CLAIMED BY THE ALPHA OF THE SOUTH

Crystal's POV

The sun shone on IceClaw with soft rays pouring through the trees like a gentle breezy kiss from the Moon Goddess herself. After last night's rain, the air still smelled of damp dirt and pine. Birds chirped melodiously in the woods.

The pack house buzzed with its usual morning rhythm. Mothers chased after excited pups who darted between stone columns, giggling. Warriors sparred and shouted commands on the eastern field while another team geared up for patrol, the sound of the blacksmith's hammer echoing with a soothing cadence, and the tantalizing aroma of freshly baked bread coming from from the kitchens.

This is her home. These were her people. Her future pack.

And one day soon... she would lead them.

She stood at the edge of the training grounds, arms crossed, watching the younger warriors spar under the guidance of Beta Keave. As fists collided, bodies twisted in midair, their grunts filled the air.

"You're up next, Alpha-to-be," a deep voice teased from behind her.

She turned around, smiling widely.

Logan.

Logan's presence always stirred something in her; a buzz.... a spark that warmed her heart anytime he was near. Three years into their bond, he still made her heart stumble like a teenage girl experiencing first love. Except it wasn't first love; it was the real thing. The forever kind.

"Alpha-to-be?" she responded, smirking at him. "Put some respect on my name.. that's a title you should be saying with more respect, Logan."

He stepped closer, his voice dropping into that low, teasing tone that always did dangerous things to her heart. "I'd rather say it with love."

His hands touched her waist before she could respond, pulling her in until their bodies fit together like a puzzle. Unconsciously, she curled into the front of his shirt steadying herself as she inhaled his scent

They just fit.

Like stars to the night sky.

"You're still late," she whispered, mock-stern.

He grinned. "I came with good tidings, love."

From his jacket, he pulled out a neatly wrapped blueberry muffin.

Her favorite.

Of course, he planned to bribe her.

They sat on the stone bench near the sparring ring, their legs touching as they giggled like giddy teenagers. Crystal unwrapped the muffin and took a bite, closing her eyes as she savoured the snack in contentment. They passed it between them, sharing laughter and jabs.

Resting her head on his shoulder as she looked at the clouds painted against the soft blue morning sky, she murmured, "Do you ever wonder... what's it all for?"

Logan looked down at her, interested. "What do you mean, love?"

"This," she gestured loosely at the warriors, the pack house. "The titles, the power, the pack politics. Sometimes I think the Moon Goddess bonded us not to fight for all of it, but to show that we could rule differently. Together."

He was quiet for a long moment.

Then, he kissed her forehead and said softly, "Ofcourse, that's what we'll do."

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Dinner at the Alpha's residence was more than a meal. It was an event.

Stories of old and new battles echoed through the grand dining hall. Warriors recounted their victories and missteps alike, while the clatter of silverware and the occasional bark of laughter filled the space. The long table was filled with the weight of platters; wild game, roasted vegetables, Beth's signature honey-glazed roast that made even the most hardened warriors groan in pleasure and delight.

"Beth, you've outdone yourself... again," Beta Keave mumbled with his mouth full, earning a look of warning from her mother and a few chuckles from around the table.

Crystal watched her mother wave the compliment off, but the twinkle in her emerald eyes gave her away. Beth took pride in her role; hostess, healer, keeper of tradition. She loved being Luna and her love for the pack was evident for all to see.

Alpha Derek sat at the head of the table, silver-streaked hair pulled back in a warrior's knot. His eyes were sharp but kind. He laughed loudly at Logan's retelling of a patrol mishap, eyes sparkling with amusement.

"I'll make you Beta just for fun if a rogue really chased you across the river," Derek laughed, slapping his hand on the table.

Logan put a palm to his chest, feigning indignation. "I did what I had to, Alpha. Crystal wasn't going to save me!"

Crystal raised her glass, smirking. "Absolutely not. Not when he needed the lesson."

