Suddenly, after Shadow had become the wolf he'd always wanted to be... the alpha's time had run out. The alpha lay outside under a blanket of snow, Shadow was the only one around.
The alpha said to him; "You have made me the proudest father a runt could have. You may not look like a runt, but never forget that you stand for something. Don't forget what I have taught you, because when the time comes... you will need to return the favor. You have made me proud... so don't you DARE surrender now, because I will have rescued you for nothing. Don't let the others down. Don't let yourself down. You're worth every sacrifice a wolf could make... keep making me proud... my son."
Of course, the old dog was just rambling on. But every word the alpha spoke was true, and sincere, and it remains sealed inside Shadow's head to this day. Shadow will never forget the alpha who saved his life... and he promises to never forget who and what he was, or is.
~
Once the alpha had shut his eyes, Shadow's grief was quickly replaced by a burning hatred when a familiar voice suddenly echoed through the wind. Shadow's eyes narrowed, and his ears folded flat against his skull as he prepared himself for any sudden attacks.
"... Shadow? Is that you?" his mother whispered
"It couldn't be..." his father murmured under his breath
Shadow turned to come face to face with his entire former pack. They were all completely stunned to see what Shadow had become. "What do you want?" Shadow spat
"My God, it is you!" his mother cried, running over to greet him
Shadow barked daringly, and his mother backed down. Shadow was HUGE. Bigger than his father, and all his brothers. He was a beast. A Dire Wolf, almost.
"Look at what you've become..." Shadow's dad started. "I was wrong to throw you out. I KNEW you'd become something special!"
"... So you're saying I wasn't special because I was a runt?" Shadow cocked his head. "How immoral."
"Immoral?" his mother repeated. "N- No! Honey, that's how we were back in those days! Look, we've had another runt! Felix, come out sweetie!"
A small white wolf pup revealed himself from behind Shadow's sister's hind leg. Felix was shuddering in fear, not to mention the fact he was cold. Shadow studied the pup carefully. "Felix, come over here."
Felix obeyed, hesitantly shuffling his way over to Shadow. He stopped almost a meter away and sat down before the large muscular wolf. "Y- Yes?" Felix responded
"Are you happy with them? Do they treat you nicely?" Shadow asked him
"Shadow!" his Mum almost exclaimed in shock. "How dare you~"
"Shut up Mum!" Shadow barked angrily. "I wasn't asking you!"
His mother obeyed due to fear, and his father had almost stepped forward until his mother ushered him to stand down.
Shadow gazed back down at Felix, his expression become gentle... kind. It eased the small pup. "Felix, don't be afraid... I can protect you. If you don't feel that they are treating you like one of their pups, let me know, and you can come and stay with your older brother... I will take care of you."
Felix nervously looked down at the snow, and began to use his paw to draw small pictures. "What will you do to treated me better?"
"... Well, you tell me." Shadow stated
"Mummy and Daddy calls me useless. My sisters and brovers all bit me and tell me I've done stuff and I haven't done it. They done it. My older brover tried to drowns me the uhver day, and Daddy smashed me wif his paw. Mummy says I'm not allowed to eat until everyone else has eatens. I am so hungry. Do you have caught a rabbit?"
After hearing the story that sounded as though Felix was explaining Shadow's past, Shadow's rage only grew. "Felix," Shadow began. "See this trail...?"
Felix looked down to see a distinct path leading away from his pack. "Yes."
"I want you to follow that track until you find a den. Tell them Shadow sent you, and asked for them to feed you."
Felix stood up and trotted almost happily down the trail, and disappeared behind the bushes. Shadow's mother narrowed her eyes, and the entire pack of 7 began to snarl. Shadow wasn't worried, he knew he was more than capable of handling this on his own.
"... What's the matter Mother? You were going to throw him out sooner or later anyway." Shadow stated.
"That's my son." she spat
"... He's my BROTHER!" Shadow snapped and bit his mother on the snout. His mother whimpered and cowered back behind her mate.
"I forbid you to ever treat another wolf the way you treat a runt." Shadow confirmed
His father laughed, along with his brothers and sister. "... What made YOU the alpha?"
"Echo."
Shadow's dad fell quiet for a moment, then laughed again. "The alpha of the New Moon pack? Please! He would KILL you, not make you..."
He trailed off. Shadow almost smirked. "This is going to be a mere warning. If I find out you've broken the law I've just put in place, I'll do worse."
Shadow's family was confused at first, not understanding what he meant. Until Shadow suddenly LUNGED at his sister and ripped her throat out. His brother rushed Shadow, but Shadow was too powerful. Shadow tackled one brother to the ground as the other two jumped on top of him and began ripping at his fur. Shadow tore the first brothers throat out too.
After that, he bowed his head and bit the second brothers hind ankle. The brother let out a piercing cry before falling backwards and landed roughly on the dirt. Shadow did the same to the third brother.
After that, the last brother knew he wouldn't win, and spun around in an attempt to outrun Shadow. Shadow was no ordinary wolf, and caught up in only a matter of seconds. Shadow grabbed onto a hunk of the last brothers fur, and tugged mercilessly at the brothers flesh, sending the last brother crashing down to the dirt.
Shadow jumped on top of his brother and ripped his throat out too, then returned to his parents. His parent cowered before a large thick spruce tree. Shadow had blood running out of his mouth. Shadow's head was lowered, his ears were back, and his teeth were bared and coated with fresh blood.
Shadow took small deliberate steps towards the two wolves, but did not attack them. Instead, he spoke in an eerie, daring, low tone. "You better run... because I'll give you a head start. You're lucky you hadn't attempted to kill me that day, because I'd return the favor now. But remember this...; I'm coming to get you."
Without another word his two parents fled for their lives.
Shadow let off a long, low, haunting, eerie howl... and then returned to his pack.
