The Beasts Inside Us

Chapter 16

His eyes brighten, "that maid. The one that beat you. Now she has potential."

I growl, still sitting on the ground.

"She has no fighting experience! She would never be able to be useful to you!"

Tavarious chuckles again, "ah ah ah, half breed. That's where you're mistaken." He steps around me, walking towards the door.

"It's because she has no fighting experience that makes her special. She still beat you–a half breed demon with 5 years of fighting experience."

Another growl tears through my throat, this one more animalistic.. more feral.

"She caught me off guard!"

I realize too late that he's only trying to bait me. The wolf in me has already surfaced, taking control of my senses, instincts, feelings.

I start to shift.

It begins with my teeth, my canines sharpening into deadly points.

Then my nails, elongating into glinting claws.

The rest happens so quickly that by the time my human brain has realized I've fully shifted, my wolf instincts are already a step ahead, leaping at Tavarious.

His back is turned towards me so I get the satisfaction of sinking my claws into his shoulders and hearing his surprised cry of pain.

My wolf instincts chant to me.

Kill him.
Kill him before he kills you.

I lean forward to bite into his neck, my nose filled with the dark scent of his blood, but this time he's ready.

Tavarious flings me off his back as though I'm only a pesky flea. My instincts kick in, once again, and I land on my four legs in a crouch.

I take a threatening step forward, mind set on ending him. My breath comes out in puffs due to the adrenaline coursing through my veins, causing my heart to race a mile a minute. Eyes locked onto my target, I get ready to pounce.

But then, Tavarious holds out his hand.

"Stop." He growls, his voice low and threatening. The one word holds a promise of pain and suffering if I take one more step.

My wolf, for some reason, responds to this. Instead of a threat, Tavarious becomes some sort of alpha figure. I bow my head in respect and lower my body to the ground.

He laughs, "come here, Allie."

I slowly make my way to him, keeping my eyes locked on the ground.

Once I am in front of him, he kneels. He runs a hand through my fur, "you did it."

Although I'm in my wolf form, some of my human side had taken back control when Tavarious calmed me down. This allows me to roll my eyes at Tavarious, knowing exactly what he did.

By pulling out all my insecurities and throwing them in my face, he managed to make me angry enough to shift. I don't know how this will help me though, as I won't always have time for Tavarious to spout insults at me before I have to shift and fight. I need to be able to do it on command. I need to be able to control it.

When I shifted just now, I had no control. My wolf instincts took over and Tavarious became a stranger, a threat in need of killing.

I take a deep breath and close my eyes, using the tactic Tavarious taught me to shift back.

I imagine what it is to be human and all the feelings I have along with it. This tactic works best when I think of Caide. I think about how it felt to be near him and how happy I was when he agreed with me or those few times when he smiled at me.

In seconds, I am standing on two legs in front of Tavarious.

"How.. how did you manage to control it?"

Tavarious stands, "not "it", Allie. You. This is no separate being. It's just another part of you."

"Ok then.. how did you manage to control me?"

"I am the ruler of the Demon Realm. I know a thing or two about controlling a demon. To your demon side, if you will, I am your 'alpha'."

My eyes narrow at him, "you are not my alpha.. I don't have an alpha." Caide was my boss, but I didn't let him rule my entire life. I made sure to make my own decisions.

Tavarious takes a threatening step closer, "If you failed to hear before–I am the ruler of the Demon Realm. Where do you think you are, Allie? Wonderland? You are in my realm which means you follow my rules. So, yes, I am the alpha."

I open my mouth to counter him, but he interrupts.

"Now, let's practice some more. You still haven't fully mastered shifting."

-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-

Another two hours later and I finally shift on my own command. I figured out that I can only shift when my emotions are going a little overboard. So I just channel a–usually negative–memory and use that to lure my wolf instincts to the surface.

The only problem I have is controlling myself when I'm finally in my wolf form.

A demon butler had made the mistake of coming into the training room after I first managed to shift.

Let's just say, no one made that mistake again afterwards.

Tavarious finally ended the training after I've successfully shifted ten times. A maid had come to the door of the training room nervously and knocked. She would not enter until Tavarious assured her that I was not in my wolf form. She then informed us that dinner is ready, all while keeping a close eye on me. Which was slightly scary because her other three eyes were facing Tavarious.

He then allowed me to flee the training room and race to the dining room. My feet could not carry me fast enough as my nose caught the addicting aroma of chicken cordon bleu. One of my favorite dishes. I had Tavarious request it because the chef doesn't seem to like me that much.

As I run through the castle halls, I notice a difference in the way peop-demons act around me. Instead of glaring, they cower to the far walls as I pass and avoid eye contact.

I can't help but wonder if this new behavior is Tavarious' doing or if they have all gotten word of how dangerous I really can be.

Maybe they saw their fellow comrade, in his bloodied form and being dragged to the infirmary.

Either way, I walk with my head held high, not liking being feared but also happy that I'm not being glared at.

I make my way to the dining room, more relaxed than I have been in weeks.