Levi
I look at the crowd from above. Some are in deep talks in groups, others just up and left silently when my fathers and Elder Millen have finished. The warriors are having fun at the food section.
I can hear from a distance some Omegas crying in their rooms, out of Joy. Or fear? I can't pinpoint it now even if I used my magic. The emotions are running high in this moment, and I can feel them brushing on my exposed skin like an invisible hand. The warlock in me can feel that some were relieved, while others confused. Their heartbeats beating an irregular rhythm. I can ease their worry with my magic, but that will interfere with their initial feelings and might settle with their wolves in an intrusive wrong way. Again I forget that not all Lycans can support...magic within their inner worlves...
Not many werewolves appreciate the interference of magic in their lives; many Lycans still don't understand it well, and they are simply not used to it daily like me and my family. Unlike me being both, if my wolf was inside my head and controlled my nature as a werewolf, magic runs through my blood and my wolf thrives in the extra power it supplies him with. A combination of two things that transferred power to each side equally, giving me the extra advantage of being stronger than your average werewolf or warlock.
At his mention, my wolf gives me a very loud howl, and stretches all over my insides, his power reaching every end point in my limbs. My skin feels very...theoretically stretched if that has any meaning. I can also feel my eyes changing to their golden-brown rimmed nature. My canines are itching to fully descend, but I control...him. The last thing we want is for the low fractions in the hall to meet my weird authoritative wolf. That will just give them another reason to panic, and Darius's sense of humor is not appreciated by everyone. He has been itching to get out since earlier, and the current mix of emotions, thoughts, and wolfs howling through the packs' bond are also stressing him out.
I can't wait for the packs' Alpha Bond to get transferred to me. Maybe I can ease all these wolves' restlessness with magic through the pack bond! - I tell Darius hopefully as I look below at everyone.
If it was up to me, I would keep it to ourselves. I can roll around in its powers alone aaalll day...without sharing with the other mutts! Fuck their wolves! - He gives me a mock evil laugh as he starts pacing restlessly inside my head. My palms flex uncontrollably. Asshole.
Are you sure you are their Ultimate Alpha? - I mock with a bored expression at Darius, tightening my mind leach on him. I can feel him getting agitated now that I'm controlling him. He starts growling inside my head as retaliation.
Seriously man, let me out. Let's go RUN! I want to shake off all that tension you've put me through all day! - I can tell he feels my control and reserve this time, and Darius tries to plead with me instead of his territorial overbearing self for once.
I look back at my fathers' Beta Emmitt first, giving him a nod of acknowledgment. He nods back at me as a sign of respect. He is Xander's father, so naturally he is respected as our current Beta, but also my dad's best friend and companion of life. I indicate to Xander with my head that we should probably leave right this instant if we want that run to happen. He turns and stares at his father, surely talking through their bond before he looks again at me.
Darius still up for that run? - Xander mind links me next.
He is tearing through my mind right now. I'm thinking about keeping him waiting a little bit more in there... you know, just for kicks! – I smirk at Xan.
You little shit! you fu...- Darius snarls and I block him. I feel my canine's half descend instantly inside my mouth this time.
I start going down the stairs towards the house's gate, where my Dads and the Elders were talking to some Deltas. I need to make quick work of parting with Dad and Pops before Darius takes over fully. The last thing I want to show the Elders, or the sensitive pack members around the hall today, is how their future Alpha is having a power struggle with his wolf, or how my magic have been acting up lately. Weakness is the last thing you want to show as a future Alpha...they latch into that shit so fast before you even blink.
I think the few hours I spent with my fathers and the elders this afternoon, along with this emotionally charged gathering tonight took a toll on my powers. I know that Darius also have been restless since earlier. Even being the jackass that he is, he surely cares and feels for the restlessness and the distress of his pack wolves in this townhall all along. We both felt their despair like hot scolding iron brushing against our skin.
As my 20th birthday and Alpha awakening are approaching, both my wolf and my magic are going haywire lately. Darius is excited all the time for the power transfer, and the magic in my blood is begging me to play with things, change things... explore things I better not try for the moment. Sometimes I create big portals and teleport from the middle of our living room to the farthest borders of our lands several times a day just to let out the extra magic currents running through me. I lately discovered with Dad that I can open portals to different realms, whether on earth or in other out worldly dimensions. Some populated with species we have treaties with some were entirely virgin lands that don't belong to anyone.
