Hunter's PoV

An alpha like that

"I really don't like this, Hunter." My sister's best friend was almost like an older brother to me. The only difference was that he was no werewolf. So, like any other shape-shifter in the pack, he became more submissive in my presence. Nonetheless, he tried to be a strong figure for me to look up to, and he did a good job at that...most of the time.

"You say that about every idea I bring you into. I am starting to wonder if you just have a problem liking things, Allen," I told him as we crossed state lines. I got the feeling he wasn't too happy having me behind the wheel of his new Toyota. For some reason, people didn't like the idea of having a ten-year-old driving, even if I look at least 23 at the moment.

Rule #2- the alpha's rules are the only important ones

"Do you know what will happen if we get caught out here. Or if your dad finds out where we're headed. If we get caught-,"

"If we get caught, I am still the Alpha. That's all that matters, Allen," I cut him off and he made a face. My voice came out more like an angry growl than I meant it to be. I was getting hungry and my instincts were taking over slowly. Of course, I didn't apologize to him. It didn't seem like my fault if he got me riled up with his reluctance.

Rule #3- don't make the alpha angry.

We continued to drive, heading into the heart of a windy city. The shifter pack that lived in the territory had a longstanding reputation. They were seriously wealthy and powerful, but the white-fur alpha of the pack was notoriously weak despite the overall strength of his pack. "Besides, can you just imagine how cool it would be to go back home after beating a fully matured alpha? I might even shed my dark grays right away and become the youngest white alpha in history," I beamed at Allen to my side. He smirked and rolled his eyes a bit, but kept his mouth shut for the rest of the ride.

I didn't need to search for any online directions to find the local pack's home. As soon as I got within a certain range of him, it was like my instincts were pulling me in the direction of the most powerful rival. They pulled me toward a high-rise building that seemed to be somewhere between a mansion and an apartment building. There was no security at the front door, but it's not like they would have been able to stop me anyway. Nothing would stand in the way of me challenging their pack's alpha and turning my fur white.

Rule #4- the alpha never lets anyone get in his way

"You do know that this might not change anything, right? No one has ever said that beating a mature pack leader will speed up the process for you. Even if you do manage to win, this might just be a waste of time," Allen said as we hopped out of the car. He seemed determined to be the voice of reason on that particular day. Of course, that wasn't going to stop me from banging on the large white door of the five-story home.

After a few seconds, a slim blonde wearing an old-fashioned black and white maid's outfit scrambled to open the door for us. Her chest was so plump and round that her top barely held her boobs in place. My cheeks immediately felt hot and my eyes dropped to the floor. My form suddenly felt unstable and I could feel my body preparing to shrink into something more childlike.

"I am the alpha of the Viridian pack. I am here to challenge your leader to a duel," I declared quickly to try and regain my confidence. I may have squeaked a bit, but who cares?

Rule #5- every sound the alpha makes is supposed to be manly

Luckily, the maid didn't waste any more of my time bouncing in the doorway. She led me up four flights of stairs into a wide nursery-like room where a handful of people mingled. Two little children a few years younger than myself, an elegantly dressed woman with raven black hair and a regal- yet kind- expression, an overly feminine male with pale white skin and light brown hair, and lastly, a tall broad-shouldered mountain man whose entire jaw was buried in bushy brown hair. It seemed obvious that the lumberjack would be the alpha, so I walked right in ready to issue my challenge.

I was stopped the moment I opened my mouth. "If you're looking for a fight, you've come to the wrong place. I'm not accepting any challenges, and I won't hesitate to have you chased out of my territory with extreme prejudice," said the flower boy next to the children. As soon as he spoke, my skin tingled and my adrenaline spiked as if I was suddenly in danger. The pull that I had been feeling since I entered the town was coming from him, not the hulk in front of me.

"You are the alpha in this town?" I asked squinting over his slim frame and emasculate shoulders. I couldn't help but smirk when I realized how true the rumors of his weakness turned out to be. I could take him even if he was older than me.

"I am, and this is my family. If you've come for advice then that's fine with me, but keep in mind you're just a guest." He truly did not look like much of anything. Part of me almost wanted to leave him alone because of that. The rest of me, however, wanted to power up more than anything else.

Clay Ren, the sad excuse for an alpha looked me over casually once more before turning back to his pack members. The insult didn't fly over my head.

"Why would I need your advice?" I decided to be blunt and gain the upper hand right before he could force me out. "You may be a little older than me, but it doesn't look like you have anything to show for it."

His ears twitched and I felt like I'd struck a nerve, but I didn't give him the chance to respond.

"I am not like all the other shifters who become an alpha. I was born to be an alpha, so do not lump me in with second-rate wolves like you. I am extraordinarily intelligent for my age. I am super-fast and can already hold an adult form like this one for hours. I am also incredibly strong, so I do not need any advice from an alpha like you. I just want to fight you to prove that I am ready for my white fur," I said confidently with my head held high.

Clay turned his head to glance at me without turning back around. I expected him to feel angry or wounded, but he smiled instead. There was something almost like amusement dancing in his sea green eyes. "How old are you, little pup?" he asked while turning to look at me face-to-face, looking at me as if for the first time. The fact that he didn't seem upset bothered me and made me want to punch him in the head.

