Prologue (1)
Prologue "I, Thomas Barnes, hereby renounce my claim as an Casey Heir. I withdraw my family’s membership in the South Utah Pack and will leave Pack lands as soon as possible after tonight." My father’s voice reverberated through the Pack meeting hall—a rustic lodge that had witnessed hunting parties and redneck weddings in its former life. The Pack Casey—my imposing grandfather—sat at the head of a long table, elevated on a dais, his presence looming over the rest of the Pack. Uncles and older cousins, the Pack betas, flanked him, their thinly-veiled disdain directed at my father. Behind my father, my family and I sat at one of the scattered tables, witnessing this pivotal moment. My mother's anxious gaze met mine, while my brother Cooper seemed unfazed, engrossed in his phone as if we were lounging at home instead of standing before the Pack leadership, about to make the most significant announcement of our lives. "I hope you’ve considered the consequences, Thomas," my grandfather coldly retorted. "Leaving this pack means severing all ties. You will no longer be recognized as one of my heirs. I'll have no association with you or your family." "It is my desire, Father," Dad replied, his words measured. "You know that I've never aspired to leadership or becoming Casey. I'm content with my career in technology. By leaving, I believe it will alleviate any tension or uncertainty concerning future succession and the direction of Pack leadership." My father displayed remarkable diplomacy, strategically playing on the insecurities of his eldest brother, Jaden. Jaden believed himself to be the Moon-anointed successor to my grandfather, eager to perpetuate the oppressive, patriarchal values of the South Utah Pack. He was undoubtedly the favored choice, groomed from birth to assume leadership. Yet, what remained unspoken, but universally acknowledged, was that my father possessed greater strength as a Casey. He could have easily triumphed in a challenge against Jaden or any of my other uncles if he had chosen to pursue leadership. However, the fear lingered that if his family ever united to prevent him from challenging, we would be in danger. His unmatched power as a Casey and his wolf wouldn't protect him from a clandestine attack by six other wolves. And so, on this humid Daisy evening, in a sparsely populated Pack meeting hall, we renounced our place in the Pack's hierarchy, preparing to relocate halfway across the country to Louisiana. My father had petitioned the Casey of the Northwest Louisiana Pack for membership, which had been granted with one condition: we would join as omega wolves, the lowest rank within the Pack. Dad would retain his Casey lineage and power privately, while we established a quiet life in Shreveport. No Casey, even one who ruled over a large and powerful pack like the Northwest Louisiana Pack, desired the arrival of another Pack's Casey heir, disrupting leadership or creating the illusion of an alternative leader. This condition was non-negotiable. Unbothered by pack politics or leadership, my father had readily agreed, securing a position as the head of IT at a start-up company in the town's burgeoning film scene. This meeting served as the final step in renouncing our ties to the South Utah Pack so that we could escape this suffocating environment. "In that case, it is probably for the best," my grandfather declared. "You never truly embraced the values of this Pack. You never cared for family. Your time was consumed by your computer or visiting Salt Lake City to mingle with your human employers." He scoffed, glancing towards our table. "You allowed your children to run wild, sending them to human schools, discouraging their interaction with wolves their own age. It's disgraceful." My uncles and cousins on the dais chuckled, their agreement muttered under their breaths, behaving like self-righteous prigs. I glanced down at my torn acid-washed skinny jeans, fitted purple tank top, and worn-out black Converse low tops. By Pack standards, I was undeniably feral, considering their preference for Modesty 101 as the curriculum for Pack females. Cooper, in his crisp dark blue jeans and fitted baby blue polo shirt that accentuated his muscular physique, smirked at me, mouthing "You fucking heathen," before returning his attention to scrolling through thirst trap pictures on Instagram (most likely). "Then I trust we won't encounter any difficulties finding a new pack elsewhere that embraces our family's idiosyncrasies," my father curtly stated. "We shall return home now to make preparations for our departure tomorrow. Thank you for your understanding, Father." We wasted no time in exiting the hall. My father draped his strong arm around my mother's delicate shoulders, leading her out of the front doors to our dusty white Tahoe. Cooper and I hopped into the backseat, and in silence, my father drove us down the gravel road that led to the Pack's territory gates and onto the country road towards the nearby town. There, we resided in a modest yet modern townhouse close to the tiny downtown square. For nineteen years, it had been our home. But truth be told, I wouldn't miss it one bit. * * * "Dad! I can't find my laptop charger. Did you borrow it?" Cooper's voice echoed down the stairs as he rummaged through his bedroom, cluttered with boxes and piles of belongings that needed to be packed before the moving truck arrived at 7:00 a.m. tomorrow, ready to transport our lives to Shreveport, Louisiana.
