A Pack...

Asher

I stood by eyes locked on the proceedings going on around me the night sky with it's stars twinkling as the candles and bonfires lit up the night. Wolves roamed the area in scanty clothing from male in shorts to females in just thin flimsy gowns that left nothing to the imagination. I stood eyes roaming through this weird folks as we waited for Michael to climb the podium.

"You find us weird right?" A voice asked from behind me. Turning I locked gazes with a female my indifferent gaze u affecting her as she stared at me with curiousity.

"I'm Luna. I'd say welcome to the pack but I guess I should wait till after the ceremony." She mused out loud . I simply grunted in response not bothering to reply.

"So Asher how's the pack like so far?". She asked.

"I've been here only a day. Can't decide yet". I replied.

"I guess. So like I said earlier, you find us weird right?". She asked again. A groan resounded in my head as a feeling of exasperation overcame me.

"I never said that". I countered. She smirked as she looked to the podium which I turned to gaze at too. Watching Michael talking with another person who I recognized as Kiara the shewolf.

"You didn't have to. Your eyes says it all." I turned back at Luna's words.

"My eyes say nothing". I argued turning to move away.

"Wolves are social creatures you know, we coexist with the pack not just for friendship cause the pack makes us strong. With the pack you're never alone. But that's besides the point, we're going on a run today so we usually dress up in easier to remove and put on things. Don't wanna be ripping expensive dresses up while shifting now or worse stumbling about in your tight jeans cause you don't wanna rip. So we wear less and turn faster.".

She explained.

"Oh". I deadpanned then looked as Michael took the stage.

"Well, I'll see you after the show. "And with a bounce she was gone. A sigh left my lips as I watched disappear into the crowd.

"She's a bundle of energy that one." A new voice piped from my right. I turned to Tiana who stared after Luna before looking to me a smile on her face. A thin pink gown that did nothing to hide the curves on her body billowed in the slight breeze.

"You ready?" She asked her eyes locked on me. Shrugging I turned to stare at Michael who began speaking. Then exhaling just as he called to me I looked to her again and spoke.

"What's the worst that could happen?". Then moved through the path heading for the podium where the ceremony would officially be held.

"Don't jinx it boy" Begherius spoke. I mentally shrugged as I got to the podium and stood unsure if I should join him up or stay down. A gesture had me climbing onto the podium and standing by Michael's side.

"Graystone pack!" Michael's voice took on a deep tone that had me mentally flinching. His voice felt familiar yet strange like a character known but forgotten. Everyone's attention was now fixed on us some eyes on him and most on me. Judging, weighing and scanning. My palms tightened my body stiffening from the scrutiny.

"Tonight we welcome a new wolf into the pack" his voice went back to normal. "Let's treat him as one and show him the strength in running as one." Michael's gaze to access me for a minute. His eyes locked with mine as the burned gold his hand hanging by his sides. He stood scanning me for what felt a long while before exhaling.

"You made the right choice after all lone wolves rarely survive. Now let's welcome you into the pack".

He raised his right palm in what seemed like a handshake and with his left a claw extended which he used to tear open a line on his palm from the index all the way close to his wrist. Then he looked up to me.

"Do same and clasp with mine." He instructed. I just stared.

"He's kidding right". I mentally asked.

"He's not. The conjoining of blood is the way to bind wolves to their alphas." Begherius informed.

"And we couldn't just used a syringe to draw my blood I mean it's safer and hurts less.

"... " A stunned Begherius was all I got.

"We don't have all day Asher". Michael pushed narrowing his gaze at me. I stared my facial expression still lax even with my mind screaming at the absurdity of it all. Groaning mentally but still acting all normal I let the claw slide out before bringing it to my right palm. It hovered over my hand as I stared.

"My palm won't exactly be waiting for you to be done before it heals you know". Michael queried but I just kept staring at my palm.

"Just get it over with, you'll heal " Begherius assured. With an exhale I just flicked my claw down hissing as it tore through my palm blood rushing out in greeting. Without hesitation Michael grasped my palm the blood conjoining and mixing as did both wounds.

I felt a sting first then a burn, it reminded me of the first change the pain and bones cracking. I felt it next a feeling, a nudge in my head like a hand feeling around like to .. I wasn't sure what it was doing. A glance up at Michael who had his eyes shut told me what was going on. Well actually Begherius did.

"If you open up your mind to him he'll leave a sort of connection that'll link you to both him and the pack. Be careful though shut in your thoughts you wouldn't...".

