The Alpha's Call

CASPIAN

“Are you listening, Caspian?”

I blinked and looked up, coming out of my daydream.

My dad and Alpha Hugo were staring at me, expectant.

“Uh, no. Sorry. Could you repeat that?”

Teresa smirked at me, and I shot her a glare.

My dad frowned, leaning forward on the table. “You’re going to be beta one day. You have to take these things seriously.”

“Beta to her?” I nodded at Teresa. “Sorry, but I’d rather gnaw my own foot off.”

“Caspian!” my dad admonished me.

“Better warm up to the thought, buddy,” Teresa said.

Hugo laughed. “Ah, the passion of the young.”

My dad looked at the alpha apologetically.

“As we were saying,” my dad continued, changing the subject, “there have been no hints of another rogue attack on the Royal Pack borders, but we need to stay alert. The Blue Moon Pack has sent a few people to help be on the lookout.”

“You and Teresa have to be extra vigilant during the Summit,” Hugo added. “We know it’s a big day for both of you, but you have a responsibility to keep your fellow wolves safe. Is that understood?”

“Yes, Alpha,” Teresa and I intoned.

Our meeting went on for a few minutes more, but try as I might, I couldn’t stay focused.

Today I would find out if Lyla was my mate or not.

How was I supposed to pay attention to a boring meeting when the love of my life would be decided—or not decided—tonight?

The others stood up and I followed suit, a step late.

A wicked glint flashed in Alpha Hugo’s eyes. He appraised Teresa and me. “What if you two turned out to be true mates?”

“Ew!” Teresa shrieked. “Don’t even joke about that!”

My dad and Hugo took one look at my face and laughed. The feeling of pure horror I was experiencing probably showed.

“Well, you’d better hope that the Summit gives me wings, too, because I’m jumping off of a cliff,” I muttered.

“I’ll hold your hand on the way down, mate,” Teresa said.

“Would you look at that,” my dad crowed. “They agreed on something.”

After another round of belly laughs, Alpha Hugo placed a hand on my and Teresa’s shoulders.

“Well, good luck tonight,” he said.

“Don’t you put that on us,” Teresa glared at him.

“Hey, you never know,” he teased. “The Moon Goddess works in mysterious ways.”

My dad and I left the meeting. I dragged my feet as I followed my dad back to our room.

“Teresa wouldn’t be a bad mate, you know,” Dad said.

“Not you too,” I groaned. “Shut up, old man.”

“She’s quick-witted and very smart,” Dad went on. “She’s going to make an excellent alpha.”

“Maybe if she pulls her head out of her ass,” I muttered. “Why are you pushing for this? It’s not like we get any say in who our true mates are.”

“And not everyone gets a true mate,” my dad said, turning somber. “If things don’t work out tonight, and both of you are unmated—”

“This is about Lyla, isn’t it?” I interrupted.

My dad didn’t reply.

I fucking knew it.

We stepped into our room, and I closed the door behind me.

“What do you have against her?” I demanded. “I love her.”

“No. You think you love her.” My dad sighed. “This is why wolves don’t date before their first Summit.”

“Don’t tell me how to fucking feel,” I growled. I stomped away from him, needing to cool off. I went into the bathroom and splashed some cold water on my face.

Tonight can’t come fast enough.

LYLA

“I’m dressing to kill!” Teresa exclaimed with glee.

I sat on the bed as she pulled her carefully folded clothes from her suitcase and tossed them around our room, searching for the right outfit.

“You know we all get naked anyway, right?” I said, annoyed.

“Well, of course. But I’ve been ready for that my whole life… I’m more worried about how I’ll look for the after-party,” she retorted, staring intently into the mirror as she passed several outfits over her body.

She smiled and stopped at a nice dress that I could already tell would hug all her curves. It made me a little jealous how excited she was.

With the dress halfway on, Teresa paused and watched me from the mirror.

“Can you at least pretend to be excited?” she asked with a smirk.

I flashed a toothy smile at her, trying to hide my true emotions. It was impossible—she was my best friend and knew me better than anyone.

“Forget it,” she said. “That was a terrible idea.”

I groaned and flopped back onto the bed. “I just wish it was already over.”

Teresa’s nose wrinkled disapprovingly. “You might have a mate by the end of the night, Lyla. How is that not exciting?”

“I just really don’t think it will happen,” I sighed. “I don’t want to get my hopes up. Besides, I have Caspian.”

