The Alpha, The Witch, and The Heir

I cursed to myself as I climbed up the highest hill in my territory, tugging with me the head of the bear who had just had the misfortune to be killed by me for my coronation. It was custom for every new alpha to fight a bear, and kill it, bringing its head to the elders before he can be coronated. The head symbolizes his ability to protect the pack and fight for them against all odds.

I cursed again as I hit my foot on a stone. I didn't need to look down to see that it was already bleeding, but the good thing was that I was a werewolf and it would heal itself in no time.

I sighed as I approached the site of my coronation, I could see the cairn field in the distance and the elders already gathered waiting for me, making small talk. Since the foundation of the pack, all coronations have been done here, and every cairn has been erected for every alpha that has died.

I entered the field and dropped the head on the ground, watching as the blood began to flow from the neck stump.

"There it is," I said.

The elders nodded and looked among themselves.

"You did well, son," one of them said.

"Can we begin?" I just wanted this over and done with.

They nodded, and the ceremonial dagger was pulled out of its sheath.

"Kneel."

I went down on my knees, facing my father's cairn.

My hands balled into fists in anger because I had yet to catch my father's killer. What was more unsettling was that the person was a member of my pack, and they had cleaned up their tracks so well that it was getting increasingly difficult to find the culprit. His death was the reason why I was the pack's youngest alpha in over a century.

Right there on my knees, I vowed not to relent, not to let down my father, and let him die in vain. I watched as the dagger was heated in the small fire, as the blade turned red and smoking hot.

Elder Caleb began chanting some ancient tune and began to mark me with the knife. I grunted as it pierced my skin, and bit my lip so hard I could taste the blood on my lips. My fingernails dug into my palms as my pack initials were carved on the left side of my chest.

I took a deep breath when that was over, and stood to my feet. The elders picked up the bear head and began to prepare it, skinning it and plucking out the eyes. I already knew what was next. It was the last step of the ritual. I shed my joggers and quickly transformed into my wolf form, my bones snapping, breaking, and reforming. It was painful the first time I shifted, but now…now I relished the pain. I enjoyed the sound of my bones deforming and found power in them reforming again.

I shook out my midnight black fur that was typical of alphas and sat, patiently waiting for my meal to be ready. I stood at 6'4" in my human form, and as tall as an average human in my wolf form. I was the largest alpha in the Americas, and my pack the strongest.

My human side detested the smell of raw meat, but my wolf salivated as the elders were in the finishing stages of preparing it.

"Here you go." Elder Caleb gently placed the meal on the floor before me and stepped back.

Without wasting time, my wolf began to devour the meat, tearing the skin away, and breaking the bone.

My wolf licked his lips when he was done, and the elders cheered. I was alpha. An emerald necklace was placed around my neck. It was my father's and now it was mine. I stood, walked to the edge of the hill, and howled. Loud and proud. Not long after, I heard the resounding howls from every corner of my pack. I felt their loyalty, their respect, their love. And they felt my strength, my mercy, and my love for the pack.

I was their alpha. They accepted me.

"May your reign be more peaceful, and fruitful than that of your father," Elder Harry said, smiling at the large black wolf without a hint of fear.

I was glad I was in my wolf form, thus not pressed to reply. Something about the man always rubbed me the wrong way. Maybe because he was my ex's father. But I knew that that wasn't the case. I shifted back into my human form, and put on my joggers, letting them ride low on my hips, bowed to the elders, and began my journey back down the hill to the pack grounds where I knew a celebration was waiting for me.

The whole pack was jubilant as soon as I entered the clearing, and I felt a unique kind of happiness in my chest. I felt complete…almost. Both my wolf and I knew something was missing. Someone was missing.

My mate.

I wondered if I would ever meet her. I wondered if she was dead. As soon as the thought entered, I dismissed it. It was too painful to go down that lane.

Fifteen minutes into the celebration, I was tired of people telling me I needed to find a mate. Especially my mother. I sighed as she approached me, but knew that there was no escaping her.

