Wolf Unleashed (Hybrid Prophecies Book 1)

by Luna Weathers

  Xander cleared his throat after Derek’s attempt at flirting. Calling the meeting into order.

  “We have a problem. There is a rogue group of wolves Changing innocent people. None of them survived. They are doing their best at staying on the outskirts of our territory and the next one over.”

  “And we are putting a stop to it?” Deckard asked.

  “Not officially. Apparently, Cyrus sent out his Enforcer to take care of them, but she had failed. They escaped.”

  “She? Their Enforcer is a female?” Derek’s interest was not flirtatious. He sounded as though he was annoyed at the idea.

  “Yes. Word through the grapevine is that she can wipe the floor with any wolf she is against. Marcus may have a contender for Beta.” Xander said with a smile. He looked over at Zara and she gave him an arched eyebrow look.

  “What are you saying then?”

  “Keep a lookout. We are not to investigate but inform Cyrus if we pick up on their whereabouts.”

  “So, we have wankers running around Changing unsuspecting humans and we can’t even rough them up?” Deckard asked in an annoyed tone.

  Weston chuckled. “Wanker?”

  “I guess that is an asshole to you.” Deck answered.

  Weston smiled. “Nah, I think I like wankers better.”

  “How old are you two?” Xander asked in his best Fatherly tone. “Yes, we cannot ‘rough them up.’”

  “What’s the purpose of being a wolf if we can’t put our supernatural abilities to ridding this world of wankers that need ridding of!” Deck said in a huff.

  Weston laughed out loud. “Wankers, again?”

  Deckard’s glare sent Zara into a fit of laughter. Xander rolled his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. “Why am I sending children to manage?” Zara looked up at him and wagged her eyebrows. “You are the Father of Wolves!” Xander said nothing, turned on his heel and went into the kitchen, sending Zara into another fit of laughter. She heard Xander talking to Sophia. “Just tell me why I put up with this again.” Sophia’s tiny frame was hidden behind Xander’s massive one. Zara heard her chuckling. “Because, my love, you are an Alpha. It is your job and you are good at it'' She went up on her tiptoes and he leaned down to her so she could place her hand on his cheek. Zara felt her Omega power from where she was sitting. Zara noticed the soft look Xander was giving Sophia. Love poured out of him as he looked at her. Zara often wished she had her own soulmate when she looked at them.

  Xander walked back into the room and stood at the head of the table. “Now, back to business. I want everyone on the lookout for these possible Rogues. If you see anything, send a message through the pack bond. I will notify the Kingdom pack so he can send the Enforcer to deal with them.” Then he ended the meeting. Sophia brought out an abundance of food. Her usual spaghetti with meat sauce, a salad with many dressings to choose from, and garlic bread. After Zara and the pack ate until they felt they would burst, Zara went off to bed. She heard the other pack members come in and out of the house as she sat in her room. Rogues Changing unsuspecting people. What on Earth is going on in our realm?

  ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

  Xander had assigned shifts for the pack to walk the perimeter and take note of any scents that were unusual this morning when she woke up. He had also taken notice of Derek’s advancements lately and told her not to worry, he would not approve of his mating request at any cost. He did not like Derek much either. Derek was only Beta due to hiding Zara’s dominance from everyone. Otherwise, he would have allowed Zara to challenge his position so she could vehemently deny his claim to her and he would stop.

  The next afternoon, as she walked the perimeter of their territory, she smelled the moss and dirt that she had always loved when walking through the woods. The leaves were vibrant green, and the sun was shining overhead, peaking through the canopy. She could feel the warmth from the beams of light shining on her skin. She could even smell the flowers that were in bloom. Zara almost wished she were walking as her wolf to soak in the sun. Her wolf loved to sunbathe on days like this.

  Zara was getting lost in the calmness that being in the woods always brought her when she smelled something unfamiliar. She was getting close to the area that Xander trained her in. She was approaching the rock formations when she heard a high pitch scream followed by snarls. “Please, stop! Somebody help me!” The voice sounded young and male. She smelled wolf and blood. Zara immediately ran toward the screams. She climbed on top of a rock and locked down.

