AllFreeNovel
Share Us
You can't get used to the idea that your own team members might abandon you.
I hated this brewing feeling of vulnerability, and what hurt more was that it would take longer to get rid of its presence inside me. But I didn't want to wait until I was in the prime moment to feel the claws of anxiety and uncertainty.
That would only send me down a spiraling hole, and you didn't need to be a genius to know how dangerous that was when you were in wolf form. You had to be in control, or you'd become a feral beast with no control over what actions you committed next.
"I'll stay."
His statement shocked me, as did his gentle touch on my cheek, his whole thumb very lightly trailing along my bottom lip.
"They won't reject you," he elaborated. "I'm sure they're intrigued and pleased that you're officially joining their pack." He moved his hand to place both his hands on my shoulders, and it was as if we were standing in the ring of the gym, his mentor demeanor seeping through his stance as he looked down at me.
"Frightening incidents sometimes leave scars and wounds upon our flesh. Not all of them are physical. They're emotional and mental bruises, scars, and openings that take time to heal. They won't close up just because you need to move forward, but it also doesn't mean your fears and anxieties stemming from these experiences should prevent you from living life," he explained. "When a wolf pack accepts you, they know your potential before you do, especially your Alpha."
"Roberto didn't accept me," I huffed to try and lighten up the heaviness of this conversation, while my eyes briefly looked away to ensure we were still alone. I felt a bit uncomfortable with the idea of admitting my concerns for tonight, and I didn't want Dimitris overhearing and canceling it because of my fear.
"Roberto didn't accept you because he knew you'd surpass him."
That caught my attention as I returned my attention to him.
"Surpass him?"
"With what we know now, Roberto knew you needed the Pink Moon to awaken. He knew you weren't a late bloomer but that you were destined to unlock your wolf under the rays of the Pink Moon. If you were accepted into the pack, the moment you rose into your power, you'd potentially risk his Alpha position in the pack."
That was new to me, and my expression probably made him think I needed more elaboration.
"Dimitris most likely wants you to be Beta so he can give you a position that allows your wolf to project some level of authority. Not too much that it will coax through the bond and influence the other wolves in the pack, but enough that they'll know that you should be respected like an Alpha," he elaborated. "Now, if something similar occurred with Roberto as the Alpha, it would have resulted in you taking over completely. Roberto is strong, and he can handle his own as the strongest Alpha in NYC as of now, but if you were placed in the same ring as him, he'd forfeit. There's no difference when it comes to his leadership role. If you decided to claim it, the title would be yours. Due to this, Roberto ensured you felt like you weren't capable of rising up to the level of an Alpha in his pack, so when the time of your awakening occurred, it wouldn’t trigger him stepping down."
"He was fine with stepping down with his company," I acknowledged.
"Money holds its value in the human realms. Your power in the world of shifters is all about title, rank, and capabilities. It's what makes you a major threat in this field."
"Because I have multiple abilities, like magic?" I inquired.
"Magic that allows you to conjure weapons, summon elements on a larger scale, gives you the ability to change genders which can benefit you in multiple areas of strength and skill, and you have enough magic to be on the Coven's watch list. I think that's rather threatening, don't you think?" he offered.
I punched his gut, which he didn't expect - leaving him groaning and hugging his stomach, while I crossed my arms over my chest while acting like he insulted me.
"I see your point," I concluded.
"And yet you punched me," he hissed.
"Sometimes I have to remind you that I'm threatening," I hummed. "In a cute way."
He sighed. "Satisfied?"
"Very," I replied, and gave him a quick hug. "Thank you, Viktor. I appreciate you a lot more than you realize."
He didn't say anything but gently hugged me back.
Pulling away, I smiled only to sense something fast coming from our left.
Viktor was there protectively in a blink, but he didn't have a chance at even conjuring a barrier before he was tossed to the side like he was absolutely nothing. Instead of getting into a defensive position, I stood there and watched Viktor somehow manage to land safely in one of the trees.
Turning my gaze slowly back to the culprit, I was greeted with a lick from my waist upward - the action leaving me drenched in three seconds.
I blankly stared at the massive wolf as he happily panted in my face.
"Neo," I growled, which only made him happily yelp and crash into me. "OOMPH!"
