New Beginnings (True Hybrid Book 1) (26 page)

“Now. We went to shadow pack to see how Zander’s meeting with Brock, alpha of shadow pack, went. When we addressed the subject of him and Elisabeth he kicked us out of the pack land. We went to our compound in Arizona to decide the best way to approach the subject with our fellow Elders. While at the compound Zander, Elisabeth, and their pack attacked us. We barely escaped with our lives.”

Zander interrupted Alek-Xander.

“What proof do you have?”

“Not that it’s any of your business, we have security cameras everywhere on the compound.”

“Well. Don’t you think a skilled fighter would know to take out the cameras first? I’m not stupid. You’re lying.”

“What reason do I have to lie?”

I notice the figures moving in closer to us.

It’s time Zander. They are advancing on us.

NOW!

The figures break through the tree line. They attack everyone but Alek-Xander and Samuel. I smell something on the breeze. It smells like hell. Magic. They are being cloaked.

The figures are monstrous creations. They are huge. They are neither male nor female. They carry no smell. They are some kind of mix breed. They are creatures. No words can explain them. They are that bad.

“Enjoying our pets Elisabeth? They were created especially for you and One.”

The first creature approaches me. It is about 7’ tall and around 300lbs. Its skin looks like steel. There is no hair on the creature. Its eyes are bottomless black pits.

It swings at me with razor tipped fingers. It barely misses my chest. I shift into a panther.  The shift is fast and sounds worse than it feels. The creature watches the shift. Entranced by the sounds of breaking and repositioning of bones.

The creature pounces as soon as the shift is complete. It jumps into the air and tries to land on my back. As quickly as I can, I run under it. It lands on my tail. It uses my tail being pinned under its feet to its advantage.

Reaching down and grabbing my tail before moving off of it, the creature spins me around and flings me into the trees. I slam into a huge cypress. I miss most of the branches on the way down. My body falls limply to the ground next to the trunk.

One shifts into his lotus. He flies into the air and circles the beasts. In the blink of an eye he dives down, grabs one of the beasts, and takes off back into the air until he is out of sight. I close my eyes. It starts to mist, but it only lasts a few moments,

I open my eyes and look around there must have been at least twenty of these creatures. The beast that threw me into the tree is slowly approaching me like a lion creeps through the tall grass watching its prey.

I try to shift again, only this time into an eagle. I haven’t seen one of these monsters before and I don’t know if they can fly but it might give me a chance to get away and regroup. As I’m shifting the beast pounces for an attack. I picture an eagle and force the shift.

As I’m flying towards the sky, I realize I still have the body of a panther. How am I flying? Did I get thrown? I look to my back and see I have the wings of an eagle only larger. I don’t know how I managed to only partially shift but it happened. I guess I need some more practice. Too late now.

I shoot upwards, toward the sky until I know I have a good distance from the ground and shift into my lotus. The sound of my bones breaking and shifting make every beast stop in its tracks and stare at me.

I look at my legs and see a shiny, sticky red liquid. It is blood. It wasn’t raining earlier it was blood falling from the sky. ONE. I take off looking for one.

One flies right past me diving straight toward the ground with the head of a beast clenched in his mouth. One had managed to kill the beast. I knew if he could then so could I. I turn to follow him.

One lands on the ground with enough impact to make the ground shake. I call to him.

Watch your back!!

One of the beast jumps on his back and begins to slash away at him. I fade out of reality. All I can see is red. No one hurts my family. NO ONE. All I can picture is myself ripping through the flesh of the beasts and killing every last one of them. The elders included.

It feels like days have passed but I could finally begin to see again. I look around and see Zander, One, and a mass of warriors from the pack staring at me. We are in the middle of a battle for our lives. Why is everyone staring at me?

I look around for my next attacker and all I see is lifeless bodies lying on the ground. Blood is everywhere. I wonder how much of it is mine. Had I really blacked out for the entire fight? I wanted to remember this. Everyone ran over to me. Zander spoke to me softly.

“You can shift back now, it should be safe.”

I shift back, wondering if Henry got hurt. I look around but don’t find him. Zander is going to be upset.

