Discovering Me

EJ’s Birthday Surprise

EJ didn’t know that Keenan was coming into town for his birthday and first shift, so Tuesday morning I made an excuse not to go to training with him and snuck off to the airport instead to pick Keenan up. There was not much traffic so I was easily able to get there and back before training was done. The only detour was having to first go to the packhouse where Alpha Donnie was there to welcome Keenan and wanted to give him a tour and engage him in a discussion about pack politics.

While he was busy with that, I met up with Janet, who made EJ a batch of his favorite blueberry muffins to go with the huge breakfast my mother was making for him.

“So your man is staying here? He isn’t staying with you?” She inquired as we walked back to the pack house to get Keenan.

“He is not my man, for starters, and you are the only one I’ve told about our encounter. So please don’t say anything. You know how my parents are,” I said as we walked in the door.

“Well, here you are. I hope you all enjoy your breakfast, Gamma. Lexi, I’m sure will make sure you have everything you need for your stay, but feel free to let me know if there is anything else I can provide for you.” Alpha Donnie said, shaking hands with Keenan.

“You hear that, Lexi. Make sure that sexy ma”n has EVERYthing he needs for his stay" Janet said through mindlink, causing me to roll my eyes at her.

“Keenan, this is my friend Janet. Janet, this is my friend and mentor Gamma Keenan Patal of the Black Forest Pack.” I introduced my friends.

“It’s a pleasure, Gamma.”

“Please, I’m not here in an official capacity, it's just Keenan. It’s nice to meet you as well. So what’s for breakfast?” he asked.

“These are some of Janet’s delicious blueberry muffins but my mom is making all of my brother's favorites. Sausage, bacon, eggs, Canadian bacon, fried potatoes, cheesy grits, and buttermilk pancakes. It’ll be a feast.”

“I can’t wait.” He says as we sneak in through the back door off of the kitchen.

My mom immediately had us go wash our hands in the sink to carry the platters she has prepared into the dining room where a few of EJ’s friends were already sitting.

“Where’s EJ?” I asked them.

“He hasn’t come out yet,” one of his friends said.

“Oh Lexi, please don’t tell me you’ve brought home a mate. My heart can’t take it.” another said, and I noticed he was referring to Keenan.

“Oh no, this is my mentor from the academy.”

“Keenan! What’s up bro!” EJ yells as he walks into the dining room giving Keenan a bro hug. “Adam, I heard you and you still have no chance with my sister. This guy here is the one who trained my sister to be the deadly weapon she is. This food looks great!” He says, doing a happy dance (yes we both dance over our food).

“Okay son, have a seat so we can all eat breakfast.” Dad says, walking in through the front door.

“Lexi, dear go grab the juice and we’ll be ready.” Mom says, bringing in the last platter of food. I grab the pitchers of juice and we enjoy the feast of a breakfast.

****

EJ’s party is at 2, so dad decided we would give him our individual gifts after breakfast as the backyard is getting set up for the party.

I got to go first. I hand him a gift bag that he tears all up and starts jumping up and down when he opens the shoe box inside that has the Casio G-Shock Watch inside of a pair of custom made Air Force 1’s to match.

“What! Lexi, you even got my name on the shoes! I don’t even want to walk in these.” He came up and gave me a hug.

“Well, it’s a good thing you won’t have to walk much anymore,” I said.

“Are you letting me use your car too?” He asked.

“You won’t need to use her car. Happy birthday son.” My dad said, handing him a small gift box. He opened it to reveal a set of keys.

“OH MY GOD!!” EJ yells, hugging everyone, then running out the door. “I got a Jeep!” He yells, running back to my parents, hugging them. “Best gift ever! Can I drive it?”

“Sure son. We can go for a ride around the pack.” Dad tells him and they leave while we finish helping set up his party.

The part was a success. He had a nice turn out and had so much fun.

***

The full moon was finally here and EJ and his friends were in place for their first shift and run. Being the overprotective sister that I am, I was on the sidelines looking out for anything that might seem unusual.

The sun had set and the moon was almost in place. The newly shifting wolves were in their place on the field in the back of the packhouse. Alpha Donnie signaled that it was time to remove the robes and, shortly after, the sound of bones shifting and wails from the pains from the first shift were heard.

EJ’s handsome wolf, Samson, emerged. He’s a lot larger in size but a similar brindle colored coat as Sierra.

He looked over to our parents who were shedding tears of joy, then nodded at me.

“And there we have it. Enjoy your evening”, Alpha Donnie says, as a signal for the wolves to enjoy their run.

