The Blue Wolf: It Takes Two

In an old Victorian house that sat upon a sloping hill on the outskirts of town, a light resonated inside one of the rooms. The soft glow of the light illuminated the bedroom chambers, sending a ray across the expanse of the bed. As shifting movement came from within the boundaries of the canopied bed, sending the gauze drapes and blankets off to the side. Giving anyone who had dared to enter the bedroom unbidden a chance to see beyond the boundaries of gauze tapestries. In the center of the bed lay a young girl with skin of pale cream, blackish blue hair fell down in waves. Though her eyes were closed at the moment during the midst of dreams, when opened they were the most beautiful eyes. Two tones of soft lilac and glittering purple. She had the tiniest of frames that barely topped four feet tall; she barely weighed a hundred pounds while soaking wet. Twelve year old Netayah Greystone shifted uncomfortably in the center of her bed, kicking the blankets off in the process. Though she was better known by the nickname of Tay to all of her friends and family. And there were so many of those, as all were going on about. Tay had a life that few others could ever imagine to be possible. Having been born into the Black Bear pack—one of the most elite werewolf packs to be found in Shinndorrah—descended from a long line of Beta wolves. "Netayah!," a voice called out. Shifting uncomfortably in the center of the bed, fighting against the urge to arise from her dreams. Exhausted from the hassles of the past few days, Tay didn't want to wake up from the land of dreams. Dragging the thick comforter over the top of her head, blotting out the encroaching light, Netayah slipped back into sleep. The dream beckoned her closer. "Netayah," the voice came again. "Time to wake up." Groaning in frustration when the person seemed persistent in waking her, the comforter was flung away from her. "What?" "Wake up," her mother ordered. Coming to understand that sleeping in today was out of the question, the thick blankets were pushed further away. Biting back the snappy retort that sought to be torn from her lips, Netayah slowly lumbered out of bed. Aware that when it came to her mother, there was no hope of her being able to slip back asleep. When Abbigail Greystone wanted something, no matter how it affected others, that's precisely what happened. "Netayah!," she grew louder. "I'm up, mother," Netayah raised her voice only loud enough to be heard at a distance, without sounding disrespectful. The last thing she wanted to do was irritate her mother, that'd definitely bring more problems. She'd barely had the chance to send out assurances of her wakefulness, when her bedroom door came open. Then in walked the graceful beauty of Abbigail, forever the typical socialite, an air of superiority around her. Abbigail twirled around as she came to stand before the double-wide French windows, hands clasped together. "It is wise of you to get dressed. You have a very busy schedule." "Why?" she asked. Netayah couldn't begin to comprehend what could be so pressing, she was forced out of bed so early. Lessons with Daddy weren't until this weekend, and her etiquette lessons wouldn't resume until Monday. Her mother narrowed eyes on her. "Netayah Amethyst, do not get that attitude with me. With your awakening only two days away, there are things to be learned before you're embraced into the pack. You wouldn't want to bring embarrassment onto our family on the day of her induction." Oh no, that would never do, at least when it came to her family. The Greystones were all about attaining the appearance of perfection, grace and elegance. Especially when it came to her mother. Abbigail Greystone was determined that no embarrassment be brought to the family, to give the outlook of superiority. Royalty. Just like her. None of the Greystone's would allow anything of the kind that could happen, that could have people look unfavorably on them. "You are a descendant of one of the most notable bloodlines," her mother began reciting the same old lecture of the family history, as if this would compel her to understand the importance of their bloodline. Yes, their bloodline was something to truly marvel at. At least when it came to her father's side of the family tree, her mother's hadn't been that special. In fact, her parents had acted as the beta for Alpha Darius, as all the people in her family have, something that was akin to royalty in her world. Being the daughter of the alpha's betas had come with quite a few perks, as everyone absolutely adored the girl, so many friends to call her own and every male hoped to be the one mated to her when her time came. Even the alpha's son Garret--the future ruler of their pack when his father finally stepped down--hoped to be the one mated to the girl. If people's suspicions were to be believed Garrett had his eye on her for several years now. Not even the age difference had interfered with his hopes that one day the two of them would be bound as mates. Though it was rumored that Garret had arranged an alliance with her parents and his father, then he'd wish to take her on as his chosen Luna. Actually, it wasn't a rumor. At least when it came to her. It'd only been last week when her parents had sat her down, electing it was