- History

SKYLER'S POV

The next morning, I actually wake up with my alarm. I'm extremely stiff and sore. I'm sure my bruises have bruises. I slowly get up and make my way into my bathroom. I use the toilet, then hop into the shower. Oh, how I wish I could shower downstairs as the hot water doesn't reach the attic. I don't even think the Alpha had the hot water connected all the way up here, just another one of his daily punishments.

If I can get up early enough and be as quiet as possible, I can occasionally steal a warm shower on the next floor down, but that is usually only like once a month, so it won't be this morning. I grit my teeth so they won't chatter as I wash the grime and dry blood off my body as quickly and as carefully as I can, then I wash the blood out of my hair, turn the water off and get out.

I move into my room and sit down at my vanity, the only thing my dad the all-mighty Alpha would allow me to keep from my old room, looking in the mirror my eyes land on the 3 large scars running over my left shoulder, I run my fingers over the scars as tears fill my eyes as I remember how I got them on my 6th birthday.

* Flashback *

"Mummy, Daddy! " I yell and jump up and down on their bed.

"Sweetheart! Why are you up so early?"

"It's my BIRTHDAY!!" I yell

"Nahh, it can't be. You only just had a birthday."

"But Dad, that was last year.."

"So, sweetheart, how old are you today?"

"I'm 6 today"

"No, you can't be"

"Yes, I am"

"Nahh! I'm sure you are only what? 3?"

"No! Silly Daddy, I'm 6!"

"Nahh!"

"Aha!"

"No!"

"Yes"

"Okay! Okay! You two... Let's go down and have some breakfast." Mum says, laughing at the banter between father and me.

We go downstairs to have breakfast, to see James, my 8yr old brother, already at the table eating and the cook making my favorite pancakes for my birthday. I laugh and thank her as she puts 4 pancakes onto a plate and places it in front of me.

They are made of chocolate chip so I don't need to add anything more to them. Mum and Dad join us and once we are finished, James and I head out the back to play with some of the other kids in the pack. After a while, mum comes to the back door and calls to us.

"Time to come in... So? Skyler, what would you like to do for your birthday lunch?" Mum asks.

"Can we have a picnic in the flower field?"

I ask as I catch my breath and sit at the kitchen counter.

"Um... Sure, that shouldn't be a problem. Honey, are you gonna come with us?"

Mum looks over and asks Dad as he enters the kitchen.

"Sorry Ladies..."

"But Dad it's my birthday!!"

"I know, sweetheart, but I still have work to do. Take a couple of guards with you."

Dad then faces James.

"James? I think you can come and help me? It's about time you started to learn how to run the pack, anyway." Dad replies,

"But Dad! I was going to go and hang with my friends..."

"Not today. Today you are with me or with your Mother and sister..."

I hid my little giggle as he sighs and nods, saying,

"Okay, Dad!"

Mum then packs us a nice picnic basket full of food and grabs our picnic blanket from the hall cupboard for us to sit on.

"Bye boys, don't work too hard."

Mum gives Dad and James a quick kiss as we laugh and walk out the door and into the woods.

"Bye! Stay alert and be careful, both of you." Dad warns softly.

I don't see the guards my dad told mum to take with us as we walk through the woods to the flower field, but I knew that they would be there somewhere. The flower field was a large field full of wildflowers surrounding a beautiful, crystal clear lake. We found it one night as a family on one of our full moon runs, and we all liked it so much that we made it our family's special place.

We come here for family picnics and special occasions. My Mum and I walked to the middle of the field not far from the edge of the lakeshore and mum set the picnic blanket on the ground. I played at the water's edge until my mum called.

"Skyler, dear, lunch is ready."

I stand and run back to where Mum is sitting on the picnic blanket with our lunch spread out in front of her. After we had eaten all the food that mum had packed for our lunch, which was just enough for us. Mum laid down on the blanket and watched while I went running around the field, picking some of the nice wildflowers.

