heads. 

His eyes locked onto mine, a small subconscious nod sent my way as if he was readying himself to attack. His right arm raised, coming down with the knife I held moments ago, I duck out of the way, turning quickly and grabbing his wrist. With a small twist, the knife falls from his palm and onto the floor, the small clatter signaling his soon demise. 

"Stop playing Alex," Josh smirks at me

"You're never any fun" I mumble

I could see his crooked smile out of the corner of my eye.

Ah, yes, we really were family. 

I struck a jab to his throat, momentarily causing him to loose his breath. Taking the opportunity I went in for the punch to the face, twisting to the left, landing a kick to his shin, then a final kick to the abdomen. I hadn't expected him to fall onto the table. The corner of the redwood table chipping off as he fell, hopefully a piece of wood splinters and ends up in his ass.

'why do you paint these pictures for me' my wolf grumbles.

Despite my wolfs commentary, I was all smiles as the rat faced man lay on the tiled floor. He held his stomach as very little blood trickled from his nose. I had to admit, I did enjoy the view of my mild assault, though my content was short lived as I failed to notice the powerful presence in the dining room,

"What the hell is going on in here?"