Huge chapter up ahead. I'd suggest you make sure you won't be interrupted for this one. It's that kind. Read all at once.

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::CHAPTER 16::

Danyel’s POV

Right now, I had a free period at the best time; the end of the school day of course. I was spending it outside in the playground where it was quiet and warm. Sitting on one of the play machines, I pushed off with my foot letting it spin in circles every time. It was a nice day and I was ready to leave and get home already.

Today was one of those days where I wished I’d taken the day off. I would have left the house as usual with my bag on my back pretending to go to school, but then slipped around back and went over to the Crowley’s house. As a favor, I kept their place tidy and clean and in return I thought it was only fair that I got to room at their place when I needed to.

I turned around at the sounds of people talking loudly and laughing. Preston was walking by with his friends. Once he noticed that he’d caught my attention, he puckered his lips and blew me a kiss. I cringed mentally and looked away.

It had been three months since I’d lost my virginity to that guy, and I was still trying to forget it. Not the easiest thing with him being everywhere. In spite of the crappy circumstances I think I made it work if I do say so myself.

Without a doubt the experience had been one of the worst, but it had made me question something. I started to wonder whether I'd reacted to him that way because Preston was an asshole who I had no sober interest in or if it was another reason.

To test it out, I had tried dating. Tons of kids my age did it. I thought I'd take a swing at it. I had to see if I could find some kind of spark with someone else. Anyone else. After all, there was such a thing as a rebound, right? That must have meant that a person can replace one with another. No luck there.

Neither the girl nor the guy I'd dated had done it for me. In theory they should have. Both were good looking, smart, funny people and they were really nice as far as personalities went. They were both my type, but it just didn't work no matter how much I'd tried.

It had surprised me but oddly enough, I was fine with that failure. Weird right? I know.

My short lived dating phase wasn’t one of my greatest moments, but I needed to know that it wasn’t just Preston. It wasn't planned but I’d slept with the girl after the first couple of dates. It was one of those one-thing-lead-to-another kind of deals and I treated it as much.

Sex with her was just the same as when I’d had sex with Preston minus the terrible pain. It didn't matter how gentle it was this time or how romantic we'd made it or how good it had been to be with someone whose body was compatible with mine. I felt absolutely nothing.

Sleeping with other people couldn’t block out the fact that I knew damn well who it was I really wanted.

Flirting back with Orion wasn’t doing anything but encouraging a crush I knew that he had. It wasn’t fair to him or the other two, but for short moments in time I pretended not to know that. I was getting good at it too. Some days I could almost convince myself that I didn't want Richie. Didn't crave him.

After our fight last year, I’d been stubborn. I ignored his calls and messages and refused to return them. My animal was a hothead. Often irrationally so. It takes a while to calm him and then to separate our feelings enough to see sense. When I’d finally gotten my head out of my behind and allowed us to make up, it was to find that those feelings had grown. There was nothing that dating and replacements could do to change that.

Glancing around I saw more of the class coming outside. One by one, my classmates came to hang out in the yard. Soon enough I was sitting in the same spot but surrounded by Orion’s friends and Kenny. They talked and chatted around me but I didn’t mind. It was calming to have so many Chosen nearby.

I spotted Orion coming over long before he pushed the nearest guy aside and took a seat beside me. He folded his legs under him and looked out at the playground.

I frowned as a young, human boy walked past us. He was familiar looking. It took a second to really recognize him. It had been so long since Kevin and I had hung out that I hadn’t noticed how much he’d changed. He had lost a little of his puppy fat, his haircut suited his age for once, his clothes weren’t yarn-based and he didn’t wear the usual super-shiny sensible shoes that he used to.

“Well hey there. Good afternoon, Kevvie” one of Orion’s friends called out. Kevin froze in his tracks as if a wall only he could see had sprung out of the ground and blocked his path. He glanced at the large group of us. His books were clutched to his chest and his eyes searching each face. His eyes landed on the guy who had spoken and then flitted over to another one sitting beside me. “No manners, huh?” the one next to me said.

Kevin’s cheeks grew pink, but he raised his chin and squared his shoulders. “Good afternoon, guys,” he murmured to them both. For some reason, the boys shared a look and burst out laughing and couldn’t seem to stop. I didn’t get the joke. Orion looked from them to Kevin with a puzzled expression. “That’s enough,” Orion said and the boys fell quiet after a beat but they were still grinning.

Right now they didn't matter. I wasn’t paying attention to them. I stared at the red head. I didn’t like what I was seeing with Kevin. It didn’t sit right with me. This was the first time I’d ever seen this look on Kevin’s face. Wounded.

Lately he’d stopped hanging around Orion, Kenny and I. I’d even tried inviting him out with us, but he’d turned me down every time. I hadn’t bothered too much with it then. I wasn’t going to fight for Kevin’s friendship when I’d been trying to get rid of him for over half a decade.

He still talked to Kenny sometimes but he never tried to get Orion’s attention anymore. Orion wasn’t complaining. He had never liked Kevin and was glad that the boy had finally gotten the hint.

But with so much time passed since Kevin and I had hung out, I felt like I’d missed something important. Something had happened to him. He’d changed on the inside.

He’d started keeping to himself these days last time I saw. He had dropped us, but he didn’t start hanging out with anyone else as far as I knew. He’d turned into a bit of a loner . It wasn’t a surprise considering how much teasing he’d suffered when we were kids. And that his only friends were three people who barely tolerated him didn’t help.

Despite that, I knew him. It didn’t matter that we didn’t hang out together anymore. We used to spend all of our time together at school. I knew him better than most.

Never in all of my time of knowing him had anyone been able to get through to Kevin. All of the insults and teasing seemed to just go over his head. And yet all those two boys had said was ‘Good afternoon’ and he looked as if they had done him every wrong possible.

His cheeks, eyes and nose were red. He looked like he’d been crying all day if not all day and night. His green eyes sparkled with unshed tears. Yet despite his distress, he was a rock. His hands were gripped around his books, his jaw was clenched and his eyes stared at the two boys with so much mingled loathing and hurt that his gaze burned me even when it wasn’t aimed my way.

I felt Orion elbow me and motion for me to follow as Kevin left. The two guys’ laughter followed us as we walked away. It sounded cruel when combined. I had no idea why they were laughing, but I wanted to punch them both in the face anyways. Whatever the inside joke was, Kevin was the butt of it and it was eating at him.

He was heading to the bathroom at a brisk pace and Orion and I shared a glance before continuing behind him. As we bent the corner and entered the restroom, there were several loud thumps and we heard him let out a filthy string of words. I blinked in shock. Well someone's vocabulary's changed.

