The Shadow Alpha

Chapter 13: Grieving In the Trees

River

I break through the trees just in time to see the battlefield that is now before me: the massive cedar tree that was meant to be our project for the day, now lies in the middle of the clearing; forgotten in the midst of the fight.

Wolves are colliding all around me, the sound similar to that of two boulders crashing together. Teeth and claws slice through the air while spatters of blood begin to decorate the forest floor. Snarls and growls rip through their cavernous chests, the sound of it purely wild, primal. The reverberation is strong enough to feel in your bones.

Collecting myself as best I can, I begin to scan the area and do a mental head count of the pack members I knew would be working with me today.

            But I don't even count more than two of my members before I see Tyler and Drake go barreling past me. They sprint off toward the opposite side or the clearing.

I growl and set off, thrusting myself forward to pursue the three attackers donning red zigzag shapes etched into their coats.

             As I continue eating up the distance between me and my targets, I watch Drake and Tyler come to an agile stop, pivoting around quickly enough to lower themselves into a defensive position.

           The three attackers have caught up with them two heartbeats later, and they too adopt a fighting posture as they slowly start to advance in Tyler and Drake.

         With everything I have, I continue surging my way over to the opposing wolves.  I begin to bank and curve to the left, allowing me the angle I need as a plan of attack forms in my head.

       I throw myself into the air and leap over the backs of all three enemy wolves, aiming for the one in the middle as I sail overhead.

         I time it just right, closing my jaw around its neck and snapping it instantly, throwing it over my shoulder as I land on the other side.

The two opponents that are left take notice of me, but that's all they have the chance to do before Tyler and Drake go in for the kill; the brief moment of distraction being all they needed.

I scan the rest of the clearing, counting ten attackers and seven Shadows, now including me.

Where the fuck did they come from?

I ask furiously.

They came out of the woods from the North. We think they must have swam up the river to stay downwind and avoid detection—the fuckers.

Drake tells me, and I lunge toward another attacker advancing on us, and sink my teeth into its shoulder. He wails out in pain as I toss him behind me.

Keep that one alive for questioning. I need to know how and why they're here.

I turn back to the larger fight before us, seeing Desmond—the young fifteen-year-old who can track like no other—struggling against a much larger wolf with burnt amber fur.

I set off towards him, feeling like I cannot close the distance between us fast enough.

The amber wolf snaps at Desmond's legs and manages to take hold of his front left, and clamps down hard. Desmond yelps out in pain, a sickening snap sounding from his now fractured leg. He collapses down onto the ground just as I reach him.

I waste no time in slamming into the amber wolf, sending it flying through the air, landing thirty feet away from us in a heap of dirt and dust.