The Change Ch. 06: Hanging in the Balance

Felix sat at his office chair, the paperwork he had been piled into proved to be slightly successful. He found who Destiny's parents were, however he did not have any records of where they are now. He also found out that the 'thing' following Destiny was a demon and that explains why the scent trail kept disappearing into thin air. The only thing left to discover was who it was. Felix knew a few, but he did not care to become acquaintances, nor talk much at all. The only good thing about Demons was their capability of bestowing powers upon someone, or saving their life; however it all came at a price, whether that's becoming their servant for life, or compensating payment with a soul. Felix's chest rumbled, a low growl emitting from deep within his core. He despised Demons and everything that came with them. What would it gain from capturing her? The Demon had every chance it could have ever wanted to kidnap her, before Felix came along; yet it didn't. Why? What had her parents done? Maybe she summoned a Demon to aid in her abilities.

Felix shook his head, ridding himself of the pessimistic thoughts that plagued his mind. Destiny was not like that. She was his innocent little doll, and he preferred to keep her that way. Although, time was not on their side. She would shift soon and it still appeared that she had not even a clue as to what was happening to her. He had several of his best, including Sergil keeping an eye on Destiny and to report if she had shown any changes. This was the first time since he took Destiny home that he had actually just sat down and thought. It was important that he distracted his wolf as much as possible during his mate's heat otherwise; he may very well go crazy.

A firm, slow rasp came from the office door. Felix was facing away from it, however he did not need to ask who it was, he already knew. The scent was sharp and tangy, "Come in Sergil," his beta pushed the door open, as he walked through its threshold.

He closed the door gently behind him, "Alpha," Sergil greeted, folding his hands respectively in front of himself.

"Is this pertaining to Destiny?" Felix questioned, turning in his swivel chair to look at his beta. The small childish part of him enjoyed the delicate swing that occurred when he turned. However, the adult part of him did not allow him to relish to long in the nostalgic feeling. He refocused on Sergil and the information he had to offer.

"Well... yes and no. I think I have an ideal as to when to know she will shift," he paused waiting for Felix to give him permission to continue. Felix nodded, accepting Sergil's suggestion. "Remember the mark we all get a few days prior to shifting? The crescent moon on our wrist?" He asked. Felix looked down at his own wrist, almost forgetting the mark that made him who he was. The Mark of the Beast, all Werewolves had it, just below the Thenar muscle on the wrist. Felix remembered trying to cut it off when he was 14; he loathed being a Werewolf at first. Mostly because he was an emotional mess, feeling both his wolf's strained emotions as well as his own. He thought he as well as everyone else were crazy for thinking they could turn into a wolf, and thought that it was theater tricks when someone showed him that they could turn. That is, until his Alpha had commanded him to shift after the pack doctor confirmed the night he would shift.

That is how the process had to go, an Alpha could command a shift to a Werewolf much younger, but it had proven to be highly dangerous to do so. Several pups had been murdered that way, and so it was commanded among all packs, by the Council, to never command a shift before the human body of a Were was ready to take on the changes. However, rouges, if informed, did not abide by this rule. They saw it as weak for a pup to fail survival during the shift; they controlled thousands, if not more, wolves who ran rampant among the entire world. They created chaos and havoc among humans, threatening to expose their entire world, and population. Hunters, who despised every being of Werewolves, hunted and killed their species. The Supernatural hunters kept their job secret from the entire world, everything down to their own identity they faked it all. Civilian jobs, families, friends, habits, they were all a disguise to cover the truth. That is why it was so important to keep their species a secret, to avoid exposure and potential mass murder. After all, werewolves still possessed a beating heart.

"We will continue to monitor her progress until then, and when that happens, I will explain everything to her. Or at least try to" Felix responded, sighing. "Are the preparations ready for Josephina's shift ceremony?" he inquired, silently cursing himself for almost forgetting.

"Yes, sir. Would you like me to call the pack to the clearing for you?" Sergil asked, reaching for the door handle.