time for them to have a private talk. Considering the day of her own awakening was upon her, it was high time she understood her responsibility. It was then that her mother informed Netayah that an alliance was made between them and Alpha Darius. Sitting in the den before her parents, listening to her mother, Netayah was astonished at the confession she'd made. At the reality that the rumors among the pack weren't rumors at all. At the knowledge her parents had made a secret alliance with Alpha Darius long before, that reshaped her future. Upon her induction into the pack then she'd go through the naming rituals, for a chosen mate. One that was already decided. Garrett. Garrett was destined to become her mate, as her parents and Alpha Darius decreed it was best for the both of them. Though she'd always adored Garrett, having always been good to her, she'd been aghast at the decisions they'd made. Netayah had always dreamed about one day finding her true mate, the soul created for her by the goddess. All her life she'd heard so much about the undeniable bond that fated mates experience, the deep love and bond. She'd wanted that too. Only it'd never be. Alpha Darius had his eye set on her for many years now for the mate of his son and now it was time for her to fulfill her part. "Yes, mother," she agreed. "I will do my part." "Good girl," Abby preened. Her mother sailed out of the bedroom then, confident her daughter wouldn't prove to be a disgrace. She never was. Netayah had spent all her life trying to live up to the expectations of her parents, to be the daughter everyone believed she was. And hoped that on the day of her own Awakening, Netayah would finally meet their approval. Two more days, she told herself. Netayah anxiously looked forward to her thirteenth birthday, a raw bundle of nerves, as that would be the day that she too would receive her wolf. Aware that when her wolf finally made an emergence then she would be put in the House of Cards, to officially start her training as a Beta. Granted Netayah had been training with her father since she was a little girl, honing heightened skills she already had, she couldn't officially until her coming of age. It was almost here, she thought to herself in the days leading up to her birthday, bursting with excitement at the life mapped out for her. Knowing that on the rising of the next full moon, she would enter into the Glade of Moon, stand beneath the glow of the goddess and be awarded her own wolf. Only it wasn't to be. Two days later Netayah awoke earlier than usual, there was an uncomfortable sense gnawing at the pit of her stomach. Groaning in frustration when it felt like a hard stone in her stomach, that almost churned and twisted sickeningly. A hand clenched her stomach. Oh my goddess, she didn't feel good. That same pit in her stomach grew heavy by the minute, weighing her down with a sense of impending doom she didn't fully understand. All of her heightened senses warned her that something was wrong, feeling the dark aura that surrounded her, with a sense of foreboding she didn't understand. What was wrong? Why did she get the sense that something bad was going to happen? Throughout the day as she socialized with her family and visited with her friends, Netayah couldn't shake the feeling from the pit of her stomach. The closer that it came to her heading out to the ceremony the worse the feeling became, she grew frightened of the outcome of the night. It will be okay, Tay, she tried to give herself a pep talk in the silence of her mind, there is absolutely nothing for you to worry about, it's just nerves. Her own overactive imagination getting the best of her. Only it wasn't nerves, as she was soon to realize. Dressed in the beautiful white muslin gown that her mother had chosen for the ceremony, her blond curls haloed around her, she went to the glade. Standing in the very center of the glade, feeling the glow of the moon it shined down on her, Netayah anxiously awaited for her wolf to emerge. Knowing that when the moon reached the highest peak in the sky, the magic would bring her wolf forth. And then finally, when the two halves of her soul were melded as one, Netayah would emerge a member of the pack. Only it never did. Long hours ticked by with Netayah standing underneath the light of the moon, the sickening churning in the pit of her stomach. When her legs grew tired she lowered to her knees on the ground, taking in the calm of the atmosphere. All the while she thought about the future that loomed ahead, but her wolf never came to her. The longer she waited the more anxious she became, Netayah fearful of what this could mean for her. When the first rays of dawn crept over the horizon with the change never coming, Netayah dropped to her knees in the moist earth. Oh goddess, she hadn't changed. Her wolf hadn't shown itself. Fat tears of anguish poured down her beautiful face, sobs wracking her tiny frame, anguished at the horrible fate that had befallen her tonight. Netayah was a member of five of the most powerful werewolf packs in existence, descended from a bloodline seeped in Beta blood, but she remained wolfless. Frozen from the chill of the winter air, numbed by the pain of her own terrible fate, Netayah made her way home knowing she'd never be the same. She was right.