1-Fran

Marcella’s POV

“Hands up,” I tell my brother. “Don’t let me get paint on you. Ready?”

“I’m ready,” Wesley’s little fists are balled up tight and his little five-year-old face is squashed up in determination.

I’m Marcella Nightingale, I’m seven years old and I’m a werewolf. My father, Martin Nightingale, is the most prized warriors in the world. Our Alpha, loans him out to packs for training. Most Alphas offer my dad a rank to move to their pack, but Dad is loyal to the West family and will likely die a Warrior here at the Westmoreland Pack.

“Okay, remember, don’t let me get paint on you,” I dip my hands in blue paint.

I go easy on him at first, but he is good, so I up my attack. He meets me and gets my wrists in his little hands he covers my painted hands in sand, basically taking me out.

“How was that?” He asks, very proud of himself.

“Amazing!” I answer, excitedly still on all fours with my hands in the dirt.

“Sissy, what is happening? Your hair is growing!” He asks wide eyed, before screaming. “Mom! Mom! Sissy is shifting!”

My mom comes running out the back door.

“Marcella?” Mom kneels beside me.

“It doesn’t hurt mom,” I say as hair continues to grow all over me. Then my spine snaps, sending a blinding pain straight to my head. Now, I am screaming! This hurts! My hips pop out of place and my legs get longer as my shoulders pop and my arms get wider and longer. “Mommy!”

“I know, don’t fight, it. Just breathe, my big brave girl. You are so beautiful!” Mom gasps when I look at her.

I can’t talk anymore. How will I tell her I’m okay?

Fran- I’m Fran and I’ll take it from here.

Me- Who are you?

Fran- Your wolf!

I force Fran back down with all my might and shift back into my human form.

Fran- I’ll come out again.

Me- Just try it!

I feel her trying to force another shift, but I hold her back. I thought we were suppose have great relationships with our wolves. They are supposed to be a quarter of our soul. I’m a quarter too, and my mate and his wolf will make us whole.

“Marcella,” my mother’s gentle voice breaks through. “Marcella, stop fighting your wolf. You two have to get along.”

Me- Okay listen, what is that thing where we don’t get our way, but we both kinda do.

Fran- I’m the same age you are, how should I know.

Me- Trade! Trade with me. You stop forcing your way out and I promise once a day to let you out.

Fran- Everyday until forever!

Me- Everyday until I can’t shift anymore.

Fran- Deal!

Fran settles down and I exhale before looking at mom and Wes.

“I’m okay now, Fran is going to settle down,” I tell mom.

“Okay, good,” Mom looks at me with suspicion. “Now Wesley, Marcella, it is important that no one knows Marcella can shift. We will tell your father, but Marcella you can only shift in our backyard. Do you understand?”

“Yes mama,” I answer.

“Family?” My father’s voice rings through. “Marcella, why are you naked?”

“She shifted, Martin,” Mother tells him. “We need to keep her safe.”

“We have to inform the Alpha,” Dad tells her.

“No, he will insist she trains with the warriors and will try to use her for his own power,” Mom insists. “This is a family secret. We will let her shift in our backyard and you can train her.”

“If we get caught Alpha Devon could banish us,” Dad tells her.

Mom laughs. “Martin, we have offers from thirty different packs, I’m not worried.”

Dad looks at me, “Think I could meet your wolf?”

Me- If I let you out, do you promise to behave. We can’t get banished.

Fran- I promise.

Me- Okay, your show big girl.

I let go and Fran takes over. It’s less painful this time.

“What a beauty,” Dad kneels and pets my head. “I will keep you safe and I will train you.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Nine years later

“Hey Marcella,” Atlas, the next Alpha, slides next to me in math class. I am in love with him. Deep blue eyes, light brown hair, that Alpha build. He is my dream.

“Atlas,” I lower my eyes in respect. We are at school, so I can’t call him Alpha.

“Party, packhouse, 8pm tonight,” Atlas tells me.

“Can’t. Dad and I are traveling to Grace Pack tomorrow, I need my rest,” I tell him. I am genuinely sad, but at the same time, I know he only invites girls to these things to hook up and I don’t want to be his one-night stand.

“All you do is train, I can’t wait until you are head warrior like your dad, we will make a great team. Maybe worth a Beta position for you,” Atlas runs a finger down my arm. I like his touch, but I don’t want to be his head warrior. I want more.

I look at him and smile, “Offer it to Wesley. I plan on finding a mate and settling down.”

Fran- We are so strong, and you want to become a baby maker?