The Kevin I knew never swore. Orion turned to me and mouthed ‘Damn’ before walking within sight of him.

Apparently Kevin had flung his books against the wall upon walking inside. Open texts were strewn nearby. He didn't seem to mind them. We watched as he paced up and down shaking his hands as if trying to flick water off them. I could tell by his strides that he was pissed off. His fingers flexed as if to keep his hands from fisting and hitting something. His bowed face ensured that he didn’t notice us.

“Are you alright?” I asked.

Kevin stopped pacing and looked at me. His gaze turned on Orion and there was such coldness in it that even Orion had to take a step backwards. “I’m fine,” he said his eyes still on Orion. As much as he was holding himself together, I caught the hitch in his voice.

“Dude, come on. What’s up? You can talk to us,” I said coming closer to him and ignoring his fight-or-flight stance.

“Can I?”

“What?”

“Can I really talk to you?” he glared at me, “It seems like your new little group of friends thinks that turning on me is some kind of twisted ass sport.”

“Does this have anything to do with—?”

“It doesn’t matter who did what. What was done, was done. Neither of you can change that,” he said sighing, “You can’t erase it, you can’t help me forget it, you can’t do anything to help. Thank you for your concern, really, but I can handle myself.”

“What did they do, Kevin?” Orion asked.

“I’m not getting between you and your friends,” he said.

“What did they do?” Orion put more force behind the words lacing it with the dominance of the wolf, “I need to know what happens with the members in my future Pack if it's serious.”

“No,” Kevin gritted out though his face was now downturned from the sheer strength of the dominance display.

“Sorry, what?” Orion’s eyebrows raised. No one ever disobeyed the dominance of his wolf. Pack or not.

“Yeah, that's right. I said no. This has nothing to do with you or your damn Pack,” his eyes rose again with some effort and with more loathing than before, “Especially if you want to bully me into finding out what two bullies did.”

“I wasn’t bullying you,” Orion said quickly.

“Oh please. I’m human and you used your Chosen dominance to force me into doing what you wanted. What do you call that?” Kevin demanded, “What do you call puppeteering someone to get what you want? That's not fair. It's one thing to bully someone but taking away their free will is a bitch move."

"I didn't see it that way."

"Screw you, Orion. I’m sick and tired of you people always picking on me. What do you get out of it? When will you go torment someone else for once? Haven't I had enough?” the last words were almost silent. A near silent plea.

I felt bad not seeing that this was bound to happen at some point. It was always that he was Kevin. He was always the one being pranked, pushed around, bullied, teased, insulted, ridiculed or harassed. And still none of it seemed to bother him. Hell people tried extra hard to be mean just to see if they could get a rise out of him. Nothing worked. He just shrugged it off and moved on.

I should have known better. He was human. Of course that stuff got to him. Especially when he got it as often as he did. Especially when he got it for as long as he had. Having that crap buried for more than a decade was bound to get to him. It was a wonder that he hadn't tripped off before now. Heck even now he was controlled and logical. It wasn't all emotion and anger and frenzy. I felt like a terrible friend that I'd left him to fend for himself.

Kevin was about to move out of our way, but Orion stuck out his arm. He’d moved so fast that I didn’t realize when he had Kevin boxed into the bathroom corner. “I’m sorry I did that to you but I'm begging you. I honestly didn't mean anything by it. My wolf is strong. It just happens sometimes. Please, tell me what happened. What did they do?” he asked. Kevin swallowed but silently shook his head.

“Please? If they went too far this time I−.”

“No.”

“Please?”

“I said no.”

“Please?”

“I can’t,” his shoulders slumped under the weight of the word, "I can't."

“Please, Kevin?” Orion reached out and raised Kevin’s face so that he finally looked at him, “Please tell me.”

Kevin looked from one pale grey eye to the next. His lashes lowered in a slow blink and, finally, the tears fell. The silent pain in those tears took me aback. I hadn't expected them, and at the same time they were a long time coming. “No,” his voice broke, “Just…no.”

 Orion brushed the salted water from his cheeks and pulled him into a hug. He might not have liked Kevin once upon a time, and he might not have known him, but he was like an Alpha at heart. He protected and comforted. It was in his nature. He couldn’t help it any more than he could stop breathing. Chosen comforted using touch and, because of that and that alone, I didn’t question the chaste kiss Orion pressed to his mouth before pulling him back into his hold. I'd seen Asher do it many times. I'd seen Aunty do it herself.

Kevin looked at me over Orion’s shoulder, blinking in shock. Tears clung to his lashes and he batted them away. I smiled at my old friend. Our eyes met and I saw his acceptance before he shut his eyes and cried silently. It had been pent up for far too long. Even I had the urge to take over. Share the touch of Pack with a kiss and lend the comfort he needed.

If anything could have broken Kevin’s walls, it was that tiny kiss. It was something meant for Packmates. Kevin was human to Orion’s future Alpha. For Orion to kiss him to comfort him like a Packmate was a show of care and acceptance that no words could truly express.

And I didn’t blame Orion either. That look on Kevin’s face when the tears fell tore at me too. He seemed so broken and lonely. So shredded to pieces.

He sniffled and pulled away from the hold. Orion let him. Because as much as Orion felt the need to comfort, it wasn’t his place. He and Kevin weren’t friends or Packmates. He had no right to demand anything from him. So as much as I saw the reluctance in his eyes, Orion stepped aside and let Kevin walk past us.

He washed his face with the cold water and scrubbed his face clean of the tear tracks on his cheeks. After he dried his face and hands, he took a deep breath to calm himself. His walls went up before our eyes again. He grabbed his books, turned to us and forced a smile. “Thank you for that. Can I ask you both a few favors?” he said and continued after we nodded, “Don’t mention this again. Don’t ask how I’m doing. Pretend today never happened. And please, don’t confront the other two guys. It’s not worth it.”

“I have to confront them,” Orion shook his head, “I can agree to everything else.”

“You don’t understand what happened. You’re not in a position to assume you can deal with it. Let it go. It'll make things easier for me.”

“…fine. But if whatever happened happens again, I’m kicking both of their behinds. No questions asked.”

“And I’ll help him do it,” I scowled.

“Don’t worry. That will never happen again. I won’t make the same mistake three times,” he said and left.

We waited until he’d left before letting out a sigh. “I hate this,” Orion grumbled, “Whatever those two did, it had to be bad. I’ve heard people say the worst things to that kid and he never flinched. Look at him. He looked so defeated.”

“Does he?” I asked.

“How can you ask that?”

“Because he didn’t look defeated to me. He looked stronger. Whatever they did to him killed him a little on the inside. He got burnt. He’s hurt. But he came out of it stronger. More determined. Our little phoenix.”

