The Empath’s Pack

The Training Grounds

The sun was peeking out from the trees. Most of the pack was outside training in the thick winter forest. Alarick felt like he was hit by a truck. Veta didn’t look any better than he did.

“You okay, V?”

She turned back, “I’m going to see if my mom’s notes have a potion for this empathic hang over. I mean at least it wasn’t a blood sucker.”

There were a lot of different vampires, just like there were different were creatures out there. For werewolves it is simple, you have your standard human by day werewolf on full moon. They were more common in the 1800s. Currently the main type are werewolves who control both human and werewolf form. Almost as two beings living in the same body. There are the werewolves who have a third form and are of royal blood. It is an in between form that looks more creature like. They stand on hind legs and grow to the shape of legendary lycan. There are the people who are cursed to live as wolves. Rogues who are more animal like leaving the ways of human interaction, often don’t form packs and the worse the werewolves who abandon their human side completely. Epsilon.

“Very true or soul vampire.” He shuddered at the thought.

It had just crossed his mind that his mate could be a vampire. He hoped if it were that they weren’t a soul vampire or blood sucker.

The blood sucker was your standard vampire while a soul vampire fed on life essence. It was often you noted death by vampire from these two species. An empathic vampire fed off of emotions, most often positive emotions. There are psi-vampires they feed off of life forces, but they don’t take enough to harm the victim. Then you have s****l vamps or succubus, they feed of s****l nature. The more “sin” you committed as a vampire the more restrictions were made. This would be the aversion to light, holy water, crucifix and fire. Stakes could kill them all and you still had to invite them in.

Alarick knew that the vampire kiss located in the territory had a good mix. They worked with a few local hospitals to make sure they did not harm individuals. Each creature group had a hierarchy. Werewolves had Alpha, Luna or Delta,Beta, Gamma and Omegas. Rogue werewolves often had Epsilon, Eta and Theta. Vampires had masters and that was really the most he knew. The only other thing that came to mind is that they called their mates, beloveds.

Something sparked in him at that thought. “If you find anything her notes let me know. I will contact the Coven and see if they have anything to help. I’ll probably need something often since my body keeps trying to bring me back there.”

Veta nodded, “Alpha with that thought. It is rare, but it could of been an empath witch as well. Maybe someone dealing with clairvoyance.”

“Like a clairsentient?” He rubbed his temple. “Very rare. They would have to be extremely powerful to come off as a empathic vampire.”

“Wow, you two look like shit.”

Alarick looked up, “Theo, how is training going? Sorry, we couldn’t be out here earlier.”

Theo ran a hand through his auburn hair. “You are the Alpha, no need for apologies. We had a few late comers this morning, but outside that everyone is killing it this morning.”

Theo was the pack’s Gamma and was about three years younger than Alarick and Veto. They were sitting at a solid twenty seven year run. Theo however had found his mate last year. He was out on a mission from the council. There was a pack that had been having many rogue attacks and need protected and repositioned. His mate and now wife had been the pack’s doctor. Now she was our pack’s lead doctor. Theo’s tan skin often stood out from the snow. He was slightly smaller than Alarick in size, but towered over the rest of the pack. All three standing there, to the untrained eye, would look like athletic gear models. Ones that were picked up from sports to promote certain brands. It didn’t help that Alarick preferred them to wear the higher end stuff.

“Alpha Alarick!” A squeak voice called.

His nose filled with the smell of cheap hair dye, nail Polish and vanilla. “Yes, Carmen?”

She flitted her eyelashes making Veta gag. “Well, I was asked to pair with Travis and I am much too fragile. I think I should be paired with another girl.”

He ran a hand down his face, “Car...”

“Please, Alpha, I will gladly take over as her partner.” Veta said with a wink toward the two men.

Carmen had recently been added to the pack after she was found wandering the woods. When ask what had happened, she muttered about the her destined mate being an Alpha. After calling her last Alpha, whom Alarick was pretty good friends with, he had found out she was an Alpha chaser. Alpha Walter Waters, no joke that’s his name, had said she was entitled and often caused him and his son trouble. Alarick promised to straighten her out before he would return her to her pack.

“Loveta, what are you doing?” Carmen panicked. “You’re a girl, you don’t need to fight for real.”

Every person in the pack was watching Veta corner Carmen. “Beta Loveta!”

Veta backed up with the command. Carmen’s face fell to a knowing smirk. “See?”

Alarick winced at the squeaking. “Carmen, front and center.”

“Whaaaattt? I didn’t do anything.”

Alarick crossed his arms as Veta stood to his side. “That’s the point. I don’t know what you thought would happen when you stumbled into my pack....but we take things very serious here. You will address Beta Loveta as her proper title. If I ever here you say that you don’t have to fight because you are a female again, I will be your new training partner. We are the pack that trains the council not spoiled brats.”

She looked up with teary eyes. “I hate it here.”

“Well you chose to leave your old pack. If you leave here, we will be forced to take you to the council as a rogue. We are only your stepping stone. We will train you and discipline you until we see you are fit to return to your old pack.”

Alpha Waters had told them that her father was very sexist. Since they don’t require training from pack members, who found other means to provide for the pack, she had been taught that it was gender thing. Alarick hated that backward way of thinking. He had ran into that issue at almost every Alpha meeting and pack gathering. At least five Alphas would assume Loveta was his mate. She would promptly correct them. They all knew Alpha Waters to never be one of those Alphas.

“Training this morning is dismissed. Please begin preparing yourselves for lunch.”

Theo looked at Alarick, “okay, I know Carmen is a little b***h, but that can’t be the reason you ended training early. With that being said, who are you and what have you done to my Alpha?”

“Would you two please follow me to my office? Serenity, you too!”

Serenity was a short girl with skin almost as white as the snow. She was often mistaken for sixteen, but was twenty two. She was Theo’s right hand in training and often would lead the pack in training if Theo wasn’t present. He knew things would change soon with his mate coming into the picture. He had to make sure his team was prepared.

“So what’s up?”

Alarick took a deep breath, “there will be some changes coming soon. I have an idea of where my mate is.”

Theo’s eyebrow rose, “wait, what does that mean?”

“My mate works at the Midnight Gym, but she wasn’t there last night. Veta and I went to check it out. Her smell filled the place. I don’t know anything about her yet. I’m going there after lunch.”

Serenity looked confused. “You don’t seem happy.”

“Well truth be told. Since we were in a public place, I had to keep my urges intact. Her smell was literally filling the place and I couldn’t focus.”

Theo gave a knowing smile. “It will only get worse.”

Alarick stood from his office chair, “I already feel like I was hit by a bus. I’m not handling this as well as I would like. Assuming from what Marshal said, she is of the creature world, so it won’t be too difficult.”

“Well, I wish you the best Alpha. If you need anything, don’t hesitate to ask.” Serenity smiled.

Alarick strode over to Theo. “I actually needed to ask you a question, Theo.”

“Yes?”

“Can you go to the gym with me? I need someone there to keep me in check, but am afraid if one of the girls go...”

Everyone nodded in agreement, “say no more. We understand.”

“Hopefully tonight, Alpha, you meet your mate.”