Chapter 2
The journey to the central island was full of more tension than usual. My parents and I, along with Neil and a few alpha warriors, joined us in the canoe. The surface of the water was as black as the night sky above us. The moon’s reflection shimmered like a giant white circle, the only thing breaking the darkness of the water.
I’d shifted into my wolf form, not only because the night air was chilly, but because it provided me some comfort. Despite all my big talk, I was still nervous about how the other pack leaders would react to my newfound biology. At least being in wolf form gave me teeth and claws to protect myself with, though I doubted that I would need to use them.
But when I saw Neil’s raised brow as he continued rowing the paddles, I growled softly at him. I knew what he was thinking--that I’d shifted because I was scared.
“I’m just trying to take up less room on the boat,” I told him through our wolves’ telepathic connection.
Neil sniffed. “Of course.”
He doesn’t believe me,I thought bitterly.That’s fine. Douche.
Maybe Neil thought it was a mistake to bring me, but I’d prove him wrong. Just because I was an omega, I didn’t need to be locked up in a cabin and protected. I still had hierarchical superiority over him, and he’d do well to watch his tone with me.
“I see the others have already arrived,” Mom noted.
Sure enough, a few figures stood among the bonfire in the center. Some milled around in wolf form, others in human form. The air was filled with quiet chatter, and the whole thing had a relaxed, casual atmosphere.
I couldn’t wait to ruin it with my appearance.
“Maybe you should stay here on the boat,” Dad remarked gently. “Lilian and I can brace the others before you show up. Soften the surprise a little.”
I bristled and leapt out of the canoe, my paws sinking into the sand and cold shallow water. “No. Let me be a surprise.”
Dad sighed but didn’t argue. “All right, son.”
My parents followed as Neil tied the canoe to a heavy wooden stake jutting out of the sand. I noticed three more canoes docked nearby on the shore. Everyone else was already here.
We approached the bonfire. With every step, my nerves became a bit more frayed. Nothing had happened yet, but this could go in plenty of bad directions.
Even if I didn’t want it to.
Was me being an omega really going to ruin everything?
I noticed more of the figures around the bonfire shifting to human form. Though all wolf shifters could understand each other in any form, it was considered more natural to mirror the form of whoever you were speaking to. Not wanting to seem rude, I joined the others in assuming my human figure.
As a beta, I’d always been on the shorter side, and now I realized with annoyance that my smaller stature was because I’d been an omega the entire time. I tried not to feel annoyed at how much taller all the alphas surrounding me stood.
My gaze flickered around the gathered faces, and I noticed that not every pair of pack leaders was present. Only the pairs from North Pack, and our own East Pack were here. From South Pack, only the male alpha and his son were present, along with some guards. Of course, the West Pack had no pair of leaders--the two had died years ago, leaving the leadership behind to their alpha son Eric.
Mom took the lead. She cleared her throat, drawing the attention of the others.
“Good evening,” she said curtly. “Sorry we’re late.”
The South Pack leader, Dan, spoke with a good-natured smile. “Good evening, Lilian.”
My eyes strayed from Dan to his son, Ramsay. As always, my breath caught in my throat. Maybe it was inappropriate of me to check him out like this, but I couldn’t help myself. Ramsay lounged by the fire, his fiery auburn hair flopping carelessly over one eye.
“Yo,” Ramsay said, giving me a wave when I made eye contact with him.
I smiled nervously and waved back. I hoped he didn’t notice the tension in my muscles.
“Took you long enough,” Eric growled. He stood tall by the bonfire with his arms crossed, his broad frame illuminated by the flames. His black hair was cut short and neat. He seemed to be in a bitter mood, as usual.
Not that I can really blame him,I thought.It must be hard losing both your parents and taking responsibility for the entire pack…
The North Pack leaders, Gabrielle and Victor, nodded in greeting. The couple looked like movie stars from old human films, pale skinned and blond with crisp blue eyes, and their alpha son Colton was just as gorgeous. Unlike his parents, his hair was damp. I remembered that he enjoyed swimming to the island, for whatever reason, and would always show up wet. He was leaning against a tree with his eyes half-closed, but when he saw me, he straightened up. The corners of his mouth twitched into a tiny smile.