I stopped to pick an unusual flower when I heard a twig snap and a low growl coming from the edge of the field, just inside the edge of the woods. I freeze. I look up to where the sound came from and saw 2 bright red eyes staring back at me. I screamed, dropped my flowers, and started to run back towards where mum was on the blanket.

I wasn't fast enough though and the next thing I know I am knocked down. I roll over the ground and when I stop; I have a large, dirty, smelly, scared brown wolf standing over top of me. He growls in my face and then bites into my left shoulder. I let out an ear-piercing scream of pain.

The next thing I know, the wolf disappears as a light grey wolf tackles it off of me, but he hadn't removed his canines from my shoulder, so he leaves 3 long tears over my shoulder. I can't stop crying but I try to get up wanting to go and help Mum but I collapse back to the ground, hitting my newly injured shoulder.

I now can't move, as the pain running down from my shoulder makes me scream out again. I look up and around, looking for Dad's guards, but I don't see them. I snap my head to the side as I hear a very loud growl and watch as an extremely large black wolf jumps over me and runs over to help the grey wolf fight.

I look up again as James comes running up to me. He helps me sit up a little and wraps his arms around me, holding me while I cry. He stays with me, covering my ears while the fighting is happening. I look over as James removes his hands from my ears. It is then that I realize that the black wolf is Dad.

He kills the brown rogue wolf, unfortunately; he wasn't quick enough to save Mum. He lets out a pain fill howl and shifts back to human. Dad picks up and carries Mum, while James picks up and carries me back to the packhouse. That was the day my life changed!

* End Flashback *

I let my tears fall as I remembered that horrible day. The punishments as he came to call them started from my father or Alpha as he insisted that I call him started on my 7th birthday. The punishments started with just a slap here and therefore not coming when called or doing what I was told quickly enough, but it slowly increased to a punch and a kick or two.

The type of punishments I received also depended on what I did that upset the Alpha, the main one was that took me a while to get used to was that I am not allowed to call him Dad anymore or refer to James as my brother in any way, as far as he was concerned he never had a daughter.

My birthdays from then on were not that happy and I really don't look forward to them anymore, it is a day that I actually dread now, because if the Alpha remembers that it is my birthday he punishes me badly and adds a small permanent scar to my back to mark and add to the pain of that day so many years ago.

I slowly redress the bandages around my broken ribs, apply some healing cream to my cuts and bruises, and get dressed. I then look into the mirror once more and wish myself a Happy Birthday.

I then head slowly down the stairs to make breakfast for everyone. I lay everything out on the table and quickly duck back into the kitchen and eat the chocolate pancake I made for myself as my only birthday gift for the day.

Once I am finished with my pancake, I wash the plate, then check the table, clearing any and all the empty plates, I then go back to finish cleaning the house ready for the Alpha to show off to the other Alpha that is coming.

When I've finished cleaning every room on the upper floors, I then move to the ground and entry floor. I try to work around everyone so that I can clean without getting in the way, intruding on anyone, or interrupting whatever they are doing.

After that is done, I then go back into the kitchen and start to prepare the special lunch I have planned so that it is ready for when the other Alpha arrives. It will also give me a chance to hide in my room until after the Alpha has left. I have learned not to trust Alpha's, so the less time I have to be in their presence, the better off I am.

- Birthday Shift

SKYLER'S POV

I finished preparing the special lunch for the visiting Alpha. I had just completed the cleaning of the kitchen from my cooking when I feel a sharp pain run up and down my back and into my arms and legs. I try to hold in my scream and hold on to the kitchen counter hard until the pain passed.

Once the pain has passed, I slowly make my way to the stairs. I put my hand on the rail and suppress another scream as another wave of pain runs down my spine. I wipe the tears from my cheeks and freeze as I see my fingers. They now have claws instead of fingernails. Just as another wave hits, I realize that my body is getting ready to shift.

As I wait for this wave of pain to subside, I frown, realising that I shouldn't be shifting yet. I shouldn't shift until the moon rises, but I am. When the pain finally subsides, I let go of the railing, and then ran out the back door, through the woods, until I make it to the flower field.