“Do you sense that?” I asked Sierra, sensing a presence.

“It’s not a regular rogue. What is that?” She asked.

“I don’t know,” I replied.

“Hey, is your family the only hybrid family here in this pack? I can sense the patrol but there are some other hybrids in the woods.” Keenan comes up to me asking.

“Yes we are. I sensed others in the woods too, but they were suppressing their scent so I couldn’t catch what kind” I stated

“You should alert your alpha.” He says and I agree.

“Alpha, there’s a presence in the woods besides the patrol”. I linked Alpha Donnie

“I’ve been informed. We’re on it.” He replied back to me as I saw him and a few warriors discreetly head off towards the woods.

“EJ where are you?” I reached out to my brother via mindlink.

“By the creek hunting a rabbit. This is so awesome. I almost got it.” He said, still sounding excited about being in wolf form.

We hear Alpha Donnie’s battle howl and receive a link with him yelling “Everyone to the bunkers now!!”

“I’m on my way.” I said to EJ. Then, shifted and took off running full speed towards the creek.

“Lexi..where are you going?” I heard my mom yell. “Lexi…” I kept running. I am going to get to EJ to make sure he’s safe. He doesn't know what to look out for or how to even fight in wolf form yet.

I get to the creek and see him protectively standing in front of two smaller wolves while four mangy-looking rogues are stalking.

“I’m here now on my signal, get them to safety!” I told EJ as I crept up ready to pounce.

“I'm a good fighter and I can’t leave you Lexi,” he protested.

“You are a good fighter in human form but you haven't had your wolf an hour. Please listen, you can and you will leave with them. I got this. Do what you can to protect them and get them to safety!” I commanded, and I sprang into action. Sierra lets out a warning growl, causing the rogues to shift their attention to her, then lunges at the closest one, tossing him into a tree and breaking his neck.

EJ nudged the females and ran back toward the packhouse as one of the three remaining rogues lunged at Sierra. She quickly sidestepped his attack and counter attacked, tearing into his belly and ripping out a huge chunk. That was enough to injure him but not keep him down. He gets back up attempting to lunge again, missing again.

From my peripherals I noticed the other two began running into the woods behind Samson and the two she wolves. Sierra quickly gives the rogues in front of us a life-ending blow and runs after the two, chasing my brother.

Somehow, they ended up separating him from the females. While their scent is going towards the packhouse, his seems to be going away and towards the end of the territory where the main fight is taking place.

“EJ don’t run off too far. I’m coming behind you”. I link him but don’t get a reply. “EJ!....” No reply still as I get to the area where the fighting is taking place. I look for my brother, dodging attacks and staying out of the way the best I can. I tried tracking his scent but I couldn’t find it. It seemed like it just disappeared.

“Lexi, what are you doing out here?” Alpha Donnie inquired.

“Looking for my brother,” I answered, running past him, sniffing around, trying to catch my brother's scent somewhere.

“I haven’t seen him.” He said, as his wolf tore into a deformed-looking rogue.

It must be some type of mutated hybrid. Looking around, I see there are a few of them in the fight along with many regular rogues. I see Keenan’s wolf Sahil fighting another mutated hybrid monster.... thing off in the distance.

Then I see him. EJ, no longer in wolf form, is being dragged off by two men.

“I’m coming EJ!” I yelled at his link and begin to head over towards where he is when I get hit from the side by one of those creatures. It left a long scratch on my side.

“Oh, that thing wants to rumble?” Sierra pipes. Quickly recovering before the next attack, she narrowly escaped.”Oh I got you big goofy looking son of a…”

“Sierra focus. We have to get to EJ.” I said, reminding her we needed to get around this obstacle and get to my brother who was being abducted.

“Right, EJ…” She dodged another attack from this creature who looked like it was trying to take me out. He is so much bigger than we are, but that is not going to stop me. I need to take him out so I can get back to the task at hand and find my brother.

The next attempt to swat me, I latched on to the dominant arm, twisting it in an attempt to break it, but barely broke it's flesh.

“Yuck, its blood tastes weird.” Sierra says as we claw away at its underbelly.

“You’re right it does. There’s something in its bloodstream.” I said as we continued to fight, biting, scratching and clawing away every chance we were able to get into a good target area. I can tell it’s getting weak but it uses a burst of strength to flip us off of it, hurling us a distance away.

Using our training, we were able to stumble in a way we could recover, but look up and see there was another one coming at us. We’re now outnumbered but I know we can’t let them into our pack and I need to shake them off because I can’t let those guys take my brother.

