The Supreme Alpha

Author's note: This is from Zoe's point of view

- - -

Serina ended up leaving in a hurry before breakfast.

I wanted to go with her. To be honest, I would go anywhere, just to avoid being here, but Serina refused, saying how I need to welcome guests.

What welcoming of guests? All those people will soon find out that I'm an adult werewolf without a wolf.

These were my last moment before I needed to face ultimate humiliation.

This was not a birthday celebration, this was mourning for a wolf that will never wake up.

Just as expected, or maybe it's better to say, just as I feared, my friends arrived on time.

The good thing was that they were blown away by the mansion, the garden, and anything else they could see on their way here, so they didn't pay much attention to me.

I took a mental note to talk about the property as a diversion whenever they ask me about my wolf.

Other than Hugo, Violet, Emilio, Chiara, Cristina who attended Luca's epic birthday party in France, there were eight other teens with whom I'm close, and that made a total of thirteen guests I wished are not here.

The staff showed them to their rooms, and I could hear a lot of 'Ohs' and 'Ahs' as they were discovering their accommodations.

Well, everything is luxurious. Serina and Mateo didn't skim on expenses to make this place majestic.

Even I'm still getting used to the softness of my bedsheets after what I had at Fynn's place.

We all descended to the dining room for breakfast.

Another round of 'Ohs' and 'Ahs' was heard as my friends checked the variety that was set on the side table in a buffet style. Eggs, sausages, smoked meats, fruits, cheeses, pastries, hot and cold beverages, several types of cereal… there was something for everyone.

"Wow, Zoe!", Cristina (aka my best friend) exclaimed. "You are so lucky to live here. I wish that Serina adopts me."

"Me too!", Chiara said enthusiastically. "By the way, Zoe, where is Serina?"

"Something came up. She will be here shortly." I hope.

Mateo was so concerned about whatever Serina was dealing with that he was stuck in the study, staring at the security live feed from the villa in Genoa (that is limited to only outside view) and Maria took him a tray with breakfast there. He said that he will stay there until she resolves the issue.

I didn't understand why Mateo was freaking out. I mean, Serina is the most capable woman I've ever known. If she can't handle a challenge, no one can.

"When will Luca and Ash arrive?", Emilio asked.

They all knew that Luca and Ash are in London.

"They should be here by lunchtime."

The thing is that Mitch was supposed to fly to London and pick up Ash and Luca, and with Serina experiencing this emergency and Mitch heading to Genoa, it's inevitable that Ash and Luca will be delayed.

Well, it's not like that will ruin my perfect birthday, because the absence of my wolf messed it up already.

"Will Lazarus be here?", Hugo asked. He was Lazarus's biggest fan during Luca's birthday party.

Lazarus is quite famous among werewolves. He is one of the few werewolves with an aura of a real Alpha, and the fact that he chooses to live as a loner instead of starting a pack, adds another layer of mystery around him.

Werewolves are social creatures and we crave power and Lazarus wants none of that.

Now that I think about it, I can't believe how many famous people I've got to meet because of Serina. Well, they say that birds of a feather flock together, and my foster mother is awesome, so it's not surprising that other awesome people are in her circle.

Unfortunately, I had to disappoint Hugo. "Lazarus had something else going on, but we have another werewolf present."

Right on cue, Fynn and Mona entered the dining room.

My friends who were at Luca's birthday party recognized Mona, but Fynn was a new face.

Of course, they sniffed that Fynn is a werewolf, and I wondered what their reactions will be once they find out that the is THE General of the Bluemoon pack from the stories we all grew up listening to.

My friends knew that Luca, Ash, and I were staying with a group of unaffiliated werewolves, but they didn't know more than that.

While on the topic of secrets, there was also the fact that the man they met at Luca's birthday as Drago, the human who fought against Lazarus, is actually Mateo Testa.

I was confident that Cristina, Chiara, and Violet will scream (and maybe pass out) when they find out. Mateo Testa is the son of the Supreme Alpha. A legend. The tragic prince from bedtime stories we heard about.

Well, due to the oath and all the secrecy, I couldn't disclose who Mateo really is, but I could introduce Fynn.

When Fynn sat at the table with two plates full of food (one for him and one for Mona), I stood up. "I want to introduce to you the person who took care of me, Ash, and Luca in the last few years, Fynn."

Fynn nodded casually at the teens, obviously not caring much about introductions, and then I added, "Fynn used to belong to the Bluemoon pack, and he served as a General."

'CLINK!'

Hugo's fork made a loud sound when it fell onto his plate, and Hugo stood up in slow motion while his eyes didn't leave Fynn.

"Are you saying that this is Fynn, the most powerful General in the recent history of werewolves?", Hugo asked breathily.

I could see Fynn smirking in approval of this description. He was always cocky.

"Yes.", I confirmed, and the dining room exploded in chatter as everyone started talking at the same time.

Well, with Fynn getting in the center of attention, at least they won't ask me about my non-existent wolf anytime soon.

Sorry, Fynn. It was on purpose.

The day was trickling away much slower than expected. Probably because I was supposed to have fun, yet I had an emotional cramp that couldn't be suppressed with any amount of fake smiles.

My friends flocked around Fynn to listen to his stories about the Bluemoon pack and ask him questions.

Eventually, I stood up and walked on the terrace that is overlooking the garden.

"You don't seem to be in a good mood.", a female voice came from behind me, and I knew that it was Cristina.

I decided to stir the topic away from my mood. "How come you are not listening to Fynn's adventures?"

Cristina smiled. "I was never much into history. I like to think about the future."

She stood next to me and leaned on the concrete railing. "How are you feeling, now that you are an adult?"

"The same." Sadly.

Luckily, Cristina couldn't see through my façade. She is only days away from her seventeenth birthday and if she is older, she would know that I should feel different.

Unfortunately, I was feeling the same as yesterday with added disappointment that my wolf didn't wake up. I only hoped that she won't see how broken I was on the inside because Cristina would try to comfort me, and I knew that the only thing that can fix my problem is my wolf deciding to show up.

"Is it true that this was the packhouse of the Bluemoon pack?", Cristina asked.

"Yeah.", I confirmed. "After lunch, I can show you around if you want. There are many things nearby to see. The lake is that way, and if you follow the road and keep right, you will see an abandoned town that used to be the core of the Bluemoon pack. Also, about forty werewolves who used to belong to the Bluemoon pack still live in the area, and they will join us for dinner."

"I see.", Cristina said, and then she narrowed her eyes at me. "You can talk to me."

Cristina was always good at reading people, it's almost as if she can sense my feelings, but I didn't want to talk about things that are bothering me, and I feigned ignorance.

"What do you mean?"

"Whatever is bothering you. You can tell me. It's easier when you share your burden with someone.", Cristina said honestly, and I knew that she really meant it.

I was grateful for her offer, but… "I will keep that in mind. Thank you." I had no intention of talking about my wolf. They will all get to see how much of a failure I am at the ceremony anyway. There was no point in speeding up the process.

---

If you are not reading this at 'W e b n o v e l .. c o m', then the content you're reading is stolen! Please support the author by reading this novel from the original source.