Chapter 1

"Alpha, Jack and Maison are waiting for your approval on the new recruit." Kaine sticks his head around my office door, reminding me about the recruit I'd promised to examine.

"Shit!" I curse quietly, immediately standing from my desk.

"I'll be out in a moment." I tell Kaine, who quickly exits my office.

Sliding my feet into the blood red heels, I move quickly out of my quiet zone. Despite wearing heels, I don't struggle with running or speed walking, it's as easy as being barefoot. I rush out of the pack mansion, greeting two of my top warriors with a small smile.

Jack and Maison stand with Kaine and a teenager, the new recruit.

"Alpha." My warriors greet, before introducing me to the silent teenager.

He's young, but his silence makes him smart. Every male wolf I have ever met has instantly disrespected me, all except this one. He's either too afraid, or too clever to underestimate someone because of their gender.

"How old are you, Landon?" I question the boy, circling him as I examine his posture, the slouch of his shoulders, the relaxed bend of his knee.

That will have to change.

"Fourteen." The boy responds.

"Where are your parents?" I ask, knowing no caring mother would allow her teenage boy to join another pack.

"They died when I was nine, I've been crashing with humans for the past five years." The boys tone holds slight sadness, but his guard is completely up.

His words are familiar, he's not the first to have been forced to fend for himself. Jack and Maison have brought him to me as a last resort for the boy, they know this life isn't for a child, but I'd sooner offer the boy a home than send him away.

"I will allow you to stay, but before I can trust you with my people, I need to know everything about you." I tell the boy in a simple manor, my hands clasped behind my back.

"What do you wish to know?" The boy responds, seemingly happy to tell me anything.

"Alpha has a different way of getting information." Jack murmurs to the boy, happy to indulge him.

"Everything I seek, is in your head. Will you allow me to see for myself?" I ask, raising my eyebrow slightly, expectantly.

The boys eyes flicker to me with uncertainty.

"Will it hurt?" He worries, frightened of such a small thing.

My cold heart softens slightly, seeing that he assumes I'm going to hurt him.

"It will, but only for a moment. When it's done, you will sleep for a short while." I explain, in hopes to ease his concerns.

"Is there anything I need to do?" He furrows his eyebrows, clearly having no clue what's about to go down.

I smile a little. "Imagine the ocean, it's a calm sunny day and there's no waves. Each small ripple on the surface is a memory, it's a person and place, imagine me in the ocean surrounded by those ripples."

Stepping closer to the boy, Jack and Maison flank his sides to get ready to support him. The boy nods and closes his eyes, nervous and tense.

"Try and relax, resisting will hurt." I tell the boy, reaching my hand around the back of his neck.

The nails lightly scrape at the top of the boys spine, finding the familiar spot of nerves as I lock my nails into position.

"Relax." I whisper.

Sinking my nails into the back of his neck, I close my eyes and focus on the boy, feeling my claws extend into his flesh. The connection is made, and the boys body stiffens instantly as I invade his mind. Flashes, memories, faces of different people flicker behind my closed eyelids like a candle flame. From the moment he was born, he allows me access to it all, leaving no secrets untold.

Pulling back from the connection, I inhale quickly, my claws slipping from the boys neck as I stumble backwards slightly, my eyes snapping open. Momentarily weakened, I allow Kaine to support me.

"Find him a room, wait with him until he wakes up." I breath, closing my eyes for a moment as I rearrange my own mind.

Invading someone's memories is something only Alphas can do, if not done properly it can most definitely kill the person you're getting information from.

"Yes Alpha." Jack responds, picking up the unconscious teenager with ease, slinging him half way over one shoulder.

Maison leaves with Jack, and Kaine remains at my side.

"I'll make you a coffee." Kaine exhales, his arm around the middle of my back as he supports my weight for me.

I'll admit it, invading another wolfs mind drains me, I tend not to do it unless it's with the enemy. Sometimes the enemy uses tactics like sending kids, hoping that I'll take pity and let them in my pack. I made that mistake once, and I'll never do it again.

"That would be great." I sigh, leaning my head into the side of his chest, walking with him into the pack mansion. My heels don't make it easier to walk.

Kaine sits me down in the kitchen, preparing my coffee as promised.

