Chapter 2 02

CLAIRE.

"Okay, that will be all for today!" I announced authoritatively to the girls of Moonville Pack. My Father's Pack. I could hear their sighs of relief as they wobbled on their feet. Some of them resting by the tree side and others scurrying to their changing rooms. But my eyes particularly fell on a young girl. Her hair was long and straight, donning a stunning shade of black just like mine.

"Rose!" I called.

"Yes, commander." She chirped as she approached me courteously. Her anxiety and quivery status easily gave her away and so instead of being the overly stern trainer of the girls of Moonville Pack, I donned a tiny smile.

"You seem to be bad at wielding a Knife," I uttered calmly while her grip tightened on the wooden knife. One, we usually use it for practice.

"I'm sorry Commander. I promise to do better." She muttered with a lack of conviction, her eyes unable to meet mine. I inched closer and held her jaw so her gaze locked with mine.

"First lesson," I chorused while her shivery status relatively lessened. "Your stance should be rigid." I started while I adjusted her posture, Making her shoes bury firmly into the loamy soil and her shoulders upright.

"Second, cling onto your weapon, your life depends on it." I continued as my hands flowed to hers, Adjusting the carved knife in her right hand.

"Third, steady your breaths. It should be calm and stealthy. Hold your opponent's gaze thoroughly so they find it impossible to decipher your attack moves." My smile deepened as she followed my orders efficiently.

"Fourthly," I gradually encircled her. "Let this weapon feel like an extension of your body. Let your werewolf powers be in perfect sync with your weapon. Allow your wolf to guide you." She nodded slowly. "And the most important part of it all is your aim should be at critical points. The neck, the chest, the thighs-" I explained while her lips parted into a tiny smile. "I need you to practice more and I hope to see great improvements huh."

"Yes, commander." She chirped.

"Alright, you can go now." I flashed a grin before she parted away.

"Claire." An overly familiar voice called behind my back. I turned back to see the Lycan King, Issac Perkins, my father expressing a smile of admiration.

"Dad!" I chirped and hurriedly threw him a hug.

"Careful darling, you're going to squeeze the life out of me." He joked. I giggled as we separated.

"What are you doing here? Old man." I teased as I playfully eyed him. He rolled his eyes. But I was curiously waiting for his answer. My Father rarely spends time with me these days. We were always entangled in one work or the other.

"I just came to see how my little angel is faring, is that bad?" He finally answered but I could feel his lie tell from his eyes.

"We live in the same Packhouse, Dad." I pointed out while he frowned. As if trying to feign ignorance of the truth. "Just skip to it."

"Fine, you got me." He chuckled as he raised his hands in surrender. "Let's go for a walk."

I tried to study his eyes, To decipher what he was probably up to but one thing the Lycan was good at, you could never read him, Except his lie. So I quietly followed, and we toured the woods for several minutes in silence. Our ears were entertained by the tweeting of birds, the soft winds breezing across our bodies but it wasn't allaying my fears. His silence was disturbing and my mind couldn't help but race for various scary things he was probably going to say.

"Tomorrow, you'll be leaving for Greenville Pack." He finally broke the tension.

I gasped while my eyes exclaimed in awe. His words had easily slammed a wave of shock against me. I didn't know if I should be happy or not. But on second thoughts, I figured I should be sad. My Father didn't like that Pack at the very least. His hatred for the beloved Pack happened during the time of my mother's death. I didn't know many details about it at that time and even now, he still refuses to talk about it.

"Why?" I asked as I stared at him but all he did was stare at the birds tweeting on their nest. Wearing a smile I couldn't quite depict, Whether it was sad or not.

"For work of course." He answered casually.

"But I thought you hated that place."

He faced me while our pace slowed.

"As the Lycan, I should show equal love and care for every Pack I rule."

I nodded even though his answer felt like they weren't the deserving ones to my question.

"Greenville is crumbling and I can't stand to watch how the most blissful Pack relapses into ruins." He said in a worried fashion.

"What do you need me to do?" I replied in a whisper.

