The Tribrid

Early evening.

 
  Mike's POV
  "I think you have it wrong." I say. Everyone's eyes are on me.
  "Maria, you've scared the boy half to death." Alpha Danny says with a grin.
  "Dad we want to send Jack on the supply run while we train Mike." Rain cuts in.
  "The supply run? But they don't leave for another week."
  "We were also hoping you could move it up." Rain adds, he gives his father a big grin. Alpha Danny huffs.
  "He's definitely not going to like that."
  "No, but we are worried about Mike's safety." Alpha Danny looks at me.
  "Hmm. A week isn't a lot of time for training."
  "I'll help." Luna Maria chimes in. Alpha Danny lifts his eyebrow to her.
  "Now I'm worried if he'll survive training."
  "Oh hush. With his bloodline he should be fine." Luna says.
  "Should?" I question.
  What in the world is this training going to entail? Maybe we should let Jack stay, at least he'd probably be quick about killing me.
  "Don't worry. We won't let anything happen to you." Luna reassures me.
  "I guess I could frame it as taking a break from it all. But Jack will still not like it. I need to talk with Rue and find out what she was thinking." Alpha Danny says. Someone clears their throat from the doorway. We turn around to see Rue standing there.
  "Hey mom, dad." She says quietly.
  "Oh good you're here. Please, come in, honey." Luna says.
  "Rue why did you have to do it in front of everyone?" Alpha Danny asks.
  "I know I should have picked a better time. But he was becoming too much. I just sort of blurted it out."
  "What happened? I thought you two were getting along." Alpha asks.
  "We were at first. But he got more jealous and controlling everyday. And when Mike got here it accelerated." Rue glances over at me. I feel like I'm intruding on a family matter and want to leave, but I also don't want to be rude.  I watch Rue and her parents talk back and forth about her decision. Her hair is in a messy bun and she looks almost shy. Her hands are folded in front of her and her shoulders are rolled forward.
  "She could be our new mate." Rex says.
  "What? No! We don't need a new mate."
  "You are punishing yourself."
  "No, I don't deserve another mate. I barely deserve this pack. Im already causing trouble. They were just fine before we showed up."
  "I bet Jack would have hurt her if we weren't here." He says. Just the thought of it makes me growl. I hear someone clear their throat and it draws my attention back to the room. Everyone is looking at me.
  "Oh sorry." I say. Rain is cracking up.
  "My wolf is hungry." I try to cover it up.
  "Right, let's go down while they finish interrogating Rue." Rain says.
  "It's not an interrogation." The Luna corrects. Rain puts his arm over my shoulder and leads me out of the room. We go down stairs and eat breakfast. I just keep thinking about what this training could be, is it dangerous? What have I gotten myself into? Before I know it, my breakfast gone.
  "Woah, someone's hungry." Rain says laughingly. I just look at him. I don't know what to say.
  "What is up with you?" Rain asks.
  "Sorry, I was just thinking about the training. Is it dangerous?" I ask.
  "It can be intense. We'll start tomorrow morning. Really early, so I suggest and early night." Rain says. I nod in understanding. I wonder how much trouble Rue will be in? The Alpha and Luna don't seem to be too harsh, and definitely understanding. Rain and I tried to stay busy all day. But things started to slow down after lunch. We go back to my hut and Gabby and Rue follow.
  "So how much trouble did you get into?" Rain asks.
  "I'm on greenhouse weed duty for like a week. But other than that nothing too bad. Jack is obviously pissed. Dad told him he was going on the supply run to get some time away." Rue says.
  "When does he leave?" I ask.
  "Tonight. It's better if they leave at night when it's not so hot." Rue says.
  "You guys want to play a game?" Gabby asks.
  "We don't have much entertainment around here, so games are sort of our thing." Rain says.
  "Games are fun." Gabby defends herself.
  "Sure let's play." I say. We set up a game and half way through there comes a knock at my door. We all look at each other. I wonder who it is, possible the Alpha or Luna. I get up and answer the door. I open it to find Jack standing there. Crap.
  "Uh hey." I say, trying to sound friendly, but comes out as awkward.
  "So it isn't enough for you to take my mate, and my position, now you just want to get rid of me all together? Who the hell do you think you are?" Jack is pissed.
  "Look I don't want any of that. Chill out man." Just then Rue comes into view of the door.
  "Oh really?" Jack says.
  "Jack please leave." Rue cuts in.
  "What are you doing here?" He asks.
  "We're playing games. Not that I have to explain myself to you." She says.
  "Rue can we please just talk?" Jack pleads with her.
  "No, I'm done. Please leave. Don't you have to get ready for your trip?" Rue asks. Jack huffs and walks away. I close the door.
  "Sorry about him." Rue says.
  "It's ok." I go to walk back to my room when she grabs my arm.
  "I never said thanks to you for what you did at the party." She says.
  "It's ok Rue." She leans in and gives me a kiss on the cheek. It's nice, but I have to be clear with her.
  "Listen Rue, I don't want to give you the wrong impression." I say.
  "Don't worry about me Mike. I'm just saying thanks." She turns and goes back into my room.
  "She likes you. And you like her. Stop beating yourself up." Rex says.
  "I got my parents killed. I ruined my best friends life. I destroyed my pack. I might like her, but she deserves someone better than me. And definitely better than Jack." I say. Rex doesn't protest anymore. I go back to playing the game. By the time nightfall hits, we're right at the end of the game. We finish soon after and Rain makes everyone leave so I can get some rest for tomorrow. I lay in my bed. I keep thinking about my mother. How much I miss her. How much I miss Emily. The weight of my poor decisions are heavy on me tonight. But I'm finally able to go to sleep.
 
