Mated To The Alpha: A Standalone Wolf Shifter Romance, стр. 9
Emma pulled her gaze from Elam, and concentrated on what Kate was saying.
"You asked if I had wolf in my lineage. Why?"
Elam seemed to have to shake off whatever had overtaken him and he cleared his throat before answering her.
"You said you felt a connection. Heard the word 'mine' when you touched my brother. That usually only happens with wolves. To operate as a pack, to hunt and run and live together, wolves have a soul connection to other wolves. It's stronger in one's own pack, as familiarity and commitment to the others strengthens that bond. It is strongest in mated pairs, the ability to communicate in feelings and in pictures and in words only heard inside your head. Basically, it’s a wolf thing."
"But there is no wolf in my family. My parents are missionaries from a long line of other missionaries; my dad is a pastor. I know that doesn’t mean anything of itself, but they’ve got access to lots of church records going back a long time. The family line is known for generations. No mention of any wolves."
"It could well be from hundreds of years ago. Someone, somewhere in your line has wolf blood. It is uncommon, but not unheard of. We were more plentiful a long time ago. It isn't as common as having Indian blood in these parts, but it is in you somewhere. I don't smell the wolf in you, though, so it must be very dilute. You may be the reason Galen has not chosen a mate then. We've been expecting him to, but his wolf has not yet claimed one. I assume now that it was because you hadn't shown up yet."
"How come he isn't out here with everyone else?" Kate asked, with a new determination in her eyes.
"I saw him out here a while ago, but then Ziva cornered him."
"What is her problem with me? I didn't even know who she was. And what is her issue with my dad?" Emma asked Elam.
"She was here when your mother left. Not everyone is happy you are here. There is some bad blood because she left the pack."
"Why did she leave? Is that never done?"
"She was an exception. In a lot of ways."
"Because my dad was human?"
"I doubt it. No one knows why she left. Some will never forgive. They think more black and white- your mother left, therefore you should not be welcomed. Others would be quicker to forgive, if anyone knew why. What happened to make her leave? Why abandon us without even an explanation?"
"And you?"
"I'm of the 'the more the merrier' mindset. Our numbers, although seemingly large when we are all together, like tonight, are dwindling. Anyone with wolf blood should be allowed here if they fit in well with our pack and want to be here."
"So, your mother is not of the forgive and forget bunch?"
"I call her my mother, and I think of her that way, but they are not my blood. My parents were killed when I was just a new pup, and Thomas and Ziva raised me as theirs. Thomas found me wandering alone, in the woods. Thomas was happier about taking me in than Ziva. Thomas's wolf told him it was to be this way. Ziva is human, and is quite comfortable in the role of Alpha's mate, and all that comes with that position in the pack. I don't think she appreciated the competition of having a second male cub around her Galen. Thomas always treated me as his own. Ziva, not so much."
"What did you mean when you said mom was the wolf?"
"She was our Alpha."
"I assumed only males could be Alphas," Emma kept on, trying to understand.
"Female Alphas are a bit more rare, but definitely not unheard of. Every pack has its own rules, kind of like states within countries. In our pack, the Alpha position is usually passed through the blood-line. All of the Alpha's cubs are trained for the position. Some show stronger tendencies as they grow up, the next Alpha can usually be foretold just by paying attention as the pups grow.
But, it isn't automatically the first-born, or even the first-born male. So, we hold a challenge. All of the Alpha's pups compete. Usually how it is foretold plays out. But not always. Like in your mother's case. Her father was Alpha. She took part in the challenge, although it was assumed that her brother would win. But Reine won."
"My mother was not only a wolf, but she was the Alpha? Was she not supposed to mate with my dad? Because he is human? Wait, he is human, right? So many surprises today."
"Your dad is definitely human. There may be some far off, dilute wolf blood, like Kate's, since he fits in with us so well, but he is human. He can not shift. And an Alpha can take whomever they want as a mate, human or not. The wolf's blood decides this, it recognizes their other half."
"So why would mom, who basically held the title of queen of the jungle, just up and leave?"
"No one knows. Your father may know, but if so, he has never shared."
"I don't know,” Henry said, joining them. “That was the one thing she kept from me, always. I thought I had time, to learn why, but she died so young."
"Dad, I didn't notice you were here."
"You were involved in learning about your mother. That is exactly what I'd hoped for. It will make your stay here easier if you have a purpose. I want you to know her. Of her, I mean. And I hope it changes you some, knocks you off of this bored, troublemaking path you’ve started down. This is a good pack, Emma. Maybe this missing half of you will help aim the wandering half down the correct path. A father can