Call of Shadows - Book 1

Chapter 26

Phoenix

"How many do they have?"
"What happened?"
"How were they so big?"
"How will the packs survive?"

Every Alpha was talking at once, and my head was splitting. We had arrived back only half an hour ago and no one had given me a rest. Closing my eyes I took a deep breath. When I opened them again, my eyes were gold. At once each fell silent.

"I can't answer every question. I don't know. I do know that they outnumber us by a lot. They have no will, and have been stripped of their own thought. They have no mercy anymore. I never saw them use any power so their size is honestly unexplainable.

I will not ask your pack to fight. Only if you wish to join me. I will not command you to join and you will have no shame if you chose not to fight, however I will ask that those who do fight know what they are fighting and the risk involved." Each Alpha stared at me unwavering. "There was a prisoner taken, I will be talking to him later. Until then, if you wish to stay out of the fighting keep your pack indoors or move to a quieter area of the sanctuary." They all muttered to themselves before Chance spoke.

"If these wolves have lost their will what makes you think your prisoner can even communicate?"

"I'm hoping I can override whatever their Alpha did to him. If I can't then he's no use to me." I spun on my heel not wanting to hear anymore questions and headed to the cells. The guard nodded in respect and opened the gate.

He was curled up in the corner of the cell. On the field they had been massive but I now realize he was skinny due to malnutrition. His ribs were showing under his pelt and his fur held no sheen, it was matted and ragged. Walking back to the guard I requested him to get some fresh meat and water before turning back to the wolf in the corner.

"My name is Phoenix, I'm here to help. Can you tell me your name?" He just looked warily on with his eyes following my every move. Slowly I approached him, but as soon as I got within touching distance he snapped at me and pushed his body further into the corner. Deciding it'd be smarter not to try and get close for now I sat down near the door of the cage. The wolf's body seemed to relax just slightly as he realized I wasn't going to get any closer.

The guard returned with the shoulder of a deer and handed it to me. "Thank you, Please wait outside the cells." He hesitated but nodded and returned through the door. Slowly I turned back to the wolf and slid the shoulder slowly toward him.

"This is for you, I'm just going to sit here okay?" He just stared at me afraid to move or speak. I offered the meat again but he refused. "It's okay, it's not poisoned. See?" To solidify my statement I took a piece off and placed it in my mouth chewing slowly. He stilled eyed me but reached out cautiously and took a piece as well. As soon as he got a strip off, he snatched it back afraid I'd take it from him.

We sat in silence as he chewed on the carcass giving unconscious groans of pleasure. He kept going back for more until I had to caution him. "Slow down, if you eat too much you'll regret it later." There was no acknowledgement but he did slow his chewing.

"My name is Phoenix, I am the Alpha here." I said again, but this was the first reaction I had gotten from him, his eyes flashed up at me disbelief written across his features. I didn't know how to take the reaction so I watched him. He only shook his head and went back to eating. I knew at this point I wasn't going to get any further with him today.

"You are not a prisoner here. You are allowed out anytime you want. You just tell that person standing by the door okay? He'll let you out and I'll come as soon as he does. If you get hungry you just tell him too. I'll have something else sent down later for dinner." I slowly stood up and walked out the door. "You heard that yes?" I asked the guard. He nodded. Lauren stood only a few paces outside the door.

"I need to talk to you." Nodding I took her hand and led her toward the waterfall where I first told her about what I was. She sat down feet in the water. I knew I had to wait for her to speak.

"When they took me I had been hit on the head and knocked unconscious. Whoever took me knew that you'd be blocked at least while they got away. But when I woke up I couldn't find you - our connection was gone. The boy you've taken was in the van with me, and I'm glad you spared him because he's different from the others.

When we stopped we stopped in front of a gate. They opened and Phoenix the sheer amount of bodies it revealed, the wolves and people alike outnumber you by a lot. There were so many. I was taken to a hut and shoved inside. It was so cold and there was a guy sitting in the room.

He was so full of hate. Most of it was directed towards you. He hates you for everything wrong in the world. No. Don't interrupt you'll see." She said as soon as my mouth opened.

"He said you took everything from him and then the other being appeared. Phoenix he was so cold and dark. So much hatred stored in one person...one thing. I looked into his eyes and Phoenix they were your eyes. Phoenix the Hellerash is your father."