TWIN SOUL-RESTORING WOLVES TECHNIQUE

18 FEBRUARY, THURSDAY, CONTINUED

"That," Dad said, he paused to spit out something red, "is the true nature of the Twin Soul-Devouring Wolves Technique. It would kill every living thing in its path."

And then Beta Lucas coughed into his fist, it sounded pretty bad, and I was starting to smell the blood, "It would also kill you a little bit at a time, every time you use it."

Ki immediately started glowing. Mate growled lowly and went over to examine them.

"Our fathers... they were as we said undefeated when they fought together." Dad continued, "The reason they are no longer with us today is only because they sacrificed themselves to protect the pack. Understand this, son. Not even your healing powers can fully undo the damage done each time you execute this technique. It's not to be used lightly. Only use it when you have not other options left. Only use it to protect what is most precious to you."

The four men turned to look at me again.

"If you knew it was so damaging, don't go demonstrating it randomly like that!" I scolded. I don't know why but I was upset. Upset to see Dad and Beta Lucas, their strong frames now slouched, the toll of the technique still etched on their faces. Mate was healing, I could feel his wolf power flowing at a steady rate. Ki was glowing quite brightly too. At the rate they were healing, they probably could've resurrected the dead.

"That's why your Dad said we would only do it once!" Beta Lucas answered like that made complete sense.

"No, you shouldn't have to do it at all!" I yelled back.

"Sam. It is better for a man to die, than be unable to protect his mate." Dad told me.

Okay, but Mum wasn't endangered, she wasn't even here! They were all grown men - all of them - even Bell (because he's 18), so what couldn't they take care of themselves better? Grrrr... my upset quickly gave way to good ol' anger. Grrrr.... I should just bite off all their heads and let them heal them back on.

"Alright. That's the best we can do." Bell said, "It's not completely impossible to reverse, but it would take multiple treatments over a long time."

"Knowing this, I'm surprised Alpha Silas and his Beta lived as long as they did." Ki remarked.

"We had a very remarkable healer." Dad grunted as he straightened up.

"Please try not to exert yourselves for the next few days." Ki quickly added.

"We're fine, we're fine." Dad mumbled, "You boys did a very good job."

"Yeah, man, the last time we did this, Alpha Kingsley and I were bedridden for a week!" Beta Lucas quipped.

Grrrr.... Since you know its like that, a live demonstration could've been replaced by... I don't know... another long lecture or something, or maybe another manual - Mate was good at deciphering those things. Just draw him a comic book to show him what it should look like!

This was madness! Was this why Henry, Bell, and popular opinion in general think Night Leaf was mad? Because tonight, my Dad was mad. And if Mum ever found out, I wasn't going to feel the tiniest bit sorry for him. I hope she made him regret it.

But madness had to be contagious because Bell said, "May we try it too? Just once."

And of course my Dad nodded, and Beta Lucas shrugged, "Why not? You can always heal yourself after that."

No he couldn't, didn't you guys just say that it was impossible to fully reverse the damage? And to not use it lightly? Why weren't you following your own words?

Why was I so mad? I don't know... I guess its because I still remembered riding on their broad backs as they went about their work in the pack. I remembered their constant advice and guidance. I remembered I was always safe - even when they had snuck me out on the back of their motorbikes. And it was killing me to see the two strongest, most responsible wolves in my life suddenly spitting out blood and unable to support their own weight because they were showing off some stupid technique in our basement.

It wasn't just our house that shook. I felt shaken too.

Dad came over to me, he rested a warm large hand on my head the way he always did. This was when I realized my wolf ears, they were out. In my upset, I had half shifted without even realizing it.

"Don't be afraid, Sam." Dad said,"Beta Lucas and I, your mate and Ki, we will make sure you will never have to use this technique."

"I'd rather none of you would ever have to use this!" I sulked.

Dad chuckled.

Why was I suddenly the sensible one?

Meanwhile Bell and Ki began the movements. Now that Ki only had to do the Beta parts, he had no problems with remembering the sequence. All he had to do was take his Alpha's lead. Which was probably the reason why it was called the Beta's Part. I guess both parts was created to suit the nature of the user.

It was quite a specific technique, made only for a true Alpha and his true Beta.

And then vhrooom! Suddenly Bell and Ki ended the set and with the last movement, two white wolves - like a blur or white noise, shot out and into the wall.

WTH was that?

Dad and Beta Lucas went over to inspect the wall immediately. The parts where the white wolves crashed into, had erased the black marks.

Meanwhile I was checking on Bell and Ki. Admittedly, mostly Bell. Ki was on full glow. Bell was growling low...

"You can spit it out." I told him. He took one look at me and swallowed. Then he adverted his gaze and coldly lied, "I'm fine."

Ki turned away to cough it out into his handkerchief. But like Dad and Beta Lucas, they righted themselves and were "fine" after a moment.

"What happened?" Beta Lucas gestured at the wall and then looked back at the two guys.

"Our wolves are white wolves." Bell answered, "Perhaps due to the different nature of our wolves, the technique produced a different result."

"Perhaps this is more of a Twin Soul-Restoring Wolves Technique." Ki offered.

Which made this technique even more specific than I thought. Not only could the Twin Soul-Devouring Wolves technique only be used by a True Alpha and his True Beta, they had to be black wolves, or else the effect would be different.

"Let me get this straight," Beta Lucas was still marveling at the wall, "Your powers can undo ours?"

Mate shrugged, "Theoretically, yes."

Which was one of those "yes AND no" or "yes BUT not exactly" kind of vague answers I was bad at dealing with.