“I guess you’re right. I still don’t like this.”

“He needs to fight his own battles. Let him. He’ll be fine. That guy is not the same Kevin we used to know. He doesn’t need saving.”

Orion frowned but let the topic drop. We walked back to our class in silence, but I knew where his mind was. His protective instinct was a big part of him. It didn’t matter who the person was. It was something I liked about him. He made our younger Packmates feel safe. He wasn’t Alpha yet but he might as well have been.

“Come on,” I put an arm around his shoulder, “Let’s get you cheered up. I got my allowance this morning. I’ll treat you to pizza.” He smiled at that.

The bell rang on the way to class so we only had to grab our bags and leave. We were talking and laughing all the way down to Crusty’s. My arm was still slung around his shoulder and I ignored the one he had around my waist.

Pushing him into a booth I shot him a grin, “Meataholic pizza with extra cheese and extra bacon?” He gave a look that said ‘Duh’ loud and clear. Shaking my head, I dropped my bag into the opposite seat and went over to the cashier to place the order.

By the time I was back, Orion had his things out already getting started on his homework. I looked at the scattered books with disdain. “Ew. Homework in a pizza place, Ri?” I picked up a stray worksheet with the tips of my fingers, “I think I’m gonna upchuck.” He rolled his eyes at me and continued to write. “Seriously. I think it’s coming,” I held my stomach, “Really. It’s coming.”

“Tell me if it’s a boy or a girl when you’re done,” he smirked and turned a page of his text book. I pouted. “You could get started on your stuff too. You know that after we’re done here, we have to go back to my house. And after my dad’s done with you, you won’t be able to tell left from right. You’ll be asleep before you even remember to finish this for tomorrow.”

“You’re almost as bad as Richie when it comes to this stuff,” I grumbled. Grabbing my bag, I pulled my books out and got started too. Feeling eyes on me, I looked up to see Orion frowning a little.

“Sweet Ahmose, Ri. Not that again,” I groaned.

“Maybe you don’t hear it, but I do.”

“I told you that it’s not like that.”

“You like him. A lot. It’s in your voice every time you say his name,” he went back to his work, “Denying it won’t change that.”

“I’m not having this conversation with you. I don’t like Richie.”

“See? There it is again.”

I ignored him. I wouldn’t admit that to him. Those feelings were private. It didn’t matter that I trained with him. It didn’t matter than I went out for pizza and games with him. It didn’t matter than we hung out in school once in a while. It definitely didn’t matter that I flirted with him for the hell of it. Orion and I were friends in the shallowest sense. I didn’t confide in him. That level of trust wasn’t there.

My feelings for Richie were mine to deal with. No one else knew about it and I didn’t like that Orion had figured it out. It irritated me. That he kept bringing it up whenever he noticed it downright pissed me off.

My wolf growled low at him. Those feelings were ours and private. Neither of us liked when Orion was on this train of thought because it usually came with the low blow comment; ‘When last have you two even talked?’

The answer was simple. Since our last fight months ago. In the beginning, I just didn’t want to face him. So I ignored his calls. And then he just stopped altogether. That had bothered me more than I was willing to admit. After that I’d tried to get onto him a few times. It always rang out.

Now we didn’t talk at all. Not recently.

The simple thing to do would have been to forget about him and move on. Orion obviously had enough of a crush to want to try to have something between us. And I flirted with him all the time. He was a nice guy, fun to hang out with and a damn good Alpha-to-be. Orion was even nearer to my age and Chosen. He was as good a choice as any. The best choice really if not the obvious one. But I couldn’t do it. He’d be a rebound and nothing more.

He didn’t have the same effect on me. When he said my name, my heart didn’t lurch forward. I didn’t miss him only two minutes after we stopped talking. He didn’t have my stomach in knots just thinking about him. He didn't say 'Nye' and make everything alright. He didn't make me sound like a cheesey greeting card, trying to explain this. He wasn't my big dope.

Orion was convenient, but he wasn’t who I needed. I didn’t crave him until my own wolf started going insane. He wasn’t the person on my mind when I woke up at two in the morning with an empty ache in my chest. I didn’t love him. I wasn't in love with him.

So I didn’t respond to his comment. I didn’t even entertain the idea of my feelings for Richie aloud. Especially when he decided to get all bitter about it.

It was strange that I’d resent him for noticing my feelings, when he was the one who made me realize that I wasn’t fully straight. His constant teasing and flirting had made me curious. I hadn’t been disgusted by his come-ons and I definitely had fun flirting back.

It opened my eyes to the idea that maybe I might be interested in not only girls but guys too. I’d accepted a few dates and kissed another few, and found that my body responded the same to guys.

He didn’t seem to like that I’d strayed from him. He wasn’t the only one I flirted with anymore. I did it more for the fun of it than anything else −like anyone who flirted − but Orion wasn’t happy about it anyway.

Our pizza came soon enough and, as usual, we were back to our cheerful selves again. Bacon always brought guys together. We dug in and started joking around again and the mood lightened in no time. Kenny came into work a bit later and she waved at us on her way in. She chatted at our table for a while before her father called her to check on some tables.

When we were done, I whooped Orion’s behind in a few rounds in the video game and we headed back to his house. We strolled there, still a little full from the pizza. We barely had the energy to walk.

By the time we got into the house, Asher was standing in the hallway glowering down at us. We flinched simultaneously. Asher White was the physical embodiment of what an Alpha would look like at forty.

He was tall, imposing and of a fairly strapping build. His eyes were wolf white, his hair naturally platinum blonde and his beard and mustache matched it. I knew that his hair matched his wolf’s fur perfectly and I felt the animal’s annoyance inside him. It made me nervous considering the fact that he could put me on my backside before I even realized that he’d moved. It also didn’t help that scarfing down so much meat, cheese and pizza was starting to make me a little queasy.

“Hey, dad,” Orion said with a sheepish smile, “Sorry we’re late.”

“Hey, Mr. White,” I piped up.

“You two are three hours late.”

“Oh yeah,” I rubbed my fingers across my nape, “about that…”

“We just went to get a bite to eat and it took a little longer than we expected.”

“Is that why you smell like burnt pizza crust?”

“Damn it,” we muttered.

“Yes,” he scowled, “I thought I told you no pizza during training periods. Especially before a workout.”

“Aw come on, dad. We only had a little bit,” Orion protested, “It wasn’t even that oily.”

“Plus we added fruit.  We had extra pineapples and everything. Honest,” I looked up at the taller man.

“And I bet there was extra cheese and bacon too, right?” he glared at us.

“Umm…” we shared a glance, shuffling our feet with bowed heads.

