REGINA

20. Strange things

The big brown hyena flicked it's tongue at us and started approaching us.
"Does it shift?" I whispered to Star who didn't spare me a look.
"Yes." Her voice was shaky. I looked at her with fear in my eyes. She tightly held my hand with one of her hands and she used the other to shield me.
The hyena was then accompanied by a few others of its kind who encircled us. The car was all packed up and we sat there holding our breaths and praying that they don't try to attack us. The car was broken due to the hard impact with the hyena and we didn't know what to do. After a few minutes of moving round and round, the hyenas decided to move away from us. We saw them retreating back into the dark and we sat there for another couple of minutes before Andrew stepped out of the car to see what can be done to repair it. My dad too stepped out and looked around for something that can be of help then suddenly we could hear the laughs of those hyenas who were encircling us before. My heart raced like a maniac when I saw eyes staring at us from the bushes, almost fifty pairs of eyes eyeing us with the consistent laughs of the hyenas. My dad mind linked with us.
"Fiona you don't step out."
"But dad they are many out there. How will you and Andrew defend them!"
"Yes Alpha, Alpha Fiona is right. We need to step out. We can't let anything happen to you both." Star said over the mind link.
"It's not safe!"
"We can't let anything happen to you. They have outnumbered us! Dad, please."
"Yes Alpha, if anything happens to you or Andrew, they will sure attack us too. What's the use in sitting inside this car then? We need to fight together."
"Okay but stay very careful. I'll try to mind link with other warriors as well. Hope they'll come for rescue."
We nodded and stepped out of the car. Star had already removed her blazer and so did my dad and Andrew. They positioned themselves around me in order to protect their future heir, that was me.
"Star?" I whispered.
"Yes Alpha."
"Can silver weapons cause them harm?"
"Not much."
"Okay."
"I think I'll have to shift."
"Yes you have to." With that Star looked around us and found those hyenas stepping forward.
My dad was the first one to shift. Seeing his wolf for the first time made my mouth hung low. It was a magnificently beautiful black wolf just like Marce but my dad had a white patch on one of his front paws. He was a big wolf and had fierce canines. He howled loudly making everyone aware that he was an Alpha. The hyenas tend to step back a little but soon that brown hyena stepped forward with a snarl on its face. I shifted into my big grey wolf and so did Alfred. Star was still in her human form and she took out swords from the car's trunk. Swinging her swords around she took a stance near me. The brown hyena attacked first and so did her companions. My dad was swift with his moves and skills, killing one by one, he charged for the brown hyena which was approaching Star. It was a struggle for us warewolves to fight with hyenas as they tend to be larger in size. But we were doing our best. I killed a few with my big jaw , tackled a few who went to attack Andrew. Suddenly I saw a hyena approaching me with full speed, tackling me to the ground and dug it's jaw into my hind leg. Sharp pain hit me and I howled in pain, tried shaking it off my leg but it's grip was tight. I howled in pain as I felt bones cracking under its jaw. Tears started filling my eyes and I felt helpless, just then I saw something magnificent approaching us. If I wasn't wrong, it was Star, still in her suit, her hair now forming shape of tails behind her, her hands held blue flames and her eyes were red. Her brown hair had turned white magically and formed tails behind her which made the hyena shiver . Was she a .....nine tailed? Fox? I didn't know they exist. I had read about them in story books but are they real?
She ran towards me in lightning speed and tackled that hyena off my body. The hyena fell down dead due to the impact. Seeing her made me loose my mind as she still had her swords but now she fought like some mystical character, she killed almost half of the hyenas and we killed the others, but the brown hyena was still fighting with dad. It was a female but a lot more powerful than her companions. We saw dad bite into her flesh but she didn't flinch. Instead she went on with her struggle till she fell down due to exhaustion. Fresh blood was spilled on the ground as she tried standing up. She looked around herself and tried calling her companions for help but all of her minions were dead. My dad shifted back and so did I. I was quick to cover myself up, taking my place beside Dad. He went towards the hyena as he tied the black robe around his body.
"Shift." He said in a low , spine chilling voice. The hyena didn't flinch, nor did she shifted.
"You don't hear me? Do you want me to kill you?" He crouched low to her level, showing his canines at her.
"Shift." He said once again, " it's the order of an Alpha who just defeated you."
Huffing her way out, she shifted into a human form. She was already dressed up making me wonder why some people shift in their clothes and why can't I or dad or any warewolf do that.
The hyena shifted into a beautiful female figure, blue eyes, a stark resemblance of..........me?
"Stacy?" Dad spoke, his voice quivering as tears fell down his eyes.
"Who do you think you are?" She said in her cool voice.