Prologue (2)
Having packed my shit days ago, I was lounging downstairs in the family room on our giant leather sectional couch, scrolling through pictures of the Berkeley campus and daydreaming about normal college life away from the wolf pack. My parents were lazing next to me, quietly discussing moving logistics and getting each other psyched up about their new jobs at Red River Productions. Dad had parlayed his tech job in Salt Lake City into an awesome position at RRP, and Mom was joining as his assistant, which she’d been acting as for years while he worked from home. Now she was at least getting paid to do it.
Dad's voice boomed towards the stairs, "I don't need your unreliable laptop cord, Cooperjamin! He'll spend the next two hours searching for it, and he won't finish in time for the movers."
Rolling my eyes, I chimed in, "You really thought Cooper was organized, Dad? He may appear put together, but in reality, he's an unorganized mess with way too much stuff. I even applied for him to be on Hoarders, but they weren't interested."
Changing the subject, Mom turned to me with a concerned expression, asking, "How are you truly feeling about this, Mave? I know we're all relieved to escape the clutches of the pack, but starting at a new school in a new town during your senior year can be intimidating for any teenager, regardless of whether they're a wolf or not."
I smiled warmly at my mother, grateful for her unwavering support and understanding. She had always encouraged Cooper and me to explore our individuality and embrace our identities as wolves, offering guidance without judgment and a comforting shoulder to lean on during tough times. How she managed to maintain her vitality amidst the oppressive nature of the pack was beyond me.
"Mom, I'm genuinely looking forward to it," I reassured her. "Despite what Dad said in the meeting, I know this move is for Cooper and me. I can handle the nerves of being the new girl at this prestigious pack-endorsed prep school if it means we can finally breathe a little easier. Especially Cooper."
Both Mom and Dad nodded, their expressions visibly relieved by my response. We were all aware that uprooting ourselves during such a crucial time in our lives was no small feat. I was entering my senior year, while Cooper was about to embark on his junior year. Although we had managed to navigate through the small human high school in our town, the overbearing presence of the pack had become suffocating.
The South Utah Pack was a small wolf-shifter community that encompassed wolves residing in the Southwest corner of Utah. My father's family, the Pack Caseys, had been part of the pack for five generations, adhering to traditional patriarchal values. While other packs had embraced gender equality, allowing female shifters to hold positions of power if they exhibited strength or possessed Casey power, our pack regarded females solely as breeding machines and caretakers of the home. Most children were homeschooled in small groups within pack territory, and young girls were never taught that they had choices beyond mating with the strongest male and bearing his children.
My parents wanted to shield me from this archaic mindset. I had always possessed a strong will, but after I experienced my first shift during puberty and transformed into the largest female wolf the pack had seen in recent memory, it became increasingly clear that I possessed an abundance of Casey power—a power that the pack leadership would undoubtedly attempt to suppress if they ever discovered its true magnitude.
Similar to my father, I had no interest in wielding power within the pack hierarchy. However, I refused to live my life in constant fear of being exposed and facing the pack's hostility. Fortunately, the innate Casey power couldn't be sensed by other wolves unless intentionally unleashed by the individual blessed with it. Thus, I made sure never to reveal my abilities to anyone within the pack.
While I could have endured the oppressive environment until graduation, ensuring my escape to the paradise of college on the West Coast, I refused to gamble with Cooper's happiness and safety. He had come out to us when he was thirteen, and if there was one thing our pack despised more than a strong-willed female, it was homosexuality.
Now, at seventeen, Cooper discreetly sought companionship through his rotating lineup of human Tinder "dates" from neighboring towns. We all yearned for him to be free to embrace his true self without the need for secrecy within the pack.
It didn't matter that Cooper possessed nearly as much Casey power as I did; the pack would find a way to shame him, ostracize him, and make him an outcast simply because he chose not to mate with a female and dedicate his life to impregnating her.
In fact, one of the reasons my father had petitioned for our admission into the Northwest Louisiana Pack was because one of their top betas was not only a woman but also openly mated to another woman.
