Summary
The change that carries man to beast was the one thing that kept the squabbling Aster pack together. It was the one transformation they all loved, despite their differences. But when Alpha Fenris is brutally murdered, the pack's once glorious reign on the night begins to crumble. Cage matches are being fought between pack members and Xander Richardson is tired of it all. Even though he is the only one of his friends and family still in whelp, he is also the only one who can find out the truth. Mysterious letters force him to swear not to tell a soul what they contain, but they might hold the answer to Alpha Fenris' death, and Xander's own past. They are all signed by an unknown sender, who calls himself simply 'X'.
Chapter 1- Tension
I’d never witnessed a phenomenon so strange.
I’d once thought this happening to be impossible. If I hadn’t been eavesdropping with Jagger, and if I hadn’t peered through the crack in the door leading to the alpha’s den, I would have never had any doubts about my eldest brother Kristopher or even the pack as a whole.
Witnessing this event made me open my eyes to reality, and it all started with Jagger’s playfulness and my embarrassment. Jag nearly always turned his anger toward Kristopher into my irritation and that kind of transition is one I must explain.
The tension between my two elder brothers, Kristopher and Jagger, was drenched in hatred and stemmed from jealousy. I understood why, and knew that this was coming the moment I became one of the pack. Ever since they were pups, Jagger and Kristopher were fighting over the title of alpha male without having a proper Carnage.
Nearly every time they saw each other, Jagger was bound to attack Kristopher physically, in human or beast form. Kristopher however, chose the opposite approach- verbal and mental abuse. Though, it wouldn’t have mattered what kind of weapons they used, or what kind of words they spewed. No matter what, Jagger always ended up failing in the end.
Kristopher, after Alpha Fenris was dead and gone, would be the next alpha. I saw it coming. Kristopher would definitely be the victor of The Carnage- a fight between all of the adult males of the pack to determine the next alpha. It was as if Kristopher already was our leader.
I suppose that’s why Jagger was closer to me than Kristopher was.
Jag and I weren’t friends. We were brothers- we didn’t necessarily enjoy each other’s company. Jagger and I just tolerated each other living under the same roof. Jagger was always the one to call me ‘pup’ or ‘kid’ and joke around with me. However, that did not symbolize any form of affection- it was merely Jag’s nature to be a light hearted fool.
I understood this, and therefore, I turned my attention to my eldest brother Kristopher.
I didn’t just respect Kristopher- I admired him. Jagger basically went ballistic when I told him that. It was slightly amusing to see how much thought and passion he put into his little speech about how Kristopher didn’t respect me back and that I was being immature.
“You follow Kristopher around everywhere he goes because you actually give a damn about him,” He would say. “Xander, you don’t just respect Kristopher as a future alpha. You respect him as a brother, a mentor perhaps. But one thing is for certain- Kristopher isn’t interested in actually being part of a pack. He only cares about bossing people around. Besides, you’re just a pup after all.”
I glared at him when he said I was ‘just a pup’. I cursed myself for looking and acting so young, but I denied that what ever Jag was saying was right.
“That’s the one thing that you don’t get. You can learn as much math as you want, but you can’t possibly process it like an adult can. And if you can’t even process the calculus that you’ve been studying so much, who’s to say that you’ll keep it together when the one person you love and respect doesn’t even care about you?”
I thought about Jag’s words that night, even through I knew that everything he said was backwards. Not even Jagger was a full adult. He was sixteen years old. And besides, Kristopher did love me. He had to.
Jagger’s past words added to the atmosphere, but he went right in for the kill. Jag was referring to my backpack, which was overflowing slightly because of my sweater and spray paint cans.
“What’s in the bag, pup?”
It was then that I launched myself onto Jagger and tried to wrestle him out for a tap. But even if he did tap, I wouldn’t let go of the lock. However, Jag wasn’t struggling. In fact, he was laughing.
“You’re getting better, pup,” he said as he jolted upward and put me down in a painful arm lock. “Too bad it’s not enough.”
I turned myself over immediately and punched him in the face with my unbroken hand. His face was knocked to the side for a moment, but he growled deeply when he looked at me with a burning hatred, almost the same as how he looks at Kristopher.
I didn’t want my relationship with Jag to be like Jag’s relationship with Kristopher. I wanted us to be brothers, not enemies. That reason alone was why I regretted retaliating.