Asher looked to the ceiling with a deep sigh. “I truly hope you guys had fun, because today I’m going to make training even more brutal than I’d planned,” he turned his gaze on both of us. Orion swore under his breath.

If he felt anything like me, a regular training session was out of the question. A brutal one by Asher’s standard might possibly make us pass out.

Faces glum, we dragged our feet as we followed Asher to his car. We pouted for the entire ride, avoiding his accusing eyes in the rear view mirror. I swear I don’t know how Orion lived with that man. Asher had eyes that made you feel as if he could see right through you and into your thoughts. And the fact that no one really understood the mind of an Alpha just made it seem more possible.

When we got out of the car, we were at the den. No one but the Chosen knew about it. Even the human villagers who had Chosen family didn’t know where the den was.

It was an underground structure that the early Chosen settlers had created. It was old but extremely sound. Over the years, the den had been touched up here and there but it still had that close-to-nature feel about it. My wolf loved it down here. The den brought me closer to my animal side oddly enough.

The entrance was well hidden but simple enough to get into once you knew exactly where to go. When we got inside, we had to walk down a long slope and then through a winding passageway. The entire place was well lit, hinting at the human side of the inhabitants.

Orion and I relaxed considerably the deeper we went through the tunnels. Asher had explained a long time ago that very strong wolves felt more comfortable when they were in less civilized situations. It was why Orion and I preferred going off for a run for hours as opposed to staying home to relax. Why we could sleep and eat on the floor rather than furniture and not think anything of it.

Even now I felt my animal’s heart lighten. I smiled as he rubbed his nose against my skin. I reached into my mind and ruffled his fur the way he liked, rubbing behind his ear. His joy shot through my own heart. I massaged my chest from the strength of it. I knew that it was nearing the time for me to take my medication judging by that strength of emotion.

At times the animal’s emotions would be so powerful that it would make me black out and forget full periods of time. My human mind was not built for this and the medication I’d been prescribed lasted half as long as it was supposed to. Lots of Chosen used the pills because it was the strongest of its kind, and yet it barely worked for me.

I had tried doubling the dosage but it made me dizzy and disoriented. After a week of that, I’d lost my appetite and started adding more pills to my dosage. Uncle Bert had been the one to see the signs and forced me to stop for a while. He kept hold of the medication now, giving me them in the perfect doses and only when I needed them.

Luckily I hadn’t gotten addicted to the medication, just overly dependent on them. If I’d been addicted to it, I would have had to detox and then stay away from the pills. I wouldn’t have been able to use it to regulate my emotions and that was the worst possibility.

We passed the den's cafeteria, the nursery and day care for the cubs, the locker rooms, the conference room and the tunnels leading to the bunkers where people slept. Down to the end, the tunnel we were going down opened up into an underground arena of sorts.

“Warm up. Fifty laps for Maynard and seventy for White in human form. Get to it,” Asher said pointing at the track. It wasn’t a professional track, but the many feet that had run laps in that spot had worn down the earth there.

Orion and I gave a sigh and pulled off our shoes. He knew very well that Asher went from father to Alpha the moment we got into the arena. There would be no mercy here.

We changed into training clothes and got ready to run. The first thirty laps weren’t too bad. By the fortieth lap, we were struggling to make it. The fiftieth lap had me almost crawling to the end. Orion was swearing his head off by the time I dragged myself off to meet Asher again.

“I never want to see pizza again,” I panted with my hands on my knees.

“By the end of today, you’ll never want to see Crusty’s again,” he said, “Grab some water and meet me in the middle.”

I gulped as much as I could, trying not to throw up. Meat, oil and laps did not mix. I looked up and regretted it. Asher was calling me to join him. Jogging over, I braced myself for whatever evil he was going to start me off with today.

“Yes, sir?” I said.

“Have a seat, Maynard.”

“Sir?”

“A seat,” he motioned to the ground, “I want to talk to you.”

“About what?” I asked once he’d joined me and showed me a few stretches to get started on.

“School, life, friends, everything.”

“I’m sorry, what?” I raised a brow.

“How is school going lately? Are you actually going now?”

“Yes, sir,” I blushed at the memory of the past year, “I haven’t skipped school since the day I found Evangeline.”

“Good,” he gave me a smile, “That’s good to hear.”

I didn’t say anything but I felt my wolf’s pride. He liked when his Alpha was happy with me and, by extension, him. I didn’t blame him. We liked Asher. He was strict and sometimes downright mean during his training, but he cared about each and every one of us. He wanted the best for us and he loved his Packmates in the simplest way; with everything in him yet wanting nothing from us in return.

His disappointment had a way of cutting you off at the knees. It made you feel weak. Unworthy of his care and concern. It was a knife to the chest to know that he cared about us regardless of how much we let him down.

Asher was no cotton candy and rainbows sort of man, but when he decided that you were worth it he fought like hell for you. It didn’t matter if we showed him time and time again that we didn’t deserve it. He would still stick by you. And for that he’d earned the love and loyalty of both me and my wolf.

“And how are things with you and your friends?” he asked.

“I don’t hang out with Preston and his friends anymore,” I gave him the answer to the question he really wanted to know.

 “Really? Completely cut yourself off from them?” he pursed his lips in that way he did when he doubted something.

“Yes completely. I’m dealing with my problems the old fashion way.”

“By pummeling the punching bags?”

I laughed at the not so subtle hint and made my way over to the punching bags. We continued our conversation there. I let out measured punches aimed at building muscle and keeping good form.

“So who are you hanging out with now?” he asked holding the punching bag in place for me.

“Orion obviously. And Kenny.”

“I see. I’ve heard that you rarely hang out with them.”

“Orion been gossiping to you about me?” I let out two jabs that might break a person’s jaw.

“I asked him directly,” he frowned, “Don’t try to change the topic.”

“So what if I don’t spend every waking hour with them? Is that a crime now?”

“No. It isn’t,” he frowned at my now noticeably violent jabs and punches, “When last have you talked to Richard?”

“Stop,” I dropped my hands and glared up at him, “We don’t go there. Ever. That topic is off the discussion list.”

“Touchy subject?”

“Next question,” I growled.

“Come on, Maynard. I’m your Alpha. We talk about everything. School, family, Pack, friends, crushes, sex. You told me first when you thought you might be bi. You come to me with almost everything. Why is Richard such an off limits topic?”

“Because he is, alright? Just drop it.”

“Talk to me. You don’t have a problem telling me about your other friends. Richard is your best friend—.”

“Asher,” I scowled at him.

“You don’t trust me anymore?”