"Who's Stacy? I am Carla and I own his forest! How dare you come into my grounds and kill my companions? Lowly warewolves!" She spat her words in pure anger as she stood up to leave, limping. She looked young but she looked like my mum from the picture that I saw of her in our castle. Who is she?
"How did this happen?" My dad said in his trembling voice as he tried touching her but she was quick to remove her hand.
"Don't touch me! You can leave but next time I see you here, I'll make sure I kill you before you can act." She said and limped her way for a few seconds and then shifted again into her hyena as she disappeared into the thick dark forest.
My dad stood there, dumb founded,his eyes having trails of tears down his cheeks. Stepping forward I placed my arm around him and made him sit in the car as Andrew fixed a few things. After a few minutes of repairing we were good to go. Star who had shifted back was exhausted as hell. She kept on panting and shivering as I laid her down on the car seat. I made her drink some water and covered her up in the few blankets we had in the car.
"What's wrong with her?" I asked Andrew who sighed.
"She feels sick after she shifts into her fox. That's why she half shifted cause fully shifting can be dangerous for her own self." He placed a warm hand on her forehead which made her quiver again.
"Why did you shift then Star?" I asked. I was more than scared for her. I never knew that she has such a condition. She shifted cause she felt that I was in danger. How much of a sacrifice can a person do for another?
She didn't speak. Instead kept her eyes shut. Andrew rushed us to our pack as fast as he could with that broken down car. Marce was already waiting for us on the pack borders. As soon as he saw us he ran towards us. Stepping out of the car I handed Star to him. His eyes held fear in them as he asked Andrew what was wrong with her.
"She shifted." Andrew said in a cool voice.
"Shit!" Marce ran inside the pack. I helped dad come out of the car and with the help of Andrew I took him to his room. After an hour of confronting and telling him that she wasn't the one he thought she was, my dad finally listened to me and took a shower. I made him eat something before he decided to sleep for a while. Leaving my dad to doze off, I went to my room and got freshened up as fast as I could. I then rushed to the pack hospital were I saw Star on the bed with vitals attached to her body. Marce was sitting there with her hand in his. I approached him and ran my hand through his hair. He looked up, eyes wet with tear but still smiled at me. He made me sit down on his lap and back hugged me, my breath hitched as I gasped for air.
"Is she okay?" I asked not realising that my voice was just a mere whisper.
"She is stable now." Marce whispered back as he led his tears fall down on my shoulder.
"She shifted to save me." I said, holding her hand in mine.
"She did that for her Alpha. She was bound by her vow. It's not your fault." He inhaled my scent as he ran his hand up my arm.
"But she could have died."
"She half shifted. That can't kill her."
"But why does she find it hard to shift?" I turned to face him. He sighed, rubbing his tears away he faced me.
"She was born with an abnormality. That's why she was abandoned by her own parents. Her human self can't cope up with her powerful nine tailed. That's why she falls sick after shifting. She had never shifted fully cause the doctor already told us when she was a baby that it can kill her. We told her not to shift and to just fight with swords but today she did that as she was bound by her vow." His eyes moistened again. I grabbed his face and rubbed his tear away.
"I promise I'll make her break that vow. I don't want her to die for me ....or anyone in perticular. She can save me with her sword skills and doesn't need to shift. I promise. You won't loose your friend." I said, kissing his cheeks. He nodded at me. I stood up and sat beside and waited for Star to wake up.
.
.
.
The warm sunlight fell on my face which made me look up towards the source which disturbed my sleep.
"Ugh!" I grunted as I sat back into my chair. The bad posture in which I slept had made my back and neck ache. I stretched my body and made my way up towards the curtains. I removed them and inhaled the fresh smell of grass. Star had been in sleep since yesterday night. I somehow managed to send Marce to sleep on the couch while I sat on the chair near her all night. Sighing I made my way towards Marce who was cramped up on the couch with his legs and hands hanging out of the couch. I gently removed his bangs away in order to get a better view of my mate's face. A smile crept up on my lips as I saw him sleeping so peacefully even when he was in a bad posture. I turned to Star and checked her up a bit if her vitals were working properly or not. She started stirring when I approached her. Her face showed signs of pain as she opened her eyes lightly. The bright light made it difficult for her to open her eyes but she somehow did that. I instantly called for the doctor who ran towards us with his instruments. He checked her up and said that she was healing now. Supporting her up I took her to the washroom and helped her freshen up a bit. The nurse came in to help as well and somehow she ate something for the first time since yesterday. About an hour had passed when she called for me.
"Alpha." Her voice cracked.
"Yes Star." I held her hands assuring that I was near her. " Why did you put you life in danger for me?" I whispered.
"I vowed to save you."
"That doesn't mean you'll kill yourself in that process. You need to live for your Alpha."