  There were two men standing with some space between them as a gray and brown wolf attacked a young boy. The men looked as though they were providing a small perimeter to the wolf. The wolf was tearing the flesh of the boy’s left thigh while he was punching the wolf’s side trying to get him to stop. The two men said nothing. They made no movement or sound as they watched. Both men were not much to look at and not broad like most wolves. One had brown, shaggy hair and the other had shorter, black hair. Neither of the men seemed to have a lot of muscle as if they have not been eating very much for a long time. They were even dressed in tattered shirts and jeans with simple shoes. These are the Rogues! Zara searched within herself and found the pack bond amongst her bond to her wolf and magic. It glowed bright as she yanked on it mentally to alert Xander of where she was, and that she had found the Rogues.

  Even though Xander told her to not engage, only to investigate, she could not stand by and just watch as these wolves attacked this young boy. One of the men who had a deep voice spoke up. “Sir, do not you think you should bite a different part of the body to Change this kid properly? We already failed to Change his parents.” The wolf snarled at his men. The boy screamed louder than before. He sounded so helpless and scared. Nope. I can’t just stand here and do nothing. Her wolf was already pushing on her mind to shift and snarling inside of her. The men looked up to her as she leapt towards them, shifting in midair.

  Zara landed on the brunette’s chest with a deep voice before he knew what was happening and using his body as leverage to leap off toward the next. She heard the snarling of the wolf but did not pay attention. However, the boy’s screams intensified seeing another wolf come into the picture. That only angered her and her wolf more. She heard the brunette shifting into his wolf as she chased after the black haired one. It did not take her long before she reached him and leapt onto his back and wrapped her teeth around his neck. Her wolf viciously shook her head back and forth until she heard the snap of his neck. As she shook, his scream only angered the wolf. Children are innocent and you attacked one, YOU MUST DIE! Her wolf said. The taste of his blood in her mouth brought her joy, knowing that she rid this world of this man’s evil.

  Zara turned to face the wolf that was shifting and the other attacking the boy. Both jumped on top of her before she finished turning towards them. The brunette’s wolf was cinnamon brown with a deeper brown mixed within and a white underbelly. It was larger than she expected and realized that she may have bitten off more than she could chew when his weight landed on top of her and the gray and brown wolf felt even heavier than him. Their momentum made them roll as they collided with her, but she managed to get to her feet first. Before she could make another move, roots exploded from the ground, wrapped around the brown wolf, and threw him thirty feet away from her. This startled the leader, distracting him. Instead of looking around to see where the root attack came from, Zara seized the opportunity to attack the leader. She lunged for his front left shoulder and bit down hard as she could, tearing through muscle to limit his movement. He moved his head and bit her shoulder, making her jump back.

  She felt the presence of the one who manipulated the Earth. She could feel the Earth’s magic coming alive from beneath her paws. It was raw Elemental magic. Then the person’s scent hit her. A mixture of moss and dirt, the clean smell of a summer breeze, the sand and salt of the ocean, and the smoke of a campfire all at once. She again ignored the enticing presence, focusing on the wolf in front of her even though it ca
lled to her. The gray and brown wolf then lunged at her and she jumped to the side. They both lunged at the same time, snapping at each other. She felt the ground rumble where the gray and brown wolf stood, making him stumble. She leapt forward to hit him on his side, making him fall over. She jumped on top of him and growled. He snapped his teeth at her but missed her muzzle only by an inch. She growled again, hoping he would submit as she flared her power. The wolf under her fought against it and tried to snap his teeth at her again. He will not submit. Kill him now her wolf told her. Zara wrapped her jaw around his neck, squeezing on his windpipe. She was still hoping that he would submit so she could bring him to Xander. He started to squirm under her and tried to kick her off. She squeezed tighter and he whimpered, but still kicked her and tried to dig his back paw into her side. She gave up and let her wolf take over. Her wolf growled once more before squeezing with all her might and then ripping her muzzle away. The wolf yelped but laid motionless. The blood began to pool under his body from his neck and shoulder. The wolf’s breathing was labored, then slowed to a stop.