I had always told Mum after we found the flower field that this is where I wanted to have my first shift, as there was water nearby and the smell of the wildflowers was just beautiful and extremely relaxing. Except when I had planned it at the age of 5, it was meant to be a special happy time, with my family there for me.

My Mum there to hold me telling me the pain won't last long, my Dad there to tell me I was doing great and I would be the most beautiful wolf in the world besides my Mum of course and James sulking and telling me that I was being a baby but I was here in the flower field surrounded by the beautiful smelling flowers, doing it on my own.

Once I got there, I ran to the center of the field where I collapse and finally let myself scream out loud and allow the pain to wash over me as tears stream down my cheeks. I allow myself to continue to cry as being here in the flower field made me feel like I was closer to mum, that she was there with me and that made me not as terrified but I am still scared.

I lay on the cold ground but I don't feel it as cold. It actually felt really good while my body gets hotter and hotter as the popping of my joints and the cracking of my bones get louder and more painful.

Once the popping, cracking and pain finally start to ease, I close my eyes and relax on the ground for a little while; I open my eyes again and look down to see light grey paws instead of hands, stood up slowly, and was a little wobbly to start with as I got used to my four paws, when I was finally steady I stretched out first my font legs, lifting my butt and tail into the air, I then stretch out my back legs arching my nose to the sky and lastly I straighten and shook out my fur coat. I jump a little as I hear a sweet voice inside my head.

"Hello, Skyler! Happy Birthday! My name is Alice, and I'm your wolf."

I focus on her voice as I reply,

"Hi Alice, it's nice to finally meet you. Shall we go and have a look at us in the lake?"

"Yeah, that sounds great."

So with that agreed on, I changed my focus from listening and talking to the voice in my head and slowly walk over to the edge of the lake, taking my time to get used to using my four legs rather than two. I peered down into the water, so I could look at my reflection and was in awe.

My wolf was beautiful, she was the same light grey as my Mum's but I had a singe of Dad's black coating the tips of my ears, paws, nose, and about an inch wide stripe running down my back all the way to the tip of my tail. I turn inward, concentrate, and speak to Alice.

"You are very beautiful, Alice! I am just sorry our Mum isn't here to see it. She would have loved the look of us..."

"That she would have Skyler. Um... Skyler, you do know that it wasn't your fault?"

"What wasn't?"

"Mother's death, it wasn't your fault..."

I don't agree with her and without even realizing it; I step back and allow Alice to take control. I lay curled up in my mind, crying for a while, until Alice calls to me to join her in having some fun. I mentally wipe my eyes and join her. After joining and letting Alice run around the field chasing butterflies for a while, I looked at the sky and decided that it was getting late and that I should head back to the packhouse.

I had to make sure I have everything set up in time and placed perfectly for the coming Alpha. I don't want to be punished today of all days with another Alpha watching. Because my birthday punishment is always twice as bad as a normal punishment and if he adds another Alpha to watch, it will be even worse.

I run back to the packhouse in wolf form; I stop and pull on a large t-shirt that I find and picked up from behind a tree near the edge of the woods next to the packhouse; it is obviously a spare shirt for the border patrols returning if they had to shift while out. I enter quickly into the kitchen, washing my hands in the sink. I then start grabbing the food I prepared earlier. I put some into the oven to heat and set up the rest on the big formal table in the dining room.

Once I am done, I take one more look around to make sure everything is in place and I double-check everything so that I haven't missed anything; I go back into the kitchen, pull out the heated food, put it on a tray, and then place them on the table. I then take one last look around the table again to make sure everything was in its place.

I then head up the stairs to my room, so that I am not anywhere nearby when the other Alpha arrives. Unfortunately, I bump into James on the stairs.

"Watch it! Bitch!! My goddess Skyler, you could have at least put on a clean shirt to cook lunch in. Is lunch all set?"

"Y-yyess, James, lunch is all set in the dining room ready for Alpha to present."