Me- No, but I want him. Look at him. I want him to think I’m Luna material.

Fran- Oh. You are Luna Material. But not his Luna.

Me- Come on, let’s think about it.

Fran-We can think on it.

“I could order you to be there,” Atlas whispers close to my ear.

“And your dad would counterman that order. He knows how important the Grace Pack trip is. We can’t piss them off, they are bigger than we are,” I remind Atlas. I turn slightly and our lips are very close together. I can feel our breaths hitting each other. Thankfully, class starts and we separate before anything happens.

I keep to myself at school. Pack members are scared of me because of who my dad is. Several are sure that in a straight up fight Dad could take out the Alpha. I’m not sure if it’s true, but I’m not saying it’s outside the realm of possible.

In one year and three months I will be 18, and I can find my mate. Maybe Atlas….

“Don’t forget, today it’s you and me as the main event,” Atlas winks at me.

Fran- Can we beat him?

Me- He doesn’t have a wolf, so yeah, we can. But I’m not sure we should. I want him to like us.

Fran- Let’s think on it.

It’s time to train and all I can say is Atlas looks ready to eat me.

“Go easy Fran, I don’t want him to notice you yet,” Dad whispers in my ear.

Fran- I hate when Dad is right.

Me- I know, but remember to ease up. Healing, fighting all of it.

Fran- Yeah, yeah.

“Young Alpha Atlas vs. Warrior in training Marcella,” Dad announces as our group gathers around.

Wesley is in this group too, and he looks at me smiling.

“Let’s go big sis!” Wesley cheers me.

“Fight,” Dad says, backing away.

“Come to the party tonight and I’ll go easy on you,” Atlas smiles at me.

“Pin me to the mat and I’ll come to the party,” I flirt.

His eyes widen in surprise, and he attacks. I dodge and counter, blocking him but leaving us both standing. He attacks again, this time I do a back handspring to get away.

“Attack, Marcella,” Dad coaches.

Me- I’m trying not to embarrass him.

Dad- His ego needs to brought down a few pegs. Alpha Devon’s orders. Attack.

Fran- if it’s Alpha’s orders...

Me- Half power only...

Fran- Party pooper.

I attack with a simple jab, but Atlas fails to counter, so I make contact with his chest, knocking the wind out of him. When he drops to his knees to catch his breath, I knee his face, breaking his nose and knocking him out.

Me- Well, there goes him liking us.

Fran- Sorry, Dad said Attack.

“Good Job young lady,” Alpha Devon tells me. “Martin, your daughter is as impressive as you are.”

“Thank you, Alpha,” Dad motions me to come to him as Alpha stands over his son.

“If you spent as much effort into training as you do in getting she-wolves into bed you would not be on your back right now. Training should be your main focus, do you understand?” Alpha Devon is speaking to the class but directing it at his son.

“Yes Alpha,” everyone in the class says in unison.

Did I mention I’m the only female in this class? Well, I am. Most females don’t qualify for the Advance non-wolf class. Mom would have as a teen, but she isn’t from this pack.

“You will pay for this Marcella, not today, but soon when I have my wolf, you will pay for this disrespect,” Atlas snarls at me as I walk back to my house.

Me- Great.

Fran- He wasn’t ours. When we find ours, I promise we won’t lose him.

~~~~~~

“I am pleased that my son is now 18 and his wolf is an impressive beast,” Alpha Devon toasts Atlas at his party. “In one year, he will become the Alpha of the Westmoreland Pack. I thank Martin Nightingale for his time in making our future Alpha an impressive fighter. Over the next year I suspect Martin’s direction will make Atlas’s wolf, Thomas, even more fierce.”

We all cheer and I see a group of girls crowd the stage near Atlas. They are hoping he is their mate.

Me- Hey Fran, will you be able to detect our mate early?

Fran- Yep, and it’s not Atlas and Tom.

I leave the party and start walking home. I hear the footsteps and can’t believe he left the party just to teach me a lesson.

“Marcella,” Atlas catches me and pulls my hair. “Let’s see what you can do now.”

Me- Fran full power but don’t shift.

Fran- Got it.

I grab Atlas’s hand and tear it away from my hair. I twist his arm to the point it almost breaks, but I release him before it does.

“It’s not gentlemanly to attack a wolfless female from behind. I doubt your father would be pleased,” I tell him.

“Bitch,” Atlas attacks again, I catch his fist before it makes contact. He growls and shifts. His wolf is in fact huge.

Well, shit!