Some...I opened and closed instantly because it felt like a hell I should never trespass on. I made notes of their localisation so not to open them again. Ever. I should see how to close them permanently before some warlock stumbles on them, or Goddess forbid my dad gets a hold of them someday. Mentel note to eradicate the danger before it happens.
The twins found it amusing, so they started teleporting with me as a game of who can run back and forth the fastest before the portals are closed. Phoenix had to run back home last week for two consecutive hours when the portal closed at our farthest borders. Nicholas shoved him through it at the last minute before my magic was spent on that portal. I can still see Nicholas turning on the floor holding his stomach through violent fits of laughter. He enjoyed thinking about his twin's panicked eyes when he looked back to see that the portal is disappearing with us on the other side. I didn't stay back to see what happened when Nix was back, but I'm sure he made Nic pay for his stunt.
A week ago, I had a long talk with my Dad about not fully controlling my powers sometimes, and he assured me that it was naturel for any Alpha to feel this prior to their official Alpha ascension, especially for someone like me. His words were "it might be slightly different for you to deal with because you carry both a wolf and my mage nature inside". Word of the day would be "slightly".
I can tell he was just trying his best to reassure me since this was new to him too.
My dad, Olwyn, said he felt the same way when he turned hybrid, but maybe the feeling might be "slightly" different since he was turned into a werewolf in his teens, while I was born one. So, the conclusion, is that I must deal with it myself since it's a new territory to everyone, including my Dad who was a different type of Hybrid himself. The first born to the strongest Lycan, The werewolf born from "The King Mage Olwyn", and the first and only hybrid that exists today sired by two males in both species. He also advised me to talk to pops, saying that he might help me with Darius.
Now, that...That is not happening any time soon! if not ever.
Why? I love your father's wolf! He is fun to hang out with. Pops Logan should run with us tonight too! - Darius's tongue started salivating in his mouth, thinking about playing around with Pop's wolf.
NO! Should I remind you that the last time you two were out at the same vicinity you destroyed our dad's kitchen and ate pancakes the whole day? I had digestion for two days you bastard, I couldn't even move right without looking for a bathroom! - I scoffed at him, thinking about the heavy brick I had to carry in my stomach for days on after I let them both spend a day together.
The last thing I wasn't ready for right now is talking to Pops. Am I ever ready...
He will downplay all my concerns and probably convinces me to do some crazy shit together to let the steam out! Like playing with fireworks in the woods! I shudder at the thought of all the beautiful trees he set on fire the last time he was playing with fireworks... WITH THE TWINS!
As if sensing my inner turmoil, my dads turn my way at the same time; their eyes keep following me all the way until I reach them forgetting they had company in front of them all together. Well...they are good parents, the best anyone could ever ask for in any lifetime. But how they try to sense and feel me all the time can be...intrusive. I still have my doubts that Dad-Olwyn- has a way of perceiving my thoughts, I just can't pinpoint my finger on how or when he does it.
I can't wait to be Alpha...The first thing on my agenda is shutting their full blasting link whenever I have to. if not all the time.
Some warriors spot me from a distance and make way quickly, averting their eyes to avoid sending the wrong message of challenging my authority.
Darius?! – Pops mind links me with his eyes dancing with excitement, shifting between his usual blues to golden wolf. I guess the possibility of talking to Darius excites Logan in return, it makes me uncomfortable how they are so alike sometimes. I guess my equally blue eyes have turned fully gold now.
"Still me Pops!" I respond as Darius runs laps in my head. The big mutt has zero patience lately.
"But if I don't let him out now, I won't guarantee you that Logan will stay put too. He is itching badly for a run!" I smile at them both, and Dad pats my shoulder.
"Oooh! Come on, we are always happy to go for a run with you. Can we come?!hm? Ooouch!" He was talking so fast I couldn't even reply when Dad pinched him on his arm. I heard Xander stifle a laugh behind my back.
"Did we forget that, oh let's say some very important people called Elders waiting for us to arrange for the next gatherings with the other packs tomorrow? Hum?" My Dad puts a long blond strand of hair behind his ears and arches his eyebrow at Pops. Pops hugs his arm and narrows his eyes at my Dad.