I move to walk away and continue up to my room when he grabs and pulls me back by my hair, saying.

"I didn't say you could go yet"

James then punches me in the ribs that Alpha had broken last night. They had healed a little after my shift thanks to Alice, but they were still broken and very tender. I end up curled into a tight ball on the floor, trying to protect myself as much as I could, as James was kicking me everywhere he could find an opening.

Once he was done and satisfied, I listen as he then turns and continued to walk down the stairs laughing as he meets up with one of his friends at the bottom. I lay there for a while trying to catch my breath as I believe he had just broken another rib or two, and I try to keep myself from crying as that just makes the others pick on me more.

"Don't worry Skyler, now that I'm with you, I can help you heal a lot quicker."

"Thanks, Alice!"

Now, with the help of Alice, I managed to get to my feet and slowly make my way up the rest of the stairs to my room. I ignore the pain that is spreading through me with each step I take. I enter my room and just as I was about to close my door; I heard the front door open and a lot of commotion down in the living room. However, I just can't muster up enough energy to actually care about what is going on down there now.

I continued to close my door but not all the way as I know the Alpha will probably call me at some stage, to do something for either him or the visiting Alpha, So with Alice working to heal my battered body, I quickly change out of the shirt I picked up outside and put back on some of my own clothes, I then fall onto my bed allowing the darkness that has been threatening to consume me since my run-in with James finally win.

- Alpha Mason

ALPHA COLE MASON'S POV

This is one thing I hate about my job, I hate having to travel to the other packs and having the Alpha's of those packs kissing my arse, but if I want to keep my allies and my treaties up to date either me or my brothers have to visit each one. Unfortunately, I drew the short straw today and I'm the one that has to do the visit to the Midnight Lake Pack. On the bright side, I might find my mate. We each believe we will, one day, meet our mates on one of these alliances or treaty updates. We, or should I say I am hoping that we won't have the same mate. I don't know if I or my wolf Xander would be able to share her. My name is Cole Mason and I am one of 3 Alphas from the Royal Blood Moon Pack.

I am traveling today with our Beta Max Fight. It's a long 6-hour drive from our pack to the Midnight Lack Pack. I hate these long drives. I would have preferred to have run in wolf form, but I am traveling to this pack to renew our alliance and our protection for them. So, they would see my arrival in wolf form as a threat. So I just stare out the window trying to imagine what my mate will be like. Will she be strong-willed or will she be a submissive? Will she be beautiful or plain... I smile as Xander growls at me for that description of our mate, but most of all, I want her to be loving.

I must have dozed off with images of my ideal mate running through my head because the next thing I know we have pulled off of the highway and are pulling up the driveway to the packhouse of the Midnight Lake pack. Once the car has stopped, I open my door and climb out of the car, along with Max, and stretch, thinking again that there must be a better way to keep everything running smoothly and up to date without all the travel involved. Ha! I can dream, can't I?

As I make my way to the door, Xander starts to pace and is getting really restless inside my head, making me feel rather nervous and giving me a slight headache, so I turn inward.

"Xander, what's wrong?"

"I don't know, but something good is about to happen."

"Xander, what do you mean, something good?"

"I don't know, it's just something good!"

"You really are no help."

I finish talking to Xander and cut him out as much as possible. I lift my hand and knock on the door. A young female opened the door. Once she sees us, she bows says politely.

"Welcome, Sir! Please do come in, the Alpha will be down shortly."

As soon as I enter the packhouse, I am hit with something smelling heavenly of forest and flowers, but I am interrupted and pulled back to reality by the booming voice of Alpha Jackson.

"How are you doing, Alpha Mason?" Alpha Jackson asks, extending his hand for me to shake. I reluctantly take his offered hand.

"Not bad.." I replied, shaking his hand for the shortest time possible. I didn't like this guy, he just felt off. He seemed to change after his mate died.

