The Witch's Mate (completed)

From that Day On

My paws dug into the forest dirt, shoveling and kicking back pebbles and leaves behind me. The sound of my heavy breaths exiting my open mouth filled my ears. The wind in my face was making my eyes water.

I felt free.

I felt uncontrollable.

No one could stop me.

No one could hold me down.

My ear twitched at the sound of a howl. I came to an abrupt stop before quickly making a right hand turn in the direction of the cry for help.

The howls continued and I tried to run faster to get to the wolf in need.

I came to another abrupt stop when I caught the strangest sight in front of me. A wolf was in a Hunter's trap. Hanging by a tree entrapped in a net. We met eyes and I smelt the odor of another pack on them. I looked around the tree and trap to see how I could free the wolf.

I found rope tied to a branch and bit at it. The wolf in the trap fell to the ground. I helped him out of the net and then gestured for him to follow me. All his howling most likely caused an uproar amongst Hunters and Trappers. They'll most likely be here any minute.

The wolf, who was slightly smaller than me but for sure a male, followed me without hesitation. We ran to my pack house and that is when I allowed myself to turn human. The wolf that accompanied me did the same.

"What is your name?" I asked as one of the Omegas came out and handed me clothing.

"Rupert." I snickered.

"Name's Red," I said in response. The boy before me looked near my age. He was tall and lanky and could use some roughing-up.

"Thanks for saving me, Red."

"No worries." We shook hands. "But might I try to remind you to just try to mind link to someone around you before howling like that. You were most likely in a Hunter's trap. Who knows if they were around you or not." Rupert took that into consideration with a nod. "What pack are you from?"

"Litha Moon Pack." I nodded.

"This is the Ambersy Pack. You are welcomed to stay the night if you want. If you wish to return home, I suggest doing it on foot. And I can even give you a few escorts to make sure you make it back safely. I don't want those Hunters catching up on you."

"Th—thank you! I really appreciate that."

"No problem."

"SON!" I turn around to see my dad. He's bigger than me and a lot more mean looking.

"Father." I simply stated.

"Who is this?" He turned to Rupert and I could see the fear in the boy's eyes.

"This is Rupert of the Litha Moon Pack. I saved him from a Hunter's trap in the woods."

"Was it near here?"

"No." My father looked Rupert up and down.

"Leave," he said to Rupert.

"Wait, I said he could stay the night or we could have him escorted home."

"No, he's not one of ours. Why should we offer him hospitality and protection. Leave." Rupert looked hurt but quickly nodded and began walking away.

"Dad, if he goes without shoes on he'll look conspicuous. And if he turns into a wolf, then he'll be a bigger target."

"I don't care. It's his fault for leaving his pack and getting trapped. Now come, I have duties for you to fulfill." I groaned and watched as the skinny, defenseless boy walked away by himself.

"Son, you must learn to be tough." My dad said as we entered the pack house. "Don't give in to wolves like that boy." I just nodded and followed my dad out to the training grounds.

He made me train and then work on my communication skills through mind link.

"You are getting stronger, son." He told me by the end of the day. My dad was trying his best to gear me up to be him one day.

Alpha.

It's a heavy title to bear in our world. But I know I'll be ready to take that title when the time comes. They say you can't be an alpha until you have a luna. My father believes in tradition, so once I find my soul mate, I'll be golden and hopefully ready to take my father's role as pack leader.

Of course when the time comes I will be challenged. That is why my dad is making sure I am the strongest and toughest, so that the Alpha line can stay in the Reid family.

I hope I am strong enough.

"Son, come on a scouting mission with me." I smiled.

"Really?" I asked in disbelief. My father proudly nodded.

I ran my hand through my short hair and couldn't help but be excited over a simple thing as a scouting trip.

We quickly got ready and then I was off with my dad and a few others. Hunter's have lately become a problem. And since hearing about a trap set up by them from me earlier, my dad doesn't want to leave anything unchecked.

We ran in the dark, guided by the moon's light, until we came upon the trap I had freed Rupert from. But we weren't alone. Hunters crowded around the netted trap.

"Definitely bitten by werewolf fangs. It was no knife." One of the men said. My dad and the others were sure to be quiet in the brush and bushes.

One of the men crouched and looked at the ground. Only then did I realize my mistake.

My father growled and I knew I would get a beating after this scrimmage.

"The two of 'em headed this way still in transformation." The man said.

In a flash my dad leaped out of his hiding position and attacked the man who had pointed out Rupert's and my tracks. Along with my dad went the others that had accompanied us. Shots began to be fired and as I tried to find my place in the fight, a bullet went in me. I howled in pain and fell to the forest floor. My vision was blurry as I watched a hunter make his way to me with a dagger in hand. But my dad came to my rescue and bit his head off.

Coldness began to envelope me as my dad nosed me and helped me up.

He mind linked me and yelled, "Why didn't you fight!?" He was glaring at me and I whimpered in cowardliness. I looked at the spot I was shot and began licking my wound. "Come on, this fight is over." I looked around me and found all of the hunters and trappers dead. I felt a pit in my stomach and tried to convince myself that it was for the best. They would have killed our kind just the same.

I fell behind as my dad and the others ran off without me. When I got to the pack house, two wolves came up and began beating down at me, most likely ordered to by my father.

I took the beatings but allowed silent tears to fall down my fur. Once they were done, I limped inside the pack house.

"STOP!" I heard the Alpha boom. "Weakness is not allowed in this house." I looked down as I felt hundreds of eyes on me. I am supposed to be this pack's future leader, and yet I couldn't even fight in a simple fight against human hunters. I fricken allowed myself to get shot and miss out on the whole thing. "You shall sleep outside, untransformed, without the protection of clothing. Your wounds will be addressed in the morning." I looked up just a little and caught the sadness in my mother's eyes. There was nothing she could do. She's just the Luna.

I walked outside with a gammy leg and transformed back into a human boy. I laid on the dirt, naked, and shuddered at the soft breeze that went right through me.

I was twelve-years-old that day. And from that day on, I learned to be tough, take a gunshot wound, get used to the cold, and hate everything about being an Alpha's son.