AN: There is a scene that relates to Once Upon a Time, and this symbol "◇" will signal it! Also, MASSIVE shout out to YOLOwriting101 for giving me inspiration for this chapter and helping me write it! And hey phoenix-2 love you besties! Anyways, back to the story lol.
This chapter has been edited!!
Later that day:
Max's POV-
We were at the outdoor training area, and I was about to shift into my wolf for the first time. Winter was going nuts, wanting more than anything to meet his new mate officially.
"Focus on your wolf", Lucas instructed. "Allow him to take over, and don't fight the shift, no matter how bad the pain is, because it will be painful." Doing as he said, I closed my eyes and focused on Winter, and allowed him to take full control. Shimmers of pain began to shoot all throughout my body. I felt the bones in my legs break, making me cry loudly in pain. Lucas came to my side at once and rubbed circles on my palm, the sparks and tingles from his touch calming me a little and slightly numbing the pain. It still felt excruciating though, like fire was burning me on the inside. I closed my eyes as more bones began to break and rearrange themselves, causing more agonizing pain. Snow-white fur began to sprout from my body, replacing my clothes. A few minutes later, when it really felt like hours, I was laying on the ground, fully shifted into my wolf. Lucas shifted into his wolf and bumped me with his nose.
I tried talking to him, but after a few attempts I realized that only small barks and grunts came out of my muzzle.
"Use the mind link, Whiteout", Lucas said, his voice in my head. "Focus on me in your mind and talk to me." I closed my eyes and focused on Lucas's mind. Using magic would be easier, but I shouldn't rely on my powers for everything, or it will become a crutch.
"You're insanely sexy", I said in my head, still concentrating on Lucas. "And Shade is extremely gorgeous." I heard a light laugh pop into my head.
"Thanks, Whiteout", Lucas said. "Shade and I think that you and Winter are the most beautiful beings in the universe in every way, shape, or form." If I was still in my human form, I would be blushing like a madman. "Now, try to stand, but take your time." Doing as he said, I slowly raised myself off of the grass. But as soon as I was standing on all four legs, my legs gave out and I landed with a giant THUD on the ground. I let out a snort in frustration. Lucas came up to me and touched his wolf nose with mine.
"Try again, Max", Lucas encouraged. "You can do it." With a determined grunt, I slowly raised myself off of the ground again. Once I was standing on all fours, I just stood still, trying to keep my balance.
"Good", Lucas said. "Now, very slowly, and carefully, take a step forward." Taking a breath, I slowly raised my front leg and took a step forward. I wobbled a little but remained standing. I continued taking small steps, and eventually quickened my pace. I took larger steps, and pretty soon, I was walking in my wolf form without losing my balance. Lucas walked up to me and brushed his muzzle with my own.
"You're doing amazing, Whiteout", Lucas praised. I licked his nose, making him laugh through the mind link. He then suddenly pounced on me, catching me by surprise. He had me pinned, me on my back, his slightly larger wolf frame keeping me in place. He then decided to lick my face all over. I let out many laugh-like yips, and eventually managed to shove him off. I gave him a playful glare and pounced on him. We rolled over a few times, eventually landing with Lucas pinning me again. We both laughed through the mind link, both of us enjoying the play-fight we just had. Lucas rolled off me and laid in the grass, but I wanted to keep playing.
I rolled over and gently nipped at his ear. Lucas let out a snort and jumped up, then pinned me again.
"As much as I would love to keep playing, we need to train, Max", Lucas said. I let out a small whine.
"Please, Lucas", I begged, giving my best puppy eyes. "It's so much fun! Pretty please?!" He shook his wolf head, amusement in his eyes.
"Come on, Whiteout", Lucas said. "Let's start training." He got off of me and stood a few feet away. I pouted but stood up. Looking around, I noticed how differently the world looked while in wolf form. Everything looked sharper, cleaner, and more eye-catching. I could hear so much better too. The slight changes in the wind, fallen leaves rustling over the ground, and Lucas's heartbeat. I could smell immensely better too, being able to smell small things, like other pack members running around the grounds that were far away and faint smells of food coming from the main kitchen. The most obvious scent I could detect was Lucas's scent of eucalyptus mint, as it was much more potent, but still very enjoyable and relaxing.
"Max, you're spacing again", Lucas chuckled, snapping me back to reality.
"Was not!" I sassed. He only chuckled again and shook his head.
