A GOOD BETA

I walked over to the two trainers to report, but Flynn held my shoulders and turned me to face the semicircle, "This is Sam." A wry smile plucked at his lips, "Just Sam. She hasn't shifted but will join us for the indoor work today."

I held back an irritated growl, waiting for him to draw some clearly unnecessary boundaries again. But Flynn was always quick to catch on, "If you touch her," he growled, lifting his own hands off my shoulders, "she will kick your sorry ass, and no one, not Hank nor I, will lift a finger to save you. Okay?" He asked, looking around from the older teens to me.

The guys here were all taller than I was at least by half a head, plus Flynn clearly said I hadn't shifted, putting a big fat flaw into his threat.

Did he think I could take any one of these guys down? I wasn't even absolutely sure I could take Jessica down.

I wasn't the only one thrown off by Flynns introduction-threat. My pack friends looked at me, concern etched on their faces, the bigger goons studied me warily. But then, being cast in the centre, then being forced to just stand there and take their stares ticked me off.

I felt my face harden in expression. "Okay" I conceded. This could work for me.

I'm still not entirely certain about what exactly was going on. But there was an unspoken challenge in the air and I felt a lilting pressure from deep in my abdomen suddenly push out, rising within me like a sphere of water forming in an empty space.

This was not a new sensation. And my dad had explained it so I knew what it was, it was my wolfie's power. My wolf was very strong, and soon emerging, and my control has been growing with nightly training.

Imagine each sphere to be a bit of leakage of very strong ancient bloodline alpha wolf power as it emerges. It will all burst out when I take my first shift and my wolf gets born into the world, but for now, sometimes Wolfie was hard to contain, and sometimes Wolfie leaked out.

But while the previous occurances happened while I was training my control alone in my room, this one caught me unprepared and in front of an audience.

This sphere was also heavier and larger than any of the ones before. It had already risen for a while before I quickly start focusing my control on it to meld it into me, but it was too large, too cumbersome, and my efforts were too little, too late. It wobbled a little like jelly, and then pop!

Something in me just snapped. Grrr... The hall was silent as if everyone stopped breathing at the same time. I could only hear a low long threatening growl coming from... wait, it's coming from me.

What the heck!

Hank stepped in now, loudly, clapping his hands to break up the tension before anything else happened, "Alright pups! Control training, on the mat!"

It worked and as if waking up from a disorientating dream, the trainees began moving, and growls and groans are grumbled out. The semicircle broke up in jagged pieces as the wolves pulled out messily.

I didn't move from my position. Perhaps I should have. But I crossed my arms and watched the trainees shuffling their feet and grumbling under their breath as they set up the large gym mats.

Hank snarled at their shoddy behaviour. I still hadn't move from where I stood next to him, but his snarl was directed at the others.

Hank and Flynn had been best friends and training partners since they were pups. Hank's mate is a girl from our pack, the lovely Esther, who baked the most heavenly treats, so I love her.

Anyway, the snarling Hank tonight was really different from the gentle smiling one, watching as Esther, Jessica, Dean, and I talk in the pack house kitchen and stuff our faces with cupcakes.

Maybe this was Hank's trainer mode. His snarl turned into a full scale roar, and suddenly, all the mats were in place. Except for mine, until Flynn dropped the heavy large mat in front of me. Actually, Flynn was being pretty accomodating tonight too.

I looked at him, but he just dropped his eyes down and stepped back. Something was off... but what? I stood there, just watching, somewhat impassively because I'm not sure what I was expecting to find.

Everyone was just standing there, but they were not looking, not at anything in particular anyway. At first I thought they had started on the control training, but a second look told me they had not. There was a generally long and uneasy pause. No one was looking at me. Which gave me a surprising surge of satisfaction. After searching for some clue to what was going on and finding none, I looked at Hank.

And the moment I looked to him, it was as if something clicked, and he stepped up and started briefing us on the training activity.

I usually practiced my control training alone, quietly in my room. Focusing on melding with my wolf or more recently, absorbing the watery spheres that sometimes rise up into myself. Sometimes I focus the power to enhance passive werewolf powers like to speed up healing (which I find the hardest to do) or increase dominance (which came as a second nature).

I could also improve my senses, widen their parameters, or speed up my physical movements to a very limited extent. Until I shift and my wolf becomes fully mature, I could only do a limited things, and only to a limited extent.

Because the other teens were all older, and taller, and shifted, I was a little nervous and became even more on guard when Hank said that we would be challenging one another on the mat.

But we were not necessarily fighting. We could use any kind of power we had, boosting it with our control training. The aim was to get your opponent off the mat.

Compared to my training alone in my room, this one sounded actually fun. I surprised myself at my own anticipation for my turn to kick someone off the mat. It was my chance to exert my dominance...