I hear a noise to my left. Jerking my head towards the sound I notice several Elders emerge from the tree line. Henry is one of them.

“You know what this means, Elisabeth?”

I have no idea what he’s talking about. A shrug is my only response.

“You’re going to have to take on more responsibility than ever before. You and One and anyone else who killed an Elder are going to have to take over their positions.”

I think about him expecting everyone to leave behind everything to become an Elder. I know the remaining Elders aren’t going to like my answer, but they will have to deal with it.

“No Henry. I am taking over. No more Elders dictating laws to anyone. Everything will go through me. It’s time for a change and it looks like I’m going to force it. If anyone wants to contest what I say, let them step forward.”

“I’ll help, Elisabeth.”

I look at One. He’s like me. Use to having nothing but yourself. Now he has a bond that belongs to Zander’s pack. I don’t expect him to put himself out in any shape.

“You don’t have to, One. I’m sure I can handle it.”

“You’re my sister, and we have missed out on so much together. I’m helping. Period.”

I’m not going to make him turn the other cheek and walk away. I understand where he is coming from. I appreciate it.

Thank you.

“Now Henry. It’s time you divulge some information about me and my brother.”

Henry looks scared for a moment. Inhaling deeply he looks at One and I.

“The two of you are not an experiment. You are the same as the day y’all were conceived. Y’all mother and father come from a blood line that goes all the way back to the beginning.”

He pauses for a moment. I know that’s not the worst thing he has to tell us.

“Y’all are born from a set of four. It runs on both sides of y’all family. Two and Four were still born.  That also runs in y’all family. Elisabeth was the first to give birth to a set of four healthy babies. Y’all parents were killed as soon as y’all were born. Y’all family heard what the Elders had done and fled all over the world. They went into hiding. I don’t blame them. The two of you trained together until fear set into the Elders that the truth would be discovered. When One went missing a few years ago, the Elders thought they had gotten away with the perfect crime. When both of y’all showed up tonight, they knew they were going to die.”

I look at Henry with conflict.

“How do you fit into all this Henry?”

“I became an Elder about 10years ago. I keep my head down and listen to everything. The only reason I know is because of Zander. He came to me after he spotted you. I started inquiring about you and your past. That’s how I know about as much as I do. The older Elders kept files and blood lines on everyone locked in a secret room. I found the room, but don’t know how to get in. There must be a secret entrance.”

“I will see to it when we get back”

I don’t know about One, but I’m going to bring my family home.

I’m going to bring our family home, One. They shouldn’t be left out there.

I agree Elisabeth. I think we will split up and search the world over to find them.

“One and I are going to bring our family home.”

Zander nods in agreement. We all head back to our vehicles. It has been a long day, and we are all ready to get home. As soon as my head hits the head rest I’m out. Sound asleep for the ride home.

Over the next couple of weeks One and I deal with spreading the word about us taking over and killing most of the Elders. Henry becomes a very close advisor to One and I.

One has decided Samantha will go with him on his search. Zander, my babies, which appear to be around 2 years old, and I will leave tomorrow afternoon. Zack and Sonny are going to take care of things until we get back.

One and Samantha are going to leave the morning after us. We make a list for each of us to follow. We have no clue as to who we are looking for or where to begin. One and I decide we are going to stop at every pack to introduce ourselves and inform them of our plan to bring the packs closer together.

Sonny insist on throwing us a going away party. I’m not a party person, but I will do just about anything to make her happy.

“Just remember, Zack. No running around naked in my house.”

Zander thinks he is so funny. Obviously everyone else does too. They are laughing.

“No promises. My lady gets what my lady wants.”

“Speaking of Sonny. Where is she?”

He looks up with longing.

“She is upstairs. She is not feeling well. Normal pregnancy stuff.”

I can’t help but laugh.

“And how many kids have you given birth to Zack.”

His cheeks turn red and he looks at the floor. I embarrassed him.

We are sitting around a fire in the backyard. Winter is starting to set in. The rest of the pack is all over. Some are drinking and some are laughing at the ones drinking.

Tonight, we are part of the drinkers.

“I wanna make a toast. To new beginnings.”

“New beginnings.”

Everyone says aloud. From this moment on is a new beginning. For me and for my family.

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