I'm coming for you
16. Wolf-life

Aleida’s POV

It feels strange to walk around on four legs all the time without being able to shift back. I’ve been bewitched for a few days now, and I feel like a dog. At the same time, it’s pretty liberating, as I get a lot of cuddles out of my mates. However, it’s a frightening thought that I might remain in this form without any opportunity to be myself again and lose myself along the way. My visitors stayed only one night; they had to go back to their territory. Despite the circumstances, it has gone well to train Paul’s wolves, even though I have no mindlink with them. One of my own had to tell them what I said, and gratefully enough, the warriors listened to my orders. Today I’m going home, and I desire to go back to my own territory.

“Queen Aleida, I want to thank you for all the help you’ve given us in training,” Paul says, smiling, but that smile disappears almost as quickly as it came. “And I want to grieve your fate. I’ll pray to the moon goddess to have mercy on you and help you back to your main form.”

I give him a slight nod with my big head and the warriors I trained during my time here put a clenched fist over their hearts before bowing to show their respect. My head warrior shakes hands with Paul before opening the car’s back door to let me in; I jump into the back seat and lie down. Paul’s pack gives me respectful glances full of pity, and this time I have nothing against it. Naturally, I usually hate to get such looks, but now, it fits because no one knows if I’ll ever come back if I lose myself.

“Aleida!”

The vampires race up to me with big smiles but stop smiling when they realize I’m not shifting back. I whine in response when they look at me with inquiring glances; what else can I do? Luis also glances questioningly at me, and one of my warriors explains the situation.

“Mi hija,” Luis says sadly, petting me on the head. “How do you always manage to end up in these situations?”

I whine in response; it’s not exactly my fault that I’m continually subjected to attempted murder and that people feel the need to be messing around all the time! None of what’s happened I’ve asked for, well, that’s not entirely true. The part with my mates and our puppies I have, of course, dreamed of since I was a tiny pup myself. But the rest of this is just absurd! Why can things never be easy? I feel like I have a big sticker on my forehead that signals, “fuck me over”! I’ll get through it regardless; I always do. I have to, for my puppies.

“We’ll figure this out, Aleida,” Blake says with a bit of a smile. “Now, at least you won’t have any problems with the blood lust.”

“Unfortunately, that isn’t true,” Luis sadly responds with a sigh.

“What do you mean?” Blake asks uncertainly.

“Aleida risks losing herself now that she can’t shift back. Her animal instincts will take over her more and more until she’s solely a wolf. Given that she’s additionally a hybrid, it’ll be much more difficult for her to regain control and not become a feral rogue. There’s a risk that we’ll have to kill her if it goes too far,” Luis whispers in response.

The others look at me sadly, and I walk up to Luis to rub my head against his hand. When he doesn’t react, I release my big tongue and slowly lick him in the face with as much saliva as I can spare. He jumps and dries himself quickly while giving me an irritated look that I laugh at, though it sounds like I’m barking.

“You’re so disgusting sometimes, Aleida!” he exclaims, and the others chuckle at him.

I hardly have time to react before my wolves come running to me to start nibbling. That can only mean one thing; it’s playtime! The wolf cubs run around me, nipping and barking. I quickly run after them and hold the neck skin in my mouth. With the puppies dangling in my mouth, I enter the packhouse. When we get into the house, all of my members are there looking sadly at me; I guess the news is spreading quickly in this house. I let down the puppies that sit down next to me; even though I can still mindlink, it’s complicated. It begins to scare me that I’m already losing my grip after only a couple of days. Luis and the vampires are coming in behind me. Blake scratches me behind my ear, and my tongue hangs out through the corner of my mouth. He smiles at me before focusing on Luis, who clears his throat to talk. Luis indicates that I should come up to him, which I do, and sit next to him.

“As you’ve all probably heard, our alpha was bitten by a bewitched rogue when she was off to train alpha Paul’s warriors, and now she can’t shift back,” Luis says, and my members nod to show they understand. “If we don’t manage to break the spell, our alpha will disappear into herself until there’s only a feral hybrid left. I don’t think it’s anything that we want to experience. Therefore I wonder Aleida if you have any plan?”

We need to find the one who put a spell on the rogue from the start and then determine how many wolves we need. Even though the meeting went well the last time we had all alphas here on our territory, that doesn’t automatically mean we can trust them and take their word anyway. Actions weigh more than words. At the end of the day, we may not have their loyalty with us, I answer in the mindlink linked to our entire pack.

“Aleida is right,” Blake says, taking a step forward for everyone to see him. “We’re in trouble and need to resolve the situation as quickly as possible. Therefore, I’ve decided to accept the gamma position, assuming that place is still open to me?”