"If only you weren't that beautiful..." Dad starts laughing and shakes his head. Pops gives him a second mean look before he turns around to face me again.
"You both running alone tonight? Need some warriors to run with you?"
It was my turn now to arch an eyebrow at my father.
Let me give you a quick summary-flash about my dear fathers.
Dad- Olwyn- gave birth to us, and he was the level-headed, smart, and non-nonsense father in the house. He was the safe-haven and problem solver for his kids. Sometimes the Bad Cop if you pulled some crazy shit, mostly the twins in the crazy shit case, and he disciplined us with whatever he saw fit! His warlock side brought the calm aspect to his wolf nature and made him seem cold sometimes. But his composed calm façade was very contradicting to his heart: he carried withing him a degree of compassion and love that no one can ever surpass in this world.
As much as myself, I related more to my Dad than pops, for the simple reason that I try hard most of the time be like him. To let my warlock side overpowers my crazy wolf side. This allows me to think first, act later when dealing with things. I can't even think of the consequences if I give the reins to Darius...I have goosebumps thinking about it even at this moment.
My magic balances out the hot blooded and hard headedness of my wolf half. But I never show this to pops; everyone else might see the great Alpha Damion as the strong fearful King Lycan, but to us he is always the playful sensitive father. So, he might break down on me saying shit like I love dad more than I love him. One time when I was 10, I brought dad a flower from our garden and forgot to bring him one too; I still remember the hurt in his eyes and how a lone tear dramatically rolled down his cheek, with quivering lips, nonetheless.
Pops was the extreme opposite of Dad. The scary strong Head Alpha of the Raven Moon packs, who all wolves and species feared and steered away from, turned a 180° when he was with his kids. He was the ridiculous, fun, crazy and childish dad that played jokes on all of us, all the time. If Dad left us to our own devices to grow and learn from our own falls and mistakes, pops was an extreme mother wolf-hen to his pups. He loved us all to a degree that everyone deemed obsessive sometimes, and he wasn't shy to show it. He still gives us wet kisses on the mouth whenever he sees an opportunity and jumps us but thank goddess that switched from our lips to our cheeks as we grew up, much to his disapproval actually. I had to put my foot down, nobody wants to see that Thank you very much.
Dad always takes him down some notches to let us breathe from his overly cuddly "I love you my babies, let's hug and cry together" moments.
I guess that is due to him always wanting a big family as he was a lone child. But most of the times, I personally think that it had something to do with the thought that he would never have kids when he discovered that his mate was a man. I heard from the grapevine that when my fathers met, it was very challenging to accept the fate for both to say the least, but their bond and attraction to each other as mates made them love each other despite the unconventional circumstances they were thrust into.
Hell, they even went to challenge the Elder Order, which didn't happen in the Night Lore world for centuries. All was well between the two for a period of time, until dad discovered that Pops was dreaming about having a lot of kids since he was 11. Pops is still holding it over my Dad's head that he tried to leave him one day under the pretext of giving him a chance to find a willing Omega to carry his babies. Grandpa said that Pops almost burned down the Lycan lands looking for his mate. I shudder believing that he one hundred percent would have done it if dad didn't come out of hiding...
So, two depressed mates and never-ending challenges. I believe being the first two male mates in Lycan history, they had their issues with many different things before they discovered that in fact, fated Hybrid-Lycan males can develop a uterus, and they can actually get pregnant. So, by some miracle, I happened...and later my siblings followed as natural as a male/female matehood. They said I was the solution and the "Great Happening" that everyone was needing and looking for; that "I" was an enigma that solved so many problems even when I still wasn't born. Talk about pressure...
Now back to the present, the same Alpha is trying to "mother" me; forgetting that I will fully take his place in a couple of weeks!
"It's a run in the woods, not war. And what kind of message are you sending to our pack if you are sending protection with the soon to be alpha for a simple run in OUR woods?"
He frowns and nods slightly in understanding. My dad smiles at me from the side and gives me a wink, proud of me in handling my father. I smile back at him. I loved my parents, but Pops can be extra sometimes! Okey, most of the times!
Dad goes and hugs him from the side giving him a quick kiss on the arm he pinched earlier. I look at them both and a small part me wishes for a mate that will make me feel like my Dads feel for each other's. not now, but maybe...nah! I backtrack on it. I don't need that headache right now...
