The Return Of The Alpha

NIC'S POV:

The night wind blew calmly as she ran through the quiet forest with her new born in her hand praying desperately for life.

She was running through the thick deep forest but so was I. But why am I here? I'm just ten years old, so what is a ten year old doing in the woods in the middle of the night?

I don't know, but my mother Victoria preferred staying deep in the forest always away from other people. Although this only happens one night in every month.

She always drugs me and chains me up. Before leaving the cabin with chains in hand for herself.

It started when I turned eight. At first I always cried, begging her not to go because I was scared being alone and in chains. But she always insisted that we can't be together for just this night.

"This is for your own good, I'm trying to keep you safe as well as others." She would say to a crying me before going out and locking me in.

The next morning, she'd return all dirty with torn clothes. At first, I only regain consciousness when she's already washing up but lately, I've been waking up early. Even earlier as the days proceeded.

When she returns in the morning, she was always tired as if she had been in a fierce and restless battle all night long. I can see the pain in her eyes whenever she returns and undid my chains.

"I don't want this for you Nic." She'd always say. "I hope it never happens to you. Please, Nicholas please be always careful. If you are, you'll never be like me." She explains every single time. But never would she tell me what this is all about.

Every night once in a month we go to that cabin deep in the forest and like clockwork, around eight she'd give me some liquid which weakens me and makes me fall unconscious. She'd chain me up and then leave with chains too just to return the next morning tattered and dirty just to warn me to always be careful and never be like her when I don't even know what all that means.

We've been doing this for almost two years now and Everytime, my mother becomes even weaker. She cried more as she lost more strength and grew more feeble. She's dying, she knows it and I do too.

So many times I've suggested that we go to the hospital. I've begged desperately and threw the worst tantrum I could but she always insisted that it wasn't medical.

"Maybe medicine can slow it down. Please mom, I can't lose you. Please just– let's go see a doctor mom please." I'd always insist and she'd always decline and just take me to the cabin every month for just that night.

It was a week to my tenth birthday. At this point, Victoria can barely work but yet she insisted that we go to that cabin again.

"No! I'm not going there. We need to go see a doctor, mother you're dying!!!" I yelled. She tried reasoning with me, but this time, I'm not backing down.

I kept on insisting and so she agreed to go see a doctor, repeating to me that her condition wasn't medical.

We went to the hospital and her blood sample was collected. We waited in the lobby as she constantly checked the time, waiting for the test results. When her blood work came back, she was right, they all came out clean.

Medically speaking, she's healthy. But physically, she's not. Even the doctors saw this and wanted to admit her but she refused.

"We have to go now, we're running out of time." She said dragging me out of the hospital. We took a bus and stopped close to a mountain and then we hiked up.

"This is not the way to the cabin mom."

"I know, we won't be able to make it there on time." She replied nervously as we both trotted up the mountains.

We saw many hikers on our way up which just made my mom worry more.

"Please not tonight. He's just ten. It shouldn't happen tonight." She muttered to herself dragging me up the mountains.

"Mom I'm getting scared. What's going on?"

"Don't be, we're almost there." She replied still trotting up.

Soon we got close to the top, and she put down her bag, bringing out the chains and the liquid.

"Drink this, be fast." She instructed and I gulped down the bitter liquid, feeling dizzy few minutes later as she chained me to a tree.

She went about ten feets away and started chaining herself to another tree. I was supposed to be unconscious already, but for unknown reasons, I was still conscious and watched as my mother tried to desperately chain herself down but failing miserably as all the bones in her body started breaking one by one leaving her screaming in anguish.

The scene was terrifying as I screamed for help, calling out to my mother.

"Why are you still conscious? Nicholas drink more of the wolfsbane!!" She yelled as she cried in pain.

"Mom I'm scared! What's happening to you?" I screamed terrified.

"Drink it Nic!!" She yelled followed by a sharp noise as my mother's eyes turned goldish red. She ran into the darkness which was followed by growling.

Soon, I saw a full fleshed beast in my mother's chains. She let out some sound, like a cry or call before turning towards me, staring viciously.

"Mom?" I called out in a whisper looking straight into this beast's eyes. "That's my mom." I said in a low tone. "What have you done with my mom!!!" I yelled at the beast, making it agitated.

