EllieThe tingling sensation in Ellie's stomach was growing by the moment as the day of the tournament loomed closer and closer. Trying to get work done at her desk was nearly impossible, especially the day before the Alphas were set to arrive. The distant sound of hammering had been a constant reminder that her father was constructing his masterpiece in the clearing. Even though it seemed as if there couldn't be one more thing to do, Michael kept finding new projects. She'd be looking forward to the tournament starting just so the hammering would stop.The stack of RSVPs stacked on the corner of her desk also drew her attention away from her work. Most of what she needed to get done that day she could do on autopilot. Approving expenditures, looking over the reports from the trainers, requests from the wolves assigned patrol to switch shifts or take a certain time off. She didn't do anything with most of these things, letting her subordinates handle it for the majority. But she still
EllieRunning through the forest was a great way for Ellie to clear her thoughts and remind herself of how beautiful her territory was. With her wolf in control, she powered between the trees, the fresh earth soft between her toes as her paws sunk into the fresh dirt beneath a scattering of freshly dropped leaves.The trees were beginning to turn, and the forest was alive with creatures preparing for the upcoming winter. Scarlets, sunburnt orange, and sunshiny yellow leaves blurred in her peripheral vision as she blew past the deciduous trees that provided the forest canopy. Plenty of evergreens stood vibrant in the sun, squirrels and birds perched on their branches, reminding Ellie of the sanctity of all life and just how reliant they all were on one one another.This run didn't quite clear her mind the way most of them did, though. In the back of her thoughts was the lingering idea that her life was about to change in a drastic way. Early morning sunrays broke between branches as s
EllieFeeling like a prisoner in her own home was trying, but as Ellie looked around her living room and saw only the faces of strangers, mostly the visiting Alphas, their Betas, and other packmates, she couldn't help but feel slightly suffocated. Her father was in the kitchen now, fixing drinks and getting to know the guests. Shelby and Carl were there… somewhere… as were her "little brothers." She could hear Cane's voice, but she couldn't see him. Even Beta Andrew was around, but these Alphas wanted so much of her time, she couldn't see past their broad shoulders and neatly coiffed hair."How old are you, Luna Ellie?" one of the most recently arrived Alphas asked. Ulysses Glenn of the Soaring Wolf Pack was probably the friendliest of all of them, but when she looked into his brown eyes, she felt like she was looking at a friend, not a potential love interest. He was strikingly handsome with dark hair and a cleft chin. All five of the Alphas that had already arrived were great to look
River had recognized Ellie almost immediately, though he was pretty sure she had no idea who he was, so he'd decided to play along. It was clear, the way she'd flown across the distance between the house where she'd been sitting on the front porch and her office, that she had no idea who he was and thought he might be snooping around. The whole thing had been a bit comical, but he'd done his best not to laugh. After all, he couldn't blame her for being protective of her personal space, especially with all of these strangers in her pack lands.Shaking her hand had left his palm tingly in a way he'd never experienced before. She was beautiful, and as he stood looking into her crystal blue eyes, waiting for her to say something else, after, "Nice to meet you, River," he couldn't help but wonder how soft those lips might be. He shook his head slightly to clear it, and since she wasn't talking, he decided he should."So… where is everyone else? I'm sorry we're running a little behind. Somet
EllieIntroducing River to the other Alphas should've been no big deal, but Shelby's comments stuck in Ellie's mind as she entered her home, River behind her, and she couldn't help but dwell on them. All of the Alphas were handsome, there was no doubt that there was something special about River. He was better looking than the others. He was polite and not completely full of himself, like most of the others, and he was kind. He'd even brought her a plant. Granted, that was from his mother, apparently, but it was still nice of him.She walked into the room, and all eyes seemed to be on her. "Ellie! There you are!" Strand purred from across the room. "We missed you!""Sorry," she said, feeling more than a little awkward. "Stand, do you know River? Alpha of the Howling Moon Pack?""River! Nice to see you." Strand shook his hand, and as the two of them exchanged pleasantries, the rest of the Alphas came to meet the newest arrival.It was clear that many of the Alphas either had already me
RiverA group of the Alphas strolled to their rooms together after the get-together at Ellie's house. Even though River's car was still sitting a few steps away outside of Ellie's office, he decided to walk along with the others to get to know them better. While he hadn't necessarily come there to make friends, it wouldn't hurt to strengthen his alliances if he could. Nor did it hurt to sum up the competition. At first, he'd wanted to win the contest simply because he hated to lose, but having just spent the evening in Ellie's presence, his reasons for winning were a bit different now.It took a lot to get a wolf shifter drunk, but a couple of the guys were borderline tipsy, at least. Blade wasn't with them, as he'd arranged for one of his Omegas to come and pick him up and drive him the quarter mile to his quarters, which seemed ridiculous, but the rest of them were walking together. With one exception, this group seemed pretty decent to River, like they could be friends. That except
Ellie"Is it just me, or does this broccoli look like little trees?" Cane asked, sitting to Ellie's right at the big dinner her father was holding the night before the tournament was to begin. Ellie had said the only way she would agree to this meal was if her three little brothers, Shelby, and Carl were also invited, and her father had reluctantly given in. The Alphas were each allowed to bring one guest as well, which meant for quite a crowded table. Michael had had to string a few tables together so that they all fit, and the monstrosity stretched from the dining room into the living room of their home. Ellie was pretty sure some of the Alpha's mothers, which had come along as moral support, thought the set-up was ridiculous, but she didn't care. Her dad was doing his best, and that's all that counted."Stop playing with your food," Ellie said, leaning closer to him. "You're not five.""Stop kicking me under the table," Cane whispered back. "You're not five.""I'm not kicking you
Ellie"Is this your idea of a run?" Ellie joked as she strolled alongside Ulysses through the forest in the early dawn. The sun was just coming up, and it was beautiful seeing the colors of the sky reflected off the glossy services of the autumn leaves."No, no it is not," Ulysses said. They were walking at a pretty fast pace, but they definitely weren't running. "If I were running, my knees would be bent, Ellie."His remark made her laugh. It was nice, hearing him say her name like that, as if they were old friends. While she appreciated the friends she had, her "little brothers" were a bit immature sometimes, and any more, all Shelby wanted to talk about was Carl. Talking to Ulysses was refreshing, even if her lungs weren't quite burning from this particular workout, and she didn't even feel like she'd need to stretch when she was done."So… what made you decide to come to this crazy tournament?" Ellie asked as they started a fairly steep incline where they'd get a great view of the