Alliance of Shadows, Book 4: DRESON

The Friend Zone

Before we knew it, six years had passed. We’d become as close as brothers, holding each other accountable and keeping each other grounded through the ups and downs of teenaged life.

With being teens came more responsibility, more training, and more freedom. Trust me, learning Latin wasn’t as easy as some people think it is, but it was surprisingly fun—especially when figuring out the best ways to cuss out idiots in a language most people wouldn’t understand.

Colton gained strength over the years, moving beyond the rank of Omega with a quiet, steady determination that had always carried him through. His growth was subtle, not flashy, but undeniable.

Kaden’s fighting style evolved into something uniquely his own—a chaotic blend of speed, clumsiness, and raw werewolf strength that left opponents scrambling to keep up. His unpredictability made him difficult to counter, earning him the nickname “Wobbly Wolf” from Colton, a title he embraced with pride.

Neil, on the other hand, had to take on far more than just physical training. Learning pack politics, understanding family alliances, mastering rituals—it was all part of his preparation for leadership. His responsibilities grew alongside his strength, and damn him, he somehow managed to become ridiculously fit in the process.

Cold shower! Cold shower!

Damn, okay. Well, let’s get back to my story.

“Why the absolute hell is everyone up in arms about this Y2K crap anyway? As far as I’m concerned, the Terminator movies are on-point so far with their prediction that machines will start taking over the world,” my best friend said as we climbed the tree outside his bedroom window.

“There is no doubt in my mind that things are going to be exactly the same once the New Year kicks in,” I replied. “It’s going to be school, home, drills, training, and keeping Kaden busy so Dad and Mom can have some down-time.”

Neil looked at me, his expression edged with something close to pity. “Dude, I got no clue how you can even put up with that half-blood brat. Sure, he’s stronger than your average Druid ’cause of his Werewolf side, but still.”

“Yeah, yeah,” I grunted.

Pulling myself through the window, I landed on one of his two bean bag chairs, the soft cushioning absorbing my weight as I sprawled out.

Sighing, I closed my eyes and got comfortable. “But he’s my little brother, and Dad expects me to set an example for him. Besides, he told me that when you take the Alpha title, he wants to be your false Omega.”

Neil lifted a brow, exhaling as he fell back against his bed. “A false Omega, huh? Yeah, I can do that for him. He’d have to endure all the bullshit the other Omegas deal with, though.”

“How the holy Hades did we end up being friends again?” I asked, rummaging through his stash of candy bars, gummies, and comic books. “It’s not like we have that much in common.”

Neil turned his dark brown eyes to me, letting out a slow, deliberate sigh. “We both lost our moms at a young age, Dre, and neither of us really wanted anything to do with the other kids. Besides, you kicked my ass twice in a month. Kinda hard not to like you after that.”

My thoughts trailed off, reflecting on the last few years and all the training I had to undergo. Kaden kept up for the most part, but when it came to magic use, we were on completely different levels. Even on my worst day, I was stronger than my brother.

A ball of paper smacked me in the side of the head, yanking me out of my thoughts. I blinked over at Neil, who was giving me that same answer-me-damn-it look he always had when I zoned out mid-conversation.

As the future Alpha, Neil wasn’t one to talk much about pack matters, nor was he overly eager to engage in politics or rituals. But as a friend? He was always there, steady and unwavering. I just hoped my deep, dark secret wouldn’t turn that friendship into hen-s**t.

"Did you say something, Alpha-in-training?" I smirked, knowing full well that the title he’d inherit in a few years wasn’t something he was looking forward to.

"I asked if you had a date to the dance next Friday, Counselor-in-training." He scowled, tossing the jab right back at me.

While his father tried, Neil was too stubborn to give in to his birthright. "You know, you're either going to find a woman who does it for you like no other, or you're going to get usurped by some upstart hotshot."

"Oh, shut up, Dre." He muttered, running a hand through his hair in exasperation. "It's not like you’re the one who has to go through damn near every file on every family and try to memorize them by heart."