I believe my parents hoped that by distancing ourselves from the pack as much as possible, we could live our lives independently while casually coexisting alongside them. My dad had escaped to Caltech for college—a rarity among wolves who typically clung to their packs for a sense of belonging.
His decision had nearly led to his disownment by my grandfather. However, Dad managed to convince him that his computer engineering degree would benefit the pack, as he could return and serve as their IT specialist. The plan worked, but it meant that we owed the pack a debt since Grandfather had aided in financing Dad's education, thus keeping us tethered to the pack and its politics.
Given that the pack was governed by our own family members, they inserted themselves into our lives as much as possible. Living in a small town made it nearly impossible to avoid encountering pack members on a daily basis. My grandmother and aunts had a habit of dropping by our house unannounced or ambushing my mom and me during mandatory pack events, whether it was to critique my appearance ("Mave, only gypsies and prostitutes have that many piercings in their ears!") or, worse, attempt to arrange a marriage between me and some mediocre pack male while lamenting the inevitable decline of my fertility.
Prologue (3)
Cooper was thrust at the prim buttoned-up Pack girls so often that he started a rumor at the last Pack holiday party that he was battling "just a light case of the clap" so they would all run in the other direction. We were all desperate for a change, hoping that joining the Northwest Louisiana Pack would offer us some much-needed anonymity and freedom to live our lives without judgment. * * * "So, Magic, do you think I'm a terrible person for not saying goodbye to Vincent?" Cooper asked me as he maneuvered our sleek black Tesla Model 3 onto I-40 in Albuquerque. Dad was thrilled when he received his starting bonus from RRP. As a "happy moving" gift, he surprised Cooper and me with this fancy electric car after one of his trips to Salt Lake. We stood out like sore thumbs driving it around rural Utah, but we couldn't care less. We were following my parents in their Tahoe on our road trip to Shreveport. The moving truck trailed behind us, left far behind in our rearview mirror. "Cooperji, you hooked up with Vincent, like, twice. And one of those times was in the disgusting high school locker room," I replied, giving him a judgmental side-eye. "I can't believe neither of you ended up with MRSA. Two hook-ups don't constitute a commitment. You owe him nothing." He huffed. "It was three times, which was two more than anyone else! I swear he was one blow job away from professing his love for me." He playfully smacked my arm. "Ouch, you dickhead!" "Come on, Mave. Just because you never went back for seconds with anyone doesn't mean you should be jealous of our love." I adjusted my rose gold aviators and pushed a stray blonde hair from my Wonder Woman french braid behind my ear. I definitely wasn't jealous of Cooper's hookups. I had a few of my own when I could find a human boy who could hold my attention for more than an hour. But I had no interest in getting involved with any male wolf in our pack. My sexual encounters were infrequent, but a shifter's libido was its own beast. It needed to be satisfied every now and then, or else we'd risk going feral. My encounters with human boys had been mediocre at best, but not everyone can be a gold medalist in the sexual Olympics right off the bat. "Cooperji, I love you, and I fully support your need to have fun with any willing dong that comes your way," I teased, and he burst into laughter, his million-dollar smile lighting up his face. His perfectly styled blond hair flopped with the movement, and his hazel eyes twinkled. "Someday, I'll find my own Vincent to bang in a dirty locker room shower, and then, like you, I'll know what love feels like." "I love you too, Magic," he said, using the nickname he had given me since I was six years old. He grew serious and glanced at me from behind his stylish wayfarers. "Thank you for championing this move. I know it benefits all of us, but I also know you did it for me. You've always been able to suffer in silence and just grin and bear it. I couldn't. I was suffocating." "I know. I'd do anything for you, Cooperji." I smiled at him, my hazel eyes glistening with unshed tears. Growing up in a pack that expected females to be weak, I had learned to never show any sign of weakness, including crying. "Do you think our new stuffy school is ready for the Barnes duo? The Stone Cold Queen and her Golden Knight?" "Nah," I laughed. "We can't let them know we're actually royalty, remember?" "Ugh, no fun, but what else is new?" he pouted. "But I'm not worried. This omega wolf will make friends and attract boys with just my devastating good looks and lethal charm." "I have no doubt, Cooperji. And I'll be lurking nearby, cheering you on, dreaming about Pepperdine or USD. Resting bitch face in full effect." We drove in comfortable silence for the next few hours, the Tesla streaming Cooper's Spotify station du jour. We stopped for the night in Amarillo, and as my head hit the deflated motel pillow, the weight of what we had done finally sank in. We had left our small wolf pack—the pack our family had led for generations—and were starting a new life as insignificant and hopefully mostly anonymous omega pack members in a large regional pack. My parents would pursue their dream jobs, completely disconnected from pack politics. Cooper would find a gorgeous wolf boyfriend he could proudly show off without judgment or consequences. And I would be one powerful female wolf among others, where nobody would care about what I was wearing or why I hadn't started a family yet. For the first time in years, I fell asleep with a little smile on my face.
