The Alpha's Mutt
Shifting

“Now what are we going to do?” Farris questioned, a gruffness in his voice.

“We are going to fight back. We have to.”

“Of course.” He agreed with a nod. “Do you want to talk about what happened with your claws?”

“Do we really have time for that?” I argued, focused on the more immediate threat.

Farris grabbed my shoulder gently and stopped me from walking further, turning me to face him.

“I think we do.” He insisted, his tone serious. “If there is going to be a fight, we should probably know what is happening with your wolf. If you can somehow shift at will now, that could be an asset in battle. However, if there is something else wrong with your shifting abilities then we need to know that ahead of time. We don’t want to be taken by surprise at the last moment.”

I realized that he was not wrong. I could be stubborn and one-track minded, but I needed to consider all aspects of this issue. It was important to know what was happening with my wolf. And any resolve that I may have still had to the contrary would have been swiftly dissolved as I stared into Farris’s eyes. They were filled to brim with concern. And while I knew that he was worried about the threat against wolf-kind. This particular concern was meant only for me. For us.

“Come on. Let’s replace somewhere private so that I can try to shift.” I agreed, grabbing his hand, and leading him outside towards the trees.

Once we found a clearing that had put a little distance between us and anyone else. I prepared myself to try and shift into my wolf. I had held so little control over my shifting abilities for my entire life, but even more so, the last couple of years. I could feel my anxiety beginning to rise as I prepared myself for what was to come. I did not want to get my hopes up in case I ended up disappointed.

“It will be alright.” Farris offered softly, as he grabbed my hand and held it to his lips, offering a soft kiss. “No matter what happens. We will figure it out. We will get through this together. Just like we will get through everything.”

My heart fluttered at his words, instantly feeling myself calm some. I had been so overwhelmed by everything that was happening around us. It was nice to be reminded that I was not alone. We were in this together now.

I took in a deep breath and released it slowly. Squeezing his hand one more time for encouragement, I took a few steps back and let it fall from my fingers. I stripped off my clothes and had to ignore the sudden flash of desire that appeared within Farris’s eyes. I had to concentrate if I had a chance of making anything happen.

I closed my eyes and focused on my wolf form. My silver fur. My perked ears. My paws. My snout and my tail. Moments later, I could feel it begin. My bones began to shift and reform. My face elongated; my dull teeth being replaced by sharper ones. My hands became paws, and I extended my claws out in a stretch. I wriggled my tail and shook out my fur.

Then I stood there, staring down at my wolf’s paws against the grass. It was the middle of the day and while it was getting towards the end of the week, it was still, technically, meant to be my time in human form. Somehow, I had been able to shift at will. I was a wolf. I was in wolf form when I should not be.

Suddenly, a terrible thought occurred, and I began to panic. I had been able to shift into my wolf when I should not be able to. What if I was somehow stuck now? What if I could not shift back into my human-form?! Would I have to wait until the next full moon to replace out if I could ever see my skin again?

Before my panic could get the better of me, I focused on myself again. I pictured my skin and my fingers. I pictured my hair and my face. Moments later, I was back in my human-form, still on the ground on all fours. I gulped in several deep lungful’s of air and gripped the dirt with my fingers as I tried to calm myself down. I sat back on my heels and began checking myself over, using sight and touch. Once I was certain that everything was where it should be, my breathing steadied, and I began to relax.

Farris was immediately by my side, worry etched on his features. I assured him that I was fine with a squeeze of his arm. I had gotten caught up in my head for a moment. I was so unaccustomed to being able to control my shifting, that I had nearly given myself a panic attack.

“I can’t believe it…” I finally breathed out; my voice quiet. “I can control my shift…I can actually control my shift.”

“This is amazing!” Farris cheered. “You did so great! I am so proud of you!”

I was not certain that there was anything to be proud of exactly. But, still, the words felt good to hear.

“What happened?” I wondered aloud. “What changed?”

How was it that I had never been able to control my shifting abilities before? Yet, all of the sudden I could now.

“Only one thing changed that I could think of.” Farris shrugged.

“What?” I queried, my mind still a haze of confusion.

“We are marked and mated now.” Farris explained his thinking.

“Do you think it could be? Could that really have been the answer all along? I have never heard of a mutt’s shifting being changed by mating before.”

“Well, it is the only thing that is different between now and your last shift.”

“That is true…” I agreed, my words trailing off with my thoughts. “Could it be that I cured your sickness, and you fixed my wolf?”

“I always knew that we were perfect for each other.” Farris teased with a chuckle.

“The whole ‘mate’ thing didn’t give it away?” I joked back.