"I will run a couple of hours until Darius is set, and I will be back for movie night! Okey Pops?" I bump him on his side, and he smiles instantly. He gives me a second nod this time, making sure not to utter anything else that upsets me. I can feel him wanting to add something, but I appreciate that he held back for my sake this time.
I hug them both quickly, Xander says his goodbye to his father, and we nod towards the three Elders before we bound trough the outside stairs directly into the north part of the woods. Without further thoughts, I let Darius take over and instantly my skin and bones start to break and crack. My other self-retreats to the back of Darius's mind, but I'm always aware of everything even in my wolf form. When I'm in charge, I'm in charge! When Darius is at the front, WE are in charge!
My mage half makes it that I can keep up with Darius when we are on a run, but sometimes when I let Darius takes over completely so I can let my powers and magic recharge, I can only be aware of the things Darius has done on his own when I bounce back. It's a give and take form of power between us, an unspoken form of trust. But sometimes he goes over the boundaries, like eating five people's worth of pancakes; but if it stops at pancakes I won't complain.
In my human/warlock form, I'm the carbon copy of my Pop's except the eyes, and my wolf didn't stray far off from his DNA either. My wolf is a big black wolf, as big as my father's, except my eyes. My eyes are my Dad's wolf eyes: a light shade of luminescent gold with brown rims that shines through darkness. I stretch my front legs Langley to ease the aches of not turning in the past two days and turn to find Xander just finishing his shift. He was a fast shifter, but I was faster. Perks of being the first-Born Alpha of two powerful mated Alphas. He shakes his head, and his golden wolf looks at me. He is almost as big as me, eyes still as black as night but this time with a special white gloss that you can detect every time, he turns his head sideways.
Finally. - Darius howls the instant we shift completely. He stretches and tests his limbs, and we feel every bone sets where it's supposed to be. It's great being a wolf!
Xavy! You fucker I missed you, you golden ball of Furr! - Darius shouts through his bond to his Beta. I can hear Xavier, Xander's wolf laughing through it.
We just hunted two days ago you big baby! - Xavier shouts back at Darius.
Darius narrows his wolf eyes at Xavier and suddenly sprints fast through the first tree line of the forest.
First one to the bolder hunts for both! And I'm talking elks this time Xavy! no bunny shit again you lazy mutt! - Darius shouts at him before leaving a stunned Xavier behind. In seconds I can feel Xavier running fast behind us, trying to catch up with my wolf.
Darius stretches his front and hind legs in short runs at first, he jumps from side to side avoiding trees. The minute our blood and heart start pumping the way we like, and our breathing starts to escalate in rhythm, we bound into faster sprints leaving Xavier to chase after us in the middle of the woods.
I like when we go on runs, me, and Darius. It gives us a sense of surreal calmness, and my magic feeds of the earth's energy humming through the forest. The wind that my magic harnesses through our runs powers my air energy, and I can create portals or teleport easily the next days. The creatures who run with us make Darius more connected to his animal instincts. The fear, awe, and respect we feel from the forest's hidden species make my magic swirl inside and around us.
Xavier tries to over-run us, but Darius pushes him playfully into a tree bark to the right, so he skids to a stop and yelps in surprise.
You fucking cheater...- I hear him growl-scream and Darius laughs evilly.
I continue running for another half an hour with an angry Xavier hot on my heels without stopping. I can hear him through our bond cursing about cheating and skinny bunnies for dinner, and I laugh internally. I guess he gave up.
I reach the big white bolder that overlooks our northern borders first and stop at the very edge.
Xavier stops besides me a couple of minutes later with a huff as he turns in circles in anger. I can imagine Xander throwing an equal fit inside his head now. Darius gives him a wolfy grin and looks up at the night sky, stretching his windpipes with a long strong howl. I immediately hear a string of continuous howls far away from the forest; other warriors and wolves who were also on a run are acknowledging my presence as their -future- Alpha. The howling continues a few minutes before it dies down.
Xavier gives Darius a stream of curses as he bounds back through the line of trees behind us for the hunt. I'm sure Darius will make him work for it before his appetite is sated tonight. We both bask on the moon light shining down on us on this warm June night, as I feel its powers caresses my fur and skin gently.
I stretch my neck and look at the night sky above.
For a split second through this whole busy day, I think: This life is good. I just want it to stay the same after the awakening...