I didn’t answer him. I wasn’t in the mood for him trying to guilt me into this. I’d done a pretty good job so far of keeping Richie’s lack of contact from my mind. My wolf had been pacified each time thoughts of him popped up. With semi-defective pills keeping the animal in check, all I had to do was re-direct my thoughts when it got into dangerous territory. Asher wanted to rip the band aid off and it was too early.

I waited patiently for him to start the newest exercise. Orion had joined us now so we both went through the training course together. There were walls to scale, ropes to climb and swing from, fences to skirt under and obstacles to get through. Orion and I were covered in mud and water by the end of it all but we had survived our daily training.

Never mind that our hands were blistered and our knees scraped. My pounding headache and nausea didn’t matter either. We were done and that was that.

We went to the locker rooms and showered there. It took a while before I felt remotely clean again. When I got out, Orion was already half dressed and rubbing a towel over his head.

“I can feel your eyes on me,” I said with my back turned to him. He let out a low chuckle. I rolled my eyes and slipped into a pair of underwear and jeans. “Bloody shameless,” I shot him a look and pulled my shirt over my head. He let out a full laugh this time and stood up beside me. He leaned over and landed a kiss on my jaw before leading the way out, still laughing.

I tried not to feel disappointed when I felt nothing. It was nice. I could learn to like it. But no tingles, no butterflies, nothing. Damn shame.

I followed him outside where Asher was waiting in the car. The Whites dropped me off at my house and left. Backpack on my shoulder, I looked up at the porch. I really didn’t feel like going inside. Not yet.

The bus. I watched it roll up the street and I checked my bag for tickets. I had two pairs. Enough to get to town and back. Making a split second decision, I stuck out my hand and waited for the bus to stop for me. When it did, I got on and settled into a seat.

I sent both my aunt and uncle identical text messages telling them that I was going to visit my parents. I had my town pass in my bag. I could go over and see them for a little while. Having my mom fuss over me was just what I needed. I couldn’t wait to see them both.

The bus was cold and cozy. It was really quiet and the only other person on board was an old lady reading a spy novel. I settled further into my seat and looked outside.

My wolf was up and about, nuzzling against my skin. I went deep into my mind and held him close. His presence was a warm, furry thing. He licked at me and gave a soft huff. It was times like this, when he wasn’t angry or hurting, that I was truly happy to have him around. He was the sweetest animal and he cared so deeply for me. It was a mutual affection.

We stayed like that for the entire ride, just enjoying each other’s company.

When the bus stopped, I had the oddest feeling of contentment multiplied by two. I felt invincible. As if nothing could break my spirit. That was the power of the wolf. The positive emotions were just as strong. Pulling out my pass, I put it around my neck and walked the few blocks to my parents’ apartment.

On my way to the fourth block, I felt a strange sensation in my stomach. I stopped walking. There was an odd twisting and turning. Is it that pizza that’s still making me feel off? The swirling didn’t stop, but instead it quickened.

I checked on my wolf to see if it was alright. He was curled up in a ball whining softly. What’s wrong, dude? You alright? He stood up and pressed against my mind. It was what he did every time he wanted to get out. I scoffed at the idea. A wolf in town. The people would not be happy wit that.

Ignoring him, I continued on my way to my parents’ house. I figured I’d just go tell mom that I had a tummy ache and she’d pet and pamper the heck out of me. Ginger ale and crackers and tea and the works. Yep. Time for my mummy to spoil me rotten. That cheered me up enough to ignore the turning in my stomach.

Some people passing me on the streets gave me weird glances. I supposed the huge grin didn’t help. It had been too long since I’d visited my parents and I looked forward to it.

 A lunging sensation made me stop and hold my stomach. My head throbbed from the headache I’d had earlier. It was the oddest feeling.

It was gradual but I felt myself growing dizzier and dizzier before my vision clouded over. Panicking, I leaned against a wall for support. From around the edges, my eyesight darkened. The world around me began to disappear. Fear had me in a chokehold. What the hell is this? I…I can’t see! My hands went to my eyes, but I felt that they were open.

All of a sudden my mind felt as if it was going through a vacuum. The suction pulled on it until I had no idea what was going on around me. Everything was confused. There were screams around me but I couldn’t see anything.

My body ached now. There was pain. Such excruciating pain. So much agony. I wasn’t sure but I think my screams joined the ones around me. My limbs were reforming and shifting into new ways. Bones and skin moved around each other. It hurt everywhere. My body jerked this way and that. My face felt as if it was being stretched, broken and restructured again.

And then there was the feeling of warmth. Something was growing from my pores. It was the creepiest feeling I’d ever had. I couldn’t make sense of any of it. Everything was happening too suddenly.

Then it was over. Just like that.

I was breathing heavily now. My eyesight had cleared and I felt dazed. I automatically searched for my wolf in my mind the way a mother would check on her child in the aftermath of any incident. What I found scared me more than anything else. I couldn’t find my wolf in my mind.

I felt my cheek being petted by some phantom paw. Startled, I concentrated on that. Yes. A patting paw. Blinking, I realized that my eyesight was different. I was seeing a lot clearer in the dark and there were a group of humans snapping photos with their phones at me. I realized a second later that every one of them was taller than me. Considerably so.

My heart leapt into my throat. It was so obvious that I had to blame the shock for me not figuring it out earlier.

I had just shifted for the first time.

I’d been warned that the first time was always the most painful. I knew that it would happen without any warning. I’d been prepared for it all. And yet I hadn’t.

No one had mentioned how off kilter you felt afterwards. No one told me how odd it was to watch the world through the wolf’s eyes. How worried you felt over having the wolf out in the world on his own without your guidance.

I knew I’d taught him what he could and couldn’t do, but that was under my supervision. What would happen now that I had hardly any control over him?

The wolf took one shaky step forward and stumbled a little. His second step was more confident. His third sent him sprawling on the ground in a furry heap. My heart went out to him at his yelp. I’m here. It’s okay. I’m right here. He calmed a little and got back up to his feet, wobbly but determined. A surge of pride flared in me.

“Doggie!” a kid yelled and came over to him. The wolf tipped his head to the side and looked at the small girl. She was maybe seven or eight. Her father came to grab her but she was too fast.

The crowd gasped and stepped away. She held out her hand and the wolf licked it. She reached for the animal’s neck and read the pass hanging around his neck. It had my parents’ address on it. “Daddy let’s take him home,” she said pointing at the pass.

The father looked at the wolf and then his daughter before giving a great big sigh. “Come on – er – Danyel?” he said peering at the pass, “Quick before those people pull out the pitchforks and make you into a fur coat.” The girl grabbed my book bag and put it on her back.

