Chapter 4 Power

POV:Autumn

The next two weeks were the same as always getting up to go to training, do night patrol, and sleep a few hours. It's now the day before the ball. We are all packed and ready to make the journey to Sunshine, Wyoming. It is about a five-hour drive. Dad was driving so I took this time to catch up on some sleep. I put my earbuds on and played music. We made pee breaks and snacks. They let me sleep the first few times and I woke up the next time when the car stopped, my stomach was growling. After what seemed like forever, we finally made it to the king's palace. Since we are an alpha family, we stay in the castle on the visitor floor. Everyone else is staying at a hotel nearby. One of the guards showed us our rooms.

"Dinner will be at 6 if you want to eat in the dining room with everyone or we can have it sent up here. Just tell the guard on the hall and he will mind link the staff to have it sent up," he stated and walked away. I had my own room, I was thankful for, not wanting to be rooming with my brother or my parents who are mated. Since we have an hour to dinner, which I will be eating in my room. I take a shower, and after my shower, I put on some sweatpants and a crop top. I look for a guard on this floor to tell him I want to eat in my room. After finding him, I bump into a hard chest.

"I'm so sorry!" I apologize and look up.

"It's not a problem really, I wasn't looking where I was going. But maybe you can help me?" he asked.

"Umm, okay?" I question.

"Sorry I should introduce myself. I am Cory; I am the royal Beta. I am looking for the Alpha James and Future Alpha Darren of the Snow Dawn Pack. I'm not sure what pact you are from but maybe you know a little more than me," he said while looking me up and down. I sigh.

"Yeah, that's my dad and brother. Follow me." I said coldly. I know I shouldn't since he is the Royal Beta, but I can't help it, all males are the same, checking me out like I'm a piece of meat.

"Oh, so I ran into the perfect person!" he said excitedly. I just sent a small smile; thankful he didn't take my cold attitude as disrespect. "What's your name?" he asked.

"Autumn," I state.

"Not a talker Autumn?" he questioned.

"Not to people that I don't know and not to males that instantly check me out like a piece of meat," I shrugged. His face instantly turns red.

"I'm sorry, I guess it's a habit for all the mates-less she wolves wondering why they aren't mated. I'm sorry if I offended you. I think I do know a little about you. Your dad, once you turned 18 wrote the king a letter about having you become alpha instead of your brother who is a few years younger than you and not as determined. He said he would rather leave the pack to someone like you. But the council of elders the king has are so old-fashioned, we both said yes as the others did not. And since it was a pack affair, the king couldn't overrule it," he explained. This time my face turned red.

"It's okay. I just get checked out a lot and it irritates me. I am mateless because I haven't found my mate, probably dead, since I'm 25. As for the whole alpha thing, thank you for saying that. It's not something I want. I have been groomed for it all my life, how to act, how to talk, all the protocols, and I've already had enough of it. I have more responsibility right now than the future alpha who can't handle it. I guess after everything I just want a simple vacation with nothing to do but sleep," I chuckle as I lean against the door to my room.

"I'm sorry Autumn, that's a lot for you must deal with. I may not know you, but I can tell you are a strong wolf. That silver in your eyes, tells me a lot, as you can handle everything that has been thrown at you. You know that silver is very rare. Only a few people I have met had that silver, and one of them is the king. The other was his father." He stated.

"Thanks, I have been told that before. My dad's room is here, and my brother is the one across from it," I point to my dad's room and then to my brothers.

"Thank you. Are you going to be joining us for dinner?" he asked. I shook my head no.

"I'm not a people person. I'm going to eat in my room, then try to get some sleep to be up early. I'm the morning to train before getting ready for the ball since I didn't get to train today since we left so early." I sighed.

"Oh, okay maybe you wouldn't have made the best alpha," he chuckled, then continued, "I'm just joking. You would have made a great alpha. I can feel the power radiating off you. But you can come train with the royal guards if you like. I run the training and would love to have some help. I hear you are hard on your warriors back home," he asked.

"Umm. are you sure you want me there. I can train on my own. I don't want to impose," I say shyly, this man is super-hot. I am sad he is not my mate because of how gorgeous this man is. He has spikey blonde hair and blue eyes. A very defined chin with a five o'clock shadow. He stands about half a foot taller than me, so about 5.8.

"Yes, I want you. There is no need for you to train by yourself. Training starts at seven AM," he said, smiling.

"Okay, I will be there, thank you. Well, I'm going to go. I will see you in the morning," I said as I waved to and walk into my room. I really didn't want that conversation going on longer than it needed to. That man will break down all my walls I have put up till I find my mate. I sigh and lay on my bed and play on my phone till my dinner comes. I can't help but think about Cory and how hot he was. I wonder if he has found his mate. Maybe he would want a chosen mate.

"Athena, what do you think about Cory?" I wondered.

"He is not our mate," she growled.