"Now", Lucas said, gaining my full attention. "Today, I thought we could work on dodging and counterattacks. It's vital obviously, to prevent injury. Now, when I say "right" jump to the right, ok?"
"Yeah", I answered, slightly nervous. He took a few steps back and got ready to... POUNCE!?
"Right!" Lucas half-yelled through the mind link, then lunging at me. My nerves getting the best of me, I accidentally jumped to the left. Lucas's giant form landed on me, and I let out a small yip.
"Oh shit, Max are you ok!?" Lucas asked, frantically getting off of me.
"I'm alright, Liebe", I responded. "You just took me by surprise is all." He looked me up and down, making sure I wasn't hurt. "Let's continue." Lucas tilted his wolf head in confusion, making him look extremely adorable!
"Are you sure?" Lucas asked. I clenched my jaw and stood back up.
"Yes", I said, determined. Lucas sighed, and we began training once more.
Time skip; 1 hour and 30 minutes later-
Lucas and I were laying together in the grass, both of us still shifted and panting heavily.
"I'm exhausted!" I complained. Lucas chuckled and shifted to his human form. I focused on my human form and felt myself shifting back. It was still painful, but bearable. We stood up, and Lucas cupped my cheek with his hand. I hummed and leaned into his touch.
"I'm proud of you, Love", Lucas said, sweetly. "You learned quickly and didn't give up." He kissed my cheek, making me become a flustered mess. As we both leaned in for a proper kiss, we heard screaming. A lot of screaming.
~
Seth's POV-
The ice began to melt as I kept chanting "Incendio", a simple fire spell, in my mind. Once my hands were free, I made a column of fire stream from my hands, melting the ice that held me the rest of the way, leaving a small puddle in the middle of the cellar floor. Being quiet to not disturb any pack members above, I made my way to the cellar door, opening it with a wave of my hand. If you're wondering why I never took food from the love-sick puppy and naive warlock, it's because I put a spell on myself, so I couldn't die from hunger or thirst. It required blood sacrifice, but it was worth it in the end.
Sneakily stepping into the sun, I made my way around the huge house. I made it to the front of it, seeing children and Omegas running around outside. I was just about to make a run for the woods, when I heard growling. I turned to see a white wolf with grey flecking's in its fur advancing on me. Her growling captured everyone's attention, blowing my cover completely.
"Damnit!" I yelled. Flinging my hand forward, I made the wolf fly backwards and crash into the pack house. The members began to go bat-shit crazy, children crying, Omegas screeching. Complete, utter, chaos. But I did like it. However, I was in a sticky situation, because warrior wolves began to surround me. Looking around frantically, I sped over to a frightened child, and grabbed him by his hair.
Ignoring his struggles, or cries of pain, I kept clutching his hair. I made a ball of fire in my right hand, and held it close to the boy.
"Either you let me go", I warn. "Or this child turns to dust!"
~
Max's POV-
Cassandra was running like a mad woman towards us.
"Alphas, the mage from the cellar has escaped!" she rasped. "He's taken one of the orphans as a hostage!" Both Lucas and I growled in intense rage. How DARE he do this to an innocent child! Lucas shifted, while I summoned my new staff and jumped onto Lucas's back. We made our way to the front of the pack house, Cassandra hot on our trail. The sight I saw made small flares of fire emit from my staff, my canines also enlarging. Seth had a small boy clutched in his hand. The boy looked no older than six, pale skin, clover green eyes, and curly red-orange hair. He also had brick-red freckles dotted on his nose. His eyes held so much terror and innocence as Seth had his head pulled back by gripping his hair, holding a fireball only a few inches from his neck.
I jumped off of Lucas's back, and slowly approached Seth and the boy, clutching my staff tightly.
"Seth", I said, calmly, my voice full of authority. "Let the child go or suffer the consequences." Seth just sneered at me.
"Not until you let me go first!" he demanded.
"You know I can't do that", I said, still calm, a plan forming in my head. It was risky, but it just might work. He gave me a sinister grin.
"Fine then", Seth said, darkly. He was about to throw the fireball in the boy's face, but I was quicker. I hurriedly made small circles with my left hand, and the boy teleported out of Seth's hand. He appeared beside Lucas's wolf self in a puff of white smoke. Seth yelled with anger and threw the fireball at me. I quickly deflected it, and held out my left hand, placing him under a Choking Curse. He began coughing and gasping for breath. I kept choking him as I walked up to him, making the tip of my staff glow bright gold. My eyes began to glow gold as well.