"Lunch has been served in the dining room, awaiting your arrival. Shall we go and eat? Then, we can move to my office and conclude our business. Oh! This is my son, James. He will be taking over from me in a couple of months so he will be joining us."

"Thanks. This is my Beta Max. He will be joining us as well." I say as I follow Alpha Jackson to the dining room, after shaking James's hand quickly.

We enter the dining room. It looks to be set up perfectly and that heavenly scent of forest and flowers hits my nose again. Xander whines in my head. I look around but can't tell where it is coming from. After a little while of eating, Alpha Jackson yells.

"SKYLER!!!!"

"SSKKYYLLEERR!!!!"

After a short amount of time, I hear light footsteps coming from upstairs, making their way down to us. I turn around and see the most beautiful girl ever enter the dining room. She has her long black hair over her face and long baggy clothes on.

"MATE! MATE! MATE!" Xander is chanting and growling inside my head at the top of his lungs. Giving me the start of another headache.

As I massage my temples, trying to relieve some of the pain. Once I manage to quiet Xander down enough, I pay attention to what is now happening between Alpha Jackson and this Skyler girl.

'SMACK' I now see Skyler holding her cheek, and Alpha Jackson is saying, "Where are the drinks? I thought you told James that everything was done to perfection!... If that was so, why don't I have a drink in front of me and I certainly can't see any drinks on this table?." 'SMACK'

Xander was growling loudly inside my head now, as the Skyler girl whimpered a "Sorry Alpha!"

I presume she then ran to the kitchen to get drinks for everyone. I was starting to get quite upset at seeing Jackson strike our little mate.

I watch Skyler re-enter the dining room, carrying a large tray full of drinks. She served the Alpha, then me and then made a round of the table giving one to everyone else, then made her way back to the Alpha, except as she walked past James, I saw he had this evil smirk on his face as he put his foot out just a bit and made Skyler trip. The last of the drinks on the tray went flying and landed all over Alpha Jackson.

Alpha Jackson growled extremely loudly, causing the whole house to shake. He jumped up and grabbed Skyler by the hair, and dragged her out of the room. I also jumped up, knocking my chair over, and followed them into his office.

"Sorry!.. Sorry!... Sorry!... Sorry!!!" I could just make out Skyler's soft whimpering words.

Ignoring her whimpering sobs, Alpha Jackson throws Skyler into the office. She lands with a crash and a crack on the floor in front of his desk. She lets out a soft groan as she tries to move. He walks up to her again, grabs her by the hair, and is about to punch her in the face when I walk into the office behind him. I move with the speed of Xander and grab his arm before he can make contact.

"YOU WILL NOT HIT MY MATE AGAIN..."

I yell as I pull him away from a whimpering Skyler. Xander was pushing to come out and protect his mate. I move to be in between him and Skyler.

"I will treat my daughter, however, I feel like treating her... It is not your place to tell me how to discipline a member of my pack, let alone my family!" He resorts back to me.

I couldn't stop him. Xander took over as I turn around at his words and punched him hard directly in the nose, knocking him out, before he had a chance to do or say anything else.

Xander then backed off just a little as we crouched down next to Skyler, whispering, "I will not hurt you, little one!"

I slowly picked her up, bridal style. She whimpered again but cuddled in closer to my chest. Which made a small smile grace our lips.

"MAX!"

I then yelled, walking out of his office and back towards the dining room. Max stops just outside the dining room doorway in front of me.

"Alpha Jackson and the Midnight Lake Pack are no longer under our protection. We are leaving."

I growled at him as I continue walking towards the front door. I also continue to fight with Xander as he is still very close to the surface, wanting to go back and beat the crap out of Alpha Jackson just for the fun of it.

Max looked at me, then at the girl in my arms in confusion. Something must have clicked after a few seconds as he then started to follow after me. I walked out of the house and over to the car with Skyler in my arms. Max runs over and opens the back door so I can climb in without removing my arms from around the precious little package within them. Max then makes his way around and climbed into the driver's seat. He speeds off down the driveway onto the road, heading back to our pack, back to our home.