Rising in the Shadows - 7. Chapter 7: Abhorrent Alpha

Vincent kept his eyes glued to his dueling teachers. Between Elaine's offense and Yakob's defense, they're so evenly matched! I can't imagine taking either of them on like this!

Elaine was keeping the monk on his toes by sending out random icicle spears while keeping her distance. She would lash out with an occasional staff strike but stepped back when the shadow tendrils got too close. Yakob struck back as well by sending whips and chains, only to be blocked by Elaine's shield. In the tussle, the teachers appeared to be evenly matched.

Breathing heavily, the frost mage took a few paces back, "You're holding back."

The monk wasn't breathing as heavy, but still showed signs of fatigue. "You can tell? I must say, you are the most adept frost mage I've sparred with, Mrs. Wilson!"

She smirked at the compliment, "Could you show me what it's like to truly fight a shadow mage? I want to see what one is capable of."

"Are you sure? You may not like the result." With a nod from his opponent, Yakob merely lifted a hand. Black tendrils swarmed at Elaine's feet, but the frost master jumped. It wasn't enough as the tendrils grew in size and latched onto Elaine’s ankle. As she landed, Elaine tried to shake off the shadow, but her leg wouldn’t move. What? He...he can hold me down with my own shadow? That’s insane! Noticing how the monk was staying put, she tried to analyze her way out of the situation.

Tracing the solid dark line, she discovered a line feeding straight from the monk’s own shadow. Got it! She flung her arm, sending a wide layer of ice that severed the line. The darkness quickly fell from her leg and she started sprinting in a wide berth. I need to keep moving, and when I see him move his arm, I need to lay down another ice patch! She sent out a few more shards to distract Yakob, hoping he would lose interest in trying the same stunt again. A thin wall of shadows blocked the projectiles, but as the wall fell, Yakob fell into the shadows.

Elaine panned her surroundings. The monk was nowhere to be seen. Gone! Where is he?

Everywhere, my dear. The frost mage gasped as she heard the monk’s soft voice in her mind. Did no one tell you I can read minds?

They did...I’m ashamed to say, I forgot.

Let that be a lesson, to shove your thoughts into your actions when in battle. Yakob reappeared and quickly latched onto Elaine again with his shadow magic, but held down both of her ankles. The frost mage was quick to send another wave of ice to cut the strand but was met immediately with a fresh attachment. You can not escape.

“Try me!” Elaine puffed her cheeks and sent a speck of ice from her lips at a high velocity. A small cut stung Yakob’s hand, causing him to lose his concentration. Seeing an opportunity, Elaine blew a large flurry of snow at the distracted monk and moved in. She understood how to beat him. Keeping up the barrage of snow and ice flurries, she advanced further. Feeling her energy fading, the urge to finish the fight rushed forward.

Her sense of urgency was turned as she caught the scent of an approaching entity. She turned to see a lion dart towards Yakob. Caleb! Where...where did he come from? He...oh Gods! He thinks Yakob is attacking me! “Caleb, stop!”

The lion had already lunged, and Yakob was still distracted from being covered in snow. Elaine could only watch in horror as the large paws were set to land on her friendly opponent. Yakob!

Looking up, the monk saw a large beast for a solitary moment, before it vanished in a smog of black smoke. Was...was that...a lion? He immediately turned to the porch and smiled. Excellent reflexes, young one.

Caleb fell to the ground with something heavy on his back. “Stop it, Caleb!” The lion’s yellow eyes darted around and weaved his head. Vin! Where did...how did? Looking around, he thought he was going insane. Everything...gray!

Vincent rolled off of the lion’s back but kept his shadow stretched out to hold the lion in place. “Calm down, G-man! Elaine isn’t in trouble!” Seeing the large animal’s head twitch, he heard a loud huff, which was quickly translated by his wolf. “No, I’m not joking. That’s Yakob, he’s here to teach me how to use my shadow magic.”

The mage saw the beast fall to his stomach and smelt the guilt dripping off him. “Hey, c’mon G-man. You didn’t know it was him. The two were sparring, and anyone could have made that mistake, okay?” Vincent glanced over his shoulder and saw Lei and Mason searching around. The small Alpha couldn’t smell from the shadows, but feeling the heavy prodding of his mate’s feet let Vincent know that Mason was not happy. He really needs to chill out! Caleb’s intentions were not bad.