Blake, I chose you for a reason. It’s an honor that you want to follow me and show your loyalty to death. Congratulations Blake and blood fang pack; as a result of this, have a new gamma!

The members are silent at first, but shortly after that, holler in joy and cheers to welcome our new gamma. He bows to show his respect to me and thank me simultaneously. I nod my head lightly to indicate that I have respect back.

“Our new gamma, Blake, do you have any ideas?” Luis asks, smiling.

“Just as Aleida said, I agree that top priority should be finding the witch who laid the curse on the rogue; whomever it was must have known that Aleida would fight back to protect her people,” Blake replies.

“But it’s no secret that alpha Aleida protects her own with everything she can,” one of my members says, and I can do nothing more than smile at her words.

“That’s true, but on the other hand, there must also be someone who knew she was going to help Paul train his warriors,” Blake says.

“Which means we can weed out the suspects from the group that was in the alpha meeting when Aleida approved his request for it!” Luis concludes cheerfully.

“Precisely, in addition to you and Aleida, there were only the other alphas in the room with their betas.”

No, Michael was there too...

As soon as the words spread in our mindlink, I whine at the thought that my best friend is a traitor who took the first opportunity to betray me. Who knows how long he planned to put the knife in my back? No matter how bad it hurts me, Michael is the most likely to help this witch, whoever they may be.

“Unfortunately, Aleida is right,” Luis sighs. “It pains me to have to say it, but Michael is the biggest threat and the most likely culprit.”

I growl loudly at the words and realize that my best friend is involved in a potential assassination attempt on me. My eyes shift color, and Elisa stands strong inside our shared mind, ready for war at any moment. We’re one and will do everything we can to protect our people. It’s time to use the queen power for the first time!

Hello wolves, this is your queen Aleida Mendez speaking. I have never used my queen power in this way before and will probably never do it again; hence I also hope you understand the seriousness of my situation. I’m cursed and slowly lose myself in my hybrid form. As of today, Michael Hill is a threat not only to me but also to the society of us werewolves. He must be eliminated, and the one who will execute that act is me; he’s a disgrace to our race and will have to suffer the consequences for treason. I command you if you find him, bring him to me immediately. My time is short, and I would like to take this opportunity to thank you all for everything you’ve done for me. Have a nice day!

My mindlink echoes in all the werewolves that are part of our community; rogues don’t count as a part. They’re the outcasts who don’t want a place or obey rules; the majority who are still out of town are feral and have lost themselves in their wolves. Which only leaves the animal instincts behind.

“Did everyone hear the mindlink?” Luis asks, and all my members nod.

“Not us,” Blake replies.

“It’s because you haven’t undergone the ritual yet, but I can repeat what she said,” Luis says, and I closely watch the vampires.

They walk away a little bit and whisper among themselves until Blake comes back to me. He goes down on one knee, and the other vampires who have increased in number since I left do the same while I look at them confusedly. Luis sends a mindlink in which he announces that they accept me as their clan leader before he retrieves a knife and a goblet.

“Aleida, I need to make a small incision in your paw to draw blood and mix it with a small portion of Blake’s before you can drink it,” Luis says. “Since Blake was just below King in rank, it’s his blood that needs to be spilled because King doesn’t exist anymore.”

I nod with my big wolf head and put my paw in Luis’s hand. He makes a small incision quickly, and I watch as my blood drips into the cup. The reason he has to work fast is that I heal very quickly, and he would’ve to cut me several times otherwise. Luis does the same to Blake’s hand and then holds up the goblet in front of me. I quickly lick the contents and feel the force spread. However, I honestly thought I would’ve to say something, much like at a luna ceremony. You were at my ritual, so you know questions should be asked and answered. But apparently, it isn’t needed now; the blood may bind us together differently. Given that no blood is drunk during the ceremony of a werewolf, there it’s only mixed.

“I hereby promise to honor and maintain my loyalty with my clan leader, Aleida Mendez, hybrid Queen until my last moment,” all the vampires say at the same time and then get up.

I howl to show our togetherness, and all my members do the same. Blake smiles at me, and I rub my mule against his hand. Laughing, he scratches me behind my ear and smiles big at me. While the others laugh and celebrate, I walk out to the back and sit down. Blake and Luis come out shortly after that. They sit down next to me on each side and say nothing. Both put their hands on me and pat me softly. I look up at them, and both have determined faces. I study them confused once again because I don’t understand what they’re trying to say.

“We’re with you all the way, Aleida,” Luis begins.

“Until our last moment here on Earth,” Blake concludes.

It’s at this moment that I feel the determination within Elisa and me as well. We growl menacingly at nothing and indicate that I stand by their side the same way they stand on mine. This battle will be violent and bloody. Many will die, but hey, at least we’ll die together to protect something we believe in.

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