*BEGINNING of part 1 – Childhood Bond*
*Avery*.
Luca! ¡Come eat!”, yelled Anya from her porch. But eight-year-old Luca and I were too focused on our game to pay attention. The sun bathed us in its warm, golden glow as we continued our intense match of tag, racing around the backyard. Laughter and excitement filled the air, and the world felt like an endless playground for two young adventurers. "Luca! I'll try asking nicely again!" Anya yelled once more. Even when she was scolding him, she sounded loving.
We rushed outside, our hearts pounding with the exhilaration of the game. My mother, Andria, was already there, assisting with removing the dish from the oven. My mom was stunning with her tan skin and black hair, her presence exuding warmth and love. She made the perfect bestie for Anya, a tall redhead with a gorgeous complexion and refined features. They appeared to be a great match, sharing not only friendship but also the unique bond of raising children in a world where secrets and mysteries lurked.
"What's for lunch?" I asked, my stomach grumbling in response to the delicious aroma that enveloped the backyard.
"Just food," my mom joked in reply, her playful smile lighting up her face.
We sat at the table and enjoyed the casserole that Anya and my mother had made. They drank wine while Luca and I had grapefruit juice, sipping it with exaggerated seriousness as if it were the finest wine. Our mothers chatted like close allies, their laughter and anecdotes filling the air. Luca and I occasionally overheard the names of our fathers in their conversations, a reminder of the responsibilities that lay ahead for us.
After eating, we went back to the pond in the backyard and played until the sun went down. When we became too exhausted to continue, we lay on the grass and gazed at the sky, while our mothers sat on the porch, their voices blending with the evening breeze.
"What do you want to be when you grow up?" asked Luca, his gaze fixed on the first stars that began to twinkle in the evening sky.
"I don't know. I don't think about that," I said.
It was true, I never thought about the future until that day. No one at home ever inquired about it, and there was no family concern for anything too far in the future. Our world was one of tradition and destiny, where some roles were predetermined from birth. But not mine.
"What do you want to be when you grow up?" I asked, turning the question back to Luca.
His gaze remained fixed on the stars. "I don't have a choice. I have to lead the Moonblood pack as our Alpha."
The weight of his words hung in the air, and I turned to look at him. Luca appeared surprisingly at ease with the situation, his young eyes holding a wisdom beyond his years.
"What do you mean? Why don't you have a choice?" I asked, curious about the world of responsibility and expectation he was born into.
Cepher, Luca's father, led our pack, the Moonblood Pack, as the Alpha. Our pack got its name from a battle fought by our ancestors centuries ago to claim this territory. Blood was shed so that we could have our own place in this vast world. This battle was so fierce that it became legendary among werewolves, giving our pack its notable name.
Luca was destined to be our Alpha, just like his father, Cepher, his grandfather, and his great-grandfather before him.
"My father is the current Alpha, and I will succeed him when he retires. When that time comes, I will take on the responsibility of leading our community and caring for our pack," he explained, his words resonating with the gravity of his future role.
At that moment, Luca spoke with remarkable maturity, despite being only eight years old. He spoke so well that it seemed like he had heard the same words every day, ingrained in his heart and soul.
"So will you become the leader because of your dad? You can't choose a different path?" I asked, a sense of curiosity and a touch of concern in my voice. I used to think that leading the pack was a voluntary decision taken by all alphas. I never thought it would be a forced destiny.
"That's okay with me," Luca said, his gaze still fixed on the stars above. "I want to be the leader."
I realized that I didn't have to go down the same path as my father, Benjamin. He was the Beta of the Alpha Cepher, and they were extremely close, as were our mothers. My dad would always accompany him and assist him in managing the pack.
At that age, I didn't fully understand their occupation, but they spent a lot of time together. My family didn't push me towards a particular job like Luca's did.
The reason for this was primarily because the Beta position was reserved for a man, although I'm not sure why. Perhaps it was an outdated rule, but I never questioned it since I had no desire to follow in my father's footsteps. Deep down, I appreciated the fact that the rule existed. It gave me the freedom to dream and explore a world beyond our pack.
As a child, I fantasized about leaving the village to live with normal people, to get to know them better, to see the world beyond our secluded territory. The idea of experiencing the unknown, of meeting humans and learning about their lives, fascinated me.
However, my grandmother reprimanded me for wanting to meet humans: "They're not on par with us. You wouldn't even have anything to talk to them about." I wasn't enthusiastic about joining them; I was only interested. The curiosity about the world beyond the pack's boundaries nagged at me, and I longed to learn more.
Wasn't Luca curious like I was?
"Why didn't you consider other options?" I inquired, genuinely curious about his perspective on the matter.
The concept of having everything pre-determined from birth was completely foreign to me.
"I'm not sure how to explain it. I just know in my heart," he said, pointing to his chest, "that I will become the pack's Alpha."
Maybe it was something in his genes, an innate calling that couldn't be denied. Maybe because he inherited the Alpha trait, his destiny seemed crystal clear. He exuded authenticity and conviction in his potential to become an exceptional leader one day.
I envisioned him as an adult, conversing with the townspeople and training the pups - reminiscent of Cepher. I wondered what kind of wolf he would be when he first transformed into one. Would he have his father's imposing presence? Or would he be sleek and delicate like his mother? Both could be deadly when needed, as my dad had recounted in his anecdotes of defending the pack.
Then, an even more important question arose in my mind: What would I be like when I finally transformed into a wolf?
As the sun dipped below the horizon, casting a tapestry of colors across the sky, Luca and I lay on the grass, pondering our destinies and the paths we would walk. The world of the Moonblood pack, filled with tradition and heritage, awaited us both, but it was the unknown that beckoned with its allure. The stars above whispered secrets, and we listened, eager to embrace our fates and the extraordinary journey that lay ahead.
