Hunted Shadows (Book 1) In Heavy Editing

Part 15

~~~Derek's POV~~~

"Marsha, I believe we need to move on to actual combat, you'll need it since you're a female soon to be Alpha. People will try and take away your pack, you have to be able to fight, because a weak Alpha is a weak pack. Now I want you to....." I doubled over, pain etching its way over my entire body. I felt hands on my back, but I couldn't do anything. I felt something banging at the mental walls I had put up after my last student. I felt the urgency behind the hits and decided to allow the person in. The air shifted slightly, the temperature dropped down a few notches and I got dizzy.

"That could have gone better, first time for everything I guess. Take a few deep breaths Derek, it will pass." I knew that voice, knew the person, and felt the danger. After a few moments I was able to stand up right.

"How did you get here?" My wolf demanding to be let out and tear this girl to shreds.

"Listen, no time for that. The Alpha of my parents' pack has gone insane, he sent the entire pack on my family. I need help, and you are the only person I could think of to help us. Please Derek, you have to understand that I mean no one harm. My people mean no one harm, call our Alpha. I am requesting help to save my family." I called the Alpha and his warriors to our location. Her people? She's human, but then how did she get here?

"Derek, who is this girl and why do you have her here with my daughter?" The Alpha's power leaked from him, forcing me and every other wolf to bow in submission. Everyone but Marcella.

"My name is Marcella, the Alpha of my parents' pack has sent the entire pack to kill them. He sent his entire pack to kill his own sister. I am requesting help from your pack. If you aid us I will send protection to your house so that you can go and fight." I couldn't believe this girl. First she's in league with the shadow hunters, then she's asking for help?

"Alpha she is with the Shadows, how do we know we can trust her?"

"Yes, but there is one teeny tiny other fact that I'm not telling you. I am a shadow shifter hybrid. I mean no harm to you or your pack, but we are running out of time. My family is going to die because you wolves believe that we are evil! If I were evil I wouldn't be trying to help my adoptive family, I wouldn't have my people guarding them, and I definitely wouldn't be here asking for help." Tom seemed to consider her words before nodding at her.

"If you set up protection for our pack while we fight my pack will help you." I could see the relief in her eyes, the hope spark to life. I could also see shadows emerge and shift. I knew Alpha Tom was wary of them, but I couldn't believe he allowed her to let them in.

"These are my birth parents, they will be protecting your pack. This is their colony, they will not harm anyone, only protect the young, old, and sick that you leave behind for this fight. Now if you get all the people coming with you I can take you to the fight." I saw our people coming out of the woods, congregating around her. I felt the need to join them but I just ushered Marsha away.

"Derek my daughter will be fine, you are to come with us. We need your skill." I nodded at my Alpha, still reluctant.

"Now all of you connect hands, Alpha?" Marcella held out her hand. I saw the hesitation in Tom's eyes before he grabbed her hand. Everyone linked hands, and Marcella shifted into a shadow. She looked me in the eyes and winked before everything went black. "We are about half a mile out from the pack. John has some sort of protection up that doesn't allow me to teleport in. I need you all in wolf form."

"You cannot possibly keep up with us." A warrior from the back called out.

"You're right, not like this I can't." She again looked at me, winked, then shifted into a horse form. To say we were shocked was an understatement. She stomped her hoof and threw her head in obvious annoyance. I looked to our Alpha, who shrugged and shifted into his wolf. The others took it as their cue to shift as well, I only followed after looking at her once more.

~~~Marcella's POV~~~

I didn't expect it to take so long to get them in the fight, but then again I was everything they were told to fear. The Alpha was still cautious of me, he let me take the lead so that he could keep an eye on me. I was getting reports from the men I had inside, we didn't have enough to take on a full pack. It wouldn't be long until they were overwhelmed. I ran as fast as I could in this form, the wolves struggling to keep up. I had to get there before John brought in his allies, I had to hope Maxwell was there helping. I had to hope the royal guards had come with him.

We got to the barrier that I could see was made of some herbs used to cleanse the air of negative energy. I broke the circle with my hooves allowing me access into the pack lands. Breaking out into a run again I heard the wolves stop. I stopped abruptly to look back at them, the Alpha was alert and watching the skies. I brayed at them catching their attention and stomped my hooves. I threw my head and then left them to make a decision. I had to help my family, I didn't have time for hesitant wolves.

Breaking through the woods I found complete chaos. I saw John and B-lined for him. If I could get him to stop, then I could save my family. Before I could make it far four wolves surrounded me. I shifted into my shadow form to take them on in a more able body. These were rogues, he had let rogues onto his land so he could kill his own family. He was insane! I teleported out of the circle of wolves as they dove for me. A larger shadow was beside me in seconds, Hamlan. I looked to him in question and received a nod, my family was safe.

"He's let in rogues, and he says we are the evil ones. Does he not see his evil?" I agreed with Hamlan, but also understood that someone else was behind this.

"He isn't acting alone. Someone else is pulling the strings, I think it might be a rogue. Has Derek and his Alpha made a move yet?"

"They have entered the fight, but I don't know how well his pack is going to do with the rogues being allowed to enter the fight. John has ordered them to attack any of our allies."

"I have a protection detail at their pack house. What is Maxwell's location?"

"He should be here soon. He had to request permission from the royals. They were in a heated argument for around an hour about it."

"I need him to get here now, with the rogues we are outnumbered and outgunned here."

"We should teleport everyone out, retreat for now. Let Maxwell and the others take care of it."

"Get my family out of here, I will stay and keep them off you while you are getting them to safety. Don't give me that look, that's an order. Get them out of here, and get our allies within the pack out as well." I saw the reluctance, I didn't care. They needed to be safe and I can't die from injury anyways. I knew Maxwell was close, knew we would be fine after we got people away from the fight. A large coffee brown wolf lunged at me, forcing me to duck and roll as Hamlan teleported away. I stood up and got into a ready position. The wolf stalked around me, watching me for a sign of attack. When I gave it no indication it leapt at me. I ducted and when it was directly above me I jumped up and pushed the wolf into the air, and away from me. It knocked into another wolf that was ready to attack a child who had wandered out from her home. I ran towards her, grabbing her close to my body as I took the full force attack of a wolf. I felt its teeth sink into my ribs, felt one break, and then the wolf was gone. I immediately teleported to one of my men, handing over the girl and teleporting back to the wolf who was trying to kill her. I saw a black wolf with silver tipped ears and paws tearing into the brown wolf.

"I see you've found some allies, a shame they will die for a soulless creature such as yourself." I felt again something stir but focused on the wolf in front of me.

"A pity really that this wasn't your doing. Who's really behind this hmmm? A rogue? Are you taking orders from a filthy mutt? Seems fitting doesn't it? A once great Alpha brought to insanity and submission by a filthy, mangy, unloyal mutt." He growled at me, his body shifting forward a little.

"I should have killed you when I found you as a helpless babe, not even four years old yet. But I didn't know you weren't human, I should of killed you anyways. Seems even Death doesn't want the likes of you since you died during your first shift. A pity really, no one loves the sad little hybrid." That same something stirred inside me, stronger this time. Pushing forward until it was all I could feel, a cold and cruel calmness. When John attacked it came out, roaring like a wild fire does in a burning forest. All I felt was a sense of calm, and assurance that lulled me into the black darkness of nothing.