Page 56 of Luna Ascending

It's early and the weak spring sun won't be over the horizon for another hour. With a final look at my lovely mate I leave her snoring loudly in bed. I will totally rib her about the snoring later. Shrugging on some gym kit I head out onto the estate.

The guests for the alpha-blooding all arrived last night in a burst of pomp and ceremony, so I alter my normal route to avoid where they're being housed. It's unlikely anyone else will be up at this hour, but I'm definitely not in the mood for conversation if they are.

It takes a hard-run 10-miler before I feel some of my tension easing, and my guts start to settle. Iwilldo what it takes to win this. Sweat dripping down my torso I head back to our rooms for a quick shower before breakfast. I slip into the en-suite only to find a very wan looking Freya gripping the sink.

“Hey beautiful, What's up?”

“I'm just worried Aaron” she sighs and leans up against me. I wrap my arms around her, inhaling her scent and kissing the top of her head. She smells a little different somehow. I pull away and peer at her worriedly.

“I'm the one fighting Freya, and I won't loose” I promise “do you think you're catching something? You look really pale.”

“Maybe... probably just nerves though... my stomach's upset” she gives me a reassuring hug back, stopping to sniff me before dry-retching “ughh! You stink! No wonder I don't feel well! If I'm sick it's all your fault you filthy animal!” She shoos me laughingly away into the shower.

The start of the ceremony is a blur. My father and I are escorted to opposites sides of the fighting circle by a blood curdling tune on the bagpipes. The guests file past to pay their respects to us both, and to leave gifts as is the tradition, but I can barely acknowledge them. I'm trying desperately to catch a glimpse of my father's face. I bloody wish I knew what he was thinking.

Tavey leads the pack in a deep throated howl, indicating the start of the fight. I start to circle my father. We have to fight in both forms, but my wolf is itching to get out already.

My father surprises me, making the first move, feigning a punch to my face and following up with a hit to the gut that finds its target. The air is forcibly expelled from my lungs and I swing away to catch my breath.

We exchange a few light body blows, searching out each-other's weakness. My wolf bubbles to the surface and I charge my father headbutting him square in the face. He stumbles sideways, reeling from the impact, swinging blindly as the blood streaming down his face temporarily obscures his vision.

I feel rather than see him start to shift, and in almost the same instant I let my wolf out. I'm quick at shifting, pretty fucking sure I'm quicker than him. I leap straight at my father before he's fully in wolf form. My teeth grip his shoulder, and I hear bone crunch. I hold on and shake viciously, feeling a chunk of flesh tearing and tasting the coppery blood start to flow. Eventually my father manages to break away. Even from a distance I can see it's bad - he's very lame. But the fucker won't submit. I growl in annoyance as we stalk round each other again. Every now and then his leg buckles.

My father gathers his strength and throws himself toward me, teeth bared, ready to tear my throat out given half a chance. His vitality is fading, although his courage remains. I easily sidestep him and catch him by the nape as he staggers past.

I shake him by the scruff of his neck, willing him to submit. I hear a sickening crack and drop him to the ground in alarm. I don't want to break his fucking neck.

The howls echo around me as I stand over my father's prone wolf. He still glares me in the face, defiant, refusing to submit. Half the crowd have shifted, and they're baying for blood. The energy in the place is histrionic, and rising. I feel my teeth elongate, ready for the fatal bite. My wolf's responding to the atmosphere, to the moment... I glance up momentarily, taking deep steadying breaths.

Freya catches my eye and I look into her face for a few long seconds. She gives an imperceptible shake of her head. It's tiny, no-one else noticed but my wolf acknowledged it. He backs off.

There's only one thing for it – I have to show my father I am stronger, that I am the superior leader. This better fucking work. I steady myself and shift. Standing buck-naked, I lower my foot over my father's throat and command him in my best alpha voice.

“Shift, now!”

Nothing. His wolf glares back at me balefully, looking restlessly for an opening, for a way to escape.

“As alpha of this pack, I compel you, shift”

The air ripples imperceptibly around my father and I catch my breath “SHIFT, NOW!” I bellow.

Suddenly, his muzzle shortens, his claws retract and his body shifts. He's no longer in wolf form, and no-longer alpha. I let out a relieved sigh. Thank fuck that worked.

The air is full of whooping and hollering. I look around at my pack, pleased to see their overwhelming acceptance. Only a very few faces peer back at me looking disappointed with the outcome – bloody thirsty arseholes.

Freya and my mother rush over, pulling my father up and enveloping us both in a shower of kisses. Much to my astonishment my father takes my hand and shakes it before pulling me into his embrace. A sudden rush of acceptance washes over me.

“You had to bloody do it your way, didn't you? Always have to be different” he grumbles half smiling, before allowing himself to be half carried away by Angus, followed by my mother clucking and fussing, towards the medic.

There's no time for too much self congratulations – the formal ceremony commences straight after the fight. I small hand slips comfortably into mine and I peer down at Freya. Her eyes are brimming with tears and I catch her chin in my hand.

“What's wrong baby? Why the tears again?”

“Happy tears Aaron,” she sniffles “I'm so proud of you, of how you handled that”

A warm glow fills me. I'm pleased with myself, but somehow hearing it from my mate reaffirms the achievement. This is the alpha I want to be – firm, just, violent in protecting my pack but not needlessly violent. Suddenly she's hitting me in the chest, and it bloody hurts. My eyes widen and I catch her hands quickly, stopping the onslaught.

“What the fuck?!”

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