Ah, so that was Caleb? Rolling his eyes in deep surprise, Vincent heard his mentor’s voice in his head.

Yakob? You...you can hear my thoughts while I’m in the shadows and you’re not?

Of course! You are kneeling next to me, aren’t you? The others may not see or hear you, but I can feel your presence. Please come out from the shadows. I wish to meet this lion.

Okay, but I feel Mace’s anger in both my bond and in his shadows.

We will make this right. I’m sure Mason will see reason.

Nodding, he brought Caleb out from the shadows, and all eyes focused on the lion.

“Caleb! What’s the meaning of this?” Mason stepped forward but was instantly confronted by his mate. “Vincent, I need to-”

“You need to cool your jets, big guy! Take a breath.” Vincent was not backing down, despite being almost a foot shorter than his mate. “Did you tell Caleb what was going on when you told him to come here?”

Taken aback by his mate’s sudden confrontation, Mason scowled. No...no I didn’t. He pulled his hand over his face and turned to take a seat on the porch steps. I didn’t tell him that there would be sparring! My Gods...I’ve failed again at communicating with my council. This time, someone could have gotten hurt! No doubt Yakob and Mom could have handled themselves, but it was a surprise attack.

Vincent felt the anguish forming larger in Mason’s half of the bond and took a seat next to him, “Hey, I know that communication is an issue, and I can’t say that it’s okay and be done with it. Use this as a learning experience. If we have to start making a daily itinerary for your council, then we’ll do it, or find something else that will work.” He put his hand on the larger man’s back and pumped some love through his bond. Earning a disheartened look from his mate, Vincent kept up the words of encouragement, “Just start by texting more details. I mean...look at Yakob and Caleb.”

He pointed at the lion and the two mages on the lawn. Yakob was petting Caleb with childlike joy and bewilderment while Elaine could be seen as the translator between the two. “They’re getting along just fine now. It was a hairy situation, but all is resolved. We just need to work on you for a bit.”

Mason huffed through his nostrils and nodded. Gazing back at his smaller mate’s smile, he put one on himself. “Thanks, Vinnie. I know I need to work on talking more to Caleb and Dave about what’s going on. I think it’s because not a whole lot has ever gone on around here. Not saying you’re causing it, but I’m...I’m just really glad you showed up. Life was getting pretty boring around here.” Vincent giggled at the comment and earned a peck from the Alpha. “I promise to talk more, to both you and my council. It...it felt really good to get some of this off my chest.”

“That’s what talking does for you. You let others hear what is bothering you, and you’ll get a response back. It may not always be positive, but if negative news gets the proper results, then it will help you become a better person.”

A hand clapped down on both men as Lei knelt behind them. “Well, look at my two sons figuring out how being an Alpha works! You guys are two halves of a soul, you know?” The hands came off their bodies and the father figure’s voice got louder, “Caleb! I got some clothes inside if you’d like to shift!” The lion bobbed his head in a horizontal motion and got up from his prone position to come inside.

As the men went in the house, Mason got up from his seat and pulled Vincent up, “Alright, hot stuff. Ready for the next part of your training?”

Next part? What’s going on? “What are you talking about, Mace?”

“Well, provided that Mom and Yakob can lend a hand if you lose control, I’d like to see you do a hybrid shift.”

The two teachers’ faces lit up in excitement. Yakob was particularly excited with the idea, “Oh, my! This will be something new for me. I have yet to see an Alpha hybrid in all my years, but Mason...what do you mean by, if he loses control?”

“I’m confused as well, son. Vincent can already do the shift? That should take several months for him to get used to the barrier.”

Mason snickered at his mother, “We forgot to tell him about the barrier, so he went and poked it on his Turning Day.”

“He what?” The loud exclamation startled the nearby monk as Elaine marched toward her son. “Mason Thomas Wilson! You are telling me you didn’t tell your turning mate about the barrier? Oh, my…Do you know what could have happened?”

“Sorry, Mom. I know that was a bad move on my part, but Cyrus and I handled it.”