  Dream
  Mike age 13
  
  I'm playing in the woods early one Thursday morning. I just started shifting and I can't get enough of playing with Rex. He wakes me up sometimes as early as 5 in the morning to get up and go for a run. I love the way the woods smell when it's this early. It's so still and everything in the forest is just starting to wake up. I'm running through the trees, the wind whips past me. I love how fast my wolf can run. Suddenly I hear my mom calling me. "MIKE, BREAKFAST!"
  Wow is it really 7 all ready? I run back towards my house. I need to get a good breakfast in before my training this morning. I scarf my breakfast down then I head straight for the training facility.
  The trainer's been working with me, Emily and a couple other 13 year olds in the pack. 'Wolflings' is what everyone calls us. We've been doing exercises and trainings to help us trust our wolves' instincts more. Today we're playing wolf soccer, it's just like regular soccer but we have to play as our wolves. It's supposed to help us rely on using 4 limbs instead of only 2 and to test our reaction times. Today my dad, the Alpha came to watch our progress, as I'm playing goalie I listen in on the trainer's conversation with him.
  "You know Alpha James, I've never seen a wolfling as talented as young Mike."
  "huh." My dad replies.
  "Yes. Mike and Rex are excelling. They are like a match made in heaven! A young man and his wolf can do great things when they're working together." The trainer says. "Huh." Is my dad's only reply.
  I focus my attention back to the game. The ball is coming towards me. This is my chance to impress him. I brace myself, then I juke the ball out of my opponent's control. Im gonna go for it. I jostle the ball up in the air and Rex twists around fast. Our back paw meets the ball in the air and we kick it as hard as we can. The ball slams into the opposing net.
  "GOOAAALLL!!!" I hear my trainer say, my team rushes around me to lift me up. We won! I made the winning score. I look around to see my dad's reaction.
  He's not even looking! He's distracted, talking to Liam, of course. Liam's group, the young wolves, are training next. My disappointment turns to jealousy. Training is over I get dressed and meet Emily outside. My head falls as I walk out of the training facility.
  "Hey. Why the sad face?" Emily says to me.
  "Oh nothing. Just.. it's nothing really." I reply. Emily comes up next to me and places her hand on my shoulder.
  "Let me guess... Alpha James, your loving a thoughtful father, finally realized what a talented wolfling you are. And he was so impressed, with you that it brought tears to his eyes, and seeing him cry in turn also made you upset.. Is that it?"
  I look over at her and roll my eyes at her sarcasm. We chuckle together for a moment.
  "Uhhh yeah something like that." I reply. We laugh together again.
  "One day he'll see how talented you are. Then he can brag about how great both of his sons are. Cuz two is always better than one. Right?" Emily says. She's always so optimistic. We've stopped walking right in front of her house.
  "Right.." I say.
  "Want to come in for lunch? My mom made sandwiches."
  "Sure!" I reply. Mrs. Angela always makes the best food.
  I'm eating my sandwich, when I start to hear banging at Emily's front door.
  "BANG, BANG, BANG!" It so loud, I cover my ears. I turn to see Emily and Mrs. Angela, but they're both gone. I'm not even in their home any more, i'm in my hut.
  "BANG BANG BANG, BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG!" The door hits the ground with a thud. Everything is silent, and I'm frozen in fear. It's dark. A wolf walks in. His eyes are glowing red. Who is it? The wolf walks right towards me. I close me eyes to brace for his attack. But nothing. The wolf walks right past me. Suddenly I see Emily is still here she's in the corner, facing away. Doesn't she see the huge wolf coming right towards her?
  "EMILY! Turn around! Run!" She doesn't hear me. The wolf lunges right for her neck. Then he bites Emily's mark spot. Emily falls to the ground. The wolf turns to me growling. Blood drips from its teeth. Oh my god... It's me. The wolf is.. me.