A mixture of a roar and a scream of pain left Michael as his palm loosened his grip on me and legs buckled dropping to his knees. His face was twisted in pain and his eyes shot open emotions swirling in them. Anger, pain, terror and confusion. A trickle of blood flowed down his nose his eyes never leaving me. Murmurs began all over as the crowd began talking. Two figures were soon on the podium as the crouched by Michael accessing him in worry.

"Behind you!" Begherius warning rang out. I spun quick only to catch a fist slamming into my face whipping my head to the side. Before I could even get balance and understand a feet had slammed my chest sending me off the podium and to the ground. Pain ran up my upper body and anger followed. Why did everything have to involve fights with these wolves. I pushed myself up and locked gazes with him. Caleb. A simultaneous sigh from Begherius and I escaped my lips.

My eyes landed on Michael as I watched him get helped up the blood flowing form his nose now wiped.

"There's a little problem kid." Begherius spoke as I looked at Michael trying to reason out what happened.

"What?" I asked my eyes never leaving a still glaring Michael.

"You...I.. well we. We can't be bonded to an Alpha."

Silence. In my head. The crowd. And Michael. Everyone was so silent you'd think the heard Begherius statement. My eyes went to Caleb then to Michael, past to the two who came to his aid. Talia and another person I'd not seen yet. I took a single step back alarm inching to break in my head

"What do you mean by that exactly?". I asked.

"Well. Wolves have hierarchies. Alphas, betas, gammas and omegas. There are in-betweens bit those aren't important. What's important is this. An alpha can always, will always, and should always make a lower wolf submit."Begherius halted.

"Okay. What does this have to do with the bonding and pack ceremony now?." I asked taking another step back. Something call it instinct or guts told me I wouldn't like the answer or even if I did it wouldn't be something helpful at the moment.

"You never submitted Kid. Well maybe you did but I didn't."

"I'm kinda confused now". I queried. My eyes went to Michael who's lips were pulled up in a snarl his eyes golden.

"First things first kid. Run".

"Run?. Can't we ..."

"No we can't and now I won't. Before maybe I would but now no I won't. Now run, I'll explain". Begherius voice came off as loud and vicious. It didn't take me long to know why, some pack members had already shifted and we're stalking the crowd line.

"Did the just create a cage for me?" I asked mentally.

"Shift Asher and run" his voice was louder this time and even more his presence pushed out trying to take over hurriedly. Alarmed I pushed him back but accepted the change my form growing and enlarging till I stood on all fours. Casting one glance at Talia who's gaze was disturbed I spun and dove into the crowd which scattered to avoid me.

Atleast some did, others though shifted and tried stopping me. I plowed through racing for the forest as I ducked and dodged the wolves pouncing about.

"Explain. Now!". I shouted to Begherius.

"More running less talking. Focus." With a grunt I accepted and pushed on harder as my paws sunk and pushed the ground away bounding ahead.

*They know my home Begherius, what stops them from coming there?" I asked worried.

"..."

"Well f**k ". I dove over a log and into the forest whilst ignoring the barks and howls from behind me.

A bark from ahead revealed a huge dirty brown wolf charging at me from front. The patrol guards. But how'd the know to come.

"Mindlink". Was Begherius one worded answer. I glared at the wolf as it pounced.

"Go left" and left I went. Watching as the wolf landed and then rammed into him instantly before he could get any balance. Not waiting to watch the result I was off again.

How long did I run? Five, ten minutes?. I wasn't sure. But then I realized why Begherius wanted me to join a pack initially. A glance to my sides and behind me was a good enough reason. I was almost surrounded, wolves in all directions running after me edging along. I was facing the classic wolf hunt with the sides slowly overtaking and aiming to surround while the center inched in.

"Begherius I'd really love to know what all this is about right now. I doubt I'm gonna get away from this guys either way. So atleast tell me why I'm being hunted right now. What's so bad about not being bonded with alpha" I asked while avoiding a branch hanging low.

"It shouldn't be possible, atleast not for beta wolves and lower ranked wolves. " He replied then went silent.

"Doesn't answer my question. " Silence. A glance had my heart skipping. One , two or four wolves was manageable. I'd barely handled the four with Aurora's help. Now what the hell was I gonna do against a pack. Damn you Begherius, you're the one who asked me to join and now suddenly I can't Bond with an alpha. Begherius grumbled in my head from overhearing my thoughts.

"Just survive, we'll talk later. I'll just say this though, remember we're not normal this is one of the various reasons". Then his presence was gone, voice and all. Just me. It felt weird in a way like a car without an interior. For the first time I realized just how needed he was.

What's it like not having your third eye watching for you. Bad very bad.