Dad was frowning his thinking frown, and then he said, "We should have tried this outdoors, where we can see the effect on real living things."

My Dad was mad. Who knew?

And then Mate agreed, "True. I would have liked to measure the effects - in practice, it might not necessary mean that anything that was killed would necessarily be resurrected. It would be interesting to see what forms the partial healing would take on."

No, it was be grotesque.

Dad was still frowning his thinking frown, "Our technique isn't just a physical death, son. It devours the soul. So even if you healed the body, I'm not sure what you would have raised up."

"Hoo! You could end up calling up a whole army of undead wolves." Beta Lucas concluded.

Dad shook his head, "It is much easier to destroy than heal. Perhaps more of a partial healing..."

"So undead zombie wolves?" Beta Lucas suggested.

I shook my head, this madness must stop, "No, none of that is going to happen, because none of you are going to use this technique."

"Well, I suppose it doesn't make sense to waste our life force cancelling out each others' technique." I couldn't tell if Beta Lucas was not getting my point on purpose.

Now it was Mate's turn to pat my head. He stroked my ears, which turned out to be really sensitive so I swatted his hand away.

{Cute}

But aloud, Mate spoke, "Don't worry, princess. I will protect you with my life."

Not if you were an undead zombie wolf.

"Son, you must understand by now, why I never taught this to Sam." Dad said.

Bell nodded, "I understand."

He patted my head once more and said, "Leave it to me. I will take care for her."

Dad nodded, "Thank you, son."

This felt a little bit like the "don't give her the hot coffee" kind of thing, because it's play for Bell to be scalded, and it's okay for Bell to be sacrificed.

Once again, I could not understand the logic. Was it because Bell and Ki were a white wolves?

But Dad and Beta Lucas should have plainly seen that their wolves didn't devour anything. Their wolves healed. Not entirely the scariest thing to launch into your enemy's face.

Only Ben and I would be able to replicate the Twin Soul-Devouring Wolves technique.

"Does Ben know?" I asked.

"Hoo, no man." Beta Lucas shook his head, "If Ben knew, there's no telling how many dead zones the two of you would end up creating in our Packlands. Let me repeat, this isn't a new game, Sam. It is a dangerous technique. Not just to those it is used on, but those who use it... And it kills every living thing, not just the enemy. Grass, tress, animals, bugs, maybe your own wolves if they don't get out of the way fast enough."

Yes. I was well aware. It was you guys who were flaunting it in our basement, not me.

"I figured it would be best if Ben never knew." Beta Lucas continued. He looked to Dad for approval, "Since Sam was never to use it either, there would be no point showing it to Ben."

Dad nodded, "Yes. Thank you, old friend. You understood my heart well."

Oh yeah, so I'm the only one who didn't understand your heart, Dad? Because I can't understand why you didn't teach me. Don't you trust me to be sensible? (I was definitely more sensible than you imao!)

And then Dad patted my head as he passed me. (For some reason, my head kept getting patted tonight.)

"I used to think by teaching you everything I knew, you would grow up to be able to protect yourself too. But now I wonder..." Dad's hand stopped to rest between my large wolf ears, "Perhaps I was thinking about it all wrong."

I frowned now, "How could you be wrong, Dad? Radical maybe. But if you hadn't taught me all those things, I wouldn't be able to do what I can do now."

Girl power right?

Dad smiled a wry smile, "What you're doing, Sam, is more amazing than this old wolf could ever imagine. But little one, I taught you what I did to keep you safe. Our Packlands was not always peaceful as it is now. You know how peace is a fragile state."

"Don't worry. I will protect her." Bell asserted again. Ki nodded, "I live only for her purpose."

Dad nodded, "Yes. I know."

Then he removed his hand from my head and looked at the speckled wall, "I had a dream... Where I ran and Sam was riding on my back the way she used to as a little girl. But after a distance, I realized she was running on her own, and had overtaken me. The goddess was showing me that there will be a day that I must stand back and let my daughter lead the pack her way."

"The day is coming soon, that you will run ahead of me, Sam. When you do, remember you are different from me, you have to do things differently from me, you have to run your way."

Dad made his way to the basement stair and paused at the banister, "But do not forget how you are precious. Do not run headfirst into danger alone. Now I must go to your mother. The house had shook quite hard and she wants to know what had happened."

And then Dad walked up the stairs and out of sight. Beta Lucas nodded, "And Sam... I would like to ask you to keep what you saw here from Ben... I think you understand."

And he bowed and followed Dad out.

I turned to Bell and Ki.

"It's late and past your bedtime, princess." Bell decided, "Ki and I still have things to do. You best go to bed."

I flared then. I had to be the most bossed around alpha in the world!

Fine!

"Is there anything I can help you with, goddess?" Ki asked, his usual smile back on.

I shook my head, "No thanks Ki."

To my bossy Luna I announced, "I'm going to bed. Do whatever you want!"

Yeah, go! Take over the world while I'm sleeping! I don't care!

I stormed up the stairs without another word. I was upset again. But I think it wasn't Bell's bossiness. (I was used to that by now.)

I guess it was all the stuff Dad said about me running ahead of him and sounding regretful like he didn't like the idea of me being out there, and all the "I will protect her with my life" nonsense from Bell, and Ki... He had only said one line, but that upsetted me too. I guess I had hoped that Ki would be able to live happily for himself by now.

He had said he was happy... I thought he was happy... And if Ki was still unable to live for himself, what about Fluffy, or EJ, or any of the other hundred fightdogs we rescued?

Too many stooopids to deal with. It's past my bedtime. I'm going to sleep. Things always looked better in the morning.