Hearing Cyrus’ name calmed her down, but her anger was still palpable. “Please tell me no one was injured.”

“I took a few scratches, and Vincent was hit with some weird lightning orb from Cyrus, but we all turned out okay.”

Lightning orb? I haven’t heard of a lightning affinity user having an orb attack.

“Neither have I, Mrs. Wilson.” Turning to the monk, Elaine closed her eyes momentarily, remembering that no thoughts were sacred. “This came from the big bear fellow from the diner, the new Alpha for New York? I feel I must learn more about this attack and how he came up with it.”

Mason smirked at the thought of both magic masters not knowing of the power that Cyrus held. “Well, I know Yakob will be coming to New York. I’m sure Ty wouldn’t mind if you and Dad came along. He offered to keep us in his apartment, but I’m sure he’d be happy to put you in the presidential suite he also offered.”

“Presidential suite?” The thought of staying in a luxurious hotel piqued Elaine’s interest. “I’m jealous of the idea, but I don’t think there’s a long enough notice for the library to change the schedule. I’ll have to see about going some other time.”

Vincent turned his head to the door as he felt two shadows coming from the house. Feeling shadows has become second nature to me, but remembering all of my friends and family’s shadows is a bother. The monk could be heard stifling a giggle, causing Mason and Elaine to turn their attention to the smaller man. Lei and Caleb walked out of the house as Vincent stood up. The lion gave his friend a passing fist bump as a thank you for averting disaster earlier. “Sorry for earlier, Yakob. I only saw Elaine fighting with you and I made a rash decision.”

“I wouldn’t call it rash. You are the Enforcer, correct? I see it as you doing your duty, and I must admit, I didn’t even notice your shadow approaching! What remarkable stealth you possess! Even now, your shadow is light and very quiet. I’m very perplexed by this.”

Caleb grinned at the statement, despite being somewhat befuddled. “Thanks, I learned a little from my mate. She may be loud in conversation, but she’ll sneak up on you in an instant. Are you sure you’re okay with me attacking you like that?”

“Perfectly fine! I considered you letting me pet you as the consolation. To be next to a lion and stroking its fur, my Gods was that an experience! Hate to cut our conversation short, but I believe Mason and Vincent require our assistance with a hybrid shift. Perhaps you can assist as well, young Enforcer?” With a nod, Caleb turned his attention to his Alphas.

Mason gently grabbed Vincent by the hand and ushered him to the yard. The mage found himself surrounded by his friends and family. Do...do I need everyone here? Did my hybrid cause such a panic last time?

No remember what happen, but in case we no control, it for best.

Yeah, I guess. I just hope I can control him. Vincent took off his shirt, and after a moment of hesitation, remembered that shifters were accustomed to nudity as he removed his shorts. Okay...think of the hybrid... Picturing Mason’s hybrid, he let the image take over his mind. ...and shift! Vincent felt his skin tingle and muscled through some discomfort of his bones snapping. It...it doesn’t hurt! Well, not as bad as I remember from the first time. His legs still caused him to yelp as kneecaps bent the opposite way, but the other bones didn’t offer much resistance. The growing fur poured from his skin as the mage watched. That’s...interesting? It doesn't itch like usual!

As his skull began to reform, he felt the looming presence of his instincts come. Bud, you still there?

Yes, I here. Instinct here, but not like first time. Think we okay to move?

Let’s wait until the shift finishes, then we’ll try walking. Vincent’s eyesight changed as he lost some of his ability to see color, but seeing his nose and mouth shape into a muzzle caught his attention. He noticed his breathing began to grow heavier. His teeth were moving around as they turned into fangs.

Vincent stood still. No bones were popping, his fur was no longer itchy, and he seemed to have a normal stance and posture. Are...are we done?

Think so. Instinct there, but not all dark like before. Try walk, human.

Vincent looked down to see his feet have turned into massive paw-like feet. Holy shit! Lifting his arms, he noticed his hands were equally large and had sharp claws. Balling a hand into a fist, he saw how honed his claws were as they pierced his light gray fur. “Ah!” Blinking, he heard his gravely deep and rumbled voice. “I...my voice. It deep! Wait. Words. I not speak right!”