"Congratulations, my boy!" she said excitedly, grabbing my cheeks in her hands, and planting loud kisses on them both.

"Thank you, ma," I replied and took her hands in mine.

"You know, there are so many pretty—"

"Mom."

"But—"

"No," I said firmly.

She sighed and withdrew her hands from me. "You know you need to find a mate and produce an heir before your first year of rule is over, right?" she said, arching her brows.

I sighed and nodded.

"Well, I'll leave it at that. Have fun." She cackled and walked back to the party.

I couldn't help but laugh. This party might as well have been in my mother's name. She was having too much fun with it. And I was happy about that; I'd been worried about how my mother would cope after her own mate died. If she wanted to throw 50 coronation parties in my name, I would oblige her.

I stood to the side and watched the pack. My pack. I was already feeling the weight of governance on my shoulders. I watched the elders and turned to one in particular when I felt his gaze on me. Elder Harry raised his drink in salute, and I reluctantly nodded.

I didn't like that man. His daughter might have been a different case.

After a couple of hours, the party didn't seem to be slowing down. Neither did the matchmaking attempts. I never thought I would see the day when I felt like punching one of my pack members. I lifted my drink to my lips and groaned as the liquid touched my lips. It was just plain alcohol. My mother might as well have gotten fruit juice for everyone and not just the children.

We were wolves, not humans.

Although, I wasn't surprised. It was my mother. If she saw a way to not have alcohol at this party, she would do just that. And everyone would not dare say a word to her about it. Not even me…

I saw her coming over to me with yet another 'strong female' and I rolled my eyes to the high heavens and prayed for strength. I feared that I would expire on the spot if one more female fluttered her eyelashes at me in the name of flirting. I decided that I had had enough of the poor drink choices, and the endless advances.

So I snuck out of the party and went straight to my garage where there was an assortment of different cars. Due to the wise financial investments that my father had made — as well as other alphas before him — we could afford the luxury. The pack house was a sprawling monstrosity that accommodated every pack member.

We could afford to have a school that was the most standard in the whole country. We had several business investments as a pack, and my investments saw to it that I could easily be called a billionaire, and could afford anything I wanted…as long as money could buy it. Though that seems to not be the case at the moment. The one thing I wanted could not be bought with money. I didn't even know where to find her.

I got into my Tundra, and rolled down the windows, deciding that a drive was in order. I was a large man, and the truck was best suited to my comfort. I never bought into the craze of purchasing tiny sports cars that constituted discomfort for me. It always amazed me how much money people were willing to spend on inconvenience just to own a status symbol. I began blasting old-school music from the speakers, turning the volume up to the highest, whistling to the melodious songs of Brenda Fassie as I drove. I had no idea what she was singing, but I grew up listening to her. She was my father's favorite artist.

Several twists here, and a few turns there, and I found myself pulling up at the 2-Twins bar out in the French Quarter. I sighed and turned off the engine, saddened that the music went off with it. I got out of the truck, slid my phone into my back pocket, and strode into the bar. The bell above the door chimed against metal as I entered, and all conversation ceased. I knew that as I have been coronated alpha, my energy has become more powerful. My aura has become more dominating, especially to lower wolves.

My eyes ran the length and breadth of the bar, looking for threats, a habit that had been ingrained in me since childhood by my father. There were always several characters in that bar, some looking like they had fought in World War II. The bar was dimly lit, but that wasn't a problem as my eyes immediately adjusted to the dimness. The tables were covered with stained tablecloths. A large flat screen television hung on the wall where a football match was showing and men were seated around the television, watching intently. The fading white paint on the walls was begging for intervention, marked with blood, beer, and cigarette marks. The wooden floor creaked as I stepped across it.

Right ahead was the bar itself, with a long polished wooden counter, with high stools lined up along it. Behind the bar stood Bob, and behind Bob stood shelves stacked with bottles of various spirits and mixers, bottles of wine, and a beer tap, accurately reflecting the bar's range of drinking activities.