"Please." Felix answered, before getting up to prepare himself for the ceremony. This was a special occasion for the entire pack, a new werewolf meant training, the end of training meant for a job title to be chose, and/or assigned. There were five basic job titles for trained graduates: Scent Trackers best for detecting danger, and looking for someone who is lost. Soldiers/Warriors/ Guards were all best at battle training and Guards were extensively trained in defensive fighting moves. The pack doctor's apprentices were trained to heal, deliver new arrivals, and trained in medicines and herbs.

``````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````

The Rawlins pack gathered beneath the moon and starlit sky, owls hooted, crickets chirped their harpy tune. Fireflies luminesced the clearing with their neon lit bottoms. The pack spoke quietly to one another, waiting on Felix to start the ceremonial words signaling a start to the entire gathering. A mother, specifically Josephina's mother, scuttled over to him, tears in her eyes. "Alpha," she greeted, bowing her head respectfully, her chocolate brown hair spilled over her shoulders covering her tear sodden face.

"Rise," he commanded gently, softening his gaze. He did not realize how intimidating he seemed to his pack. "What is it Kristin?" he asked, confused as to why she seemed so scared and nervous.

Kristin rose her head; her green eyes blood shot "I'm afraid for Josephine, and this shift. She is just so young and I am afraid she will pass out before she even gets to shift. Can you please go easy on her?" Her voice wavered like a flimsy piece of paper flapping in the wind. It was truly unnerving. Kristin's worry was unwarranted, but he should have known this would happen. Kristin shifted under his father's rule over the pack. His father was a rough man to deal with personally let alone be under his ultimate control. During her shift, Kristin was beaten as a preemptive message for her wolf to obey under all circumstances. His method worked ninety percent of the time, however, his pack feared him, and that in itself was a very dangerous thing. A pack should trust their Alpha, not fear him/ her.

"Kristin, you know I can't speak or act out of ceremonial rules. Your baby is safe with me, I am not my father and I will never beat one of my pack members into submission. However, if her wolf proves she will not submit, she has to leave the pack, and that is one pack law I agree with and will stick with until we find a viable solution. Are we clear Mrs.Devuox?" He asked, a firm and short nod from Kristin confirmed that she understood. He dismissed her kindly, and cleared his throat, gaining the attention from the entire pack. It would have made him feel uneasy if he were not used to this already.

"Dear family and friends, we are gathered beneath Diana the moon goddess, and the reason we exist today. Tonight is a special night; tonight we welcome a pack member into their full title. Josephina step forward." Felix commanded. Almost immediately a small girl emerged with her held nervously held up. She was identical to her mother, she had long chocolate brown hair, paired with large hazel and green eyes, and her skin was pale. Josephina needed to shift soon, or she would fall ill. "Josephina Devoux, do you promise to uphold the laws of our pack, the laws of Diana, and to protect them and our pack until the last beat of your heart?" he asked. Josephina nodded her head solemnly, still looking immensely afraid. Was he that intimidating? Felix felt guilty; he had not meant to frighten her. He hated seeing his pack so afraid of him. His father had made his taking over such a difficult one. Many of the pack members saw him as something to be afraid of. Felix vowed to make that different, and it would be so much easier when Destiny joined his side. She would be able to comfort, where he did not have much experience. And he would stand by her side and support her, showing his pack that he too, could be gentle, and kind He could not speak out of the ceremonial words so instead he tried to convey safety and security through his eyes instead, softening his facial impressions. He looked to the moon, to Diana and spoke. "Diana, I hope you look down and approve of Josephina, for I believe whole heartedly, she will be loyal to this pack, she will defend it until the last beat of her heart and she will abide by her Alpha. I ask you to persuade her wolf to do the same, in hopes that she will indeed make it into this pack."

He looked back to a shivering Josephina; she was sweating from head to toe. "SHIFT!" Felix commanded, his voice echoed throughout the forest surrounding the pack. Bones snapped, and fur sprouted from every pore on the small girl's body. She let out a bloodcurdling scream, slicing through what was left of the silence. Felix shifted right alongside the girl, although it did not take as long for him as it would for her. He stood tall and menacing, standing above the writhing form beneath him. The rest of his pack shifted in anticipation, for the run that would occur at the end of the ceremony. This was not just Josephina's life on the line. If her wolf did not submit, Felix's position as Alpha could be challenged. Strained, imperiling growls emitted from Josephina's half-shifted body, they grew deeper as her body nearly finished its transformation. Felix's wolf backed away, clearing room for the unexpected. He separated his legs in a defensive stance, and puffed his chest as Josephine's wolf finished the shift. The growling never stopped, it just grew immensely. His wolf, not intimidated in the slightest sense, roared loudly, commanding submission. Instead of submitting, like a sensible wolf would do, her wolf charged, showing her teeth..

--------------------------------

You asked for cliffhangers, here it is! Love you guys and your wonderful feedback. I would love to hear more of your personal thoughts on my story so please keep it coming! Vote, and Follow me! Love you guys!!