“He’s controlling it!” Darting his blue irises to his mate, he let the words soak in. I’m controlling it! I’m controlling my hybrid!

Yes! Good! Strong form good!

But my words aren’t coming out like mine. They sound like you.

Yes. Interest. Maybe it instinct. Form very animal, so you speak like animal.

Maybe. Mace will probably know more. “Mace. Why speak like this? Not use complete sentence.” Vincent let out a low growl as he struggled to form the words he wanted.

“Easy, hot stuff. That’s just how the hybrid form works. It’s your wolf taking half of the total controls.” Mason walked up to the larger being and placed his hand on the soft fur. “It’s just something to get used to. How about you try walking around, get used to how much bigger your legs are.”

Vincent bobbed his head and took a step. He’s right. It’s like learning to walk like a wolf again. I’m not used to being bigger than him, though. Taking a few slow steps, Vincent almost stumbled a few times, he wasn’t used to having heavy feet. “Don’t like big feet. Harder to walk.”

Mason laughed as he watched his disgruntled mate, “Get used to it! This is your strongest form, so I recommend learning how it works inside and out. Try standing up tall and straight. That helped me out when I first learned to walk as a hybrid.” Following Mason’s instructions, Vincent began walking a little easier. As soon as walking grew easier, the mammoth wolf took a few running steps. “There you go! But if you plan on running, it’s a lot faster to use all four limbs.”

All four? Like when we are a wolf? When he knelt, he pushed out with his hind legs and latched onto the earthy grass with his arms. I get it! It’s pretty similar, I guess. Vincent was impressed with how fast his bulky frame could go. He returned to a standing pose and walked back over to the group, noticing their awe. “What all look at? I look funny?”

Yakob was the first to fearlessly come forward, “My...my Gods. What a towering frame! My heart is beating so fast just standing in front of you, Vincent.”

“I’ll say!” Lei crossed his arms in distaste, “I hate to say this, but I think you might be taller than my hybrid form.”

“What? Lei? That crazy!”

Elaine stepped closer and laid a gentle hand on Vincent’s thigh, “I’m impressed! I can only imagine what kind of warrior you would be on a battlefield.”

The thought of using his magic sent a jolt through Vincent’s mind. “Mace? You say when I turn hybrid before, I do magic, right?”

“Yep. You were going in the shadows and everything.” Yakob instantly turned to Mason in complete bewilderment. “You seem a little shaken, Yakob.”

“I...I am shaken! For such a large and powerful being to also perform his magic, that’s...oh my, look!” Yakob pointed at Vincent’s wrist. “His bracelet! It stretches like that?”

Vincent lifted his arm to find that the string on the bracelet had stretched to his new size. What? I have my bracelet? I thought it would have snapped!

We use bracelet power? We strong! Do! Do magic! Need see!

You don’t have to tell me twice! The hybrid knelt like he would summon his staff. Okay, so we might want to make the staff a bit bigger this time. We wouldn’t want to fight with a toothpick. Thinking of his staff in a larger form, he focused his frost magic in the ground and formed the handle. A little bigger than that. Vincent latched onto the staff handle and pulled. As he rose, the staff formed until the ribbed ball was complete. Holy shit! I...I made my staff!

Picking it up with both hands, he felt it was a little heavier than he was accustomed to, but admired his details. The handle is about right, but it could be a little higher. Stepping away from the group, he gave it a couple of swings. Yep, it’s good! “I do magic! It cool!”

Elaine was flabbergasted at the size of her student’s staff. If he can pull that staff out, only Lord Bol knows what else he can do.

Well, my fellow teacher, shall we find out?

Looking at the smirk on Yakob’s face, Elaine could only nod her head. “Vincent, can you go into the shadows as well?” The wolf set down his staff and disappeared, leaving a dusting cloud of black wisps where his feet were. “I’ll take that as a yes.” Vincent returned a few steps away from where he was and gave a toothy smile. “Yakob, I think we have our work cut out for us.”

“Right you are, Mrs. Wilson.” The monk turned to the father-son duo in curiosity, “I’m assuming one of you two will be in charge of teaching Vincent how to control this new form of his?”