“You can do much better than Asspian.”

Ignoring her comment, I propped myself up on my elbows, holding her reflection’s gaze.

“No matter what happens, I’m through with waiting. It feels like our whole lives have been on hold for our mates. I’m done with that bullshit. I can take control over my own destiny.”

“There’s the badass I know,” Teresa smiled. “Now come on and get sexy so you’re ready for whatever fate throws at you.”

Of course I hadn’t brought anything sexy. I didn’t have anything worth wearing in my entire wardrobe.

Then my eyes caught a pair of jeans lying on the dresser.

“Are these yours?” I asked, unfolding them.

“They used to be. But they’ve gotten too tight on me. I thought they would look good on you. Give them a try,” she said with interest.

I slipped them on and couldn’t believe it. Even though Teresa and I had practically lived off one another’s wardrobes for years, I had never tried on that specific pair of jeans.

And why the hell not?!

They hugged my hips and thighs in a way that had me questioning if I was still looking at the same young woman.

I found a simple black top they paired extremely well with, and stood gasping at the person in the mirror.

“Damn,” Teresa whistled.

“I guess you’re right,” I admitted. “Maybe tonight is the time to show off what I’ve got.”

***

The full moon was high in the sky when we stepped through the last of the trees into a clearing in the forest.

It shone down hard, illuminating the growing mass of naked bodies as they formed into a circle. The ritual would begin when all of our clothes were tossed into its center.

I took a step back upon seeing so many friends and strangers naked.

It wasn’t in my genes to be so open with my body.

I know, very unwolfy of me.

“I don’t know if I can do this…,” I murmured, taking a few steps back.

As a werewolf it was my right to allow my animalistic instincts to take over—to run wild and become one with nature and the world around me.

But I couldn’t help cringing at the thought.

“Of course you can,” I heard Teresa say beside me. “Carpe diem and all that, remember?”

She hammered home her statement and reminded me I was late to the party as she moved into an open spot in the circle, her bare ass catching my eye.

This was her element—she had a great body and the type of personality to let you know it. She looked back at me and gave a quick wave.

As the crowd quieted down, I quickly took off my clothes, losing balance a few times as my jeans caught on my feet.

I slid my naked body in beside Teresa, one arm hiding my breasts while my other hand hid my groin.

“You look amazing,” she said quietly, trying to instill some confidence in me.

I looked around at the numerous bodies, and my gaze caught on Caspian, a few yards away. It was the first time I had seen him fully naked.

My jaw dropped open at the sight.

He was lanky but muscular, his arms and chest more chiseled than I could have imagined. And as my eyes drifted down past the V-lines at his hips, my breath caught in my throat.

I had felt it through his pants on more than one occasion, but to finally see it in front of me…

Had I made a mistake by not going all the way? What if he found his true mate, and I was left to suffer alone until I was wrinkled and old and no one wanted me?

He caught my eye as I ogled him. He winked.

My chest tightened and breathing grew more difficult.

This is a mistake. It’s all a huge mistake… My thoughts were racing.

But it was too late to go back.

The crowd grew even more silent, save for a few hushed whispers. Then I saw two massive werewolves move into the center of the circle.

“Is that...?” I asked.

“Duh,” Teresa retorted, and the realization hit me.

I was looking at the royal alpha and royal beta.

“The taller one is Caius,” she said simply. “The one with the black fur... that’s Sebastian.”

This time she licked her lips.

Sebastian…

His name echoed through my head as I stood as quiet as the others, watching the beautiful creature in front of me.

We’d talked at the party, but to think that even his wolf could be so impressive…

I guess he’s the royal alpha for a reason.

“Isn’t he magnificent…,” Teresa fawned, already knowing the answer to her question.

I couldn’t deny it. She was right. He was absolutely gorgeous—and the most imposing wolf I’d ever seen.

The fur covering his body was like darkness incarnate, and the white patch over his right eye shone bright like a star in the midnight sky.

I had barely realized that the others, one by one, were beginning to shift. I felt a sense of relief knowing that my naked body would soon be covered with fur as I turned into my wolf.

It took me only a few seconds to shift. The twinge of pain I usually felt from my bones and muscles shifting forms was no longer there.

I could only feel fear and uncertainty take hold as we stood in the circle, ready for the next part of the ritual.

Beta Caius stepped forward, raised his snout to the sky, and let out a harsh howl that shook me to my core.

The Summit had begun.

Ready or not, my destiny was calling me.