'You can't afford to slack,' my father had always said.

I smiled to myself when I didn't see any threats, and made a beeline for the bar. Random memories of my father always made me smile. Gave me some sort of bittersweet happiness. I slid into the stool and smiled at the elderly man behind the counter.

"Hello, Bob," I greeted.

"Jack. Son. How are you doing, my boy?" Bob smiled at me, showing teeth that has been blackened by tobacco.

I smiled at the elder and nodded. "It's been quite a night. How are you?"

"Alive!!!"

We both laughed loud, drawing the temporary attention of the other patrons. Although, Bob's laugh sounded more like a cartoon witch's cackle. We made jokes about his health, and potential death all the time.

"How'd the coronation go?" Bob asked.

"It was alright. Same old ritual," I replied and watched Bob as he nodded his head thoughtfully.

"Yes…the tradition must continue. Now, I have to address you properly, Alpha Jackson."

"Oh, come off it."

"But what are you doing here? Aren't you meant to be celebrating with your pack?"

"I needed to... get away for bit. Decided I'd head out here."

Bob leaned over the counter. "Have you found her yet?"

I sighed, I knew exactly who he was talking about. "No, Bob. I haven't found her yet."

The old man smacked his lips together and leaned back. "Oh, that's too bad…" He sighed. "But you know that Lillian won't be too bad for a Luna."

"Bob." There was an underlying warning in my tone, and Bob immediately picked up on it, and he raised his hands in mock surrender.

"Alright, alright. But you know I want what's best for you. Right, son?"

"I know." I smiled and nodded.

"Alright. What might I get you?"

"Dirty shots. Very dirty. And keep them coming." Bob smiled and immediately went to work, and in no time, multiple shot glasses sat in front of me, waiting to destroy my liver.

I could smell the wolfsbane in the alcohol and I smiled. The dirtier, the better. I was a wolf, regular alcohol did nothing to and for me. That was where wolfsbane came in. In the right proportions, I could drink it and not be poisoned.

I threw the first shot back and sighed as the liquid burnt my throat. I could feel the alcohol in my bloodstream and it felt just right. I threw back the second, third, fourth, and fifth in rapid succession, and finally decided to pause and take a break. I asked for water and Bob quickly delivered it to me.

My senses suddenly became aroused, my wolf becoming fuzzy and unsettled as though there was an unwelcome presence in the bar. I looked around the establishment, but couldn't see what was making my wolf edgy. I went back to drinking. On my eighth shot, my wolf became even more unsettled, and I began taking deep breaths to calm it.

Just then I felt a hand on my shoulder, and electricity zapped through my entire being from where the hand had touched. I turned my head sharply to see the most beautiful woman I had ever seen.

She had bright brown eyes that were cat-shaped, and eyelashes that were long and curled up at the perfect angle. Her lips were heart-shaped and full, painted a deep shade of red. She had a small nose seated on her face and pale, almost white skin. Her shiny red hair contrasted with her pale skin and framed her face perfectly.

I lowered my eyes, and all the blood in my body, and my brain immediately flowed down south. She had on a tiny black, latex, armless dress that bared her shoulders and stopped mid-thigh, clinging to her body like a second skin. Her full breasts sat in the dress and I was mesmerized by the teasing show of cleavage. My eyes went even lower and settled on her midriff and hips. She had such wide hips and a waist that was more or less nonexistent. And legs that were long and shapely that I badly wanted to have wrapped around me.

I felt bad for ogling her and immediately lifted my eyes to her face, delighted to see that she was checking me out as well. I had thrown on a tank top that was seated in my car before I had stepped down, and I loved the way it hugged me, making me look massive…although I didn't need the tank top. I leaned my head to the side and my neck tattoo was on full display. I caught her staring at the tattoo and biting her lips seductively. That turned me on immensely.

As though my brain had been lagging, something immediately clicked in my brain and I realized…

"Mate."

A sudden rush went through me, and the biggest smile spread across my face. She was finally here.