Chapter 1 (1)
It had been nearly three weeks since the Barnes family had arrived in Shreveport, embarking on their new life. The sight of their new home, a stunning two-story historic craftsman house nestled in the charming South Highlands neighborhood, left them in awe. Pictures online had failed to capture the true beauty of the white house with navy blue shutters, wraparound porch, and vibrant blue front door. The front and back yards were adorned with majestic pine trees and azalea bushes lined the perimeter. A detached two-car garage sat at the end of the driveway, perfectly accommodating their vehicles. The street boasted similar well-preserved houses and mature trees. Inside, the house had undergone tasteful updates, featuring a modern kitchen, an open dining area, and a cozy family room. A grand staircase led to the three bedrooms upstairs, all boasting gleaming cherry hardwood floors. It was a stark contrast to their previous ultra-modern townhouse in Utah, but the entire family had fallen in love with it immediately. The first few weeks were spent unpacking boxes, organizing the house, and indulging in takeout from local restaurants. While the parents quickly settled into their new jobs, the children, Cooper and the narrator, explored the neighborhood during the cooler evenings and embarked on occasional runs together to combat restlessness. Apart from these outings and their parents' brief orientation, they cherished the tranquility of their new home, enjoying a respite from the prying eyes and drama of their previous Pack. The Northwest Louisiana Pack owned vast lands just north of downtown Shreveport. Shortly after their arrival, the father, having checked in with the Pack's leader, Casey, had met a few of his betas. However, they had yet to venture back to the Pack's territory or interact with other Pack members. It seemed that those aware of their presence were content to leave them be, solidifying their belief that this move was the right choice. According to their father, the Pack's territory resembled an upscale residential gated community rather than the sprawling ranch-like terrain of their old Pack. The Pack boasted a modern clubhouse with meeting halls, private rooms, a bar, and a swimming pool. The Casey and his top betas resided in small mansions nearby, exuding a historical charm akin to their own neighborhood. Other Pack members lived in equally enchanting homes within the Pack's residential area. At the rear of the territory, a vast untouched pine forest provided a safe haven for Pack members to shift into their wolf forms and roam without fear of human interference. Their father had also learned that not all Pack members resided on the territory. While the leadership predominantly lived there, many others, like their family, chose to integrate into the human community, holding jobs and running businesses alongside them. All Pack members participated in Pack functions and utilized the forest, but they had the freedom to live and work as they pleased, as long as they fulfilled their dues for Pack membership, which granted them access to shared spaces and the forest. Additionally, the NWLA Pack had satellite pack locations in neighboring towns, solidifying its status as the largest regional pack in the South. The Casey had married the daughter of the East Texas Pack Casey two decades ago, merging the packs and doubling their size. The Pack also had groups in Natchitoches to the south, Southern Arkansas to the north, and Ruston and Ross to the east. Each satellite pack operated under the guidance of a lesser Casey or a strong beta, hosting their own meetings and events. Occasionally, these wolves would journey to Shreveport for major Pack gatherings, mingling with the Casey and his inner circle. Lost in thought, the narrator sat at the dining room table, savoring a bowl of cereal and a chilled brew coffee. Their parents, engrossed in their tablets, sat across from them, coffee in hand. Cooper lounged on the nearby couch, clad only in his pajama pants, scrolling through his phone with a cup of tea—an eccentric sight. Interrupting the narrator's surfing daydreams, their father spoke up, prompting a discussion about the upcoming summer, school, and potential job opportunities. He had received an email from the Pack containing detailed information about Blackstone Academy, the local school for shifters. In addition, he had gathered names of local shifter-owned businesses that might be hiring, as both Cooper and the narrator were planning to seek employment.
