Chapter 1 Lachlan

I didn’t imagine I would be coming of age without my Dad there to guide me. That does not mean I do not appreciate my Mum. Hell no, she is the strongest woman I know. Losing your fated mate can destroy you. Though, personally, I think losing the one you love is enough to break anyone. But, the bond we share as werewolves with our mates is something else; and when that is broken, it can tear you apart from the inside. Yet my Mum pulled through it. Not just any old she-wolf either. A Beta’s wife. Bringing up a hard-headed son who, I am not ashamed to say, is a stubborn little fucker. I took after my Dad in that respect. I know that much. But, taking after him was the last connection I could have with him. That and the fact I would be inheriting his title. Yet, despite losing him, and knowing she had a heart-broken son struggling to cope with the loss of his father to bring up, my Mum battled on through, resilient as ever, never letting her determination waiver, or at least never in front of another. She was my hero, and I would never be ashamed to say it. “Happy Birthday Lachlan!” My Mum’s excited voice greeted me from the other side of the bedroom door. “Come on, everyone is waiting for us in the packhouse!” The excitement in her voice was clear to hear. Anyone would think it was her birthday, not mine. Her coming of age. Though this was the day she had been waiting for, I knew that much. I opened the bedroom door, and she flung her arms around my neck. I smiled as she did. I could not be more grateful for the woman in front of me. Without her, I would not be the man I was. Without her, I would not be here. “Hey Mom.” The crazy thing was, I don’t think I felt any different. Not yet anyway. Was I meant to? Today was the day my wolf would come to me. The day a werewolf turned 18 was the day they met their wolf. Yet so far there had been nothing. “Aww, you get more like your Papa every day.” My Mum said, squeezing my cheeks with her hands, as she looked up at me, her dark eyes filled with tears. Everyone told me I was a younger version of my father, so hearing my Mum say the same thing came as no surprise. But it was rare for her to actually say the same thing. She rarely spoke of my Dad. I think that was her way of coping. “Well, here is hoping I get to be as good of a Beta as he was.” I said, squeezing her tight into my embrace. Soon it would be my time to make her proud. Show her that all her hard work bringing me up alone for the past 8 years had been worth it. “Come on then, I can’t keep you here all to myself, at least not today anyway. I have to share you. You have a pack awaiting your arrival! All wanting to share this birthday with the very soon-to-be-Beta-of-their-pack.” she said, pride clear within in her voice as she took my hand and we walked together toward the stairs. This was my Mum all over. Willing to give up the breakfasts we ensured we shared together each day, so I could have a birthday breakfast with my pack. I smiled across at her. We walked in a comfortable silence as I pondered over what today may hold for me. If my Mum was wanting me to do this birthday properly, which she so often did, then I knew her and my aunts would have gone all out. Not to mention, I know that they usually throw parties for birthdays, especially important ones. And, this was most definitely an important one. But, something niggled at me. As much as I was excited to share my birthday celebrations with my pack, and, of course, the fact I was finally ready to prepare to take my father’s title, the other important aspect of today had yet to occur. My wolf was still to talk to me. Let alone attempt to encourage me to shift for the first time the way I expected… the way my friends had talked about. I turned to my Mum as she locked up the house. “Mom?” I probed. “Yes, Lach.” She smiled at me, like nothing in the world was too much for me. I hated having to ask her this, because I knew the moment I mentioned it, she would be panicking. She may be superwoman in she-wolf clothing, but she was also super-protective of me, all she had left since my Dad had passed away, and she worried massively over any little thing regarding me that did not go the right way. But, at the same time, I don’t think there was anyone else I trusted more. “My wolf will come today, right?” I asked softly, and she smiled again, stretching up to her tiptoes to reach my hair to ruffle it. I had already outgrown her height years ago, and she hated the fact she had to look up to her son, though it had long since been our ongoing joke. “Aww, is he playing games?” she teased, like she wasn’t worried in the slightest. “He will come when you are officially 18, and you aren’t for a little while longer.” She told me as she glanced down at her watch. “And, even then, it is at his own discretion as to when he chooses during the day. Some take their time, but he will be there. I have no doubt. So don’t you worry, he will come, and he will be just what you need, I am sure.” Her words instantly reassured me, and once again I was back to looking forward to what my birthday could hold. We walked the short distance from our house to the busy packhouse. A packhouse all decked out in decorations. I could instantly tell an awful lot of effort had gone into. I looked at my Mum, who simply shrugged with a smile. “What can I say? Your Aunties wanted to make a fuss.” I chuckled. She was talking about the former Alpha and Gamma wives, who were considered like family to me. They would be the ones making all this fuss for me. Helping my Mum ensure I could celebrate my birthday the best way possible, the way they always have after my Dad passed away. “Happy Birthday Lachlan!” Uncle Harry, our former Alpha, and my Dad’s best friend, greeted me, offering me a big hug. “Proud of you, son.” I smiled in reply, unable to speak. Emotions overtaking me. This man had taken me under his wing ever since I had lost my Dad. As I was released from the embrace of my Uncle, we continued to walk down the busy corridor of the packhouse, and I noted there were so many people here, all waving to me, or passing on their birthday greetings as my Mum led the way to the dining hall. Had they all made the effort to come here for me? Because there were rarely this many people here at this time of day… “Here he is, the birthday boy!” I felt a slap on my shoulder, to turn around and find my friend, and our current Alpha, Marcus. “Catching me up soon, bro.” he winked, a cheeky grin upon his face. “Think you may always have a couple of years on me.” I said with a laugh. He had taken over his Dad’s Alpha role a couple of months earlier, having met his fated mate, deciding he was ready to allow his Dad an early retirement. One, I think my Uncle has certainly earned having run his pack without the Beta position being filled for the last eight years. And, I have to say of my friend, he was a natural for the role. I, however, was not so sure that I was going to be quite the natural when it came to taking on the Beta role that had been absent since my father’s death eight years earlier. Any other pack may have found a replacement, but the closeness of the friendship made them determined to manage without someone stepping into my Dad’s shoes. Until, that is, I was ready to inherit the title I was born to gain. One I was nervous about to say the least. I did not want to let anybody down, least of all my Uncle or my Mum. They had always done their best for me, and I wanted to do the same for them. Marcus opened the dining hall doors open to allow me to follow my Mum and my Uncle inside, only for the whole of the place to break out into song, singing me a happy birthday. Wow. Nothing like wanting the earth to swallow you whole! In truth, I hated a fuss, and right now, a fuss is what was being made, but I smiled in polite response, as a cake was brought out to me, and Marcus announced the plans for a party to celebrate with me tonight. Great, now that I would look forward to, I thought to myself as I blew out the candles on the cake in front of me. A double-layered chocolate cake with thick chocolate frosting. I mean, who does not like to party? ‘I don’t know, I kind of hoped for a run.’ An unexpected voice appeared in my mind, taking me by surprise, and instantly I realized my wolf had arrived.