Chapter 3 Graduation

The Alpha Team Graduation

Sheri sat patiently on the bed and held her daughter Isabella in her arms while she rocked her like a baby. She encouraged her to talk to her. Through tears, her princess told her about the way Patrice abused her. She hiccupped while she informed her about many instances of abuse. Isabella told her the worst was pushing her hands in hot water because she broke a glass. Her hands were scalded, and she had significant burns around the back of her head, where there was thinner skin. The red marks were there for all to see. Sheri was so angry that she wanted to go to Patrice's house and give her a dose of her medicine. How inhumane was this woman to bully and abuse a child? Sheri noticed that when Isabella was sorrowful during her nightmares, she would have a pink globe-like appearance surrounding her as if it were some amniotic sac around her.

When they woke up the following day, Sheri told Delta about all their princess Isabella had endured. He was angry and decided to see Patrice himself. He went to the Talberts and told Patrice she should never be seen near his daughter again, and if she ever did, she would be extricated immediately from the Pack. Patrice steered clear of Isabella, but if anyone saw her peeking at Isabella through the trees hoping for a moment when she could strike and finish off this bitch they would never believe that she gave that promise to the Delta. She wished every bad thing would occur to this child.

A year later, Isabella started high school and hung out with her brother and his friends. Sometimes, she had lunch with them and practised with them in the early morning hours as they honed their battling skills, and she drew closer to the boys. Even though she enjoyed their company as a group, she preferred Ian over the others. All the young men treated her like their little sister, especially Nathan, Ashton's best buddy. All their friends looked out for her, and she became famous in a little sister's way.

They were about sixteen when they were seniors. During that year, most of them shifted on their seventeenth birthday; the full moon closest to their birthdays was when each of them shifted, and it was fun for Isabella to go on the Full moon run with them. First, her brother would shift, then lower his head while Isabella climbed on his big wolf back, and he would run with her.

When Ian shifted, he knew he had a Mate in his Pack but would have to sniff her out.

Isabella did not grow only in stature; she became more beautiful, and her character developed into a loving daughter and sister. She was accommodating and kind, and they realised she had an extraordinary ability to speak words that became reality. They said she had the seer's ability. She could perform minor magic and was taken under tutelage by the elders in the Pack, who shared the same skills. The family first realised when she told her dad that a force surrounded him, and no one could find him until she said, "Delta Alexander, come to me." Then he reappeared. Her brother enjoyed escaping from his girlfriend by telling Isabella to make him disappear when he wanted a quick escape.

Ashton was seventeen, and so were most of his friends. That was the year her brother graduated from high school. Ashton's final year at high school was hectic. He had to meet all high school graduation requirements, so he had many assignments to accomplish to meet those requirements. Isabella stayed awake most nights as he finished his tasks. When she grew tired, she slept on the sofa until he was finished; he would wake her up after completing his assignments, and then she would go to bed. She was at every game competition he participated in because she was a devoted sister and made her brother feel loved and appreciated. Her brother met all the requirements for graduation, and he graduated with honours. Isabella accompanied the boys to graduation rehearsals and was the first to realise that Ashton was selected for Salutatorian through her unique sheer ability.

Their parents promised that if Ashton graduated in good standing, he would receive a meaningful gift like all the rest of the dads who told their sons the same. Ashton's hard work paid off. At graduation, they were in order of status: The young Alpha male Brian was valedictorian, and Ian and Ashton were Salutatorian; then Louis sat in fourth place. Ashton was upset because he worked hard while Ian went around with the girls. Her mom and dad were proud of Ashton, and before he went to the party, he was given keys to a new Lincoln. Ashton picked up Amy and took her to their graduation ball. She looked beautiful, and he gave her the rosettes and a promissory ring. She was a fortunate she-wolf. My brother loved his Mate very much; he did not mention he found his Mate to any of the family members. Later, she became my sister.

Ian's mother disapproved of his current girlfriend, Sue; she believed in Fated Mates, and this female wolf tried every trick in the book to become the Beta female of the Pack. Ian knew who his Fated Mate was, but Sue wanted to be forever linked with him, so she decided to get Ian drugged, have sex with him and pretend she was pregnant. They all drank heavily at the after-party, but Werewolves don't usually get drunk. By eleven thirty that night, Ashton saw Ian looking more intoxicated than he had ever seen him. He asked one of the warriors to watch if he seemed very drunk, to take his car keys and call him, and he would take him home.

While Sue was planning, the goddess Celine nullified the plot of all her plans. Brian and Ashton saw that Ian was getting red by the minute. They hated people who played foul games with their friends and suspected someone was playing with Beta drinks. They called Michael and asked him to take Ian home because he was drunk. Michael was also intoxicated; instead of taking Ian home to his house, he took Ian to the Delta's house.

The drunken Beta followed his nose, which led him to his Mate's presence. When Ian woke up, he could smell his Mate's odour. He walked to her bedroom door and fell asleep on the floor like her guard dog. Isabella woke up in the night and realised he was on the floor; she helped him to the bed, where he spent the night talking in his sleep, telling her that she was his Beta female. He ranted and raved about his Mate. He hugged her warmly when she returned from the washroom. Isabella paid him no attention as she knew he was drunk and had a girlfriend. So Beta spent his graduation night in his young Mate's bed. All of Sue's plans went to the winds.

With graduation completed, the young leaders still had one more hurdle to overcome. That was the battle for them to be inducted with their titles. The Alpha, Beta, Gamma and Delta ceremony was drawing near.

Luna Roseann was a great event planner. She got together with her Team and planned the induction of the new leaders of the Pack. Her son Brian was the chosen Alpha and Beta ian and Gamma Ashton with Louis as the Delta. A whole new breed of leaders. They will have to face their challenges as a leader of the Pack, but first, they will have to face off against each other to test their strengths, resilience and weaknesses. Usually, the Beta was physically more robust than the Alpha, while the Alpha had more leadership strategies. He needed someone he could compete with. The Beta also had to show great leadership qualities and work with the Alpha team as one unit, valuing each other and complying with the Alpha's decisions. Betas support the Alpha at all costs. When the Alpha was away, he had to take responsibility and let the Pack run smoothly without hiccups. Ian was the strongest among the four.

The first stage of the Alpha training was in physical battle, with weapons, and finally, with endurance and fighting while shifting in the air. The Saturday before the induction ceremony was the faceoff day for the leading Team against each other and other strong warriors. Little did they know their training would become helpful in reality.

My Beloved Readers,

What happened in the faceoff before the ceremony? Will Beta ignore his current wolf and tell his Fated Mate she belongs to him, or will he wait until she is old enough to know she is his Mate?

Love always,

Your author.