"See anything bad?" Kaine asks, his back to me as he moves around the kitchen.

"Not bad, and I wouldn't say good." I shrug, rubbing my temples with my index fingers.

"Why?" Kaine wonders.

"Wolves develop anger issues in their teenage years as we all know, Landon has been having trouble with his temper since he could walk." I answer.

"Exposure treatment?" Kaine guesses.

"I want to see his temper for myself, tomorrow we begin phase one." I state, my usual unwavering tone in tact.

"Yes Alpha, off the grid?" Kaine questions, side glancing me as he slides my coffee towards me.

"Thank you, and yes." I exhale lightly, resting my chin in my hands as my eyes close for a few moments.

This weekend I plan to celebrate our first year as a pack, in the very same way we started. On day one of meeting my wolves, I make them all shift and hunt, to show them exactly what it means to be a wolf. This year, I plan to keep that tradition, to remind them of our ancestors, of what we are and what we stand for.

For a while we talk about normal pack routines, how the neighbouring packs are growing larger by the day. It's true that my pack is kept secret, for their safety I've told nobody about them. Until the past few months my pack has been useless, they couldn't fight or defend themselves. I couldn't have a weak pack when I announce my position to the world, they would laugh in my face right before tearing my pack apart.

"I'll be joining the pack for dinner, have Christian prepare something Mexican." I tell Kaine, placing my mug in the sink.

"Of course, Alpha." Kaine bows his head slightly as I pass, respect pouring from the small action.

Flashing a small smile, I head back to my office in hopes of finishing Landons training schedule tonight, as well as the reports I've been keeping on my wolves. I like keeping tabs on my pack, knowing how well their training is going, seeing the progress both on paper and videos.

By the time I finish the progress reports, it's later than I thought. Sliding my heels on quickly, I stand from my desk and exit the home office, inhaling the aroma of delicious home made Mexican food that lingers.

"Alpha." Voices echo, my heels announcing my arrival to my pack.

Smiling, I give them a small wave as I take my place at the table. Kaine sits to my right as always, leaving my left side empty as every Alpha reserves that place for their equal. Yes, a mate.

A man to over throw your status, to control and subdue you as he likes. My mind whispers, bitter at the mere thought.

"You may sit." I order, my gentle yet firm tone ringing through the huge dining room.

Joining my pack in taking my seat, I help myself to the food cooked and placed beautifully on the table. My pack isn't as large as most, containing only sixty-eight wolves, not including Landon yet. In my experience, it's better to have quality instead of quantity. Don't get me wrong, Ive lost numbers in the previous months due to the ruthless training hours, some couldn't handle it. I've had more quite on me, than I have at my table right now.

I'm proud of each and every one of my wolves, I know they've gone through hell to get to where they are now.

"How is your neck?" I ask, turning my head to the boy sat a seat from Kaine. At the head of the table, I'm able to see directly down the centre.

Landon glances up, a little weary as he picks at the food. Like most recruits we've had, Landon isn't certain on how to act, if he should fill his stomach or only have a little food. He has no confidence, perhaps it's because of his temper, afraid of doing anything that he thinks will get him in trouble.

"Healing." The boy responds.

"Good, I expect you to be in the field at five thirty." I tell the boy, giving him a half smile.

Landon stares at me like I've just grown two heads, even taking a moment to gaze wearily at Kaine, hoping one of us will laugh and proclaim this is a joke.

"That's insane, it's freezing outside." Landon argues, furrowing his eyebrows at me.

His tone of voice instantly makes heads turn, low bone rattling growls whispering across the table. Landon's entire body stiffens, his eyes casting down the second he realises his mistake. Had he not been just a boy, my wolves would have done far more than a mere growl.

"We adapt as wolves do." My voice hard, unbending steel.

Landon's blue eyes flicker, his beast debating on challenging me. Even at a young age he will feel the urge to fight my authority, one reason being his temper, the other being I'm a female. No Alpha in history has ever birthed a female with the Alpha lineage, it's never been done.

Until me.

"Eat, you're going to need your strength." I say, giving a nod before returning to my platter of deliciousness.

Tomorrow, we will see just how dangerous that anger is.