The Wolf In Me novel Chapter 73

Part 1 First Time Real Combat

Luka's POV

"Keep your focus, Mason. Don't forget that enemies can come from any direction," I reminded, throwing my millionth successful punch at him as I trained him for the worst.

As I watched him stand back up from the gym floors, I waited for him to settle again, with my arms ready for another round of fighting.

"I'm ready now dad, let's," he started, before I kicked his an*s with another two to three punches, falling back on the floor.

"Darn, dad, why?" He asked, puzzled that I didn't give him any chances.

"During combat, you can't expect to have your enemy return a conversation. They will just focus on attacking. Less talk, more focus and fighting. We are weakest in our human form. So we must focus to fight in every form."

Removing my punching gloves, I sat down right next to him, exhaling.

"One day, you will have to fend for yourself. I won't be around forever. You have to learn how to take care of our people. Protect, teach, show them the right paths for a better future. It all starts from here, son," I explained, lightly touching Mason's heart with his hand, "and here," I continued, touching his forehead.

Mason slightly peeked at me, then looked away into contemplation.

"I understand now dad," he said, standing up from the floor, steadying himself up.

Watching me standing up he promptly moved a leg to push me back down, giving me no chance to act.

"That's the spirit! Keep going!" I urged, avoiding a dangerous move from Mason.

Mason's POV

Feeling breathless out of the intense training with dad, I rushed up the stairs, making my way to the shower to freshen up before the date I had with my beloved mate. I quickly chose my black tight fit suit and black tie, knowing that it was her favourite suit I had and rushed, removing my clothes before even going into the bathroom.

"How many times do I have to tell you to never get naked before getting into the bathroom son?!"

Hearing my mother's voice made me jump out of my skin, closing the bathroom door behind me in a rush.

"Sorry, mum."

Still holding onto the locked door, I breathed heavily, trying to gather myself from the shock of knowing that for the millionth time mum managed to see my white full moon with the crack at the centre.

"Shit!" I whispered, moving away from the door.

Shaking my head I hopped into the shower, opening the warm water on me. Washing my hair first, I grabbed the shampoo bottle and squeezed out a blob on my left hand, applying it to my hair. As I moved my fingers on my scalp into a rubbing motion, I started to think about my future, wondering if I will ever be as good or better than my father. Sometimes I didn't feel as ready as my dad thinks, but I trust his word.

Carol, my mate called me as soon as I wrapped the blue towel around my waist.

"Hey babe," I said, looking at the mirror after rubbing it clean from the vapour that filled every inch of the bathroom.

"Mason, we have a problem," she started, her voice agitated and breathy.

"What's wrong Carol?"

"It's the yellow stone pack. They are on their way to attack my pack. They have threatened us one too many times and now their threats are becoming physical too."

"I'm on my way. Stay in your room. Be there in ten," I said shortly, leaving the bathroom, choosing something else to wear.

"Dad, we have a problem!" I shouted, from the other side of the corridor as I watched him approach.

He proceeded further towards me raising his eyebrows.

"The river bed pack is in trouble. They are under attack from the yellow stone pack. We need to help them, dad."

Grabbing my car keys I scrambled to my white Suv, turning on the engine. It took me just a few minutes to reach my mate's main entrance which was being opened by the guards.

"Carol!" I breathed, knocking at her bedroom door.

She quickly opened and pulled me into an embrace as tears rolled down her face. I could feel everything she felt. The fear and pain from what was about to happen.

"I don't want anyone to die because of those pesky rats! This is unfair."

"What happened between you two?"

"A few of my pack and some of their pack got into a heated argument which leads to a few killings from both sides. The yellow stone pack decided that they want to attack us to make us weak."

Taking both her hands in mine, I frowned and nodded in understanding, then moved in for a second hug.

"I already informed dad to gather the pack and bring them here to help fight them out. Don't worry, they will be here soon. Dad won't accept those that fight against their kind."

Turning into wolf form, Carol and I rushed out of the river bed packhouse, meeting my pack, the moonshine pack at the main gate.

"Mum, Dad," I nodded in a welcome as carol and I shifted back in our human forms.

"King alpha Luca, Luna Mei," Carol bowed down in formality, "welcome to the river bed packhouse. It had to be such a sad circumstance that brought you here."

With sad eyes, Carol looked down at the floor for a moment feeling worried. With gentleness, my dad reached for her shoulder, comforting her whilst mum moved in for an embrace.

"Don't worry darling, we are here to help. You have been trained for such a fight, both of you," she said, looking at me too to add me into the conversation.

"Where are alpha Dale and Luna Sephora?" dad asked Carol, looking down at her.

"Last time I saw mother and father, they were discussing a strategy with the beta on how to fight the other pack off. They must be in dad's private office, right up there," she pointed at the top right corner towards a window.

"Get ready," dad said, "gather as many wolves as you can and ask them to guard the gates!"

With a nod, we separated and started our mission in the hopes to gather enough courageous wolves to join us at the gates.

It didn't take a lot of convincing to gather a good enough amount of wolves to ready themselves in front of the entrance. It is in a wolf's nature to be courageous and protective over their territory and pack. Carol and I joined the others and waited for any movement from behind the gates.

"It's officially our first battle Carol. At least we are together," I whispered, still eyes forward.

"There's no time to be romantic," she said, holding herself together.

Normally she likes to laugh at my silly jokes but this time she was in no mood.

Mei's POV

"Alpha king Luka, Luna Mei, welcome and thank you for coming to our aid. We are so pleased to have you here," alpha Dale started, bowing at us.

"Welcome," Luna Sephora said, bowing her head.

"The yellow stone pack are on their way. They don't know I am here. I thought I should try convincing them to change their minds before we have to shed blood and guts. I am their king too after all. They can't have forgotten how hard I worked for our kind to live in peace."

The room was silent for a moment before I spoke.

"If they have forgotten their king's bravery and sacrifices, we will go for plan B. Our least favourite option but we will have no other way."

"What is plan B?" Luna Sephora asked looking worried.

Luka and I looked at each other before I let Luka explain.

"We have to kill their alpha."

Alpha Dale and Luna Sephora looked at each other with their eyes wide. A pack without an alpha would mean that they will become rouges and slowly they will lose their human side until they are only wild, savage wolves. They can become a threat to anything that comes their way, but it is also the worst punishment they can get.

"You know what you are saying, right?" Alpha Dale asked, extending an arm on the large table between us.

With my wolf senses, I could hear some running footsteps coming towards us so I automatically turned around and waited to see who was proceeding. The room got quiet as they all looked at me, making them realise someone was approaching.

"Get ready, they are here," a messenger came rushing in, barging the doors, breathing heavily.