"I know but we can choose a mate if we haven't found him by 24. Maybe if Cory doesn't have a mate, we can get to know him. He seems sweet, right?" I questioned.

"Autumn I can feel that we will find our mate in the next few months, just hold out. If you feel you want to get to know Cory, then do it. I won't stop you, but please don't give up hope. He is out there, and we will find him," Athena sighed.

With that, Athena went to the back of our minds. Well, I guess she is done talking to me. I let my eyes close, and let sleep take over.

In the morning, I get up and get dressed in a sports bra and shorts since it is mid-July, my body being very toned with a 6 pack of abs and fairly tanned for a redhead. I wear a bright pink sports bra and it brings out the tan I have, with a pair of teal blue shorts. I'm a very bright colored person. I head out of my room; I ask the guard on our floor for directions to the training field. After checking me out, he tells me. I tell him thanks while holding in a growl. I head down the stairs to the front door. I walk to one of the biggest fields I have ever seen for training. It has all this training equipment I haven't even seen before. As I'm looking in amazement, Cory comes up to me.

"Ahh, you decided to take me up on my offer, I see. I was wondering if you were going to, since you aren't a people person," he says, doing air quotes at people person. I shake my head.

"I'm not, but I'm not going to miss the chance to beat the shit out of the royal guard and beta," I say, smirking.

"I have only ever been beaten by one person and it was the king," he stated.

"Yeah, well, that will change today, I guess. Now you're messing with me," I say with a wink.

"Man, I may have to rethink my rule on cross-gender training if you are saying you are that good," he said, smirking.

"No backing out now, Beta, I'm not sure you can handle me," I say flirty while sending a wink his way. He shakes his head, and his face instantly goes red.

"Oh, Autumn, if I wasn't waiting for my mate I would have already jumped on you," he said with a wink back. I had a surprised look on my face, as males normally do not wait for their mates to take their virginity.

"Wait, you are waiting for your mate also? I thought all males were horndogs," I chuckled.

"Also? So, are you waiting for yours also? Yeah, I have had many women hit on me but always turned them down. I want my mate to have something no one else has had. I want it to be a special thing, not some whore who just wants to be the beta's mate in it for power," he explained.

"Yes, I am. Every time I see wolves my age having pups or finding mates, my wolf goes nuts. I'm about to say fuck it and try to find a chosen mate," I trail off. He grabs my hand.

"How old are you again," he says shyly.

"I am 25, able to take a chosen mate if it is my choice," I state.

"Autumn, I am 28 and still holding out for my mate. The thought has crossed my mind about just choosing one, but my wolf keeps telling me about a few more months for the past 3 years. If I take a chosen mate, I fear my wolf will hate me," he says while squeezing my hand.

"My wolf says she would rather have her rightful mate, but she also sees how much I hurt being the oldest in my pack who hasn't found my mate. She just wants me to be happy, whether it be with someone I choose or my destined," I sigh.

"I'm glad you and your wolf came into agreement. Mine has not at all. He mostly stays quiet anymore," he sighs. I pull him into a hug feeling that he needs it, he seems so upset.

"I'm sorry Cory I hope you find her soon. You will be a great mate," I tell him.

"Listen, I want to make an offer and promise me you won't kill me after I say this," he says while flinching. I shook my head to say okay continue.

"How about if by 26 you haven't found your mate and I haven't found mine, then we will become chosen mates for each other. We might not have been destined, but I do feel a connection to you. Maybe because you are so kind," he trails off. I look at him stunned. I start to studder.

"I...I. I.I. I don't know," I say taken aback. How is it that I was just thinking about this last night and now he is asking me to be his chosen mate? I am crazy, that's what it is. This is a dream and I need to wake up. I pinch myself.

"Autumn this is not a dream, I promise. I can just tell you don't want to be alone anymore and neither do I. So what do you say? If you haven't found your mate by the time you are 26, we become mates," he asks again. He grabs my chin to make me look him in his eyes. I shake my head. We get pulled out of our moment went someone clears his throat.

"Beta, all the warriors are warmed up and ready to start," he says while staring at me, roaming his eyes up and down my body, undressing me with his eyes. Cory feels me tense up and he growls at the guard. The guard instantly pulls away from me and looks at Cory, gives him a nod, and walks back over.

Cory gives me an apologetic smile and we walk toward the group.

"What do they do for warm-up?" I asked the guard that was checking me out.

"They ran a few laps around the field equaling out to a mile," he snarls. I scoff. Cory looks at me confused.

"Our warmup is five miles, one mile is not a warmup," I said to Cory. While giving a warning, growl at the man who keeps undressing me with his eyes. He keeps doing it. I grab him by the throat and held him up above me.