And wow, I guess Hank and Flynn weren't the only ones out of character today. I've always thought myself to be a mellow alpha.

Most alpha males were aggressive. I've ever wondered if it's because I was a female one. But I'm feeling aggressive tonight. It's like I'm actually looking for a reason to push someone hard. Or punch something...

I remembered the wreckage I caused in the girls washroom this morning. Yeah, that was not my most mellow moment.

But it's nothing compared to right now. And suddenly, I knew what was so off... Me. It's me. I'm not feeling quite like myself. It was as if there was a force field of assertion blazing around me.

And Hank, and Flynn, and the other wolves had just instinctively reacted to it. I was the alpha!

Hank asked for two volunteers for a demonstration run. We would take turns after this, with two trainees sparring, and the others watching while Hank would give pointers.

Naturally, the two packs split here and the big goons were quicker in their choosing, and a tall teen stepped onto his mat. Beta. I knew by sight, not because I recognized him, but because he had a powerful wolf backing him, and close to maturity so it's ranking was rather obvious.

What was the name of the Morning Light Beta's son? I've heard my dad mention it before. Harley? Hardy? Harhar?

"It's Harvey!" Our side whispered among themselves, there was a slight panic. Link and Kevy exchanged looks. I supposed they were trying to decide who might have a better chance.

In such situations, I was usually cautious, and would watch the demonstration and assess a few more rounds before stepping up to the mat myself. I like to know what I was getting into.

But I'm not myself tonight. I wasn't myself when I didn't feel embarrassed at Flynn's introduction.

I wasn't myself when I didn't jump to it and help set up the mats earlier.

I wasn't myself when I growled at everyone.

I definitely wasn't myself when I didn't care that Flynn set up my mat for me, neither mortified that I was receiving what might be perceived as the alpha daughter's special treatment nor thankful for his help on my first session with the older teens.

Or maybe I was exactly myself as I should be. I am the alpha. And before Link or Kevy could decide who would face the big goon's beta. Definitely before I could give it a second thought, I stepped up onto the mat and faced Harvey.

I stood at my full 5 feet and 4 inches, but Harvey was easily taller than me by at least a full head and I had to look up to meet his eyes. I was 14, turning 15 this year. My wolf was still emerging.

Harvey's wolf was mature, so I'm guessing he's at least 17. His wolf was strong too. Definitely beta. His build and bearing made it quite clear he was a trained warrior.

His expression was concerned when I first stepped up, but he showed no sign of fear.

"Oh no," his pack bemoaned immediately, "Harvey doesn't hit girls."

"It's just a demonstration, don't worry." He answered the goons, but he looked at me with a small nod, as if also speaking the reassurance to me.

I had already started focusing my control to pull out my power for quick access. It wasn't hard since I was heady with it after that bubble pop. I was burning to kick butt and inflict some alpha level pain, but this beta goon was friendly and calm.

"I don't hit girls." Harvey reassured me again.

"I don't hit nice guys either." I told him.

Hank blew his whistle for the match to begin.

"Ladies first." Harvey said lightly, and stood alert, allowing me to make the first move. I nodded and exerted alpha dominance immediately, I didn't use it at full force, but I didn't hold back either. And then I looked Harvey squarely in his eyes and alpha commanded, "Step off the mat."

At this point, the other wolves were looking down, some of them actually took a step backwards from where they were standing.

Harvey however stood his ground. I took a step toward him, but he didn't flinch, he did however inclined his head in submission. I stopped just out of his reach and regarded him, "Good Beta." I said.

Goddess please let Ben grow up to be like this. I released the dominance I had been holding over him, and the heavy static air moved again. I realised belatedly that the dominance effect had overspilled to the onlookers when they started stirring too.

Harvey took an even breath and lifted his head again.

"Your turn." I told him. I waited for him to consider his options. He wasn't stupid. He should know full well by now that exerting his beta dominance would be futile against my alpha wolf. He would have to work with his advantages, which would likely be a physical attack. Except he didn't hit girls. Would he make an exception for me? He didn't make a move to attack.

"You can also just step off the mat." I offered. He moved then, charging quickly in enchanced wolf speed. Shit. I had let down my guard.

I pulled up my fist to block, but Harvey had other ideas, picking me up by the waist. Was he going to throw me off?

I jerked my leg up, kneeing him in the stomach - hard. He nearly dropped me at impact, but only nearly, so I had to twist my body and propel myself into the mat. I would have landed on my face but he caught the back of my t-shirt and pulled me up. What the hell?

"Are you going to fight seriously?" I pretty much alpha demanded, twisting around to face him. I'm growling now. I wanted a fight! I wanted a reason to punch something. But he wasn't giving me any, settling me gently down on my feet.

