The Gift chronicles novel Chapter 1

Book 1 Chapter 4 

After I killed John, various pack members came up to congratulate me.

The older ones simply nodded at me and barred their necks in submission, which I nodded to them one in return.

My younger students swarmed me, babbling excitedly about how awesome it was.

I smiled at them, ruffling some of the pups' hair and mindlinking them to go to bed so they could wake up early for school the next day.

I turned away from the pups and ran directly into an older woman.

I recognized her as John's wife.

"You...

Killed my mate..."

She hissed at me, tears streaming down her face.

He was the one who challenged me.

If I didn't kill him, he would have killed me, and he has no more of a right to live than I.

"He has children! He has faithfully served Alpha Wilson since before you were alive.

Fuck you!"

She screamed, swinging her fist at me.

I caught her wrist easily, and twisted it so far it made her wimper in pain, but not far enough to break it.

You just said yourself that he had children.

I suggest you go take care of those children before I kill you and make them orphans.

Her eyes widened.

"Don't..."

I let go of her wrist.

Consider that your one and only warning.

The only reason I don’t kill you where you stand is because of your pups.

She nodded, barred her neck in submission, and ran away after I nodded once at her.

That scene drew the attention of a couple bystanders, who dispersed when I growled at them.

I fucking hate being stared at.

One Week Later The week had gone by quickly and uneventfully.

The pack members finally started growing bored of the duel, and the amount of stares and whispers when I walked by decreased to the normal amount.

The day after the duel, there was the challenge for the Delta position.

Since it was the lowest level of pack leadership, any wolf of any rank could be a challenger.

They fought each other one on one until someone submitted.

In the end, a wolf 21 years of age, named Omar had successfully made every wolf he challenged submit.

I watched all of the rounds, and could tell from the beginning that he would win.

He was smart, calculating, and most of all, had consistently shown up to almost all of my training sessions, and had done so enthusiastically.

Today was the day the Blood Alpha was supposed to arrive.

Of course, we were under strict instruction not to call him that.

We were also ordered by Alpha Wilson not to look him directly in the eye unless he spoke directly to us.

Apparently, eye contact was seen as disrespectful according to the old pack etiquette the Blood Lake pack followed.

For some reason, I had been extremely on edge all day.

I wasn't scared of the Blood Lake Alpha, after all, he wouldn't kill me if I just sat there and shut up, but for some reason, my heart felt extremely heavy.