"Keep undressing me with your eyes and I will rip out your throat right.

here," I growl deeply, knowing Athena is at the surface. I threw him to the side. Athena scratching at the surface, wanting to end this guy. I keep trying to push her back. Athena bust through as she forces a shift. It takes seconds. She shakes her fur out. Everyone gasps at my wolf, she stalks her prey, prowling towards him. She takes her paw and puts it on his chest, and growls. Her paw is so big that it takes up most of his chest. He bares his neck at her; she gives a wolfish grin in satisfaction. She looks around and everyone is submitting towards her, all showing their necks, even Cory. Athena feels proud she made all the males cower. She stands tall looking around.

"Athena! Shift now!" My dad growls out, even knowing his alpha command will not work. Athena shakes her head.

"Athena, control yourself, you are a guest of the king! You were not raised like this," he yelled at her. She bows her head and then looks at him.

"To be honest, alpha James the guy provoked her. If he had stopped trying to undress Autumn with his eyes, after we both sent warning growls to him, this wouldn't have happened," Cory states, pointing to the man that was beneath Athena's paw.

"Athena, shift back! Thank you, Royal Beta, but she was raised better than this than to give into her anger. We try not to let her wolf take control. She is very powerful and will harm anyone who disrespects her. You have seen how she made you even submit. She has made every alpha that she has met cower to her," he explains to Cory.

"It's not a problem sir. We are used to it with the king. His wolf is very ruthless when he is in control. Allow me to try to get autumn back," he says. He comes over to Athena, she lets out a warning growl. He bares his neck again. Hands up in surrender, he walks closer. Cory tries to grab Athena's snout to get her to look down at him. Cory being 5.8, my wolf towers over him to where he must reach up to try to grab her snout. Athena snarls, peeling her ears back.

"I mean no harm to you. Just look at me," Cory says, again grabbing Athena's snout. She looked at him in his eyes.

"You are a beautiful, Athena. You indeed are a very powerful wolf. I've never cowered to anyone but the king. But I need you to get control love. No need for you to spend the night in the dungeons over this piece of shit who will be punished," he said, giving the guy under Athena a death glare. Athena gives me back control and I shift. Cory already has his shirt off to give to me to cover up my naked body. My dad sighs, looking relieved that we didn't kill anyone.

"Autumn, you need to get better control of Athena!" my dad yells at me in disappointment.

"I had control of her. She wasn't going to do anything. Why do you think she was hesitating? Normally they would have already been dead," I shrugged, rolling my eyes at my dad. I looked around to see everyone cowering down. I smile. Cory is just standing there looking at me like I am the most amazing thing he has ever seen.

"Autumn, you have a beautiful wolf. She is the most gorgeous one I have ever seen, and your eyes are as if they can peer right into the soul. They are so silver. She is so powerful, I don't get why she is so powerful," Cory trails off, looking in amazement. I shrug my shoulders.

"Well, I am going to go get more clothes on," I said.

"Well, training is canceled for you," my father scoffs, giving me an angry glare.

"I am not underage, I do not have to listen to you," I scoffed, starting to walk away. My dad grabs my arm and I growl at him.

"Autumn Mae, I am not only your father but your Alpha and you will listen to me. I said no more training," he growls back in his alpha tone.

"You know what is fine," I say taking off Cory's shirt and shifting into Athena before anyone said anything else. Athena starts sprinting towards the forest, her paws digging into the ground and sending dirt flying behind us. After getting to the cover of the woods about a mile away, she starts to slow down to enjoy the new scenery. Athena starts sniffing the air and growls slowly. She smells something. A brown wolf comes up behind me, Athena's hackles rise as she snarls and growls. This brown wolf cowers and bares their neck instantly. I shift back into my human form and use my alpha tone, not caring that I am completely naked.

"Shift now." The wolf shakes its head. I growl.

"Shift now, or I will kill you!" the brown wolf shifts and it is Cory.

"Cory I'm sorry. I thought you were someone dangerous," I said shyly, trying to cover myself as much as I can.

"No, it is my fault, my wolf didn't want you coming out here alone, knowing we have a rouge problem right now," he says, looking away. He goes over to a tree with a hallowed spot in it and grabs a pair of shorts and a shirt. He tosses the shirt to me, and he puts on the shorts. I turned away and put on the overly large shirt quickly. I turned back to notice that Cory had his back to me.

"Cory, it's okay you can look now," I said calmly. He turns around and looks at me. I go and sit by a large tree, putting my back up to it and sighing.

"Hey, it'll be okay. Your dad may be ready to wring your neck right now, but it'll all be alright," he says while laughing, running his hand through his hair. He grabs my hand with his other one.

"He wants to do that every day, every hour. That won't ever change," laughing, I looked at him. He had a twinkle in his eyes.

"Well, I will not let that happen," he puts his hand on my cheek. I can't help but lean into the affection behind it. We stay like that for a while until someone mind links Cory.

"We have to go get ready for the ball," Cory sighs. I just nodded my head. Cory and I hold hands till the end of the cover that the forest makes. We walked to the castle silently. We go our separate ways after making our way in. I went to my room to find my mom and Brittany waiting for me. I sigh.