The night was clear with millions of stars twinkling brightly. Jake stood on the balcony that connected to his room and looked across the pack lands.
The air smells so wonderful up here,
he thought as he brushed his sandy brown hair out of his dark brown eyes. His deeply tanned skin hid the fact he had spent the last couple of months shut inside, away from home, finishing his education. He rested his arms on the railing and admired the view. The forest was his first love. There were acres and acres of rocks, grass, trees, and animals. Not to mention the clear blue lake just a mile from the pack's home. The lake was huge and he could remember spending hours there as a kid swimming and exploring the caves nearby with his friends. It was the best place to grow up, especially for his wolf half. He was grateful that he had finished school and could remain here.
With the exception of my father's most recent decision, tonight would have been perfect. I wish I could just enjoy being back.
There was a knock at the door. Jake turned to see his best friend stride through it quickly.
"Dude! Everyone's down at the Circle!" Mitch said. "You know it's the your-dad-is-stepping-down-as-alpha-making-you-the-new-alpha ceremony. I thought YOU out of all of us would definitely get an invitation?"
Jake rolled his eyes and huffed as he turned back to look out at the forest.
"Aw, come on Jake I'm just messin' with you. What's got you so down, man?"
Jake, not bothering to turn and look at his friend, groaned, "I don't know. I just feel as if a boulder is about to be placed on my shoulders. There is a lot responsibility being the alpha. I don't know how to be the leader that my people need me to be. I don't want to let anyone down...and I don't know if I can be as good an alpha my dad is."
"Jake, nobody is expecting you to be your dad. You'll do a great job all on your own. You're one of the best fighters I've seen. You'll have no problem protecting our pack. And if you do need help I'm sure your dad and the elders will be the first to give you advise."
Mitch leaned back against the rail. He knew when his friend needed him to be serious, but he couldn't resist giving his friend a hard time, "Look on the bright side man, at least now you'll have even more hot tails chasing after you!"
Jake turned, giving Mitch a lopsided smile.
Leave it to Mitch to think about sex at a time like this.
"I can hear it now." Mitch continues now mimicking a high female voice, "Have you girls seen the new Hamilton Alpha? Oh my, Jake is soooo cute! He's tall, dark, handsome and great...."
"Well as my newly appointed beta I'm sure you will be getting the same treatment!" Jake said wanting to interrupt. He looked over to see Mitch's blue eyes go wide with delight at this unexpected announcement.
"What are we still doing up here then! Lets get this party started so we can introduce ourselves with the neighboring packs!"
Making their way downstairs, Mitch double-checked his shirt was still nicely tucked and Jake straightened his tie. Tonight everyone wore the best to welcome in their new alpha.
Making his way over to the duo, Jake's father Aaron smiled.
There is no separating those two, is there!
"Are you ready son?"
"Ready as I'll ever be."
Aaron put his arms around his son as they headed outside. They followed the path down, each one lost in their own thoughts, until they came to the Circle. This site was aptly named because it was formed by a gently sloping crescent shaped hill. This was the site where all their ceremonies and challenges took place. There was enough space at the base of the hill for their warriors to practice their fighting skills or declare challenges, but small enough that spectators could sit on the sloping sides and watch the movements of any participant with ease. It was on this hill that the entire pack mingled while waiting for their alpha.
As the trio entered, the pack sat on boulders, fallen trees, and blankets laid out hours before. When everyone was seated Aaron stepped forward smiling.
Traditions are a funny thing. He thought. Here we all are dressed to the nines in the middle of our forest without shoes or socks! Ah well, the only time we seem to dress up is for these kinds of ceremonies. Maybe our ancestors needed a reason to dress up. This as good a reason as any I guess...
"It is with great pride that I welcome back my son Jake from school. I know I had doubts he would
ever
graduate." There were a few chuckles at this remark. Jake looked down, embarrassed. "But now that his 30
th
birthday has pasted it is time that he take his rightful place as the head of this pack. Are there any who doubt his ability to lead this pack?"
A large man near the bottom of the hill stood. "I challenge Jacob. Let him prove to us he has the strength to lead this pack."
Jake took a step forward. He knew that Damion, the man who stood and was now moving toward him, was his dad's beta. He had only challenged Jake because tradition demanded that the new alpha prove himself to his pack. Even with this knowledge Jake's wolf was still incited.
I AM the rightful alpha.
Both men removed their clothing and swiftly shifted to their wolf's form. Jake's mocha brown wolf circled with Damion's tan wolf. The wolves fought back and forth for almost twenty minutes before Jake bit down on Damion's throat forcing him to surrender. Both wolves grinned, pleased with the outcome. The entire pack stood, removed their clothing, and shifted into wolves.
"I would like to introduce the new alpha: Alpha Jacob Hamilton." Aaron shouted over the howling and yipping.
Jake took off in a brisk run around the pack lands with the pack following close behind. His final part in the ceremony was to lead the pack in a lap around their territory; ending back at the Alpha's home where the party would officially get started. Under the full moon both forms of his pack would run, eat, drink, and be merry!
Jake and the pack rounded the hill coming into the Circle. Some changed forms and put on their clothes; others simply grabbed their clothes in their mouths and hurried off to the Alpha's house. Jake moved slowly, watching his pack's excitement at what was to come. He looked up at the sky noticing the moon had not quite reached the highest point in the sky. Since the party wouldn't start until that point he knew that he had a few moments to sit in the Circle and enjoy the peaceful night.
Aaron saw his son sitting at the base of the hill inside the Circle and sat down slowly by his son, "How are you feeling?" He asked.
"Overwhelmed"
Aaron chuckled, "I know how you felt. But hopefully what I have to tell you will help a little."
Jake turned to look fully at his father. Aaron was grinning from ear to ear.
"What do you know of our goddess?"
Jake was confused, this was the last thing he expected his father to ask. Growing up each child was taught of the Goddess Luna. There was so much he was taught, but not knowing what his father was looking for Jake just covered the basics. "Well, she created this world and everything in it. We make sacrifices to her on the first full moon of the new year; and because of her love of the moon she is called Luna. Though she has a more formal name that we do not use. She watches us and protects us.... I'm not sure what else you're looking for."
"Can you tell me how she protects us?"
Jake opened his mouth to answer but closed it unable to answer. It took a few moments before he answered, "I can't give you a specific example."
Aaron smiled, "As an alpha there is something the Goddess gives us to help us rule. It is one of an alpha's most closely guarded secret." He paused, "We guard this secret above all else so that none can take or use what is ours. The night an alpha is called to lead his pack the Goddess Luna bestows him a gift that will help that alpha during his reign."
Jake stared at his father like he had grown a second head. He couldn't believe what his father just told him.
Wow, I wonder my father got from Luna.
"Before the moon reaches it pinnacle you need to be beside the lake. It is there Luna will give you something meant just for you. What she gives differs for each alpha and has proven invaluable to that alpha. Now I know you have a lot of questions but it is almost time and you need to be at the lake to receive your gift. You may ask me one question, the rest can wait until you get back."
Jake couldn't hold his questions back, "What did you get from Luna? Grandfather? Has an alpha ever not received a gift from Luna? What if I don't? How will I know the gift when I see it?"