The first wolf slammed into me pushing me off course. The second rammed into me from the other side and my balance shook for a bit. My hind legs left the ground for a second but it was enough. Two bulky wolves rammed from both sides tilting me into a near spin.

Baam!

I crashed into a tree causing splinters and barks to fly.A whiplash of dizziness overtook mw claiming my vision for a second. I shook my head trying to push out the grogginess. What now?.

Pushing myself up I stood and looked around. My body jolted for a bit at the crowd of golden orbs watching from all over. Surrounded. The center parted as the wolves made way for a large golden bulky wolf with muscles that made it look like stone. Michael.

The wolf shifted and I ignored the crack and shift of bones and muscles till he was human and stood in all his nude glory, eyes locked on me. Silence pervaded our surroundings not a single wolf making a slight move.

"What. Are. You?" His question came out word for word almost like he was stressing the fact that he wouldn't repeat himself. Now I had one problem.

Shifting back. No, it wasn't about the bones or pain. More like the standing butt naked in a crowd of strangers while conversing. Michael hadn't even put anything on. I wondered if I'd even get anything to put on. This guys were so comfortable with themselves huh.

I made a slight look around at the crowd of wolves. With Begherius acting as my third eye I was atleast twenty percent sure of a getaway. Now. I felt my chances hit zero. At the same time I pondered, even if I got away Talia knew my house, wouldn't they just go there to find me. My eyes searched till it landed on a pure white wolf the only one in the group. It stood silent watching till I caught it's eye and it looked down and away.

'Pack first huh'. I mentally commented.

Snap. The sound got me looking back to the now approaching alpha. I wondered what to do now. Running wasn't an option, it didn't matter right. Which left me fighting right, but it too was useless. No way I'd beat an entire pack. If I somehow achieved that beating Michael was not possible after all he already showed why he was Alpha at the school.

The school!. My head rose up. Lot of thoughts rushing in. The knew my house right, but would they actually do anything there. I mean mum was a cop and they'd want to stay low right. Not calling attention to themselves.

School. I could survive there. Against them all in the forest I was surely toast. But in the school, they'd all have to separate, divide and conquer right. My head bent a bit to stare Michael in the eye. Just what was so scary about the wolf who couldn't be bonded. I made another glance around making sure to look panicky but also finding my route then glanced back at him.

"Shift" his voice went deep like it did before I felt a wave hit me like it did at the school. It wrapped and tried pulling me down.

"To hell with this!" I shouted in my mind my legs burning to keep standing as my body fought the pressure that shook my joints. A snarl and then I lashed out suddenly crossing the little distance between us his eyes widened as he made a step back then narrowed as he dived to tackle me. If I was in my human a grin would be seen stretching my lips.

Who was dumb to fight an entire pack on its own in the open, I'd be downed by the sheer numbers. My body jolted to the side at the last minute and I watched as his face contorted when I brushed past him and plowed into the ranks of the unexpecting wolves.

It wasn't that the were weak or unprepared, they like their alpha just didn't think me dumb enough to try slamming into a crowd of wolves. Well. I was that dumb. After all against sheer pack strength, sometimes brains or more like stupidity in this case was the only way. Before the could pull themselves together. I was past the encirclement and back into the forest my nose in the wind my legs pushing me away as I made my way for the huge space in town where shit was bound to happen.

This life was catching up to me fast and I was having no choice but to accept it. Aurora was right yet again. This was what we were. An not accepting it meant death. Atleast for now. So.

"Begherius. I'm gonna need you, can't do this alone if were gonna survive." I spoke in my head and waited for his presence to respond. It took a few seconds before a sigh rang out.

"If I knew it'd turn our like this I wouldn't have advised you to join the pack." He spoke a heaviness to his voice.

*You do atleast know what's going on?" I asked.

"A slight idea but not too sure."he responded.

*Explain later. For now. We've got a pack to survive" I sighed as I leapt pass a tree line and into the deserted streets.

"This is stupidity. But I guess there's no other way". Begherius grumbled. Ahead of me the school loomed drawing closer with each bound.

"The bastard that pulled me into this supernatural fiasco better stay well hidden." I grumbled angrily.

"They've stopped chasing"Begherius suddenly announced. I came to a quick halt looking behind me. There was no one . Why'd the stop. Who or what stopped them. Michael. Or was it Talia. What happened?.

I stared at the empty streets behind me standing still as the breeze sifted through my fur my erratic heartbeat slowly calming.

"Begherius. What's going on? Tell me everything I should know? This isn't just about knowing what happened to me anymore".

"..." Begherius stayed silent exhaling out instead.

"Well...".