"I'm already ten! And I'm taller than you, so don't call me pup," I snarled. Dang, it! I used a bunch of contractions just now. I cringed, thinking of what my mom would say if she heard me say 'I'm' in front of a stranger. She had always made it clear that I had to talk like an adult if I wanted people to treat me like an adult. Proper adults never use contractions...

"Ten years old and you can shift so well? That's very nice. Would you like a treat for being such a good boy?" he asked kindly.

For a moment, I wasn't sure how to respond. I seemed like he might be toying with me, but at the same time, I was hungry from driving so long and really did want a treat. I decided not to take my chances. "I do not want your treats. I just want to fight!" my voice squeaked and I realized that my body was starting to ache from being stretched for so long. It wasn't easy being six-feet-tall for an entire day, even for me. I tried to cover it up by puffing up my chest, but Clay simply smiled a sweet smile and turned his back on me again.

The mountain man and raven queen smirked at me from where they watched our exchange and seemed to decide I was no threat. They busied themselves with some tidying up around the room. I turned to Allen for support, but he was busying himself as well with staring at the childish paintings along the walls.

Clay started playing with the children who had been quietly watching as well. I watched in complete horror as Clay got down on one knee in front of the little girl. She held out her little finger and pointed at Clay's head. His eyes zoomed in on the tip of her finger and when she slowly dropped the finger, he dropped down too. The little girl giggled and raised her finger back up. The alpha bounced back onto his knees like an obedient servant.

She flicked her finger down and he flopped right down onto his stomach. Her face lit up like a Christmas tree as she twirled her finger and Clay transformed into a German Shepard. He rolled on the floor as she rolled her finger with a silly doggy smile and even went as far as to let out a Yip when she started clapping her hands.

Rule #1- an alpha never submits to ANYONE!

I practically exploded. "What the heck is wrong with you!? An alpha is supposed to have pride. He's supposed to be strong and in control. You're not supposed to sit and obey like a- like...like a damn dog!" I screamed with my fists burning at my sides. He was making a fool of himself and disgracing himself like that in front of a stupid child.

The stupid kids started crying after I yelled and all eyes turned on me. Clay transformed back into a human just as fast as he'd turned into a dog. Both transformations were too fast. It took me ten minutes to make a full body change like that one.

"It's time for you to leave, kid. You've overstayed your welcome," he growled, and for a second he didn't seem quite so harmless. His bright blue-green eyes flared like angry tides threatening to spill out into the world. For just a second, I considered leaving. Then I remembered the rules. There was no backing down to anyone else.

I braced myself for a fight and brought my fists up to level. He scoffed at my defiance and came barreling toward me with one hand raised. I stepped forward, prepared to deflect his strike, but then his hand shot forward and connected with my chest. His open palm slammed into me like a concrete wall and I was literally blown right off my feet. There was so much raw, overwhelming force that I went crashing into and through the far wall by the window. I watched the room grow smaller as my body was flung back out into open air.

We had been at least fifty feet above ground and I knew there was nothing but concrete waiting for me on the ground below. I started falling back with the rays of the bright afternoon sun raining down on me. I could see a huge cloud above and instantly my mind began to wander. I'd made a mistake.

The fight was over the second it began. I left my home without telling my family where I was going because I thought there was nothing that could touch me. I picked a fight with someone that I thought was weaker than me and got destroyed. And I was falling...falling to my death because I overestimated myself. What kind of alpha did I think I was?

Then I saw a man jump out into a cloud. I blinked, and it was a large bird that eclipsed the sun. A brilliant white eagle that swooped down passed me as I plummeted, casting a passive glance at me while passing with glowing green eyes.

The ground didn't end my fall. Instead, two furry arms caught me before I crashed. An eight-foot-tall white werewolf set me down onto my feet and glared down at me. "Being alpha is not so simple, little pup. There are no rules or shortcuts to leading a pack. Everyone has to decide what kind of leader we will be and where they will draw strength.

"My strength comes from my family and the ones I love. I have no problem submitting to a child that I have seen grow for seven years or even to my brother who has pledged his loyalty hundreds of times throughout the years. That is because they are the ones I chose to love. My biggest weaknesses; my greatest strengths.

"I will not accept your challenge yet, little pup because I do not know what kind of alpha you will be. Come back when you're older and maybe I'll consider it," he said as he shifted back into the slim feminine body that came naturally to him. He walked back into his mansion just as Allen came barreling out. "There are choices ahead of you, so I suggest you get back home soon, little pup." He said the final words moments before shutting the door.

My mind raced as I went over the entire encounter. An incredibly strong shifter that could transform completely in seconds. A leader who was comfortable in his own skin and confident in his actions. A man who was willing to bow down to the ones he loved. He said I'd have to make choices, and I could feel that he was right. I couldn't shake the thought that it might not be so bad.

It might not be so bad...to become an alpha like that.

So, Ten-year-old Hunter Sin. I decided that this was the right time to show you all this moment in his life. As you saw, he was pretty much a little asshole as a kid, but this was one of the events that led him to mellow out. This is also to show a little more about why certain things like 'giving in' to Jake has been such a big deal for the big bad wolf. He's come a long way don't ya think?

oh, sorry about the extra long chapter. I figured it was better to leave as one rather than separating it into two uploads :3