"Well, you're going to be the new administrator of Greenville High." He grinned but my jaw dropped as I stared in disbelief.

"What? that's impossible!" I protested. "Greenville High is the second largest school amongst packs. Dad of all work, I'm not going to do this."

"Claire, you need to understand that there's a reason behind everything." He voiced calmly while I rolled my eyes. This accustomed statement was what he referred to any time he tried persuading me. And I, being the soft-hearted one, would simply answer his call unlike Blake, my twin brother.

"The School's population is reducing. More and more werewolves keep leaving the Pack. I need you to be there, to be the agent of change, feed me with what's going on. And as the administrator, you could indirectly influence matters relating to the Pack itself." My Father clarified even before asking the question.

"Dad, can't you choose an administrator for the Pack itself or send Blake?"

"Claire," he called almost in a pleading tone. "There's already enough tension between you and your twin brother. This job would at least save us from the daily dramas..."

My mind slowly drifted after hearing those words. In oblivion, I began to recall our constant arguments and fights with my brother. Just this morning, we still argued fiercely with each other. If one didn't know our family closely, it would be easy to conclude the two of us as natural enemies.

"Besides, You haven't failed me once, and I trust you." My Father's words tousled my burdensome thoughts.

"So you don't trust your son?" I queried. My Father looked me in the eye, hesitating for a split moment. He was just about to answer when Blake's voice protruded the chill air.

"Of course, he doesn't trust his son!" My Twin brother announced as he approached us in his black regal clothing, followed by guards. His blonde hair glimmered under the sun and his blue eyes expressed discrete anger.

"That's not true." My Father outrightly denied it as he focused on his hot-headed son. But his words lacked conviction.

"You give every important work to Claire. Claire this, Claire that, like she's the only child you have!" Blake raised his voice as he gestured his hands mockingly. "You even made Claire a commander but what do I get?" He pursed his lips. "Nothing!" He bellowed. "I'm not even your Beta. Yet you call me the heir! Sometimes I think perhaps you're not my biological father!"

"You are my son, Blake," Father stated in his Alpha tone. "You're just not ready yet."

My brother scoffed.

"So Claire is the one ready?!" He pointed to me without even a glance.

"Blak-" I tried to say.

"Don't you say anything there!" He barked at me, with an icy glare. "Don't make me hate you more than I already have."

In an unprecedented moment, My Father rewarded Blake with a slap. I gasped as redness shined to life on my brother's cheek. I glanced at my Father, whose countenance expressed just how irritated he already was. I always wondered why these two hated each other. They were family for Goodness sake!

"Take that word back." My Father ordered in an icy Alpha tone.

"You hit me!" Blake retorted, almost letting out a growl.

"I. Said," My Father neared him. "Apologize to your sister now."

My entirety froze as both men exchanged threatening glares at each other. At this point, I knew intervening would be the wrong idea. I could worsen it all.

"I won't!" Blake retorted and my heart skipped a beat. Wondering the next action my Father could take.

"Beta Conrad!" My Father yelled and in a swift mannerism, the Beta approached the scenery from goodness knows where with his werewolf speed.

"Yes, Lycan." Beta Conrad answered with a stern expression imprinted on his face.

"Lock him in his Chambers." My Father ordered. Although there was hesitation on the Beta's part, he still yielded to the Lycan's order. I watched in bewilderment as the guards alongside Beta Conrad escorted my brother away from us.

"Why do you hate him so much?" I asked. This is the same question I've been asking over the years but as usual, he responded with,

"I don't hate him."

I heaved a heavy sigh.

"Forgive your brother's attitude, darling." My Father's voice reverted to its soothing nature. I looked at his face which already carried a smile.

"Please don't lock him up." I pleaded.

"He is the heir, he needs to be handled under strict measures." My Father calmly denied my pleas.

"But-"

"There will be no Buts." He abruptly interjected. "Please pack your stuff, you're leaving for Greenville Pack tomorrow."

I sighed, loathing the feeling of emptiness that dawned. I didn't want to oblige but there was no Nay to my Father either. As we toured in silence, I pondered what kind of life awaited me at Greenville.