Behind The Alpha Book 2 WES

THEA

My father jumps to the wall and let’s out a shifter screech. A sound that can make ears bleed when they’re cornered.

I watch our soldiers fall to their knees in pain. This is one of the rare instances where we can figure out who’s a Shapeshifter. We don’t use it for fear of exposure. Artemis is using is as a defense.

Nala and I are the only ones standing. I look to Grey and Wesley on the floor. “No! You evil vile thing!!” My body and face turn dark as I turn back to him.

I reach up my hand with anger on my face. The ceiling begins to shake and streams of soil falls through the brick. My hair rises as if wind was blowing up from under me. My shifter side growls loud and Artemis' eyes glow brighter.

I step to him as I call the one things I can use against him.

“Thea! Don’t!” Nala shouts, but it’s too late. She throws her hand up to me and whips her head to Artemis.

My body glows bright. My eyes fill with light. “You will not win.” I say as I step one foot in front of the other. “You will not take me or my sisters!” I push my power out. The tunnel fills with green light as the bricks from the ceiling crash to the floor.

Chunks of the ceiling fall and bricks fly out of the walls as thick, snake like trees roots punch through into the tunnel at my command.

Their dirty tendrils curling and reaching out for something to grab.

I throw my hand forward and they’re directed into Artemis' direction.

Artemis runs. He bounds from wall, to floor, to ceiling, dodging the roots as they grab at him.

I walk through the soldiers as they get to their feet. “YOU WILL NO LONGER HURT MY FAMILY!!” I scream into the tunnel as I bring on my army of trees. I throw out my other hand and raise them up. Roots burst through the floor.

“You stupid nymph. You think you can stop me!” He snarls with Greys face.

I slap my hands together as my green hair flies around me. “I will not only stop you! I will KILLL YOUUU!!!” My nymph anger takes over which is the point we become irrational and dangerous.

The tree roots slam together across the tunnel in front of him and create a solid twisted wall of roots from ceiling to floor.

Artemis doubles back as the tree roots block his way.

I throw out my telekinetic powers and float. I push it out to him, violently. Exploding the brick as my nymph face turns extremely ugly.

Nala shifts to her tiger and runs at Artemis. She jumps for him and he shifts to a bat.

I throw my telekinetics at him. Soil, mortar and stone fly across the tunnel from both sides.

The solders try and fire on him. Their bullets just embed themselves in the old walls.

He squeaks his echo location over our heads. Heading to the cavern then disappears.

“Where is he? Where’d he go?” The questions from the soldiers rise as they search with their lights.

I look around and I hear it. A squeak. I fall to my knees.

I turn to a bobcat and weave through the legs. Soldiers jump and move out of the way.

He’s here.

Another squeak.

I use the cats senses to stalk him. He’s a rat and he thinks he’s being sneaky. As Wes would say. Fuck that.

My cats vision sees a dark flash of a rodent run across the floor.

I prowl in his direction then break into a run. His rat leaps into the cavern where Wes is helping Grey.

I pounce on him with a growl and he dodges my paws. His rat screams and squeaks as we both run up and down the floor.

My large paws try to catch him and he jumps over them. As he runs, he calls his gold shimmer. He stops and I lunge for him. I bite his back, but it’s now a horn.

I’m lifted off the ground as his body grows and grows large. My eyes widen as I look into a beast with three horns and an armor plated head.

It roars and shakes its head as his large body fills the cavern. Wes has to pull Grey out of the way.

“Come on! A fucking Triceratops!” Luke calls out.

“I hate dinosaurs!!” Lucius growls loud.

Artemis charges. The soldiers shoot at him, but the bullets just bounce off the thick hide.

He lowers his head and shoves soldiers out to the way with the dinosaur cries. He drops his head and runs full tilt into the tree root wall and crashes through it.

I shift. “NALA!!”

We both shift to cheetahs and bolt down the tunnels after him. We catch up and try to jump on him. Nala jumps on his tail and he slams her into the brick walls.

I dig my claws into his back and bite into his tough skin. I need more, but what? I hang on for dear life as the big reptile stampedes down the tunnel. There’s an exit that’s gated up ahead.

“Thea! Let go!” Nala yells out.