Chapter 1 (2)
"We are starting our jobs officially tomorrow," Mom chimed in. "Since we've still got about six weeks of summer left, we wouldn't want you two to get bored and get into trouble." She reached over and ruffled my hair like I was five, and I swatted her hand lazily. "You're going to start training again, too," Dad added, his tone firm. Cooper and I both groaned at the thought. "Cut that out!" Dad barked, interrupting our whining. "Just because we're trying to live a simple life away from wolf nonsense doesn't mean you both shouldn't keep up your combat skills in both human and wolf form." "Fine, Dad," I said, begrudgingly accepting the truth. I didn't disagree. Our world was never completely safe, and having innate Casey power meant nothing if we weren't trained to defend ourselves in a wolf fight. We were aggressive by nature, and living in a city crawling with wolves made it imperative to know how to protect ourselves. Thanks to Dad's training and our own sparring sessions, Cooper and I were pretty top-notch in combat. Though Cooper always claimed he was "a lover, not a fighter," I could usually beat him, but only barely. "Can we talk about what you've learned about Blackstone Academy?" Cooper asked from his spot on the couch. "I know it's the local private prep school, but why does the Pack spend so much money sending all the shifter kids there?" "Apparently, the private nature of the school allows for some flexibility in shifter education," Dad replied, scrolling through his iPad. "The Pack has managed to get some of its members on staff there, and they've been able to establish shifter-only classes without the humans catching on." Dad continued, "For example, there's a shifter-only Gym class that allows you guys to go all out in combat exercises and sports without scaring off the humans. There's also a shifter history class and a restricted access part of the library dedicated to shifter resources." "Riveting," Cooper drawled sarcastically. "Though I suppose it's pretty cool that the Pack finances private prep school education for everyone." "Your father and I didn't think it would be wise to turn down such an opportunity, especially since it could open doors for both of you when you want to go to college," Mom explained. "Even though it means interacting with other Pack kids, I don't think that's necessarily a bad thing. You should make more wolf friends since there'll be so many open-minded people here compared to back home." "Yeah, as long as they don't look down on us omegas," I scoffed, my voice tinged with bitterness. "You never know. Omegas in this pack may not necessarily be looked down upon," Dad responded. "Omega status can be given to wolves for various reasons. In our case, it just indicates that we're unknown entities who need to earn trust and any spots of authority we may want. We have to prove that we can protect ourselves without special assistance from the pack." "That's right," Mom chimed in. "Omega status is often granted to weaker wolves who the Pack prioritizes taking care of, whether they're disabled, unable to shift, or simply choose not to pursue dominance. Some female wolves even covet omega status." "But Casey Ross gave us omega status knowing we come from a Casey bloodline," I pointed out. "No one in their right mind would think omega status is necessary for us. He's doing it out of pettiness and insecurity about how he might measure up to Dad's Casey power." "That's probably true," Dad admitted, "but we knew something like this could happen when trying to join a new pack. It doesn't prevent us from living the way we intended with this move, and hopefully, it keeps the spotlight away from our family." I couldn't help but agree with that sentiment. It stung to see Dad disrespected, but it was nothing compared to how he had been treated by his own immediate family members back home. This was a better situation for all of us. As we continued our discussion about the Pack and the Academy, we finished up breakfast. Dad downloaded the rest of the school information he had, and we learned that classes would start on the Tuesday after Labor Day. Dad instructed us to order our school uniforms through the Academy's website. "Oh my god, I am going to look amazing in that!" Cooper exclaimed, peering over my shoulder as I browsed the Blackstone Academy website's uniforms page. And he was right. His tall, six-foot-two frame would fill out a white dress shirt and maroon blazer like no one else, perfectly complementing his all-American boy-next-door looks. "And I am going to look like I just stepped onto the set of a dirty schoolgirl porno," I muttered, eyeing the khaki pleated skirt and knee-high socks. "I'm too damn tall, so my ass is going to hang out of this skirt. At least Mom can tailor them a bit so they'll actually fit us." I selected the various items I needed and handed the tablet over to Cooper to complete the order. "By the way, Mave, I emailed you some job leads," Dad said as he cleared the table of our morning dishes. "I think you two should start job hunting first thing tomorrow. You can establish a solid routine for the rest of the summer: train in the morning and work in the afternoon." "Roger that, Old Man," I replied playfully. "This old wolf can still put you on your back in a fight, young lady," Dad retorted, a hint of challenge in his voice. And he definitely could.
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