The Hybrid in Slender Woods

Chapter 1: My Family of Shadows

Pain. That's the only thing I recognized, other than the black that surrounds me. Every breath I take fill my body with more pain. I try to move my limbs but cried out as just slightly moving sends so much pain. Feeling frustrated, I wrench my eyes open, glancing around the forest. I feel my bones start popping and my wounds start to heal as I try to sit up. I wiped all of the dried blood off my face and looked around once more. Trees sounded me as a seemingly non ending forest. I stood up just to fall back on my knees. I groaned and stood back up, balancing myself with the help of a tree. I slowly start walking north, hoping to get something from there. Come on. Just a little further... I leant on a tree every twenty minutes. Finally, I've been walking for what felt like hours using the trees for support; I saw a small cabin. I stopped and stared at the cabin. There's something familiar- I quickly did a summer salt and turned to my attacker. I bared my fangs before a sudden voice catches me off guard.

"Alpha! It's us!" I blinked and put my fangs away, seeing a small child where I once stood. All of a sudden, everyone came out of hiding from the bushes and the cabin. Ace dropped down from a tree besides me, causing me to accidently punch him.

"Oops, sorry." He grunted rubbing his arm.

"No problem Alpha. If you got a minute, we have something very important to discuss." I nodded and held up my hand while glancing at the five children in front of me. Immediately they stopped whatever they were doing and bowed.

"Ace, I will talk with you," I started. I could see the slight disappointment on the kids faces. "after I talk to the children." Their goofy smiles made a small one appear on my face.

"Yes, Alpha." Ace smiled. I sat on my knee and opened my arms wide. Almost immediately, they all ran into my arms. Some of them crying and some laughing. I hugged them all and gave them kisses all over their faces. I ignored all of my pain for them. Only them. After a couple of minutes with making sure they were all okay and happy, I shooed them off to go play in the Cabin. I turned all of my attention to Ace.

"What's wrong." I dead panned. He studied my face and sighed. "It's the children..." Immediately I began to panic.

"What, what happened? Are they hurt? They seemed fine. Are they not fine?" I questioned immediately and motherly. He chuckled softly.

"Relax, Lilly, they're not hurt. Although...not yet at least." My eyes narrowed.

"Is someone trying to hurt my pups." I muttered darkly. Ace backed down and showed me his neck immediately.

"N-no Alpha. It's just that-"

"What." My wolf was getting irritated that she didn't know what was going to happen quick enough. He whimpered and my eyes softened a little.

"They are that of the Shadow race, Alpha." I gave him a confused look.

"You can stand regularly. What's that supposed to me?" I asked. He fixed himself calmly before explaining.

"These children can only survive for so long in day light or in our reality. They belong in the Shadow realm." My expression was blank. "I-I mean, you have a way to conceal them into something and still communicate with them, whenever you please. But in order to survive Alpha, they must go back to the Shadows." He told me quietly. My expression held no emotion.

"I see. Is there a spell you can remember that can help me do so?" I asked. He nodded quickly. "Teach me." And just like that, for an hour while the kiddos played in the cabin and us in front of the stairs, he taught me that simple spell.

"Now Alpha, once you use this spell, I will no longer be here fully." Ace said with his back towards me. My eyes widened slightly.

"W-what?" I stared at him back as he shook his head. "This spell is an ancient one. One that was made for your kind, but was stolen by mine. So once you use this spell, I won't be here, nor gone. He turned around; giving me one of the rare smiles he had given me after he took beatings from trying to escape. Proving his loyalty.

"I will be, what most humans call, a spirit. Don't worry Lilly, I will still be around and I can still kick some ass. But I won't be able to be there all the time. Only when you need me the most. And don't worry about me dying or anything. Literally, anything will pass through me. So unless I turned absolutely solid, I'm immortal." I hugged him. I hugged him as tears ran down my face. I was so angry. So annoyed. So sad. I felt his arms go around my waist and hold me closer.

"I don't wanna lose you..." I whispered.

"Then don't." He answered. It was too good to be true. The kids all came outside screaming and crying. Worried, I let go to tend to them.

"Mamma it hurts!

"Make it stop!

"Owieee!" All of them cried and wailed and screamed. They were all on the ground in pain. I screamed and tried to somehow make it better. It wasn't working. Why isn't it working?!

"You have to say it, Lillian!" Ace grabbed my arms tight holding me still.

"No, no, no, no!" I shook my head crying. The kids were on the floor, screaming in pain.

"Say it, or you'll lose us all!" Pressured by Ace and the screaming, I did it.

"Retournez dans l'ombre!"All the kids turned a dark purple shadow and flew to me, creating a neon purpleheart necklace around my neck. It was silent now...Too silent. I look aroundme. No one. "A-Ace? Ace? Angust!" Silence. I fell to my knee's agrieved for a moment. The air was getting colder and the sky was growingdarker. I must make camp inside the cabin for tonight. I need a plan. So I guess I'll be staying here for a few nights.I quickly went into the cabin and into a room with one pillow and a lap blanketon a twin bed. That'll have to do. I'm sosorry Ace. But it needed to be done to protect them. And with that, I fallinto a deep slumber. Where myNightmare's wait to welcome me home.