It started barking and trying to break through the chains to me. If I just sit here, I'll definitely die. But how do I get out? I'm chained down.

Still, I can't just sit back and do nothing. The night wind blew calmly and all I could hear was my supposed mother's furious barks. She was almost lose from her chains and I think she wants to kill me.

I used every strength in me to try and free myself but it wasn't working. I'm a ten year old, chained down. I can't break through iron? I'm i really going to die here? Without even knowing what's going on?

What should I do? What should I do? what should I do?

While still thinking, I heard the mighty tree fall down and the beast freed from it's chains.

It walked slowly towards me growling angrily. Soon it pondered on me. "Stop!!" I yelled out of the fear or did I?

I don't know what happened after that. The next thing I knew, I was waking up back in the cabin, and it was morning already.

But this time, my mom and I weren't alone. There was this woman and her baby in the deep forest cabin with us.

To Be Continued...

NIC'S POV

I slowly got up confused, seeing this stranger in the cabin carrying a baby. The events of last night had eluded me. There were flashes but it felt more like a dream. I turned my gaze towards the bedroom, there I saw my mother laying almost lifeless on the bed. "Mom?" I muttered trying to get up but was struck down by a really bad migraine, immediately sending me to the ground.

After about fifteen minutes, I woke up again and the images from the previous night became clearer to me.

I was consumed by fear and accidentally woke my inner beast. Except in my case, it was an actual beast just like my mom's. Except mine was mightier, like a lion to a cub.

The transformation frightened me. I could feel it that I wasn't in control of myself, and all I could think about was getting to the cabin, which according to my mom would keep me safe.

"The cabin would keep you safe." My mom's voice echoed in my head as I turned around, sprinting towards the cabin which for some reason I instinctively knew was to the east of the forest.

I could feel myself slowly fading away and the next thing I knew, I was waking up inside the cabin with this stranger by my side holding a baby. Then again, my mom!

I ran to her hugging her as she groaned weakly in her death bed. She was bleeding badly with scratches allover her body. I teared up seeing her condition, thinking I might have hurt her.

"Mom! Mom I'm sorry, I didn't mean to hurt you?" I pleaded in tears for forgiveness.

"No Nic you didn't hurt me." She replied with a weak smile. "You are the perfect little Senior Elder." She whispered into my ears. "Shush, it's a secret. Don't tell anyone." She instructed giving my hand a little squeeze.

"What does that mean. Mom, what was that last night?" I asked terrified. "Don't worry about that. You can tell me later, let's just go to the hospital mom." I cried trying to carry her up but couldn't.

"There's no need Nic, I won't make it." Those words killed me instantly. Tears rolled down uncontrollably as I watched my mother die.

"Don't cry Nic, I'm so sorry. I wish... I wish I had more time. I thought if I kept you away from it all, you'd be safe. But I wish I'd told you sooner. I didn't know your powers would be awoken so quickly. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry I failed you as a mother."

"No Mom, you didn't fail me. Don't talk like that. Don't talk like you're going to die. Please don't die. Stay with me. Mom please!!!" I begged desperately in tears, even though I knew she was already gone.

"Alima" she called out to the woman outside. "Please take care of my son. He's just like you, but he's a special little boy. He is much more than you could ever imagine so please, keep him safe, and keep him hidden. That way, you would have repaid your debt to me. Goodbye Nic. I love you. " She groaned weakly as she drew her final breath, letting go of my hand.

There was an immediate emptiness in me. I screamed in agony as my mother died right in my arms. The only family I've ever known. The only family I've ever known is gone. She is gone and she left me in the hands of a total stranger.

I have so many things to tell her. So many questions to ask her. There's still a lot I need her to teach me and to protect me from but she's gone, just like that. How will I survive without her now? And how can she just trust a complete stranger to take care of me?

I wept and sob bitterly, secluding myself from the rest of the world. That cabin where I didn't want to be, became the only place I'd rather be.

Days became weeks and weeks became months and I still couldn't heal from the loss but Alima stayed by my side.

She made all the funeral arrangements and just for that day, I went to say my final goodbyes to my mother. After which we returned to the cabin. I won't leave and Alima allowed me grief for as long as I needed. And it took almost a year before I finally festered up the courage to return to the country side with Alima.