“Sierra, this is an emergency. These things have some kind of weird strength. Let's go all out and kill them so we can find EJ!” I tell my wolf as I push my complete essence through the bond.

There’s no question they have to die. The second mutated wolf charges towards me and I feel his life force start to seep through. Sierra lets out a ferocious growl and we attack.

The more his lifeforce slips through, the more power I feel and a bloodlust. I have an energy I've never felt before. It causes me to want to keep going, attacking every mutated creature we see nearby. Their blood tastes horrible, so for every one of them I siphon, I need to kill a rogue to get the taste away. The more power and blood seeping into my veins the harder I’m finding it to stop, but knowing my goal is to find my brother. I redirect. Eventually, the opponents began to fall back, running away from the battle as I restart the search to find my brother.

“Alpha, I can’t track his scent” I said in panic, reaching out to Alpha Donnie.

“Shift back Lexi. He’s gone.” I heard Alpha Donnie say. I shift back but start running around.

“He can’t be gone. He was just here. EJ!” I yelled. “EJ where are you!” I yelled again before being grabbed and forced into an oversized shirt. “Where is he? He has to be here somewhere. We have to find him” I said, trying to keep going.

“Lexi, stop. We will find him and the others they took. You have some bruising and cuts, are you okay, do you need to be looked at?” Jeff asked as I pushed past him.

“I’m fine. Keenan!” I yelled and ran over to where he was. “We have to find my brother.”

“Lexi, I’m going to work with your Alpha and we will find him. You are covered in blood, and use a lot of strength siphoning you need to rest. You’re just running off of adrenaline, but once it’s gone you’re going to crash.” He says.

“I’m fine. I’ll rest once I find my brother.” I said, getting upset that no one was doing anything to help me.

“NO YOU’RE GOING TO REST NOW!” Alpha Donnie commands, walking over to where I am. I weirdly don't feel the need to submit to his alpha command. “You're releasing an Aura as strong as mine, Kennan, and Beta Charles and we’re all of alpha blood. I need you to suppress that and get some rest. I will call you once we get a lead. We are not letting them get away with taking my pack members, your brother included. We will find them.” Alpha Donnie says. I can see he’s upset and I don’t want to challenge him, so I suppress my aura.

“Fine.” I said, now starting to tear up, not because I'm sad, but because I'm so mad and so irritated. I want to continue looking for my brother. The struggle of trying to hold all that in is coming out in tears. He was so close to me. I almost had him.Those freaking creatures. I wish I was able to take out more. But their blood. It wasn't right. I'm wondering what they are planning on doing with my brother.

“Come one Lexi, I’ll take you back to your parents. I’m sure they are worried.” Keenan said, walking over and picking me up and carrying me bridal style back towards our pack lands.

“I was so close, Keenan. That thing wouldn’t ease up. Then there were two. I had to get to him…” I sobbed on his shoulder.

“I know. You did well. I had a hard time with them too. I siphoned some but you sucked in so much. You need to redirect some of that energy you siphoned. I think I know what will help you feel better for now. Why don’t we go and push it into some of the sick?” He suggested.

“Good idea. You showed me how to do that before, but I’ve never tried it, since I've never done this before. My mom should be in the clinic helping now. I want to see her and we can see if anyone is willing to allow me to try to give them some of this energy.” I said, wiping my face with my hands and being let down out of Keenan’s arms. “You were carrying me injured? Your shoulder has a big gash.” I said, noticing his other side was bleeding.

“I’m okay. One of those mutants got me before I killed it. I'm healing already." He explained.

Looking at all the blood on his arm made me think of the battle. "I took in a lot of blood too. I've never had a bloodlust before."I said, now feeling sick that I had actually consumed another wolf's blood.

" It will happen sometimes when you're in battle. It's your body's way of fueling itself since you're exerting so much energy. You shouldn't go on a feeding rampage or anything,” he explained.

“What were they? The creatures. Their blood was disgusting.” I inquired.

“A science experiment, I think. I’m going to call my cousin to have some of the bodies transferred for testing to see exactly what they were. He'll probably call the council and I will also need to call my brother to see if that is what’s going on with my pack at home. He said the rogues were manipulated and you saw the effect they had on some of our best warriors. I’ll meet with Alpha Donnie in the morning and will make a conference call to some of the neighboring packs and we can do some cross-reference work. We will get your brother back. You don’t have to worry.”

“Yes, Gamma.” I said, acknowledging him going into official business mode.

I just wished I could do more in the search for my brother. I'm just supposed to sit here and wait while everyone else does the work. Keenan must have noticed I felt the way I did because he hugged me before we walked through the crowd and into the clinic.