Stepping away, he bowed his head at my dominance again. I couldn't help it. I'm too fuming mad.

"I have a sister," He told me as if that would explain his actions, "You might be the same age." Hmm? A beta girl my age? My anger was momentarily distracted.

"Does she train here too?" I asked.

"In our pack, females don't train to be warriors." Harvey answered. That would explain why their pack only had goons here in the training hall.

Speaking of goons, one of them had enough of our chit chat, "Are you two gonna be flirting here the whole night?" He was around Harvey's height, but broader.

"Your Gamma?" I asked Harvey, even while knowing it was unlikely. He was strong but he lacked the inbuilt authority of a gamma bloodline.

"No, our gamma will be Nix. He is attending Wednesday's training ." Harvey explained. I caught his subtle hand movement while he spoke, he was indicating for the other wolf to stand down. I nodded. But the one that was supposed to stand down didn't. He stomped onto the mat and shoved his own beta aside. Stupid.

I hung back to give Harvey some space. Our mat wasn't large, and the two large guys would need space to maneuver.

Harvey didn't miss a beat. He grabbed the intruder by the shoulder with one hand turning him, the other hand grabbing him by his throat, he growled low, "F*** off."

And with a hard shove, pushed his friend off the mat. His strength was well placed. The goon was off the mat, but had not been pushed off his feet.

Nice one beta. Alpha approves!

But this goon was really stubborn, "Come on Harv, tag me in." He said. And I began to see why this goon dared to assert himself. They were good friends, and based on their symmetry in size, probably training partners.

And then I had a light bulb moment, "Yeah beta. It's okay. Tag him in."I made sure not to smirk or otherwise give away my tiny bit of scheming so that it would play out fully.

Harvey took a very short moment, he looked at me and then at his goon friend. I couldn't be sure who he was worrying for, but he finally nodded and the two guys did this high five hand grab thing and switched places.

The sound of a shrill whistle penetrated the air, "Harvey is out." Hank announced.

The look on Harvey's face, mirrored on his goon friend's face. Hahahahahaha

"What the hell! That's f***ed up!" The goon all but screamed at Hank.

"You say, "That's f***ed up sir."" Flynn corrected, "We are your trainers."

"And it wasn't like...like what you said." Because it's socially unacceptable for young girls, no matter how alpha to repeat those words (out loud), but I made my point across anyway, "The rule was that we could use any way to get the opponent off the mat."

"You planned this?" The goon glared at me incredulously.

"No, how could I? I just took advantage of your beta's weakness-" I poke the goon on his pecs, "his stupid friend."

Goon so mad now he swung, I ducked. Hank blew hard on the whistle. Flynn was shouting "Match over!"

But I was too busy kicking Goons legs out from under him. He fell, I scramble to get out of the way. Timbre!!! Oh, no time to make bad jokes. Goon was actually pretty agile for all that bulk. I managed to throw in a few quick punches, but only landed one on his shoulder. Crap. I underestimated him.

He attacked. I smelled blood... But I had dodged. Weird. I jumped out of the way, but didn't land on my feet. I should have, but I didn't land at all. Someone had caught me in mid air, his whistle's shrill blow hurting my ears, specifically my right ear. I jabbed an elbow behind me, but my arm was caught by Hank's large hand. Grrr...

I reached back and grabbed the offensive noise maker out of Hank's lips and threw it onto the floor. It hit with such force, it bounced and shot off to the side of the hall.

Hank was still holding me up by the scruff of my t-shirt. My feet barely kicking off the floor. I growled, but forced my body to go limp. Immediately, I am set back gently on my feet... Off the mat. It's over.

On the other side, Flynn and Harvey were holding goon down. But goon was still trashing. Harvey shook him on one shoulder, hard.

"Stand down!" He commanded. Then it was quiet.

Flynn and Harvey tentatively released the goon. He was still heaving, eyes crazed with fight. But when he made no move to charge, they stepped away. Harvey patted him on the shoulder. The goon visibly calmed and nodded a quick bow.

Good beta. And of course, like any good beta, he was the one who noticed it, a fist print of blood on the shoulder of this stupid friend's white t-shirt. "What the-" he turned to me.

Flynn turned to me. Hank caught on and pulled my right hand up by the wrist. I smelled where the blood was coming from. He tugged off my wet gym glove. My wounded knuckles were bleeding again.

Flynn was stomping over, eyes turning dark with anger. So much for keeping it from Flynn.

"It looks worse than it is!" I quickly said, it was true. It wasn't that there was that much blood than that the glove had absorbed and smeared it all over my hand.

But of course Flynn wasn't in the mood to be placated. "WHAT THE HELL IS THAT?"

In hindsight, punching a stupid goon built like a wall of bricks hadn't been my best course of action.