And just as my mother instructed, Alima never left my side, neither did Iris, the little baby girl.

To Be Continued...

NIC'S POV

Alima never knew my mother but it turns out that after my mom and I parted ways in the forest that night, my mom saved Alima from 'a pack of werewolves, tasked to kill her by their alpha.' Alima's exact words.

I don't know much about the history but according to Alima, our ancient fathers were cursed to be beasts who lived in the mountains, crying every night in anguish. But the Senior Elders begged the heavens for mercy, and the white sorceress appeared, allowing the clan to live as humans but cursed to turn every full moon if they ever take a human life. And that was why my mother always took me to the cabin in the woods once a month, because she was cursed to turn into a wolf.

My mother never told me any of this but Alima told me everything. Some of which were ridiculous but I had to believe because I saw my mom turn into a beast and so did I.

Wolves always pay their debt and Alima is indebted to my mom, so she's paying it by being by my side. She became my guardian, holding on to all my mother's properties until I turned eighteen. And although my mom is gone, I'm grateful she gave me Alima and Iris, while she watches over me from the afterlife.

•••

Years went by and Alima, Iris and I now lived as a family. It's been over a decade and Alima has managed to make the pain of losing my mother almost exonerated.

Alima, Iris and I were all wolves but never turned during the full moon because we didn't break the seal of the curse by taking a life.

We all tried to stay positive despite our tragic past. I lost my mother and Alima is a rejected Luna, who escaped a death penalty and fled with her youngest daughter while the older one stayed back.

"Luckily, your mom saved me. Your mom is a special wolf. I don't know how but I know she's special. She was almost dead, and yet she killed a gamma and twenty two trained wolves. Your mom is special and so are you. So be very careful."

"And stay hidden. Yeah! yeah! I know mom, you've told me like a billion times." I mocked as Iris and I laughed, heading outside.

It was the beginning of my final year in college and I can't wait to be done with all this shit and torture called education. I dropped Iris off at her middle school and headed straight to campus.

The moment I opened the dorm door, I was immediately greeted by noisy Luke, my roommate.

He is an African American with 5.8fts tall, bestowed with the mouth of a parrot. He has told me virtually everything about himself and his entire family, while knowing nothing about mine. He is easygoing and free spirited and so I hang out with him sometimes.

"Yo! There's this party tonight for freshmen. Wanna crash?" He asked on the first day of resumption? "Hell no! They're basically children."

They're in college, that makes them adults. Come on..." He retorted, continually insisting that I go with him to the party. I really think noisy Luke only came to college to party and do nothing else. But hey! It's my final year here. So let's party and have fun for tonight. I'll be careful and hidden. That's what matters to Alima right?

•••

We got to the venue that evening and I think. No! I know noisy Luke definitely gave me drugs. "Oh great, Kalib is here." Luke exclaimed disappointedly. But I was too mesmerized by the beauty standing next to Kalib to care about his existence.

I don't know if it was the drugs, but this damsel is the most beautiful woman I've ever seen. She's my target tonight. I don't do relationships but I must have this pretty damsel tonight.

I watched her closely and soon, I think she had a fight with Kalib and went to sit by herself at the bar.

"It's time to make my move." I thought dragging my drunken ass to the bar.

I don't really remember what we were talking about, but soon we were both in the man's room having sex. I was having sex with a girl whose name I don't even know and it was really good, exceptional.

We were having fun when suddenly, it felt like I was transported to a different dimension. I felt chills all over and a whisper. "Senior Elder blood."

"A Senior Elder?" that's what my mom called me before she died. She told me to keep it a secret and I never told anyone not even Alima. I had long forgotten those words, but those three words are now continually echoing in my ears the more I have sex with this girl.

The more we did it, the louder the voice became. And for the first time after that night in the cabin, I looked at the mirror and saw my claws grow out, my fangs came out and my eyes glowed goldish red, as a giant tattoo grew on her back.

At that moment, I was overwhelmed. It felt like I knew her and I was claiming her, like she's mine now. It was like... I met my soulmate.

Who exactly is this girl? And what the hell is a Senior Elder blood?

To Be Continued...