He didn’t have to say it twice. The wolf titter-tottered along after him. Once the disorienting dizziness cleared, he managed to walk alright. I felt the nervousness inside me. I’d been waiting for this to happen but it was different to experience it.

Our procession walked the next two blocks to the wide eyed stares of many. Not many pure humans had ever seen a real Chosen after a shift. They’d been taught that we were dangerous. Watching the little girl toying with my ear as if I were a regular old pet was astonishing for them.

I knew that the wolf wouldn’t have allowed any old stranger to touch him like that, but he let her. The answer filtered into my mind as if he was responding to me. He trusted them. Because out of the many bystanders, they came forth and tried to help. With the growing animosity toward Chosen in the town, those two were needles in a haystack factory.

I had no human body anymore. I was no more than a presence living inside the wolf. A soul linked to his, yet living life through his control. He and I essentially switched places.

I was pleased to find that there was at least one thing familiar about this situation. The mental link between my animal and I was the same as usual, only reversed. Either way, it was something I was used to. Everything else was so surreal.

Even the girl’s petting felt odd. It wasn’t my body but I felt the tiny hand smoothing over my fur. It felt like the wolf equivalent of a back massage. I felt as if I could just stretch and roll around in the sensation. It was a very wolfy reaction but it was true. I was growing lazy and content with the petting.

Finally we got to the apartments. The father knocked on the door for us and waited for someone to come. We didn’t have long to wait. Dad answered the door and blinked at the three of us. It wasn’t everyday that you saw two pure humans at your door at eight in the night with a wolf.

The man told dad good night and went on to explain what he’d seen with a little help from his girl. She piped up every now and then with some inconsequential detail like how cute I was or how big and fluffy I looked.

Dad turned to me and our eyes locked. He got down on his knees and reached out a tentative hand. I rolled my eyes. Of course my wolf wouldn’t attack him. He knew him. Loved him even.

The man handed over the bag and bid us good night while the girl kissed the top of my head before slipping away after her own father.

My wolf turned his attention back to our own father. There were tears in his eyes but he was beaming. “My boy! My boy finally shifted!” he choked out. His arms wrapped around my neck and his fingers clutched my long fur. I smiled to myself. I knew he’d been worried about the uncertainty of this Dormant Chosen situation. It was kind of nice to see his relief.

When he’d pulled himself together, he brought me inside and called mummy. At first she was surprised to see the wolf in her living room, but after daddy explained it all she was all over me in a flash.

I wanted to say ‘Good gracious woman, get a grip’, but I couldn’t talk in this form and my animal was enjoying the attention. He’d been starved of it for so long that I let him have his moment.

He’d been trapped, ignored and starved of the touch-affection that made a wolf feel like a wolf. The poor thing had been denied group runs and being able to shift and hunt and do all the stuff his Packmates got to do. It had been a prison for him. He deserved better than that. I was happy for him and I let him feel that joy. I knew the moment he did. He gave a soft whine and reached into his mind to nose at me.

We turned our attention to mummy at the sound of her babbling. She was calling everyone with an ear and a cell phone. Hell she was telling the story like she had been there. My father got out his own phone to call my aunt and uncle and I could hear my aunty squealing away.

The wolf prowled around the room, getting used to its legs and I let him. He was so happy. I hadn’t felt him this happy since the night I’d become Chosen officially. His heart was light and there was no bitterness in him anymore. The part of him that resented me for my inability to shift had gone. I hadn’t even really noticed it until it had vanished.

Getting an idea, I urged him to go to my room. He listened and padded through the house to the soundtrack of my mother’s aww-ing and ahh-ing.

The animal went over to the full length mirror and froze. You’re gorgeous. The animal bowed his head in a bashful movement. No, really. You are. He ruffled his fur at my praise putting a paw over his face. I laughed. It was almost like he was blushing.

He was a large wolf for his age. He was possibly bigger than Orion’s if not the same size. He looked pretty strong too. As if he had a great leap and lunging muscles. His coat was pitch black with caramel brown and sienna threading into his fur. Without a doubt he’d be well hidden in the forest at night. His eyes were slanted upwards and the color was straight out of a diamond collection. It was gold and yet crystalline. He was the most gorgeous wolf I’d ever seen and he was mine.

I felt his ears prick up at the sounds of new voices. Curious, he tottered down the hallway and peered around the corner. “Danny!” Uncle spotted me and came over. Unlike daddy, he knew the wolf would accept him without question. They had a bond beyond Pack. They had familial ties between wolves.

My own animal ran over and leapt onto him. He rest his head on Uncle’s shoulder and nipped at his ear with affection. Uncle chuckled and hugged him tight. This was the first Packmate to hold the wolf since his shift and the animal’s heart soared at that connection. It brought a smile to my face.

Aunty joined in soon after. I sensed the gentleness of her wolf as opposed to the dominant wildness of Uncle’s. Hers was a submissive and tended to lend some calm to even the wildest animals.

That night, we decided to stay in the town. Aunty and Uncle took my room while the wolf slept in the living room near the door. He lay nose to tail in our second form and slept more comfortably than we ever had in a bed. This felt so much more natural.

The next morning, he got up early and stretched his legs smacking his jaws.

Tired of being in my second form, I pushed for him to shift back. Reluctantly, he retreated into his mind and I felt the swap as my presence went through the vacuum sensation. I felt compressed from all different angles and then a powerful pull in the back of my mind. It was mildly suffocating but so liberating too.

Just as soon as it started, it ended.

I was back in my human form and the animal was tucked away safe in my head. He felt as disoriented as I had during the first shift. He growled a little at that as if it was my fault somehow. I mentally pat his head and was surprised at how little effort it took to reach out to him. All I had to do was think of myself patting him and it happened. This is going to make things easier.

It was so hard to keep the grin from my face. I wanted to run outside and go do all the stuff I hadn’t gotten to before. I wanted to tell Asher and Orion and Kenny and Richie. I bit my lip at the mention of his name. Oh my Ahmose. I haven’t told Richie yet! He’ll eat his shoe when he finds out.

He’d been anxious for this day about as much as I was. I knew he’d get a kick out of being the first person I’d told.

I jogged into my room to go get my phone but Aunty caught me as I was rummaging through my bag. I remembered seeing the man put my phone into my backpack after my clothes were torn to shreds in the shift.

“No no no,” she took the cell from my hand and tossed it on the bed, “Talk to your friends later.”

“But Aunty,” I whined.

“Right now, you’re going to take a shower and I’m going to make us a huge breakfast to celebrate.”

“Oh fine.”

“Stop pouting. Asher is coming by soon so go get ready.”

“What about school?”

“No school for you today,” she said.