  Her white fur was coated with blood and she heard the boy’s cries from where they left him. She sprinted over to him and he screamed at the sight of her. He was covered in blood. There were other injuries other than his leg. The wolf must have bitten him before he came to fight with her. There were now sections of his chest and arms that were torn open by teeth.

  “Quickly, your highness. Change him before he dies.”

  She looked up to find a tall man standing ten feet away. His hair was brown mixed with red, his eyes were green, also mixed with brown, he had broad shoulders and was bulged with muscle. He had a red stubble on his face and looked at her with no malice in his expression. He wore a loose, cotton, white shirt and pants that reminded her of a martial arts uniform. He had a brown belt around him as well that held a bow staff that had runes etched into it.

  “I will explain my presence after you save his life.” His voice was soft, and not too deep.

  She looked back at the boy whose face was tear stained. His brown hair was past his eyes and matted to his head from sweat. His brown eyes held fear within them. I do not know what to do! She told her wolf. I do. Her wolf answered. She walked up closer to the boy keeping her tail and head down as she approached him. She even wagged her tail to try to show the boy that she came in peace. Once she was right next to him, he looked at her and his eyes were pleading to her. “Help me, please.” His voice was barely there from screaming. She smelled his fear, but a sliver of hope was mixed in. Zara’s wolf laid down to the ground and placed her head on his chest. She closed her eyes and Zara felt her power grow warm in her chest and flowed out of her. Her body lit up with a pearlish hue like her magic had. Shift let your wolf come to me. Her wolf said.

  The pearl light wrapped around the boy and it began to phase out as it enveloped him. Zara got up off the boy and watched the light move as if his body was moving underneath it. Within a few minutes, a small gray and white wolf was laying on the ground. The coloring mimicked a panda bear, but instead of black it was gray. He opened his eyes and it was gold with a dark brown ring around the edge. He whimpered at Zara. She walked over to him and nuzzled his face. He seemed to relax when she did.

  Zara then looked up at the beautiful Elemental before her. He had a strong jawline, and kind eyes. She shifted back so she could talk to him, ensuring that she also magicked tank tops and sweatpants onto her.

  “I am Zara of the Midwest pack.” She said as she straightened her stance.

  “I know who you are, Your Highness.” He smiled.

  “Why are you calling me that?”

  “You are the wolf of the prophecy, are you not?”

  She ignored him. “What happened to the other wolf?”

  “The Earth swallowed him.”

  “Excuse me?” She said wide eyed.

  “Well, did we really want his body lying around? I can ask the Earth to swallow the other two as well.”

  “Uhm…”

  “How rude of me, I am Tobias. I am King Regent of the Elemental Realm.”

  This surprised her. Xander said the new King never left the safety of his realm.

  “Why are you here?”

  “To speak with you. I would like to offer allegiance to you and your pack.”

  “I beg your pardon. Why?” she felt the boy stand behind her as his wolf.

  “Cyrus is currently trying to build an army. I want nothing to do with his evil.”

  “But why me?”

  “You are the wolf of the prophecy. It would be stupid to not align myself and my people with you.”

  “How do you know that I am that wolf?”

  “You just performed magic, did you not? And you are a wolf.”

  He has me there.

  “The Earth is telling me that your people are looking for you. I best be off. I will return to discuss this further.”

  He continued to stand there for a moment and looked at her. It looked as though he wanted to say something more. Zara felt like she wanted to get closer to him, to feel his presence longer. She felt his power radiate off him with a mixture of raw energy. The energy of the elements. She took a step toward him without realizing it. He turned and walked away. She watched the air around him shimmer and then he disappeared. She looked down on her left and saw the boy’s wolf looking up at her. He nudged her left hand. Zara noticed something on her ring finger. It looked like an empty crescent moon was inked onto her finger. When the hell did this happen? Is this because I Changed this boy? The boy whimpered and it brought her out of her thoughts. She pushed aside the moon. “Let me get you to the pack. Xander will know what to do.” Then she began to walk home with the wolf following next to her.