"Wrong move, trying to kill one of MY pack members", I said, my voice surprisingly calm despite the anger I felt. "Especially a young, defenseless child. For that, your punishment is a fate worse than death." I pressed the tip of my staff to his stomach, his body now glowing gold from the staff touching him. The pack watched in wonder as they witnessed what I was about to do.
"I, Maxwell James Lavellen, the Second Alpha of the Spirit Lake Pack, herby strip you of your magic and rank, and all spells that you or others have placed upon you are also removed", I declared. His eyes widened in disbelief. An even brighter string of gold light emitted from where my staff was touching him and traveled up it before vanishing into the wood. Seth's pale face turned even paler, his once chocolate brown eyes turning into a light beige color. His hair also became a pale yellow, unlike its former blonde complexion. I removed my staff from his stomach and released him from the choking spell. He fell to the ground and coughed and wheezed while looking at me in horror.
"Now that your main weapon is gone", I said. "You will tell me who sent you to capture me!" He flinched, his eyes still containing great fear.
"N-never!" Seth squeaked out, a tiny amount of courage underlining his voice. Again, wrong move.
I held out my hand and made him levitate a few feet off of the ground. Placing my staff down, I slowly approached him.
◇
"Lucas, you and the others take the children inside", I tell them. "They don't need to see this. Except you Cassandra, you stay." My tone left no room for argument. Lucas gave me a confused look, as well as Cassandra and the others, but they did what I told them. Once they did what I said, with Cassandra standing a few feet behind me, I plunged my hand into Seth's chest. He let out an agonizing scream as I searched for his heart. When I finally found it, I ripped it out of him. My hand wasn't bloody, and nor was there a gaping hole in Seth's chest. There was only his heart, that was still beating in my hand, looking like it was made from glass, with a pinkish glow emitting from it. This is called the Heart Ripping Curse. It allows a powerful magic wielder to magically rip out someone's heart, yet it is still magically connected to its owner. The owner still lives, as long as the person who ripped out their heart doesn't crush it. If they crush it, the heart becomes nothing but dust, and the owner of the heart dies. But if the person who ripped the heart out doesn't kill its owner, you can control them in every way as long as you are in possession of the heart of the person you ripped it out of.
"Now", I say, my voice dripping with venom, as I held Seth's heart close to my mouth. I didn't need to look behind me to know that Cassandra was shocked, possibly a little scared of what I just did. "You will tell me who sent you after me. And if you don't, all I have to do is, squeeze." I lightly began to squeeze on Seth's heart, making him shriek in immense, tortuous pain. The pain was so bad he was clutching his chest rather tightly.
"Alright, alright, alright!" Seth sobbed. "I'll tell you! Just stop with the pain!" I loosened my hold on his heart and listened closely. "It was Clara! Clara Westwood!" The pieces began to fall into place. This made perfect sense! Why get her hands dirty, when she could hire two powerful henchmen instead?! But that left another question.
"What magic did she use to know that I was here, and that I am Lucas's mate?!" I demanded.
"She had this basin behind her", Seth revealed. "It looked like it contained water." Another wave of realization hit me.
"A Location Pensieve", I whispered. Regaining my composure, I walked up to Seth and stuck his heart back in his chest. He let out a grunt, to which I ignored. "Cassandra take him back to the cellar. We're done here. Don't worry about him attacking, he's extremely weak and vulnerable without his powers. That happens to all Tranquil."
"Of course, Alpha Max", Cassandra replied. I lifted the levitation spell off of Seth, making him crash to the ground. Cassandra forced him to stand up and led him back to the cellar. Looking up to the sky, I smiled with triumph.
"You hear me, Clara?!" I shouted. "We are onto you! I know about your Location Pensieve! Don't bother using it to spy on us now! It will be useless!" Raising both of my hands to the sky, I sent a white beam of light up into the air. Once the beam passed the roof of the pack house, it started forming a dome. The magical dome spread around our territory, placing us under an impenetrable protection spell, not allowing any evil to come in physically, magically, or peer into our territory magically. Once the spell was complete, I picked up my staff and walked back to the pack house. As I opened the front door, I saw a shit ton of people staring at me, nothing but wonder plastered on their faces.
To be continued...
AN: Was that scene a little too dark for Max, or should I leave it? Please comment your thoughts! Love you all!
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