The Alphas' Legacy (Alpha Eyes: Book 3)

Chapter 11

Van

Slowing to a halt at the edge of the woods, Van shook out his fur one last time. The shift and run had revitalized him, pulsing energy into his veins like a serum. For those glorious minutes, he'd let his beast free and fly through the trees. Everything else blurred together into the background of his mind.

It's been too long since we've done this, his wolf panted, happy as a puppy. I definitely want to do this again before we go back into the field.

Agreed, Van told him. It would be good for the team to get out and run together.

What about Zoey?

Van froze. What did she have to do with a team run? Why did she factor into it at all?

I'm not ready to figure out that puzzle, he growled to his wolf.

He stepped behind the tree where he'd stashed his clothes and crouched to shift back to human form. His claws retracted first, shrinking into his knuckles with impressive speed. His shoulders cracked next, snapping back a little; knees and legs morphed next, followed by arms. His fur slowly thinned throughout the process until he was left with bare skin. It was the one part of the shift that he didn't like... having to remove and put clothes back on at both ends. It would be so much more convenient if one's clothes just morphed with the shift, disappearing and reappearing.

After the last joint snapped into place, he slipped into his clothes and stepped out from behind the tree. Stitch emerged from the house onto the back patio as he crossed the lawn.

"How was your run?"

Van rolled his shoulders and titled his face towards the sun. "It felt really good, man. I can't remember the last time I was able to run so freely. The euphoria was so high that I almost let my lycan out."

Stitch cocked an eyebrow at that. "Everything okay? You seem... very care-free, which is a bit concerning."

"I'm fine," Van said with a dismissive way. "...just rejuvenated from the exercise. What's up? Where's Zoey?"

"She's with Bug and Goggles," Stitch answered, jerking his head towards the patio door. "I wanted to talk to you about her."

Here we go, Van huffed to himself.

"What about Zoey?"

"She's weak," Stitch said, sticking his hands in his pockets. "She hasn't had any kind of physical training since she went to Midnight, and her mental strength is only a step better than that. I haven't been able to connect with or even sense her wolf at all. I'm concerned that she might not have the fortitude to accept the rejection even if we set up the perfect conditions for her."

That made Van pause. They all knew that Zoey wasn't the strongest, but the depth of her weakness was concerning. Stitch wasn't a lycan, but he was still sharper than most wolves. As a medic, he knew ways of connecting with other people's wolves even when they didn't want to be found. If he couldn't connect with Zoey's wolf, there was definitely something wrong.

"What are you thinking?" he asked.

"If she's open to it, I'd like to work with her on some training," Stitch offered. "I think she's just so used to keeping her wolf down that she's scared to let go. If I can build up her self-confidence and strength as a human, her wolf should feel more secure in coming out."

"That's a good thought," Van mused, running his hands through his hair. "Do you think she'll do it? She seems to trust you."

"I think she's open to at least trying. I'll make sure we're someplace private so she doesn't feel the pressure of performing for others. She said she was at the top of her training class before finding her mate, so I'm hoping I can trigger some muscle memory. We'll see."