I’d realized this the moment Jagger pounced on me with a great force that sent us both tumbling down the stairs of the rickety old house that led to Alpha Fenris’ den.
It was then that Jag and I saw them, through the little crack in the doorway.
Kristopher was on his hands and knees, begging like a dog. Our alpha and blood father Fenris merely watched him, as though it amused him to see his first son change his mannerisms completely.
“Please, Father,” Kristopher’s cold voice becoming high pitched and frantic. “I beg of you. I need more time.”
Alpha Fenris was speaking in low whispers, and even though Jag and I had a keen sense of hearing, we could not hear his words. I looked up at Jagger, who looked angry, or deep in thought. My jocular older brother was almost never angry at anything- unless Kristopher was in the same room or, as seen before, was punched in the face.
“Come in.” Alpha Fenris’ deep voice commanded.
Jagger and I were hesitant, but we went in anyway. Only a fool did not know that an alpha’s decision was final and not to be challenged.
Jag and I sat down next to Kristopher, who was sweating and panicking, as if both of us were the last loups-garoux that he wanted around.
“We were just talking about you two. What a perfect time to have your brawl.”
Alpha Fenris didn’t do anything to stop the fighting between Jagger and Kristopher, or even Jagger and I. He must’ve seen this as a training exercise and left it at that.
“Father-“
Kristopher was about to beg again, but was silenced by the growling of Alpha Fenris.
Jag turned his suspicious amber eyes to Kristopher, who looked frightened- an emotion that I’d never thought existed in him. In fact, I haven’t seen any emotion out of Kristopher except the many forms of anger and irritation. I knew that something was wrong here.
“What are you?”
Alpha Fenris’ question was directed at all three of us. It was a very general question, too general for me to answer. I was afraid of getting it wrong.
Jagger thought for a moment, and then raised his hand. “We are of the wolf kind and of the Aster pack, Father.”
Both of my brothers and I never looked Alpha Fenris in the eye when we addressed him- that was another unspoken rule.
“No, Jagger,” Alpha Fenris said, slightly irritated. “I meant to say something far deeper.”
Just then, Alpha Fenris broke into a coughing fit. His chest heaved as he wheezed out the last bits of life left in him. We all knew that our father’s days were numbered because of a sickness that tore him apart as mercilessly as he did his victims.
He stood up from his spot on the floor and circled us, as if playing some kind of deranged version of a child’s game.
“You are all direct descendants of me, which means that I bestowed upon you one thing- power. Not just power to transform like the rest of the pack, but power over the entire pack before you even become alpha…well, two of you anyway.”
I stared at the floor and counted the boards. I then watched as Jag glared at Kristopher, but I was left to my own thoughts. I’d always wondered why some of the pups never wanted to hunt with me. They were afraid of me, as if I had authority over them which of course was non-existent. I was the direct son of the alpha, and the youngest brother of the possible future alpha.
“As a result of that power,” Alpha Fenris began. “You three are the ones that the rest of the pack would fear, not respect.”
I bit my lip for one reason. It was because I knew that everything Alpha Fenris said about me, no matter how much I tried to deny it, was absolutely correct. Jag’s words I could disregard- Alpha Fenris was a different story entirely.
“And this leads me to believe that all three of you are fragile, weak even- although, one of you already is.”
I could feel something clog my throat, but I gulped it down. Now was not the place or time.
I knew that Alpha Fenris was going to punish us, but what he was punishing us for had something to do with Kristopher’s plea. I wasn’t stupid- I wasn’t going to fall for Alpha Fenris’ re-wording of the current situation.
“You are all dismissed,” Alpha Fenris said. “I need time to think about your punishment. All of you.”
Kristopher was going to object again, but he knew that his behavior would only hurt all three of us more.
As we exited the den and closed the door, Jagger must’ve figured out that our penalization had to be linked to Kristophet. For that reason, Jag pounced on Kristopher and succeeded in his one and only time of weakness.
“Alright, Kris,” Jag spat. “You’re going to tell us why we’re being punished for your faults, and you’re going to tell us now.”
Snapping out of his weariness, Kristopher immediately became himself again. He flipped Jag over so he was on top in a locked position. His cold voice even sent a shiver up my spine.
“I don’t have to tell you anything, infant.”
It was then that Kristopher released Jagger from his chokehold.
But for the first time in his life, Jagger did not counter attack.
That's what caught my attention...