MELANIE
A weekâs gone by since the councilâs verdict for Alpha Jason. Theyâve condemned him to a lifetime in a werewolf prison.
Iâd rather he was dead, so I wouldnât have to fear him breaking out and coming after me again. The mere thought of what he intended to do to me, if heâd caught me, sends shivers down my spine.
The most secure prison for our kind is in Texas. The land surrounding the prison is desolate, and anyone attempting to escape on foot would perish before finding water.
Brockâs been reassuring me that Alpha Jason wouldnât survive an escape attempt. The odds of him getting out are practically zero.
The prison doors are fortified with silver and the inmates are regularly injected with wolfsbane to keep their wolves in check. This gives me some solace, but Iâm still upset they didnât sentence him to death.
The thought will always haunt me. My mother feels the same, but thereâs no point in arguing with the councilâs decision.
Brock and his warriors are departing tomorrow. A private plane is set to transport the prisoner back to Texas.
Heâll be handed over to the prison guards at the airport, then taken deep into the desert to serve his sentence. Brockâs promised me everything will be fine and that I shouldnât worry.
The only escape opportunity would be during the journey from the airport to the prison, but heâll be shackled with silver and injected with wolfsbane before the trip. I have mixed feelings about the whole situation.
Iâm relieved that Alpha Jason is leaving our territory, but Iâm sad that Brock is leaving too. Weâve become good friends, spending hours chatting and getting to know each other.
Heâs told me about his family in Ireland, and itâs made me want to visit the beautiful country someday. His family, with their Viking heritage, sounds intriguing.
Some people think my friendship with Brock is risky. My mother and I discussed it, and she told me to follow my heart but to be careful not to get hurt.
She reminded me to wait for my mate, which was special. Iâve always been a rule follower, so she could have saved that lecture for someone else, like my sister.
Beck tried to talk to me about my friendship with Brock too. I had to tell him repeatedly to stop being so overbearing.
He stopped eating dinner with us after the first two nights, telling Beta Jackson heâd join us again after Brock left. I thought it was petty and childish.
Iâm friends with both of them, and while I know Beck likes me, he has to understand that we might not be mates. I donât want to hurt anyoneâs feelings. I just want to be friends with whoever I want.
Max was a different story. He said he wouldnât interfere this time, mainly because he knew Brock was leaving soon.
He didnât think Iâd ever see Brock again. But I told him that if I turn twenty-one and my mate isnât here, Iâll go to Texas to see if Brock is my mate.
That is, if he doesnât come here first. We agreed to stay in touch and call each other once a week.
MAX
I was stunned that the council didnât sentence Alpha Jason to death. Many of us were, especially after his own pack members testified about his other horrific crimes.
Besides murdering his father, which wasnât a legitimate challenge for the alpha position, he had tortured and raped many young, unmated females in his pack. The girl he was assaulting when we caught him testified about his abuses against the house staff.
She was only eighteen and he had taken her innocence without her consent. She was clearly traumatized and needed therapy and constant female companionship to avoid breaking down in tears.
I felt deeply for these pack members, which made the councilâs decision even harder to accept. Melanie didnât take the verdict well either.
She had almost died because of Alpha Jasonâs plan to kidnap her. The only thing that kept her from being completely upset was Brockâs reassurances.
While I didnât approve of their closeness, I was glad he could comfort her. I knew he would do everything he could to ensure Alpha Jason never escaped.
He genuinely seemed to care for my sister, something my whole family agreed on. He wasnât playing with her feelings or making promises he couldnât keep.
He was just being her friend. But we werenât naive, we knew he hoped she would be his mate someday.
Unfortunately, they would have to wait a few years to find out. Now, Iâm getting ready to leave for alpha training.
I have a week before I fly to my first training location. My father said itâs probably Italy, where the king of werewolvesâ pack lands are.