  I am going to be in so much trouble. She thought.

  Chapter Ten: Cyrus

  Cyrus was pacing back and forth in his bedroom. It was decorated with reds and golds, colors that signified power. The large four poster bed behind him was still made because he had not slept. He was distracted and did not hear Marcus knock or come into the room. At least, he hoped it was due to him being distracted and not that his power was draining…

  “Sir, are you ready for a status report?” Marcus looked concerned for Cyrus.

  Cyrus straightened his stance. I cannot show weakness.

  “Yes. What have you found?”

  “Xander has reported that the Rogues are dead. There were three of them. Apparently, a Midwest pack member stumbled on them attempting to Change a young boy and stopped it.”

  “And the boy?”

  “Successfully Changed.”

  “And that power we felt? Who caused that?”

  “I did.” Both Cyrus and Marcus jumped. Raven just popped into the room with her power of teleportation.

  “How many times have I told you to stop that, witch!” Cyrus bellowed.

  “Mind your tongue, wolf. I am not yours to bully. Do not think I will not spell your wolf to take form and not be able to shift back. Then this powerful wolf next to you can claim the throne or better yet, your daughter.” Raven warned.

  Cyrus adjusted his tone. He knew what witches of her caliber were capable of very well. “Why were you there with the wolf that found the Rogues?”

  “I happened to be looking for a certain wild mushroom that grows in that area and overheard what was going on. I assisted the wolf in bringing out the boys to ensure that the Change was successful. There was no reason in letting a thirteen-year-old die. Especially now that he is an orphan because of those mongrels.” Raven disappeared as quickly as she came.

  “I hate it when she does that!” Marcus said, shuddering.

  “She is the High Priestess of the most powerful Coven in any realm. Did you think she would not use the power that is at her disposal?” Cyrus grunted at his remark.

  “Is Atara back from the Shifter realm?”

  “Yes. She is in the infirmary from the Coyote Alpha’s attack.”

  “Good, she is b
ack. Did the Alpha submit?”

  “Sir, did you not hear what I said?” Marcus’s tone quickly changed to irritated. “The Coyote Alpha attacked her!”

  “I did. Did he submit? Are they on our side?”

  “Do you mean to tell me that you sent her in there knowing that the Alpha would attack?”

  “Why else would I send her? She was to prove herself. She did a marvelous job if they submitted.”

  “YOU KNEW THAT THE SHIFTERS WERE NOT TO BE TRUSTED AND YOU SENT HER IN THERE ANYWAY!”

  “Why are you shouting at me? I am your King!”

  “I should kill you right now and allow Atara to take the throne. You do not deserve her as a daughter. She is loyal to you because you made her to be and then you sent her on a mission that could have gotten her killed. You are despicable.”

  “She asked for an opportunity to prove herself for the title of Enforcer. I granted it. How else am I going to trust that she can handle herself and this position if she did not face this level of danger alone?”

  Marcus stomped out of the room. Cyrus was sure that he had made the right decision in sending Atara by herself. It was a bonus that Raven had teleported her there and back. She was safe. He was not sure why Marcus was enraged about this. Yes, I did the right thing. She is safe and alive. She did what I asked. She can now be an Enforcer like she wished.

  Cyrus then walked to the infirmary to check on Atara. Once he got to the door of her room, he heard talking on the other side. Marcus was in there with her. “Thank you for coming to see me. You did not need to. I am fine. Shifting healed it all.” Atara’s voice was kind. Cyrus did not hear that tone of voice often. “This was a precaution. Shifting sometimes does not heal everything.” She chuckled at him. “You are such a worrywart. Stop fussing over me. When can I see Dad? I want to give him the news myself.” Her tone changed when she mentioned Cyrus. That’s the tone he was used to, forced kindness.