It's jungle out there.

I'm less than 12 months away from becoming the Alpha of the largest and most powerful werewolf pack in the country.

It's a lot of pressure for a 17 years old boy, not gonna lie.

I've been preparing for this my whole life, same as my dad was in his time. I have trained, studied, practiced and been quizzed in all sorts of subjects.

I've sharpened my fighting skills because the Alpha must always be the strongest. We set the bar not only in behavior but in combat, my dad says.

'An Alpha must be ruthless with his enemies and compassionate with his peers', dad also says. And I've been kept on my toes since I could walk, always been demanded of something or some higher standard.

Honestly, it's exhausting.

It seems that whatever I do, I'll never quite measure up to this impossible standard. I never feel quite prepared for it, as able as I need to be.

But you know what they say: fake it till you make it. And I'm good at putting up a strong front. I mean, I have to be. It's not like I can show any weakness or vulnerability to anyone.

And since there's only one Alpha, it's not like anybody else can relate to my plight. But I do have the next best thing.

My best friend Simon Cortez.

Since he is the eldest son of the Beta, he also knows a thing or two about pressure to fulfill a certain role you're born into. He's the best friend I could ever ask for. And the only one to see me crumble at times.

Well, not the only one. Actually, there's Ashley.

Ashley Williams is my girlfriend and future Luna of the pack. She's not only drop dead gorgeous but smart too. She'll make a great Luna indeed and I love her since we're 14.

I'm fortunate enough to have found my soulmate at an early age, it usually doesn't happen until one of us is 18. But now there's just the matter of waiting for confirmation from the Moon Goddess.

But there's no one else for me in this pack, I'm sure of it.

"How are your classes going, honey?" - Mom asked me during Tuesday breakfast at the dining room of the pack house.

The pack house is a massive mansion with several rooms and offices where the Alpha family lives and works.

Not only that, but the Beta's office is located here too. But we don't live alone, some of the warriors and other pack members live with us in a separate wing of the manner.

Any adult pack member who wishes to get a room here is afforded the opportunity, if they are unmated or mated without pups. It's cheaper than getting your own house, plus the pack employs cooks and cleaners, so it's also functional.

However, they take their meals in a separate dining room than us. So we don't see them very often.

"It's going fine, mom. It's only the second week." - I replied with a sour mood.

"Are you alright, son? You have been sulking since yesterday." - Dad asked me in a worried tone.

"I'm fine, dad. I had a run in with the new student but it's fine, it wasn't a big deal." - I replied in an embarrassed tone. I didn't want to admit he got under my skin to anyone, much less my dad. But I hate lying to my parents, not to mention is very difficult considering they can hear my heartbeats.

"The Lockwood kid? Son, you are the future Alpha. You should make him feel welcomed, not get into a fight with him. You have nothing to gain from fighting an omega." - Dad reprimanded me with his disappointed tone that I know so well.

"I know, dad. Okay? I know that I should make him feel welcomed. But he was disrespectful to Si and I lost it a little." - I admitted begrudgingly in an angry tone.

"Simon can fight his own battles. He is the future Beta. Plus, he shouldn't be hitting on the Lockwood kid in the first place. The only reason why his parents even moved here is to give their son a better chance. And we should be lucky to count them as members of our pack." - Dad chastised me in a displeased tone.

"You're right, dad. I promise I will leave him alone." - I conceded, feeling guilty. I hate when my dad argues his way into making me feel inadequate. He is a master at this, unfortunately.

"At least Simon has a good taste. He is hot." - Jessica chimed in with a naughty grin, making me scowl at her in disgust.

Jessica is my younger sister. She is a brat, but we usually get along fine. That is when she's not nagging me to take her somewhere or intruding in my private conversations. But since she's the only daughter, she gets privileges I guess. I also have a younger brother, Zachary, who is her twin sibling. They are 15 years old and sophomore in high school.

"Simon should keep it in his pants before someone shows up with an unmated pregnancy." - Zach chimed in, making my scowl deepen.

"Don't even joke about it!" - I protested, grimacing.

"I'm not joking. Everyone knows he plays around." - He rebuked, furrowing his eyebrows.

"Okay, kids. That's enough! Simon can take care of himself and has his own parents to watch over him. I don't want to hear about it anymore." - Dad interjected in a raised voice.

After that, we finished breakfast quietly and I drove my siblings to school. Simon picks up Ashley at my request and gives her a ride to school every day. I would do it myself, but her house is on the opposite way of mine and his is closer to hers.