"But-"
"No Star. Sacrificing your life for your Alpha will give you the chance to provide service for just once. Living for your Alpha will give you the chance to serve them for a lifetime. You get that? You don't have to kill yourself to show your loyalty." I patted her back slowly. She smiled at me and sighed. Taking my hand in hers she said, "were do Alphas like you exist?"
I chuckled at her.
"We do exist Star. What is more important than having your warriors beside you? I love you Star. You are an amazing being. I saw how powerful you are with your swords. And I won't lie but I got a bit scared at watching you in your nine tail. "
She laughed and shook her head.
"You don't know what your wolf does to all of us here. She's a masterpiece. Honestly I have never seen such a magnificent wolf before."
I smiled at her.
"Why is Marce sleeping there?" She said turning her head to get a full view of a very cramped up Marce snoring lightly.
I chuckled.
"He was scared."
"He always gets scared that I'll die. You know I was really sick when I was 6. He literally spent the entire week with me in the hospital. He loves me and honestly I did wanted him to get a good mate cause you know he deserves a lot. Ava is not what I wanted him to have. I am glad he has you Alpha as a mate. Trust me he can do anything for his loved ones. Zack and Andrea are the luckiest to have him and I am glad he thinks of me as his family." She patted my hand. I smiled at how much love they have for each other. What did I do to deserve such a amazing person? I smiled.
"Star...you have to promise me that no matter what happens you won't shift. I trust your human self can save me anytime. I believe in you. No matter whatever the danger is about, I want you to know that you are sufficient to kill anyone who hurts me or your family. Understood? It's my order."
She sighed as she stared at the ceiling for a few seconds. Turning back to face me she nodded her head. I smiled and let her sleep for a while. I turned towards Marce who was still asleep so I made my way to my room. Freshening up I went to see my dad in his room. I knocked at his door but found that it was empty.
Maybe he is in his office.
I trotted towards his office and came to a halt when I heard hushed voices inside his office. As the person I am, I peeped inside and saw my grandfather was there with my dad. My dad was at the verge of loosing his temper whereas my grandfather looked calmed.
" Stacy is alive ! I saw her ! But she has a hyena. How did this happen?"
"Have you lost your mind Rage? Stacy is dead. It's been ages now and you find her in a hyena body? Bullshit."
"No I saw her. Believe me."
"You need to check your mind. How can a dead person come alive all of a sudden that too as a hyena when she was born a wolf? Is age hitting you Rage? First you want to make your daughter the next Alpha and now you see Stacy somewhere in the forest in another animal's body. What is wrong with you?"
"But-"
"Stop this. You are turning insane. I am leaving." With that he stormed out of the office. I hid behind the door so that he couldn't see me. I went inside and seeing my dad crying made my heart clench. I walked towards him in hurried steps.
"Dad. I know you think that was mom. But don't you think she was a bit more young?"
"I feel that too. But believe me Fiona, she looked exactly like your mom, same black wavy
hair, same blue eyes, you too have them and the same black mole on her eyebrow."
"Dad we'll find out who she is. You don't have to worry. If she's mom, I'll make sure she comes back to where she belongs."
My dad nodded at me. Handing him a glass of water I made my way out to the training grounds were the female warriors were training. They bowed at me as soon as they see me. I waved my hand to let them continue. I then did a few stretches and ran a lap or two when Marce mind linked with me.
"Where are you?"
"In the field. You have to train me. It's already 10 am."
"I am on my way. Do some stretches."
I did a few more stretches and ran another lap till Marce came. His ruffled hair and his eye bags made me feel bad for him. He approached me, flashing a smile at me he leaned down to kiss me. I didn't expect him to do that as I jumped and pushed him slightly. The warrior group gasped at his PDA, making me blush. I smiled awkwardly at them. They returned the awkwardness with equal enthusiasm and carried on with their laps.
" Why did you do that?" I asked as he laid down his bag .
"What?"
"Kiss me." I whispered.
" Okay." He tried kissing me again but I slapped his lips.
"Ow! What did I do?" He rubbed his lips.
"I don't want to feel awkward about it." I puffed my cheeks.
"Fiona, they were going to know anyways. Also, I missed you. Days feel hectic without you." He smiled at me making me smile at him like a foolish person.
"Let's get some training done. You have a week left to prepare." He said. I nodded as I warmed up for the various boxing skills that he was to teach me today.
You have a week left to prove yourself.

That was a long chapter! Well I hope you are enjoying the story. Do vote if you liked this chapter and also comment your views. Also, who do you think Carla was and what connection did she have with Fiona's family? We'll get to know about that in a while so stay tuned❤️ also if you have any suggestions please feel free to write them down below in the comment sections.

Love you all and thanks for reading and supporting me.❤️✨
Gitabawli