This is the norm. You attend lessons in the castle to learn about the history and hierarchy of the werewolf community. I hope to get through that part quickly, as Iâve been studying it for years.
I can recite most of it in my sleep. Iâm actually looking forward to going to Italy, as it will also give me a chance to visit my grandmotherâs pack.
Theyâve been without an alpha for years, with my father ruling from afar and the beta keeping things in order. The Venetian Pack, as theyâre known, hopes that either my brother or I will lead them in the future.
I doubt Iâll go there, but it wouldnât surprise me if Jaydon wanted to. Heâs less attached to the family and is much more serious than Selene.
Only time will tell what happens. I feel like I have so much to do before I leave.
In reality, I donât. I need to spend time with my loved ones and say my goodbyes.
I need to pack, but it will be light since Iâll be traveling all over the world for different parts of the training. I need to be able to carry everything myself.
This led me to buy a large military-style molly bag. The frame makes it easy to carry and allows me to secure it to my back in wolf form without it rubbing against my belly.
My father helped me pack the bag and told me what I absolutely needed to bring. Anything else was a luxury or a special item.
Surprisingly, the bag held a lot more than I thought it would. I was happy with what I was able to bring, which made the whole situation a little easier to handle.
My mother, being the luna she is, decided to throw a sendoff party for me. It wonât be anything fancy, just a perfect summer night barbecue and a bonfire behind the pack house.
Everyone is invited to come and wish me well. Iâm not sure how I feel about looking into the eyes of all my pack members, hoping I donât disappoint them.
Itâs my duty to be one of the best, like my father was. Those are big shoes to fill, but Iâm determined to do my best.
Here I am, sitting at the dinner table with my family and the betaâs family. Beck is the only one missing.
Heâs still throwing a tantrum and wonât eat with us while Brock is around. Itâs Brockâs last night before he heads off to Texas, tasked with transporting the prisoner.
I canât help but find Beckâs behavior immature. Heâs going to be my beta someday, and he needs to learn to play nice with other packs.
That includes the Texas pack, and by extension, Brock. I shake my head, finding the whole situation ridiculous.
Especially since I know Iâll be leaving soon and heâll be stuck here, pining after my sister. Melanie confessed to me that she only sees Beck as a close friend.
Sheâs worried about hurting him, but itâs not her fault. Beck knows he can find his mate, and it might not be Melanie.
âSon, are you listening?â My fatherâs voice pulls me out of my thoughts. I was so lost in my own world that I didnât realize he was talking to me.
I look at him and offer an apologetic glance. âSorry, I was lost in my thoughts. Could you repeat that?â
I ask, suddenly aware of the silence at the table. Everyone is looking at me, waiting for my response, but I have no idea what my father just said.
He lets out a deep sigh before repeating himself. âI was asking about your plan for handling Derek. Youâll need to get him under control quickly.â
âOh, right. The babysitting gig.â I shake my head, frustration creeping into my voice.
âItâs going to be a challenge, trying to keep another alpha in line. Who am I to tell him what to do?â
âThe council chose you to accompany him in all group activities, hoping you could teach him some manners,â my father explains, not for the first time.
I still canât believe Iâm expected to babysit a grown man. âI guess itâll be a test of my patience then. Iâm not sure how Iâll keep my cool if he steps out of line or embarrasses us.
What exactly are you expecting from him?â I ask, turning the tables. I watch as my parents exchange a knowing look.
âIf heâs anything like his father, heâll be a womanizer. Heâs also got a big chip on his shoulder.
Iâm sorry, Max. It might be uncomfortable, especially since heâs from your motherâs pack and thereâs history there.
Just keep an eye on him and stay in touch with us when you can,â my father advises. With that, he turns back to his meal and starts a new conversation with Beta Jackson and Beta Brock about the prisoner transport scheduled for the next day.
I wonât be part of the transport this time. I have things to do here before I leave.
My father still has more to discuss with me and review before my departure. I need every spare moment to prepare myself.