"Good morning, Ash. Morning, Si. Have you gotten over your crush yet?" - I teased him as I met them at the school yard. Zach and Jess go about their way to greet their friends.

I kiss Ashley on the lips and watch as Simon sulks.

"It's not a crush. He is my mate, he just doesn't know it yet." - Simon rebuked in a sour mood.

"I highly doubt his mate is even from this pack. Specially as old as he is already, his mate is definitely from his old pack." - Ash chimed in with an amused tone.

"OK, Luna. Stop hating on me. Just because you already found your dream mate, it doesn't mean the rest of us can't." - Simon chastised her with an annoyed tone. Both Ash and I laughed at this.

"I'm not hating on anyone, just facing facts. But if you wanna pursue him, go ahead. It's fun to see you crash and burn for a change." - She teased him with a mischievous grin and he flipped her off.

"Anyway, as long as he stays the hell away from me, he can do whatever he wants. Dad already gave me the Alpha speech this morning about how I should make him feel welcomed. But I don't like him at all. I can't lie." - I confessed, making Simon grimace.

Not much longer, we walk towards the classroom as the bell rang.

As soon as we got into the second period, there he was again. Talking to Olivia and her friends in blissful ignorance. I'm sure he's not a bad kid, he just needs to show some respect. Regardless of his rejection to Simon. Honestly, he can do better than an omega. Not that I'm telling him that.

"Good morning, Elliot." - Simon greeted him as soon as we entered.

"Good morning, Mr. Cortez." - He greeted him in a nonchalant tone.

"Ouch. Mr. Cortez is my dad, call me Simon." - He smiled at him persistently.

"No, thank you." - He replied, making Ashley snort loudly.

Both Simon and I turned to glare at her, who stops laughing at this.

"Man, you're not making this easy on me, are you mate?" - Simon insisted with a defeated tone.

"I'm not your mate. And I'd appreciate it if you'd leave me alone." - He shot back, making Simon grimace. The teacher entered the classroom and we quiet down.

Damn, that was embarrassing even for me. But I'm done interjecting needlessly. I have my own life to live and an Alpha dad to contend with.

In the fourth period, Simon and I have wrestling practice. Except in our school wrestling is not just it. The coach prepare us as one would train a warrior.

So we not only wrestle but also train in wolf form and other forms of combat. It's a privilege we have since the entire school is part of our pack and we don't need to hide from humans like most werewolves.

That also means every kid in here intends to prove themselves as warriors when they graduate high school. Pack business is a family business and most of us just want to follow in our parents' footsteps.

"Are you lost?" - Coach asked Elliott when he approached the gym where we were training. Simon opened the biggest smile at seeing the boy.

"Have you come here to watch me fight?" - He grinned at Elliot, who grimaced.

"No, I came to try out for the wrestling team." - He replied in a matter of fact tone.

Some of the boys laughed at this.

"This is not just the wrestling team, we also train in advance combats. All the boys who are here are training to become pack warriors." - Coach explained to him.

Elliot looked annoyed at all of us.

"I understand that. I still wanna try out." - He insisted, sounding determined.

"Are you sure you don't prefer to take P. E. class? There isn't any omega here and we train harder than most." - Coach raised an eyebrow to him in question.

"I'm positive. Unless there's any rule that says an omega can't be part of the team?" - He insisted, his tone was both inquisitive and defiant.

"Fine, you can fight one of our boys. You have 3 shots and that's it." - Coach explained in an annoyed tone. Then, he directed Elliott to the locker room to change clothes.

When he returned, coach yelled:

"Andersen, you're up." - He pointed at one of the boys who smiled mischievously at Elliot.

"Actually sir, would it be okay if I fight him?" - He pointed at me and I gasped. And I wasn't alone.

"He's the captain of the team!" - Coach shouted in shock at the nerve of the boy.

"OK, then it should be easy for him to win against me." - He insisted in a defiant tone.

I laughed at this, so did the boys present except Simon.

"It's fine, coach. But I warn you: I'm not making it easy on you. You should've picked Simon." - I told him as I geared up for a massacre.

I'm gonna make him wish he never left his pack. Poor boy.

He steps foot in the mat and we face each other.

"I have been training since I was 10. I'm gonna enjoy this." - I told him with a smug tone.

Round 1: I tried to drop him using my brute force but he countered my strike and immobilized me.