Artemis rams the gate and it explodes. With me still on his back, he runs out of the secret entrance into the forest.

I turn to a chimp and climb up his back. My body bouncing as he charges through the trees. I climb to his head and grab his horns. I pull back as hard as I can. He roars as he fights me.

We round a bend and Artemis is hit from the side. I’m tossed into the forest, roll across the dirt and land. I shift to my shifter form.

Lifting myself up, I see what hit us.

A seven foot reptile with long skinny arms, lots of sharp teeth and thick powerful legs. It lets out a high pitch squeal. I have to cover my ears as the Triceratops turns around. It let’s out a low growl and gold shimmers. He shifts into the talk, two legged reptile too.

The two roar at each other and clash. They roll around, breaking trees as their retractable claws try to cut each other. Their tails whip and their drooling teeth try to bite at each other.

“Thea!” I turn to the voice and Wes is running up with Grey in tow.

“Grey! Are you alright?!” I meet them half way.

“Yeah.” He swallows. “A little sticky, but I’m cool.”

“Really? Raptors?” Wes says, motioning to the dinosaurs.

“We need to help Nala. Now! I need something. Anything.” I look to the twins.

Wes smirks. “I have just the thing.”

Nala and Artemis throw each other down. Blood flies as they battle for dominance.

I shook the ground as I ran toward them. My trumpet spread for miles. Wind blew my brown hair as I stomped through the forest. My trunk flew out and wrapped around Artemis' tail. I threw him into tree trunk after tree trunk. My trunk lifted him up and pummeled him into the ground. His raptor screeched in pain. My woolly mammoth reared, lifting Artemis high in the air and slammed him down into the crater I made with his body.

As I lift him again, he turns to a swallow and slips out of my grasp. He desperately flies into the sky. The soldiers open fire at him. I watch as he dodges the bullets through the canopy.

I shrink to my shifter form and join Nala who’s hurt.

“Nala.” I drop to her side. Her arms and shoulders are covered in blood and she’s visibly exhausted.

“I’m fine, sister.” She pants. “Get him.”

I look to Wes and Grey. Wes looks at me and nods.

I shift to a wolf and the boys shift behind me. We run into the woods where the gunfire is ringing out.

“Don’t lose him!”

“Where is he?”

“THERE!!”

The swallow dips and dives through the trees as we chase him.

Time to beat him at his own game. I leap high into the air and melt into a hawk. My hawk screeches as I take to the trees after my father.

My sharp eyesight locks onto the small bird. He serpentines through the branches and I track his every move. I gain on him as we enter open air.

He rises and I follow with direct swiftness. My claws tried to grab him as he makes a quick right. I fly up, turn and dive down on him. My beak misses and he flies straight up. He banks and flies over me.

The soldiers try to fire on him when I’m out of the way.

I see a bullet hit his wing and he falls to the ground.

I dive down, shift and land on my feet in the tall grasses. I search the grass and find the spot where he fell. There’s blood on the blades, but his not here. I search farther and find more blood in the soil.

I turn to the soldiers. “He’s injured, but he’s gone.”

They all circle around me.

“Where?” Bastian says.

I sigh. “I can’t be sure. He could be anything.” I shake my head.

“Ok.” Bastian says. “Regroup. Scan everyone.

“What about River?” Luke asks.

“We keep searching.” Bastian says.

Nala steps forward. “Grey. How long were you missing?”

He rubs his white slime coated head. “A few days at least.”

She looks at us. “River can’t be too far from where Grey was found. He’d still want to keep him close if his disguise was found out.”

Bastian nods. “Alright. Hands out now.” He pulls out an iron blade. One by one, he slices their palms. No one burned so that meant they were clean.

“What about you two?” Luke points his fingers at me and Nala.

Nala shakes her head. “No. Our DNA is too complex and we have too many internal experiences in our bodies. He’d go mad and die if he took on the form of another shifter.”

Wes joins my side. “That’s good to know.” He looks to me and smiles.

“Right. Artemis is still out there. Let’s get River and meet at the briefing room.” Bastian orders.

We search a wider area around the sewer. We left no stone unturned.

I felt like hours when we got a link.

‘WE GOT HIM!!’

‘Who? Where?’ Bastian stops us.

‘North quadrant. Coulter and Springwater. Sir. It’s River.'