"No, I just have to remember a language they don't teach in school, learn spells, and study circle connotations," I muttered, flipping open one of his Spider-Man comics. "On top of that, I need to maintain my grades, do my homework, and keep up a good social standing."

Neil paled. "s**t, Dre. I didn't think it was that bad with the Druids. You holding up okay?"

Grimacing, I plastered a fake smile to my face and squeezed my eyes shut. "I'm as right as rain, Captain Obvious."

He laughed, shaking his head. "I'm always here if you need an escape. You're one of my two best friends, after all."

I groaned, knowing that the other friend he was talking about was none other than Colton Brake—our high school’s most notorious class clown. "Honestly, I have no idea what you see in him to make him your Beta."

"Easy," Neil shrugged. "He's loud, funny, loyal, and he can hold his own in a fight better than the rest of the freaking wolves around here."

A sharp tap against the window caught my attention. I turned and moved to let the wolf in, only to find Colton grinning at me, clinging to the sill with his bare fingers like some oversized raccoon.

"What are you doing, Colt?" I asked, eyeing him skeptically.

His grin widened. "Oh, you know, just hanging around. Move aside, Druid."

Deciding to have a little fun with the situation, I smirked. "Why would I do that? You're in the perfect position to have the window slammed on your fingers."

"Don't you dare, Dre," he breathed. "C'mon, man, let me in. Don't keep a brother hanging all night."

"I think I like it more when you beg me for mercy, dumbass," I teased, leaning closer. My fingertips brushed against the wooden frame, but we both knew I wasn’t actually going to hurt him.

He snickered. "Move your ass. My hands are going numb here."

"Say please," I coaxed.

At this point, I was wondering how far I could push him before he snapped my neck or something. A bunch of us Alliance kids had just started going to the local high school, and I was itching to unleash some of my pent-up aggression.

Colt grumbled something under his breath before lifting his gaze, a dark gleam flickering in his eyes. "I know how to get you to move."

"Oh yeah?" I taunted, but I wasn’t expecting him to pull out a cassette with The Ring written clearly in black ink on the white label.

"If you want to die at the tender age of fourteen, be my guest, asshole."

Stepping aside, I waited until his other foot cleared the windowsill before purposely slamming it shut, narrowly missing his toes. He glared up at me and growled.

"What?" I asked innocently. "You were inside, so I shut the damn thing. Got a problem, Wolfie?"

Colton huffed a laugh and rolled his eyes. "You know something, Dreson? Your face is a little bland. Maybe I should rearrange it for you."

"Guys, calm the hell down before my father starts wondering what we're up to," Neil snapped.

Toe-to-toe, literally breathing in each other's faces, Colton and I locked eyes in a silent challenge. Neither of us budged, the tension thick between us. Rolling my eyes, I counted to ten, waiting for the inevitable—the door swinging open like it always did when we got into it.

I grabbed my clothes and headed into the bathroom. I blew out my cheeks and groaned as I looked in the shower, only to see that Neil had forgotten to take out his favorite body wash again. I was hopelessly hoarding a crush on my best friend, but there was no way I could live with myself if I told him I was gay.

Someone banged on the door, and Colton called out to me. "Dreson, dude, did you have to lock the damn door? I gotta take a leak."

"With the way you brag, just stick it out the window and give the guards a golden shower," I shot back.

Taking pity on the poor bastard, I unlocked the door. He rushed in, unzipping his fly as he scurried over to the toilet.

"You're an ass, Cage," he grumbled. I winced, turning my back as he pulled himself free. "I almost pissed myself because of you."

"Poor baby," I mocked. "Why didn’t you just go c**k your leg on a bush or something?"

Before I left the bathroom, I clicked the lock back into place.

Grinning at the back of his head, I flipped off the light and shut the door behind me. Listening to him scream like a girl was worth the scolding I got the next day.