Farris helped me to my feet, holding me close until he was certain that my legs were steady. It was only then that I became aware of how very naked I remained. I was pressed up against him, my exposed chest against his bare one, still shirtless from his assault on the vampire. My breath caught in my throat as the sparks ignited between us. My fingers running delicately over his muscular form.

“You know…” He breathed out, his voice growing huskier. “I really enjoyed hearing you call yourself my Luna.”

And I had to pause for a moment to remember when I had done such a thing. Then I recalled what I had said earlier to the vamp. I had given him my word as an Alpha, as well as, a Luna and I had meant it.

“I know that you are an Alpha, by your own right, and I would never even consider taking that away from you.” Farris continued. “But I could not help the swell in my chest that I felt when you claimed your rightful place in my pack out loud.”

I reached up and placed my hand on the back of Farris’s head, pulling his lips down to meet mine. I kissed him greedily for a few minutes. Feeling his desire for me rise before parting our lips and pulling away some, fully intending to ruin the moment. I hated to do it, but I could not resist the opportunity.

“So…if I am your Luna…does that mean that you will be mine?” I asked, keeping my voice sweet.

I had to fight the desire to laugh as his face twisted, my words having been processed.

“You want your pack to call me…Luna?” He questioned, obviously uncomfortable, but struggling to keep his reactions under control.

As a natural born Alpha, it very likely would have been strange and unnatural for him to accept the title of Luna. While the positions were very much considered equal within the pack hierarchy, the Alpha was still often considered the actual leader of the pack, mostly being because he was the male. For him to take a slight step back and be referred to by the typically feminine title, would have to be an unusual change to make. Alphas did not typically submit in any shape or form. But based on the look on his face as he mulled over my “suggestion,” I knew that he would consider it. No matter how uncomfortable it would make him. He really would do it for me.

“How about we just both go by Alpha?” I suggested, ending his torment.

A look of relief quickly spreading across his face.

“I think that is a great idea.” He agreed, enthusiastically, causing me to giggle.

“But…I WILL let you call me Luna in private…” I whispered flirtatiously.

And I could feel the rumble build in his chest underneath my fingers. A seductive growl escaping his lips.

“Unfortunately, we do not have time for that right now.” I reminded him as I stepped back and put some distance between us.

I scooped my clothes up off the ground and began throwing them back on my body. Farris looked at me in disbelief, his muscles clenched in sudden frustration.

“Sorry, babe…” I offered with a shrug. “Maybe we can replace time later. Right now, we need to meet with our Betas. We have a war to plan.”

I patted my hand against his chest as I walked past him, heading back for the more populated areas of the pack grounds. He huffed, still disappointed, but nevertheless agreed with my reasoning and quickly caught up with me.

There would, hopefully, be time for all of this later. Time for us to be the couple that we wanted to be. Happy and maybe, at least, a little more carefree. We would get our chance when we could. But now we had to plan our next move. Had to determine the best route to take against this new enemy that we knew very little about. Only stories and ancient rumors to go by.

“Jamari. Meet us at my old cabin. I am afraid that we have more to do.”

“Yes, Alpha.”

It was not long before Deene, Alessa, Jamari, Farris, and I were huddled together in my tiny cabin. A map of the Elwood pack lands and a few of the surrounding territories spread out between us on the table.

“The vamp said that the virus was created by witches. It was meant to weaken the wolves, so that the vampires could then attack and wipe out the pack without much resistance.” I explained after we had spent some time going over increases to our border security.

“So, the virus was created?” Deene clarified.

“Yes, specifically to infect the wolves. Apparently, there was not supposed to be a cure available either. He seemed quite surprised to learn that we had found one. Didn’t seem to think that it was possible.” Farris responded.

“Well, if they are using witches then we may want to consider trying to get a couple of them on our side as well.” Jamari suggested. “They would probably be a big help. Not only could they assist in the actual fight. They may be able to help us track down this Master Belial.”

“That’s a great idea but does anyone know any witches?”

We all grew quiet. My pack did not have any witches in it, and I knew the Farris’s pack did not either. Even when I was out in the world as a rogue, I had met all kinds of different creatures, but I had not met a witch. I wracked my brain desperate to remember anything I could about where a witch or, more likely, a coven of them may be found.

I was suddenly pulled from my thoughts by a loud gasp, and I looked up to see Alessa with her hand to her mouth.

“Hemmings River!” She exclaimed with excitement.

That was right. I had completely forgotten that the Hemmings River Pack had a family of hybrid witches. I turned to Farris without a second thought.

“Call them! Call them now!”