He looks at us and shifts to his blonde wolf. We all follow. Running through the streets of Falcon Ridge to the north side. When we turn to Coulter, we see a group of Ops pulling river out of a sewer drain.

Bastian shifts and demands a phone. A soldier hands him a phone and he dials a number.

We watch as they check River over. He’s soaked in white slime and unconscious.

“Anna. We found him. He’s alive.” He talks into the phone as we walk to the medics. “Yes. We’ll meet you in the infirmary.” He hangs up.

“Pulse is weak. Severe dehydration and lungs are clear. Let’s get him cleaned up.” The medic doing his vitals says.

Bastian stops an Ops Unit soldier. “I want everyone tested before they step in the building and I want this place quarantined. Controlled entrances only. Motions sensors on high alert. No one leaves or enters without vetting. That includes the council. I want this sewer investigated. Body cams and night vision. No one goes anywhere alone. Am I understood?”

“Yes, Alpha.” He nods and turns tk deliver the orders.

“Get him awake. I need to know what he knows.” He points to River and walks off.

Wes throws his arm around me. “That was damn good fighting, little flower.” He leans to me as we walk back to the Unit.

“We still lost him. I’m afraid Wes. Artemis is taking such big risks. He too desperate.” I hold myself as we walk.

“We'll catch him. We just need to know how.” He turns to Nala. “Can you help with that?”

“I can assist, but you must understand. My father has avoided capture for millennia. He’s not easily caught. That’s also not our largest worry.” She side eyes us.

“What’s bigger than him?” Wes asks.

“What he needs my sisters power for. I’m afraid this world is in grave danger if he succeeds in his mission.” She holds her chin high.

“He said he’s doing this for mother. He can’t still believe it can work.” I look to her.

“He does and I’m afraid his broken heart is what’s making him unstoppable now. He wishes to solidify her form. It's a fools dream. Our mother is dead. He can’t accept that and he will stop at nothing to try. What comes from his delusion is what endangers us all.” Nala puts her hands behind her back.

“Wait. He wants to use Theas power to bring your mom back from the dead?” Wes asks.

“In simple terms, yes, but it’s extremely more complicated than that.” Nala informs. “I must contact the others. He failed here. The others must be prepared.” Nala stops and we do too.

“Ok. Good luck and please be careful.” I say as I grab her hand.

“I will.” She melts into her tiger and runs off into the wilderness to warn my sisters of my father’s intentions.

Wes pulls me into him. “Ok. On a scale of 1 to a trillion. This whole thing is off the rails.” He places his head on my forehead. “It may be sucky, but I’m not ashamed to say, this is the coolest thing ever. I’m so glad I met you, Thea.” He ticks his head. “Even if some evil shifter is after us.”

I smile. “I’m glad I found you, Wesley. Of all the humans I could have fallen in love with, I’m so glad it was you.”

He places a hand on my nape and his lips meet mine. He deepens the kiss and I’m lost in him. I’m so lucky to have found someone who’s willing to understand me.

As we kiss, Wes gets a slap on his arm. Grey stands with his arms crossed. “Ok. So you’re going to have to explain to me what this is because I’ve tried to figure it out and my brain hurts.”

“That’s not surprising at all.” Wes snorts.

“Hey, I may be covered in a shifters bodily fluids, but I’m still the Alpha around here. Remember that.” Grey snaps as he points in Wes' face.

“Whatever you say, Alpha.” Wes eyes him up and down with a giant smirk on his face.

Grey looks himself over too, scowls and shoves a finger in Wes' face. “I know what you’re thinking. Don’t even fucking say it.”

Wes presses his lips together. “What? I was thinking how horrible you smell.”

He looks down at himself then back to us. His brows go up. “That’s totally not what I was thinking…but I like that thought better.” He smirks.

Wes roars in laughter as we walk back to the Unit.

“What’s he talking about?” I ask.

Wes catches his breath. “Don’t worry about it. It’s a guy thing.”

“Oh.” I look down then look back up at him. “There’s guy things?”

“Yeah.” He nods. “Trust me. You don’t want to know what they are.” He chuckles and kisses my head.

“Huh.” I arch a brow and look at Grey who shrugs. “Ok, then.”