The Wolf In Me novel Chapter 74

Mason's POV

"Jameson, let them know they're here," Carol yelled over the chattery voices around us, motioning towards her parents' office with her face, "everyone gets yourselves ready," she continued.

"We must wait for instructions Car."

"Wait?! We have no time. They are too close."

"Father might have a plan, he always has a plan."

Hesitating, she looked at me with an upset expression, almost making me wonder if she was looking forward to a real battle.

"We must hold the gate and keep the fight from happening for as long as we can."

With a frown, she ordered some of her pack to close the gate and seal it tightly, then breathed out heavily and looked at me.

"I hope that you are right," she mumbled, "guards hold your ground. The rest I need you to shift and get ready."

Moments later the large group of the yellow stone pack were all lined up in rows opposite us with just the gate dividing. The alpha of their pack stepped out from his line growling at us.

"Cowards enough not to let us in? I see you brought some company to help you out," he snarled recognising me.

"Marcus!" A strong voice shouted from behind us.

Of course, it was my dad. Not reacting to his voice, my eyes remained focused on the enemy. I noticed Marcus widening his eyes at the sight of my father, shifting his body weight on one of his legs.

"So you have joined forces with the king I see!" He chuckled in the pretence that he gathered himself.

"Why are you being like this? Are we not all a family Marcus?" Dad asked him, taking more steps forward with alpha Dale right next to him.

"My men have died because of them," alpha Marcus yelled, getting upset.

"And so have mine! The fight was between those that ended up killing each other. Only one remains and as far as I am concerned he happens to be from your pack. We can all ask him what has happened before we point fingers at each other," alpha Dale said bluntly.

"It doesn't matter who started or what happened! My men are dead and my pack wants revenge," Alpha Marcus growled, slowly shifting into his dark brown wolf.

Dad and alpha Dale both looked at each other with concerned looks knowing that the alpha of the yellow stone pack was still eager to fight, no matter how many more wolves get slaughtered.

"Everyone, get ready," father shouted, looking at us, "they are outnumbered. How crazy can alpha Marcus be?!" I overheard him say as he spoke to alpha Dale.

Growls filled every inch and corner of the area as more of us were shifting. I was concerned for both my pack and my mate's knowing that some of us might breathe for their last time. Nothing would change alpha Marcus's decision.

Taking one last glance at my mate, I shifted and waited for her to do the same. Her beautiful white, almost pinkish fur emerged, and as usual, it was breathtaking to watch.

My eyes were now set forward, ready for my first battle with the same species as I. Something I have dreaded all my life had to happen for the first time in centuries.

The wolves on the other side started to howl all in sync as we opened the gate to let them in to show them that we are not afraid. The king is on our side and he is the strongest wolf of all. I trusted my father with everything and I knew that he had a plan in mind to stop the fight as early as possible.

Alpha Marcus stepped aside, allowing his pack to go in through the gate like a flood coming our way. The first wolf that challenged me to fight me had dark grey fur and brown eyes. With his teeth exposed, he leapt in an attempt to bite my back but I quickly rolled sideways to avoid him, standing back up fast as he gritted his teeth at me looking fierce.

If only I could mind link with him I would have tried making him more upset with what I had to say, but he was not part of my pack and I can only have the power to mind-link with other packs after my dad's blessing to become the alpha king in his stead.

To avoid doing the obvious I rushed through the crowd, hiding away from his sight and quickly leapt from behind him as he was busy searching for me. Pressing hard against his skin I felt blood rushing out from him filling my mouth but as he tried hard to pull me down I clenched even harder, making him howl with pain. Draining most of his energy out, he fell hard on the ground almost lifeless and so I decided to let go of him knowing he will not try to fight me any longer.

"You picked the wrong guy to fight dickie," I thought to myself with a grin.

Looking around me I noticed Carol punching a wolf with her paws right on the nose, but before I could continue observing her another wolf leapt on my back, bringing me to the ground. I felt a sting like a sharp knife raptured my skin but being the son of an alpha, it only took me a moment to gather myself and get back up.

Turning to my left I noticed alpha Dale from afar ripping a wolf apart who was part of Carol's pack, then there was the beta of the yellow stone pack right next to me ready to leap on me once again.

"No, you don't," I growled at him as I thought of all the practice I had with dad, "not today."

Jumping at the exact moment together, we crashed our teeth into each other's necks, making sure that as we fall to the ground I would be the one to press harder. The beta winced and let go of my neck as soon as I managed to rip his throat, making my first wolf kill.

His blood started drooling out of my mouth as I stared for a moment in realisation to what I have done. I never meant to kill him, but to bring him down and send him back home in a weakly manner. The yellow stone pack stopped attacking and stared at me for a while like they have felt his death in sync. Their beta is dead which only meant that their pack was weaker.

Sorrowful howls filled the air as one female grey wolf moved next to the beta's lifeless body. Her eyes filled with tears as she lowered herself down by his side whining in a cry.

As Alpha Marcus shifted in his human form he glanced at me and at my father who was already in human form. He remained silent for a while observing everyone as he breathed heavily, then screamed out his frustration and anger, knowing that he lost his best friend and partner.

It left the alpha no choice but to gather his pack and leave, taking the beta's lifeless body away with them for a proper burial.

"Son," I heard father's deep voice from behind me, "it's not your fault."

Shifting back to my human form I stood there naked in the middle of the other wolves' dead bodies and blood everywhere as my eyes were flooding with tears of guilt. As dad got closer he stretched an arm, brushing it against my shoulders in the hopes of comforting me but instead I avoided his touch.

"Leave me alone," I forced out in a cry as I started to run away, knowing that I f****d up my father's plan.

Thinking I let him down was already enough to hate myself. My wolf was eager to show me how strong and fierce he was and all I found out about myself was that after all that training I had no control over him.

"Shit," I spat, throwing a fist in mid-air.

Swinging my leg against a tree in frustration I twisted it the wrong way and sprained it.

"Argh."

I took my time to release as much frustration as I could before I had no choice but to return to Carol's packhouse where I suspected they would be waiting for me. Limping my way back I mumbled to myself hoping I would find a way to make everything better, but with lack of experience, I didn't have a lot of ideas that would work. All I thought was that dad would try to make me feel better by telling me a story from his past that would make the level of my stupidity look less bad. Knowing his tactics made me frown and exhale deeply as I opened the front door to the entrance hall where I found my parents, carol and her parents waiting for me.