"You got lucky. It won't happen again." - I snarled at him. Now, I'm really angry. He just smiled boastfully, which only angers me more.

Round 2: I play smart, go for the attack using my whole body. I'm taller than him, so it shouldn't be an issue. He dropped me using his foot work. Honestly, it was so fast the next thing I knew he immobilized me again.

Now, I'm salivating in anger. My eyes are glowing in rage at the petulant omega.

Round 3: the bastard made me think I had him, then he countered strike me with such a hard blow that left me spinning. He immobilized me a third time.

All the boys and the coach were baffled at this. It has never happened before, literally. Simon was mesmerized at him.

When the coach called the fight, he let me go and we got up from the mat.

"I've been training since I was four." - He bragged, grinning boastfully at me.

"Who are you?" - Coach asked him, completely gobsmacked.

"Nice to meet you, I'm Elliott Lockwood." - He stretched out his hand to shake his.

"Welcome to the team, Elliott Lockwood." - Coach smiled at him, baffled.

We continued training for the remainder of the period. Elliott fought off and won every student he was paired against. It's annoying to watch.

Afterwards, we entered the locker room drenched in sweat and some of us, in misery.

"How did he win against you?" - Simon was still baffled at this. But so was I.

"I don't know. I've never seen anyone fight like him." - I replied with an annoyed tone, specially considering he's here too and listening to this.

We open our lockers to grab towel, soap and shampoo.

"Yeah, me neither. All I know is I'm in love." - Simon drooled over him. Elliot was getting undressed in front of the only empty locker. As he passed by us, naked and holding his towel, soap and shampoo, Simon stole a glance of him.

"If you touch me, I will kill you." - He threatened my best friend, who gasped at this.

"Again, we don't touch anyone without their consent in this pack." - Simon reiterated with an irritated tone.

Jesus, who hurt him? I'm starting to feel for omegas everywhere. Maybe I was sheltered trough all my life, but what the fuck? I know he has to worry about heat and how it affects people around him, but damn... I'm scared to ask why he is so frightful.

After we showered and got dressed, we broke for lunch and I'm starving. Simon and I met Ash at our usual table.

"Is it true that you were beaten by an omega? What happened?" - Ash asked me once we started eating. I gasped at this.

"How do you know this already?" - I was gobsmacked at the news already circling.

"Everyone is talking about it. The school is buzzing with news of the Alpha being defeated by an omega." - She told me, sounding shook.

"I can't believe this! What the fuck! People should get a life. It's just a silly fight." - I protested, sounding incredibly annoyed.

"Wow. No omega has ever joined the wrestling team, much less defeated the Alpha." - Ashley commented, looking baffled.

"He is definitely not the typical omega, that's for sure." - Simon noted, making me grimace.

"I'm not the Alpha yet, Ash. So he hasn't defeated the Alpha, unless he fought off my dad. Simon, stop drooling over him. He doesn't want anything to do with you. Maybe he's straight." - I argued, making Ash laugh. Simon glared at me.

"It'd be just my luck falling for the only straight male omega in the pack." - He said in a saddened tone.

"You've only just met the boy. You're not falling for him. Plus, you are months away from being mated. Stop it, please!" - I retorted, extremely annoyed.

"Hey, let him dream, will you? I say best of luck to you, Simon. Plus, it's fun seeing you getting rejected over and over again..." - Ashley spoke making me laugh, while Simon scowled.

"Thanks, Luna. I can't wait to see the look on your face when he gets mated to me." - He grinned confidently.

"You do know mates can reject too, right?" - She turned to look at him with a serious face.

"Oh my Goddess, Ashley!" - Simon shouted. He took his tray and left the table, utterly revolted.

"Ash, what the fuck! Why would you say that to him?" - I glared daggers at her, seriously pissed off.

"I'm sorry! I got carried away a bit." - She apologized, sounding remorseful.

When I walked trough the school corridors, there were plenty of eyes on me.

People whispering about me. Honestly, what the fuck! It's just one stupid fight and people are commenting it like it's a championship tournament. He got the better of me. It happens. Get over it!

Granted, it hasn't happened before in my life. But it was bound to, I guess. Though, I much rather it wasn't to an omega. But it is what it is.

It's funny how your whole life can be defined by one single moment. One slip up and that's it.

I guess my dad was right in keeping me on my toes this whole time. Because if I'm not the unbeatable Alpha, then who am I?