Alpha Female - Book 1 -Under Major Editing-

Chapter 38

Drew had decided to stay in Nightshade, wanting to get straight to training with Aldrich now that he had finally shifted. His wolf was full of ambition, a new side of Drew that he had never experienced. He was ready to take his place in his family and bring honor to his fathers pack. He, Nicole, and Aldrich had grown close in the few days he had been in Nightshade, and he never thought he could love anyone other than his mom like he did them. Aldrich was smart and completely respectable with the way he trained. He never downgraded Drew, which he appreciated, and focused on teaching him hands on instead of just telling him.

As Aldrich had already said, the young man was a natural. He caught onto pack politics and etiquette like he had grown up around it his whole life. He was picking up on every little thing Aldrich had taught him in the short few days he had been with them. He was staying in Aldrich and Nicole's new house, in a spare room Aldrich had hurried and threw together for him. It wasn't much, but Drew appreciated it, regardless.

He and Nicole were sitting in her's and Aldrich's shared room, laughing and cutting up as Nicole told him stories about their father. Drew was still sad he didn't get to meet him, but he already felt closer to the man through Nicole's endless stories of him. Andrew was a fantastic alpha, and father from how Nicole described him.

"Nic," Drew started, his laughter dying down. "how did Dad react? Ya know, the day mom was taken?"

Nicole quieted her laughter, taking a deep, steadying breath. "Well, we didn't know Mom had been taken. The rogues had taken a woman about Mom's age and skinned her. They took her canines too. All that was left was her body, in wolf form. They used dark blood magic to break Dad's bond to her, so he genuinely thought she was dead." She paused, staring up at the ceiling as she gathered her thoughts. "I don't remember it, but Lance's dad told me about it. Dad had felt the rip of the bond being broken, so he tore into the clearing and found the body. Landon said he stopped and fell to his knees. He began to partially shift, and nearly didn't come back from it. Landon had to talk him down."

"What's a partial shift?" Drew asked, his eyebrows scrunched together in confusion.

"It's when your wolf overtakes your skin. It's very dangerous because you're more animal than human when it happens. Usually, our skin, or human side, overpowers our wolf. Yes, we have instincts, but we don't have to actually act on those instincts if we don't want too. But, when a partial shift happens, your animal takes over everything, and your humanity is pushed to the back. Your wolf is unpredictable, emotional, territorial, but your human side is still aware. You know right from wrong, but your wolf doesn't care. It's pushed solely by its instincts, and it won't listen to you."

Drew took her words in, feeling his wolf stir inside him. "That sounds scary. So, basically, your stuck in your mind while your wolf runs rampant?"

Nicole nodded, leaning back against the headboard and rubbing her stomach. "The only time I've come close to it was the night dad died. Me and Aldrich were fighting and I got overwhelmed. She started fighting to take control, and Aldrich had to talk me down. It was scary, having to battle my wolf for control like that. Some people can partially shift and come back, but it takes a lot of patience and control. But most of the time, once you partially shift, it's over. You're trapped in your mind, watching your wolf act like the animal it is. The Council has ordered all alphas to put those to death who partially shift and can't come back, even if it's themselves. The betas and gammas have to handle the alpha's if it happens, and it's a federal offense to leave someone alive partially shifted."

"But, when we shift, we let our wolf out? So, how is it different?"

Nicole chuckled, shaking her head. "It's totally different. Partial shift isn't a full shift. Your wolf doesn't come out all the way, only partly. There's a book series from the human realm that's very popular. They made movies out of them, and in one of them, there's a man who turns into a werewolf every full moon. He doesn't look like a wolf, like we do. He's...part man, part wolf. He stands on two legs, has fur, but only in patches, and his face resembles that of a wolf. That's the closest thing I can think of to describe a partial shift. You're still partly human, but your humanity is gone. Just like the movie and book, he transforms into this...beast. But he has zero traces of his humanity. He would kill his best friend- actually, he did try to kill his best friend in the movie." she said with a small laugh. Her tone turned back serious as she continued. "But anyways, it's not like looking at a regular wolf. It's something different, more grotesque."

Drew popped a piece of popcorn in his mouth that was sitting between them, chewing as he questioned her. "So, Dad partially shifted but was able to snap out if it?"

Nicole nodded.

Drew ate another piece of popcorn, chewing slowly as he imagined it in his head. Nicole had showed him photos of their dad, and it was scary imagining Andrew looking like that, crying over his mate who he thought was laying dead in front of him. Drew felt his anger boil, his wolf stirring in him once more. Nicole noticed his sudden change in demeanor and sat up, placing a hand in his shoulder. "Don't get worked up. It's useless to let it control you. The people who caused all this are dead, and their never coming back. You're safe. Mom is safe." She paused, her tone turning light and almost airy. "And Dad's no longer in pain." She felt herself tearing up as she remembered how much pain Andrew was constantly in. It angered her just as much, knowing that her dad's suffering was caused at the hands of a witch. "He was in constant pain, and it makes me just as mad knowing why he was in pain. But he's okay now. He's watching us, guiding us. All you need to focus on right now is making him proud. And I know you will."

Drew felt himself calm down, and he turned to Nicole, smiling. "I know. I really do want to lead Silent Ash and be as good as you and him both. Thank you for trusting me and giving me the chance to prove myself to you, Sis."

Nicole smiled back, nodding. "I think you'll be a great alpha, Drew. You have it in you. And as much as I love Silent Ash, my place is here, leading beside Aldrich. I think you'll do great things leading Silent Ash."

"I hope so." he replied, nervousness evident in his voice.

Nicole shoved him gently, both of them laughing together. "You need to chill out. You're gonna do great. You have Aldrich helping you, and I'll do all I can. You're in good hands."

"I know, it's just...I never thought I would have a pack, let alone lead one, ya know? It's crazy." He paused, gesturing to his body. "And this! I mean, I bulked up overnight! Is that even normal?" He laughed when Nicole rolled her eyes, laughing softly at him.

"When you've been fed silver to suppress your alpha wolf and keep from shifting, yes it is. Most wolves of high status bulk up after they've shifted, but you were past that part, so it just happened. You'll get way bigger the more you train, so you need to start eating more."

"Eat more?! I already eat like 10 times a day!" he exclaimed, throwing his hands in the air.

"I know, but your body is growing and filling out. You need to be eating at least ten thousand calories a day, and a bowl of popcorn and a couple eggs for breakfast is not getting you all the calories you need." Nicole said matter of factly. "You need a lot of protein. Plenty of chicken, steak, pork. Things like that. Carbs are a big one too, at least until you can get your body to where it's suppose to be. You'll have to train every other day for a little while too. Your body is naturally bigger and stronger than the average wolf. You're an alpha by blood. You burn twice the calories that an omega wolf does, so you need twice the amount of food. That's obviously why you're hungry all the time." She paused to grin at him, a teasing glint in her eyes. "If you weren't a Danielson, I'd think you were crazy for not figuring that out on your own."

"Well, I'm not used to eating when I feel like it. And I'm also not used to looking like a alpha." Drew paused to groan, throwing his head back against the headboard. "Will I have to train so much forever? Because fuck that. Aldrich almost killed me yesterday in hand to hand combat."

Nicole giggled, shaking her head. "No, once you get your body to where it needs to be, you won't have to train as much. It's always good to work out, but it won't have to be every other day. Get ready though, I think Aldrich wants you training everyday for the time being." She placed her hand on his, squeezing it encouragingly. "And you don't look like an alpha, you are an alpha."

Drew rolled his eyes but smiled nevertheless. "It'll all be worth it I guess?" he asked.

Nicole nodded. "Yeah, it definitely will be."