[0:13]Dammit. How do you always beat me up this hill? You're not taking an alternate route, right? That's cheating. Yeah, yeah, yeah, fucking ultimate werewolf over here, talking about how your hind legs work better than mine.
[0:32]Easy there. I'm just joking around. It's a beautiful night. There's a nice cool breeze and the stars are shining brighter than I've ever seen them. I know. Isn't this a great spot to watch them? I'm really glad we found this little hill to stargaze on. We kind of have our own little tradition every single night now. Here, why don't we lay down together? The grass is nice and soft. I wonder which constellations we'll see tonight. Maybe Orion? I know you were reading up on him.
[1:21]No need to be shy about it. I saw you grab a book of constellations when we made that trip into town. You haven't been reading up for me, have you?
[1:33]Oh, you really have. That's really nice of you.
[1:42]Yeah, I mean, everyone else kind of pokes fun at me for stargazing, so I'm glad I have someone to share the experience with.
[1:52]Let's see. How about we reflect on the day?
[1:59]Yeah, Vivian seems to be recovering now. I mean, geez, the fucking bear basically broke her back. I wish I stepped in sooner to kind of lessen her pain. Okay, I suppose you're right. I would be the one with the broken back, but hey. Anything for the pack. We're a family. We need to protect each other. And that means you too. I really care about our latest pack member.
[2:31]Well, I mean, it's not like I consider you a brother. It's more like I have a deeper connection with you. I don't know. You are family, but I definitely don't see you like a relative. Never mind, it's hard to explain. Why don't we talk about training today? You got a bit competitive with Preston at hunting. The look on his face when you snatched that rabbit right out of his mouth, priceless. I've never seen anyone with a bigger stern look on their face.
[3:09]No, trust me. His grumpy face was out of love. He's really pleased to see you improving your werewolf side, just like I am. Plus, competitiveness is in our genes, so don't worry about it. I really have to give it to you, honestly. You're becoming so strong in such a short amount of time. All the training you've been doing with me is definitely paying off. You're quick on your feet now and you look pretty muscular and toned. Hard work looks good on you. Yes, you manage the wolf side of you way better than you did before. I've molded you into a well-controlled half-blood.
[3:57]I'm really grateful that you agreed to help in the fight against Alakai.
[4:04]Do I think you're ready? Almost. Trust me, you're the strongest out of all of us. But experience is a big factor in maintaining your wolf side in a fight. One moment of lost control and you could be tearing up a whole neighborhood of people, you know? Alakai's base is close to the city, so you have to be careful.
[4:29]Don't worry, when Alakai does come for the pack, I know you'll be ready to help us. It's part of your destiny, after all. And thank you, for all your help already. I don't think anyone in the pack has said that enough. I mean, when that bear attacked us all, you were the one that killed it and protected us. Imagine how many of us would have been injured without you there, or worse, killed. I don't like to imagine losing any more pack members. Listen, this is a little random, but I feel like you're the only person I can really open up to. I don't know why. Maybe it's the relationship we developed. The fact that I've been teaching you everything I know and sometimes you surprise me and teach me something I didn't know. Or maybe it's your demeanor, and the way you look into my eyes sometimes. When that happens, I feel especially connected to you. It's a nice, calming feeling, that at the same time feels like a passionate, burning flame. I'm sorry. I'm kind of getting off track. The whole point of me saying that is like, you're going to fight Alakai. I think you should know his background and I trust you wouldn't say anything to the other pack members. I can get it off my chest. Well, good. Either way, I want to inform you of something. Alakai is an interesting case. He's blinded by anger, spite, and his power hungry. The werewolf side of him controls him most. I also know that his followers are the same way. That's how he tricks them into joining his pack. Yes, there's an important reason he feels that way, but this is a family secret, so don't tell any other pack members. Alakai is a sibling of Preston and I. Granted, I can't really call him a brother after what he did. Alakai is the eldest out of the three of us with Preston being only a year younger than him. The time had come in which my father had to choose who would be the next alpha of the pack. Usually, it's the oldest male member with the Alpha side of the pack, so Alakai. But my father felt as if he wasn't ready to lead the pack. He was selfish and ignorant most times and was certainly not fit to run things around here. Fearing the worst of his temper, my father sent Preston on a hunting trip with a few friends, so when Alakai received the bad news, he wouldn't lash out at his brother. I mean, who else was there to rule the pack if Alakai wasn't going to? Preston. I wasn't on the hunting trip. I was back home playing with a squirrel who kept running up and down these oak trees, trying to catch him. However, I caught a glimpse of what happened between Alakai and my father. My father sat him down and began to explain things. Alakai sat there with the biggest smirk on his face, a face too prideful and too proud to be a good Alpha. Little did he know, he was in for a shock. As my father grew more weary, Alakai started to frown. So much that he started to snarl. I've never seen my brother filled to the brim with rage like that. Then they got into a scrap. My father was trying to hold his ground the best he could. But yet, so much blood was pooling in the areas he stood. In this moment, I realized he's not going to make it out alive. I would have ran to help him, but Vivian held me back before taking me to the others. I'm glad she did. I would have died that day, and I know my father wouldn't have wanted that. Moments after we warned everyone of what happened, Alakai appeared in front of the whole pack. We were all scared for our lives. Alakai was no longer my brother, but an evil, resentful, selfish werewolf. He looked at us and snarled out threats and curses. Alakai felt as every one of us turned on him. But for as much of an asshole he was, we still accepted him as a member of the pack. Regardless, he said that if this pack didn't want him as Alpha, then he would start his own pack and forever rule it. He proclaimed that once he had an army of werewolves behind him, he would come back for us and kill us, one by one if he had to. Preston is Alpha for a few reasons. But he's doing an amazing job keeping this pack alive and together. Now, he just needs your help. We all need your help. Well, would you look at that? You see it? Up in the stars. That's right. Lupus, the wolf constellation. I think that's my father up in the sky, watching over me. I think he's pleased to see you here with me. He knows you'll protect me. Of course I miss him, but many things happened for a reason, just like fate. Maybe it was fate he was killed that day. Maybe it was fate you were turned by Alakai. You accept it now? In the beginning, you resented that you turned. Why change your mind?
[11:04]Because you think it's fate that we met. I see. I've been feeling the same way.
[11:16]What else do I feel? Well, I just know that I can really trust you. I've never felt so connected to a person or werewolf for that matter. I feel like you are the missing puzzle piece in my life. For once, I feel complete. And and it's just the way you lean over to me like that and the way we lock eyes and hold a gaze together.
[12:33]But wait, we might get in over our heads tonight. Are you sure you want to do this? We're going to be connected in more ways than one when we're done with each other.