She was still talking but after I heard ‘no school’ the angels broke into song and pretty much drowned out everything else. I’d been waiting years to hear those words.

Deciding that I could call Richie later, I went to take my shower. In retrospect, I don’t think calling him at this hour would be best. He wasn’t a morning person and it was one in the morning where he was. The man wouldn’t hear a thing unless he’d at least had his hot chocolate first…assuming he still drank that.

By the time I was clean and dressed, Aunty was still cooking and Asher hadn’t shown up yet. I went into the kitchen to help her out and saw mountains of food waiting.

There was French toast, fried sausages, scrambled eggs, little toast triangles with melted cheese and roast beef on top, fruit salad and freshly squeezed juice. It looked like a hotel kitchen and a bed and breakfast had a lovechild and gave birth to our little kitchen. Damn. My wolf was supremely pleased that this was all for him. I rolled my eyes at him but he didn’t care. He was getting some long deserved attention and he was owning it.

Daddy answered the door when the knock sounded. A moment later he returned with Asher, Orion, Kenny and her mom in tow. I wasn’t surprised as Kenny’s mother was the medic who’d handled my case from the beginning. She hugged me and gave me my congratulations before Asher got his turn.

He came over and shook my hand before pulling me into a huge hug. “I’m proud of you kiddo,” he said, “I knew you’d come around.” In that moment, the bond between Pack and Alpha felt so strong that I had to pull away. I felt linked to him so deeply that it was hard to recall a time when we hadn’t been bonded like that. I would become dependent on that bond one day. That connection was one as strong as family.

For the first time I really understood why any Packmate would stand in front of a bullet for Asher. I’d always felt close to him, but now it was different. I was now connected to my wolf enough to appreciate what it was like to have an Alpha.

Kenny’s mother ran a few tests on me confirming that, finally, my body had altered from its purely human state. My temperature was higher now. Regular for a Chosen body. My blood pressure was higher. She took some blood and tested my reflexes at the knee. When she’d gone through all the basic testing, she gave me an excited smile and sent me off for food.

Over breakfast Kenny and Orion questioned me and were bubbling with excitement. Really. They were bouncing around in their seats and everything. They were even more psyched than I was.

After breakfast they talked me into shifting for them. I didn’t want to at first but Asher promised that the more I did it, the less it would hurt. My body just needed to get used to something as new as shifting from human to animal and back.

They all crowded around to pet the wolf and fawn over him. In the end, Orion, Kenny, Asher, Aunty and Uncle had shifted so that the wolves could all meet personally. My wolf seemed to be smitten by Kenny’s. They played and romped like the pups did in the day care down in the den.

After I pinned Orion’s wolf for the third time, Asher made us shift back. We were beginning to ruin the carpets with our wildness.

Warm and exhilarated, I went to my room. Kenny and Orion had followed and took perch on my bed. Grabbing my phone, I dialed Richie’s number barely containing my excitement. The other two were grinning like idiots too, waiting for him to come on so that they could all be excited for me together.

The first time, the phone rang and rang. I didn’t pay too much attention to it. It was six in the morning where Richie was after all. I called a second time and the same thing happened. Is he really not going to answer? I frowned and called a third time.

When the phone picked up, my grin slipped back on.

“Hey, Richie!” I started.

“What the hell do you want?”

“Um…hello? Who’s this?” I glanced at the phone and put it back to my ear.

“It doesn’t matter,” the girl growled, “We are hungover, we are tired and it is six in the flippin’ morning. How many times do we need to ignore your calls?”

“No need to be mean about it,” a male murmured in the background.

“Shut up,” she snapped, “Look kid, Richard is in college and you are in what – er – high school maybe? Either way, he’s a big boy now. So go along and play with your toys and little kid friends and leave the man be. He’s too nice to tell you this himself, but I’m not and someone has to. Stop calling so that we won’t have to ignore you. Damn man. Grow up and get a life already.”

The phone cut off and I sat there in stunned silence. I had no idea who the girl was or why she was in Richie’s room at six in the morning, but the very fact that she was there bothered me. Who was the guy in the background? Where was Richie? Why'd she have his phone?

On top of that, I couldn’t shake the feeling that I’d gotten when she’d talked to me. It was a slap. I knew Richie. He cared about me. She didn’t. She was just tired and cranky. He didn’t think those things. We’d known each other for too long

But some of those words got to me.

What did she mean ignore my calls? I’d called him a lot of times in the past two weeks but he hadn’t answered once. Usually he would have gotten back to me by now, but he hadn’t bothered. I’d convinced myself that he was just too busy but now that excuse seemed pretty lame at this point. He clearly had the time to go out and get wasted with some mean drunk of a girl. Why couldn’t he have sent a message or call me back? Was he really ignoring me? It seemed as likely as it was unlikely. I was basing everything on the Richie who had left, not the one she knew now personally.

An even more twisted idea occurred to me. Please tell me she isn’t the new Eliza. I’d been convinced that Eliza would have been the girl to change him. The one to make him realize that he’d outgrown being best friends with children and was too old for hanging out with me the way we used to.

After they had broken up, I’d thought that I didn’t have to worry about that anymore. After all, that only seemed to happen with thirteen to sixteen year olds. He was nineteen now. But it wasn’t impossible.

Our calls used to be few and far between. Then they'd gotten rare and half of the time, we were fighting. And if we weren’t fighting, Richie was leaving to go to bed or work or class. We’d grown distant over the years. I hated it, but there was nothing to do about it miles away because he wouldn’t answer my calls and he refused to get back to me.

She might have been a total swine about it, but the girl on the phone was right to some extent. If Richie really wanted to talk to me, he’d call. Until then, he wasn’t hearing from me. He knew my number if he wanted to contact me. If he wanted to talk, it would be on his terms not mine. The fight for our friendship shouldn’t have to be this one-sided.

Again, the girl was right. It was about time that I grew up and got out on my own. I couldn't trail after this guy all my life. It was kind of pathetic. I'm better than that. I'm my own person, not his shadow. It's such a waste to have a miracle like this happen and then have it go to waste. What was the point in pining away for some guy who couldn’t even be bothered to be there and happy for me when I needed it most? That wasn’t the friendship we used to have and it wasn’t one that I wanted either. From now on, it was his move.

Orion and Kenny were talking to me but I couldn’t hear them. I was too pissed off to try. I saw the concern on their faces but I didn’t want to talk to either of them. With their Chosen hearing, it wasn’t a question that they’d heard the entire conversation. I felt my face warm up. This is a good thing. We needed the wake up call.

I paced up and down the room trying to keep my temper in check. The ability to shift had solidified the connection between my wolf’s feelings and my own. Right now, we were both hurt and pissed and it seemed to grow with every step I paced.

