The Shape Shifter

Chapter 17

Ryder's p.o.v.

"Quit being a baby." I smirk, and push his shoulder before running ahead of him, the weaker members in training following behind us.

"I was just mauled yesterday!" Tony huffs and pumps his legs faster, trying to catch up.

I chuckle and slow down, not for Tony, for the poor souls trying to keep up with both of us. We were going to war and they needed to learn combat and gain stamina fast but there was only so much physically possible in set time periods. Their progress was amazing so far, most o them twice as strong as they were before. Tony is just being a whiny brat. "You've had worse, I would know." I smile and he groans. Our past sparring tended to get out of hand when we first shifted.

"Torture!" I snorted at his comment before ordering him to finish the rest of training without me, I had to check with the wolves on boarder patrol . My paws dug into the dirt before taking off to the north, trees blurring past as leaves brushed over my fur. This coming war had everyone on edge but no one was taking it as hard as Skylar was, even after our talk he has been reserved and quieter than usual. He's returned into the shy shell he was in when I met him. It was unnerving.

"Ryder!" I huffed and slowed down my pace before turning to face a small black wolf, it's body transparent around the edges as its smoke shifted and twisted with the wind. Rhett's wolf was fascinating to look at and he has given us some good information on the shadow wolves as a species. "They're coming! I feel it, they're coming and they're coming fast, less than an hour!"

"WHAT!", my wolfs voice blends into mine, making it echo around the forest. I take off running, huffing and pushing my legs faster and faster, harder. My howl, a deafening roar throughout the land before a thundering howl from my pack was returned.   

DAMNIT! We were nowhere near ready...

"What's going on?" Tony's voice rang in my head before I answered in return, "get to the pack house, gather everyone there. Fast."

Children and pregnant women to the basement along with any unable bodied members! NOW! the chorus of agreements calmed me slightly as I burst through the tree line, shooting across the yard and into the house in search of my mate and father. I shot up the stairs before tripping, faceplanting into the stairs before turning my head with a growl to look behind me for the voice that called. "Rhett warned us before going to find you. Everyone already has their orders, meet outside."

I nodded and bound upstairs, "Skylar!" my body shifted back into human form as I entered my room, sniffing the air before snatching up some shorts, I stumble into them while following his scent to the bathroom. "Sky?" I pushed open the door to see him sitting in the shower, no water and covered with blankets, fast asleep. My feet carry me over quickly before kneeling next to the tub, I brush my fingers over his hair and cup his cheek before leaning over to kiss his lips gently. His eyelids flutter before slowly opening, disoriented for a bit before his cheeks tint pink as I deepen our kiss ever so slightly. "What are you doing in here?"

"I...." he seems to struggle with his words for a while before sitting up straighter, trying to wake up, "I just wanted to be alone for a bit then.... then I fell asleep. I don't know how these blankets got here..."

"Well I'm glad they are here nonetheless, don't want my baby getting sick especially now. We need to meet with the rest of the pack, they're coming, now." his head snaps up quickly before he takes my outstretched hand so I can help him out.

"What do y....." Skylar's blue eyes widen as he freezes, "I....I can feel them.... there's so many.." He shivers before looking at me with disbelief, "I can feel their excitement.."

"How?"

"I don't know... I've never felt them before." I nod my head and squeeze his hand gently before leading him out of the room, we needed to get to the pack. Rhett has a connection with them so maybe Skylar did too, just weaker... the distance must be diminishing quickly.

We get outside quickly and go straight to my father and his beta, Tony standing near them both. He sees them and rushes over. "Everyone is here and split up accordingly."

"Good. Every second counts." He nods and follows us back over to our fathers. "What's the news?"

They turn to us and start explaining right away. "Just as planned, warriors have hidden themselves in the woods and surrounding area for the sneak attack, our stealthy members have hidden themselves with various long range weapons, the majority of us are gathered here to confront the enemy; pregnant women, elderly and children are in the bunkers. All we can do now is mentally prepare and hope for the best."

"We aren't enough." Skylar said, "there's more than we thought." His comment puts everyone at unease, I turn to him and ask how many there are. "at least one hundred more than our one hundred and fifty, maybe more...." He looks at the ground with an unreadable expression on his face, fists clenched by his sides. I pull him into my embrace and kiss his head.

"I won't let anything happen to you." I whisper to him as he wraps me in his arms tightly. My wolf pacing around in my mind, agitated and worried.

"It's not me I'm worried about..."

"I know." I knew he was more worried for everyone but himself, everyone dragged into a mess he thinks is his fault, but it wasn't. Skylar didn't do anything, he didn't rally an army against us, he didn't ask his mother to come for him, he didn't make his mother a psychopath, he doesn't even know the woman. None of this was his fault and I would be damned if I ever let her take away my mate or harm my pack.

This bitch was gonna die and I would make sure it was in the worst way possible.

"Ryder." I sighed before releasing Skylar to face my father. "After this, you will be alpha. I'm stepping down... so don't die."

Things have been tense between us after what he revealed but we needed to put that behind us and focus on protecting out family, our pack. I nod. "Same to you old man."

"Where's Rhett?" Skylar asks with a tug at my arm. "I need to ask him something."

"I last saw him in the woods....." I looked around the yard with him but couldn't see the small boy anywhere. I send a message through the pack link but no one has eyes on him. "He's not here." Skylar looks around one more time before letting go of my arm.

"I have to find him." He goes to step away but I catch his arm to stop him.

"I need you here, I wont let you out of my sight." I stare straight into his eyes as I say that, my wolf pushing forward possessively causing my vision to sharpen and hair so start sprouting from my skin slowly. "You're mine." I watch as his eyes soften and his shoulders slump.

"He's my only blood relative that's not trying to kill me..." he stares right back at me and my possessive nature diminishes slightly at his sad demeanor. I had my family, knew all of them and where they were, how they were doing. They were always around when I needed them and Skylar is just getting to experience that now after years of loneliness and abuse. it made sense that he wanted to protect the one brother he knew.

I growl slightly, close to offering to search for Rhett with him before the ground starts to tremble, everyone freezes until the distant sound of howls fills the air.