Lei was quick to slap his son’s back and take a few steps to the side, “You got this, son!” Mason gave a smug scowl to his father and received a deep and heinous laugh in response, “He is your mate. Who better to work with him?” Mason gave his dad some side-eye and shook his head as he walked up to his mate.

The hulking wolf looked down at Mason and he could feel his tail wagging. Wait...tail? Does this form have a tail? Vincent craned his neck to find a long tail with bushy fur. I don’t know how I feel about that. “Alright Vinnie, time to work on some hybrid training.”

“Actually, Mason!” The calm voice of the monk chimed in as Mason was preparing to take off his clothes. “I think it would be wise for Vincent to meditate for a while. He has learned much about energy manipulation and his hybrid form. Not to mention, his bracelet is half-full. If he is to face up to three opponents in a week, he will need every ounce of energy available.”

As much as Vincent wanted to learn more about his hybrid form, he knew his teacher was correct. That, and I’m starting to feel pretty tired. I guess this hybrid form takes a lot out of me. He stepped back a bit and thought of his human form, and felt the changes take place. They were happening at a faster pace than before, and it was nearly painless. Huh. My body must be getting used to the shifting process.

Good. Knee hurt when shift.

You said it, bud. After several seconds went by, Vincent was back on his own two human feet. His breathing was a touch ragged and he felt drained. Wow! Jeez, that really hit me!

Yes, need food. Lots. “Hey...hey, Mace? Mind if we get some food or something? That’s...wow, that took a lot out of me.” Mason quickly nodded and rushed over to help his mate.

Interesting. Yakob observed the frail condition of his student and began debating if the form was beneficial. It’s a much stronger physical form and can produce more powerful results in magic, but it takes such a toll on his body. Combine that with a magical energy deficiency, and he would be in dire straits. I suppose the form would be useful against other larger shifters when his shadows wouldn’t be strong enough to hold them down.

But combining his hybrid and magical energy...he’s a force to be reckoned with. The monk closed his eyes and recalled the hulking wolf’s body. He furrowed his brow. There is so much to this boy. Such power, such mystery involved! He opened his eyelids and let one more thought cross his mind before rejoining the group.

I wonder which one visited him.

***

A loud door slammed against the wall as it was opened with unnecessary force. “Ya-hoo! Oh, man! What a night, eh fellas?” The trio of shifters had just left their favorite bar and began strolling through the city’s downtown streets, making plenty of noise with every step taken. “Shit, Bern! Did you see those hotties in the corner? That blonde one had a real set of knockers, didn’t she?”

“Hell yeah! Why didn’t you go after her? She was your type and everything. I swear, she even gave you a wink or two, and she did that hair twirly thing chicks do!”

“Nah! She was human, and I don’t do all that. That’s a lot of explaining to do down the line, and I’m good on that!”

The men kept it moving down the street, pushing and shoving each other playfully. “Hey! Hey, hey! This one’s still open for an hour! Let’s keep the party going!” Wandering into the dark bar, the three found an empty table among the passing bodies. Bernie took a quick seat, admiring how low the table sat. Perfect! The wolf never liked sitting at the bar since it made people look like they were brooding over depressing tales and emotional baggage. This seats nice! One hot chick comes up and I get myself a really nice view! When the waitress came around, Bernie’s eyes nearly popped out of his skull.

“Well, hey there! I think me and the boys here are needing a bucket of bottles.” Slipping a twenty-dollar bill out of his front pocket, he gave it to the pretty brunette between two fingers, “How ‘bout you get yourself something as well, gorgeous?” The brunette gave a pretty smile to the tall and scruffy man as she walked away with her hips swaying just a little too extravagantly. “You see that? That’s how you start the game, fellas!”

“C’mon, now! You can get in anyone's pants when you hand them money.”

“That, and it makes you look desperate!”

Scowling at his two best friends, Bernie couldn’t help but laugh. They almost got lost in their conversation when the bucket of beer was set down at their table. “Well, thank you, gorg-” Bernie’s blood ran cold as he laid eyes on a very large man standing directly behind him. H-Holy! He’s a big du-

“Shut up.” The whisper verberated through the three shifters’ bodies. Fuck! Alpha! What’s he want? We...we didn’t do anything! “You three are weak, and should be ashamed to be called wolves.” The words hurt his pride, but Bernie was smart enough to keep his head down.