The room burst into laughter again. Logan reached under the table and squeezed her hand in mock betrayal.

Later that night, Crystal sat on her windowsill, legs curled under her, eyes turned to the stars. The pack lands stretched endlessly below her, vast and ancient.

The Moon Goddess had been generous.

Still, her heart held questions.

What kind of Alpha would she be? Could she balance strength with softness? Could she hold the weight of IceClaw's legacy and still lead with her heart?

Would they even trust her enough to follow her?

Because beneath the layers of title, training, and respect... was one truth she tried not to say out loud:

She hadn't shifted yet.

Not once, and that haunted her.

The whispers became louder the older she got. They tried to murmur quietly at first. But now, she could feel them like thorns beneath her skin. "How can she lead us if she hasn't even met her wolf?" "What kind of Alpha has no beast to command?"

Sometimes, she whispered the questions to herself.

And all the time the question lingered, she feared the answers.

She clenched her jaw, fighting the creeping doubt that came with those thoughts. She trained harder than most. She studied leadership, war strategy, diplomacy, and history. She could spar better than half the warriors.

But none of it would matter if she couldn't shift.

Crystal hugged her knees tightly to her chest, chin resting there, eyes still tracing the sky. She wondered if the Moon Goddess could hear her, if She watched her like the old stories said. If She was waiting for something. A moment. A test. A trigger. Something. Anything....

Or... if She had passed Crystal by entirely, and it wasn't in her fate to ever shift.

A soft knock at her door pulled her from the chaotic thoughts swirling in her mind.

"Come in," she called.

The door creaked open, and in stepped Nathan, her cousin; same age grade, though taller by a few inches. He held two mugs of steaming tea in his hands.

"Could feel your thoughts from down the hall," he said casually, stepping inside. "You always get this broody look on full moon nights."

Crystal chuckled, patting the space beside her. "Join the brooding then."

He passed her a mug and settled beside her, gaze flicking to the window and the moonlit horizon beyond. "Thinking about everything again?"

She nodded. "It's not just the pressure. It's..." She hesitated, then finally said it. "I still haven't shifted."

Nathan didn't flinch. Didn't try to pretend it wasn't a big deal. He just nodded slowly. "Yeah. I figured that's what's been eating you lately."

Crystal's voice was quiet. "What if I never do? What if I'm not meant to? How do I lead them without the wolf? Without that part of me?" Her throat tightened. "What if they never truly trust me?"

Nathan was silent for a moment. Then he turned to face her fully. "Crystal, listen to me. No one in this pack has earned their place more than you. Shifted or not. You've trained beside warriors twice your size, outmatched them, outsmarted them. You've sat in on council meetings since we were kids. You feel what the people feel. That matters."

"But-" she started.

"But nothing. The shift will come when it's meant to. And even if it doesn't come the way you expect, that doesn't change who you are. You're still her. You're still the girl who broke Beta Keave's nose at thirteen when he told you to be 'less emotional.'" He grinned. "You're still the future Alpha. And you're still the one they'll follow when the time comes."

Crystal exhaled slowly. Her fingers tightened around the warm mug.

"You think so?" she asked softly.

"I know so," Nathan said, nudging her shoulder. "And until you shift, we'll just keep making you tea and cracking jokes to keep the doubts away."

She smiled, a little more real this time.

They lapsed into silence. The wind rustled the trees outside like the low hum of an old lullaby. A lone howl rose in the distance, echoing off the mountains.

Eventually, Nathan stood, stretching. "You've got this, cousin. You don't need a wolf to be a leader. You've already got the heart for it."

"Thanks, Nate."

He gave her a quick hug and left, letting the door close softly behind him.

Crystal looked out again over the pack lands. Her lands.

This was her world.

The weight of leadership. The rhythm of pack life. The warmth of family. The bond with her mate. The wildness of nature. The sacred thread that tied them all to the Moon Goddess.

She didn't have all the answers yet.But she had her people.

She had her purpose.

And that was enough.... Or so she thought