Alpha...

Magic and Blood

UN-EDITED

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The only force strong enough to undo Sylas's magic was the command of an alpha, my alpha, who was staring at me with pain filled eyes on the dank floor of a dark cave. His change was slow and gradual, as though it had been slowed down ten times over, it gave me enough time to really watch as his hair receded back revealing dark sweat soaked skin and a weary grimace.

"Jen" His voice was weak and rough as he gazed up at me.

"I love you" I told him, my eyes watering as I desperately reached for him. He smiled weakly, as though those three simpe words could warm his heart and glanced away. His body was spread across the floor, shaking and sweaty, he looked as though he'd been through hell and back. When he looked back at me there was a sadness in his eyes, it ran so deep it was painful to look at, much less try and understand.

I knew to him this must have felt as though he were letting me go, leading me to my death, and weak as he was it must have killed him to not be able to protect me.

"Save your sister" It was an order. Like ivy crawling up the side of a house it grew and overtook Syla's magic, hugging tightly on to my body and my bones until I rose. It felt different to every other command he'd given me, in the past his commands had been shackles but now it was freedom.

He had given me one purpose, one will, and all the determination to follow through.

"Just come back to me" It wasn't an order but it may as well have been as he stared up at me with soft amber eyes. I nodded, too emotional to speak as I checked both Charlie and Wes for a pulse and silently left.

As soon as I turned into the dark passageways I shifted back into my wolf form. I was tired and the shift was slower this time but as soon as my four paws hit the ground I set off running. Sylas and Rowan had both left distinct scents to follow. I could only hope that Sylas hadn't got far in the storm as any trail he left would quickly be washed away in the rain and then I'd be blind.

If I knew Rowan like I thought I did she'd head for higher ground. She didn't like the woods, not after mum and dad died and the only place that could possibly leave was higher up the cliff face.

Outside the storm was worse than ever, I could barely see as I broke from the caves shelter and darted into the hailstorm of rain. The trails went dead as soon as I left. Hannah and Oliver were no where to be seen and they hadn't left any clues to were they'd gone.

Following my gut I began tackling the cliff face. It was steep and the ridges large enough for me to use properly were few and far between but for Rowan it wouldn't have been so hard. It was easier in human form but I couldn't change again, I didn't have that in me, I'd be stuck in human form and that wasn't going to help me much when I came face to face with Sylas.

Eventually the ground became flatter until it was almost level and I found myself at a similar spot Conan had taken me once. From up here, with the moon full in the sky I could overlook the whole of the forest. The trees below were swaying violently as streaks of lightening bolted down from the omniscient black clouds above and thunder shook the ground. The woods had succumbed to chaos.

I turned my back on it, trudging through the mud as I searched for Rowan, she couldn't be far now.

My feet were thrown out beneath me as something large and powerful hit my side. It stole my breath from me and for a long second I lay in the mud winded. I didn't recover nearly as quick as I should have and by the time I'd pushed the weight from me and stood up there were two figures emerging from the darkness.