The lost alpha

The full moon shone brightly in the night sky, the stars twinkling around it like tiny diamonds. The forest below it was still and peaceful, but beneath the silence was a lone figure slowly making its way through the darkness. It was a young man, and while he moved with a grace usually only possessed by someone much older, there was something else about him that made him stand out.  His eyes glowed yellow in the moonlight, and his physique seemed to have been carved out of marble. His chest was broad with lean muscles on every part of his body, and he moved shirtless with only his ripped shorts on. The night air was crisp and cool, carrying with it the smell of wet grass from the nearby meadow. Tristan padded through the underbrush, his keen ears pricked for any sound or smell that might indicate danger. He was aware of every single creature around him, sensing how they were moving and feeling the presence they emitted. The most dominant scent in the air belonged to him - a musky, animal-like smell that meant only one thing. He was now out of his human form. Tristan had been born a werewolf, and like all werewolves, he shared a unique connection to the natural world around him.  Tristan liked it better this way. Although in his human form, he was by no means small, in his wolf form, he felt even more powerful and fierce, capable of anything he set his mind to. He had roamed the forest near his home for the last six months, learning everything it had to offer. Tonight, however, something was different. He could feel it in his fur. Tristan stopped dead in his tracks, his nose twitching as he tried to make sense of the new smell entering his nostrils. His eyes narrowed, and his senses stretched to their limits as he finally understood what it was. A werewolf.  The scent was unmistakable - not quite human, not quite animal - and Tristan knew that this intruder meant trouble. He was ready to fight back, his tail bristling as he prepared to put up a fight. But then he heard something else - the sound of a small mouse scurrying away. The distraction was enough for Tristan to pause and take a look around. Sure enough, there was another werewolf nearby. He snarled in warning, his hackles rising as he faced the other supernatural creature in front of him while scanning for any more. The other wolf lowered its stance, its full focus on Tristan.  They both seemed to be similar in size, but Tristan could sense the difference in power between them. The wolf in front of him was at least a beta, and a high-ranking one at that. He kept his eyes on the grey wolf before him, his muscles taut, ready to lunge at the slightest opportunity… but before he could attack the enemy, the wolf lunged at him.  Tristan instinctively moved his neck out of the way of his enemy’s jaws before he could clamp them onto him. They both tossed and rolled on the green grass of the meadow, one trying to hold on, the other trying to free himself from his assailant.  Tristan began using his claws to scratch away at the other wolf till he drew blood. That was enough to get the grey wolf to free Tristan from his grasp.  Tristan was aware of the disadvantage he faced. Not only was he weaker, but he was also injured and couldn’t fight at full strength. Several thoughts crossed his mind as he stared down his enemy with laser focus to make sure he wouldn't suffer for letting his guard down once again. But to his surprise, the wolf stood for a few seconds, which felt like several minutes, with almost no killing intent.  Suddenly, the sound of bones shifting and joints popping filled the cold night. Tristan had never been so baffled yet so offended in his entire life. The wolf had reverted to his human form. What stood in front of Tristan instead was now a middle-aged man with a chiseled yet hairy body.  He didn’t see Tristan as a threat in the slightest bit, to the point that he stood before him in his human form. Grey hair and silver eyes were what Tristan could see in the dark eerie night. The man smirked at Tristan, who still stood tall on all fours with every black strand of fur on his body standing on end.  “You must be Emory’s boy.” Said the man with a chuckle at the end. “I guess you’re not too bad, but I wasn’t expecting to see you here instead of your pops. Why don’t you go and call him out for me?”  Tristan stayed firm in his position, even as his wound bled out. He wasn’t going to fall prey to any of this man’s tricks. “Well, if you won’t tell me then I might just have to go find him myself.” The man said as he took a dramatic yet quick step, making Tristan jump. “Ha ha ha ha, you’re energetic aren’t you boy?” He asked mockingly. “Don’t get your fur in a bunch, I came here to confirm something. And seeing as you’re the only one here, then I must be right.” The man turned away from Tristan and started walking towards the woods he emerged from. “I’ll be on my way now kid. I would’ve told you to say hi to your old man for me but something tells me he’s not around. You’ll be seeing me and some more guests really soon” Those were his final words before his body shifted and his bones popped. Soon he was running on all fours, a blur as his silver fur disappeared into the woods. Tristan paused for a few seconds before collapsing under himself and transforming back to his human form. He winced as he looked at his arm with a deep gash just above his shoulder. The wound was deep and he could see the bones and flesh that were barely holding it in place.  If not for his inhuman regenerative abilities, his hand would’ve been condemned. While looking into the forest, the intruder had retreated into, he began to notice that his shadow had begun to appear. It was dawn, he needed to get out of open sight because it would be suspicious for him to be out there otherwise. He hoisted himself up while carefully holding his arm in place. He trudged along the grass as moving too fast would cause his arm to shake too much, causing him unimaginable pain. Slowly but surely he made his way to the cabin he and his father used to share. He barely made it in before locking the door with his good hand and collapsing on the floor, out of energy and out of breath, the world around him slowly began to go dark.. the details became a blur as he lost consciousness.