Only the Chosen could go from rational to hotheaded in a heartbeat.

The animal’s presence in me felt as if it were pushing from the inside out. The force started from a flaming temper and from that core it spread out in waves. It slammed against my body but I didn’t dare release it. This fury was more than anything else I’d ever felt and the animal’s presence had never felt this strong. It swelled to an impossible size but it still remained inside me. I was a grenade with the pin pulled out. I could blow at any second but until then, I was bottled up and very dangerous.

How could he do that? Throw me aside as if I was nothing. Purposely pushing me away. Was that his out? Some coward's way rid himself of the little kid and I was too stupid to realize?

The thoughts of the animal slid over the rational human thoughts. The venting was angering him more than calming him. I was about to tell him he was wrong but the words filled my head.

Did he sit in his dorm with that Tommy guy laughing about how stupid the kid was that he didn’t get the hints? Had he been listening to the call and not said a thing? She even said that they ignored me. Maybe he was the guy in the background.

My hands fisted and I bared my teeth. That selfish, son of a—.

The door swung open and Asher scanned the room. “What the hell is going on in here? I felt someone’s wolf all the way outside. Danyel…” Asher’s eyes zeroed in on me but he started backing away, “Orion, Kenny, get out of this room.” Both glanced at me with fear in their eyes.

“Danyel, are you purposely doing this?” Asher asked.

“No," I said feeling the tremors through the floorboards, "I’m just a little bit irritated.”

“This is a little bit?” he scoffed.

“My wolf, on the other hand…”

“Ahh. I see. He's furious. Is he using his full strength?”

“I honestly don’t know,” I growled noticing the way my voice went inhuman on the word ‘don’t’, “but if I had to guess, I’d say he isn’t using half of his strength.”

“Ahmose,” he murmured, “Danyel I’m going to have to ask you to help me calm you down. You can’t do it on your own. There’s just too much raw energy running around in your animal’s presence.”

My wolf wasn't interested in him. It prowled inside me, the feeling of betrayal riding him. With the way he was feeling, I wondered if he had too much expectation in Richie. He was just one guy. Not a boyfriend. Not a Packmate. I wanted to ask why my animal was behaving like this.

“Why do people have to go away, Asher?” I asked instead in an oddly detached voice, “Why do they have to go and change?”

“I can’t say,” he replied inching closer with too much caution for a man of his strength.

“Why do things have to change?” I asked feeling the traitorous burn of prospective tears in my eyes, “Why is she good enough and not me?”

“I’m sure you’re fine,” he said now directly in front of me, “You’re good enough.”

“No I’m not,” I said with my voice taking on the rasp of the wolf.

The words weren’t mine. They came straight from the confused heart of the animal. He had been hurt by what the girl had said far more than I had been.

“He was mine. He is mine. Why is she good enough?” I whispered channeling his words again, “Why not me?”

“Kid…”

“Don’t call me that!” I snapped.

“Alright okay.”

The anger came from somewhere deep inside and boiled to a point where I felt as if the tiniest thing would trip off that temper. Kid was what she had called me. No one was allowed to call me that again.

The floor quaked the more the wolf pressed against me. It didn't hurt for once because now, his presence could be let out. He will always be ours. No matter what any bimbo friend of his says. We d−

Asher grabbed me without warning and pulled me into a crushing hold. I couldn’t move or shove him away. We felt his wolf lick at mine with worry and care. He was concerned as any Alpha wolf would be. The tears of the animal rolled down my cheeks. I felt its heart break and soul shatter. Touch comfort was more powerful than I'd thought. The animal settled in hurt and shame that his Alpha saw his loss of control.

It was such a small situation for my animal to be so hurt about, but there was no denying that he was taking it hard. I didn’t understand. Yes, Richie was our friend. Yes, we loved him in more ways than one. But he was acting as if he’d been betrayed in a far deeper way. He was overreacting. None of this made sense.

My head hurt from the tension building up. It was a sensation very similar to having a phantom force steadily growing and trying to smash my skull from the inside out. I could feel something like fracture lines cracking at the bone.

“You’re better off without him,” Asher murmured softly holding me still in his vice grip.

It was meant to soothe us, but it didn’t. In fact, the wolf rebelled against those words. He shook his head at what Asher was saying, refusing to believe it.

“You’re better off without Richard,” he said firmly.

The animal felt like clawing at his Alpha for even suggesting it. He put his snout into his paws refusing to accept what he was saying. Asher wasn’t allowed to say those things to him. He wouldn’t give up on what was his. What the hell does that mean?

“You are better off. Trust me, you are far better off.”

“Stop saying that!”

The force was dragged from inside, slipped out of me through the wolf’s presence and expanded to impossible distances. It was powerful enough to push Asher flat onto his back with a heavy nosebleed and blood trickling from his mouth. The bedroom wall had a large crack moving along it, the light bulb had exploded, the two bedside lamps shattered, the door burst into splinters and the bed collapsed in half under the strain. In half a second the room was destroyed.

The presence of my wolf was out and roaming in his temper. Asher pushed himself up with a shaky hand. “Danyel,” he murmured in awe and shock, “How did you manage that madness inside you for so long? Y-You’re…possibly three times more powerful than Orion. And you're not trained to handle it. Wait. Oh…not you.”

"What do you mean?" I asked, voice a bit hoarse now.

"My wolf always saw Orion's power but he never confirmed his status. He just confirmed yours."

"It's not Orion?" Kenny asked.

I turned to the now doorless entryway to see Orion and Kenny staring at me with awe too. It was one thing to gain the ability to shift. Something else entirely to learn that you had this kind of power. This future.

I was in shock. Enough for me to ignore the presence of the wolf still roaming around. Orion came toward me with caution. “You don’t have to have only Richard as a friend. You don’t have to replace him. You are allowed to have more than one best friend,” Orion said, "You can let us in. We're Packmates." Kenny nodded her agreement and took my hand in hers.

“Congratulations, future Alpha,” she said with a smile wiping the water dripping from my eyes.

"Thanks, Kenny."

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COMMENT!!!! lol I so want to hear the feedback for this. Go on a rant, send half a dozen comments, hahaha don't be shy darlings. I wanna hear. I love me some comments. Half the reason I check this site between stories. Gives me inspiration and such :) What did you think? Theories? Hunches? Wants/ Desires? 

Other than the fact that I did a double upload of my other story instead of doing the upload for this....well you read the chapter. You can see why there was a wait lol. Sorry anyways. Ily guys. So patient

You'll probably never get another upload this huge again because it's so difficult to do in a timeframe :/ but you'll always have this one.