“Hey, what’s the big idea, coming ov-” Bernie shot his eyes to his friend across from him and shot out his foot, landing directly between the legs. Watching his friend double over and landing his head on the table in agony, he heard a deep chuckle from behind him.

An enormous hand was gently placed on his left shoulder and Bernie just knew the man’s face was next to his, “You...got spunk. I can work with that. Not afraid to put your followers in line when they misbehave.” The hot breath smelled of whiskey and seared Bernie’s nostrils as the hand was removed. With a loud chair screech, the Alpha took the empty chair between Bernie and the wolf in pain. “Next round’s on me, gentlemen. All I ask is for some questions to be answered.”

“Yes, sir.”

The larger man’s eyes squinted as he shifted his body’s direction towards Bernie, “You served, pup?”

“Yes, sir. Army, Afghanistan.”

“What did you do for your country, soldier?”

“Vehicle technician. A lot of mechanical work and driving.”

Another deep laugh echoed through the smaller shifters, “Give yourself some credit. You drove through a warzone, ensuring the safety of your comrades. I would wager you even saw a gunfight or two.”

How...how did he know? We got caught in a fight once, but it was quickly squashed by our turret. “Yes, sir.”

Bernie felt pure fear in his heart as the Alpha leaned in. Out of instinct, he bared his neck for the dominant male. “That’s...that’s nice. You know how to respect your superiors, despite this desolate city not having a pack leader.” An arm was laid out in front of him with a balled fist at the end. “I hope you understand that I followed you here from the last bar. Tell me...why did you ignore that perky human there?”

He...followed us? “And I better not catch you lying. I...hate liars.”

“Not my type, sir.”

“Type, huh? Then why would you make such positive comments about her bosom? Even I have to admit, I would have done some things to her. Tell me the real reason, pup. Was it because she was human?”

His lips began to tremble, and from the looks of his friends, he wasn’t going to be bailed out anytime soon. “Yes, sir.”

“Got something against humans?”

“No, sir.”

A long hum nearly vibrated the bones in Bernie’s ribcage as he began sweating in emotional distress. “I smell a lie. You don’t like the humans, do you, soldier?” The smaller wolf merely nodded as a confirmation of one of his deep-seated secrets. He saw from the corner of his eyes that the friend he kicked raised his head in curiosity. “Oh. These two didn’t know that? That’s okay because I can tell from their eyes and curled maws that they agree. Don’tcha, fellas?”

The two silently nodded, out of fear or agreement, Bernie could not discern. This is one bad man! “So...you three dislike the humans? Well, that makes four of us. I can tell you without a clouded thought in my mind that I hate them. They’re a disgrace as animals. No backbone. Wouldn’t you agree?”

Bernie kept his sight on the table for most of the conversation, but he needed to look up to the Alpha. He...he hit the nail on the head with every sentence! Who is this guy? “I...I do.”

The Alpha grinned with his human-formed teeth showing in the front. He stretched his hand towards Bernie, “Kordell Griffith. Introduce me to your friends.”

Hesitantly, Bernie grabbed the Alpha’s hand and shook it firmly. “Bernie Price.” Bobbing his head to the one sitting across from him, then to the right, he introduced his friends to Kordell, “That’s Everett and Blake.”

“Bernie...Everett, and Blake. You two share your friend’s ideals about the human race?” After nodding slowly, Kordell leaned back into his padded chair, grabbed a bottle from the ice bucket, and gestured for the men to follow suit. “Yes. I believe you will do just fine. Bernie, you seem to have a level head on your shoulders. Blake’s the larger one of you three and looks like he loves a good scrap…” With a blow from his nostril, the man sitting across from the Alpha smirked. “...and Everett. Not afraid to act before he speaks, but commits to the common cause.”

Bernie leaned forward in curiosity, “Sorry...Korde-”

“That’ll be Alpha Griffith to you.”

“Sorry...Alpha Griffith, but...what did you mean by we’ll do fine?”

Leaning back with the bottle against his lips to let the booze flow, Kordell set the glass down with a thud. “Well, you whelps...you’re my council, and we’re going to claim this city as our territory.”