“My father was dying anyway, because my brother had attacked him. I killed him because he asked me to, as a mercy killing. I didn’t realize he was transferring the pack over to me because he didn’t want my brother to have it. I don’t want it. I want to be left alone.” I stood up and held my hand to Captain. “If you don’t want me to join your pack, fine, but I won’t kill this man. I kindly ask that you don’t do it, either.”
Captain grabbed my hand and hoisted himself up, cowering behind me. If they went after him, they’d have to tear me apart first. I didn’t want to die, but it looked like it would happen, no matter what I did. Maybe this was my destiny as the warlock had said.
Corbin and the dark-haired man walked back to the table and spoke with Jonathon, who shook his head. The trio glanced at me then spoke to each other again. Corbin patted Jonathon on the back before walking over to me.
“I’ve spoken with Jonathon and Odecir. I’d like you to join my pack, but as an opposing alpha, you need to understand this is my pack. You will be at the bottom, but your bond to your pack will be broken. Your brother will no longer be linked to you.”
“And I don’t have to hurt Captain?”
“No, Captain is free to go. I’ll have someone drive him home now. We had to test your character. I couldn’t go solely off what your mother said. We have a few ground rules. Follow me.”
I turned to Captain and nodded. I had to trust Corbin was telling the truth as I followed him. We headed out the back door with the members of the pack trailing behind us.
“You must respect everyone in this pack. If you have a problem, you need to bring it to myself or Jonathon, preferably Jonathon as he is my right-hand man. You will train with Odecir in human form three times a week.”
“What am I training?”
“Bjj, man. Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. It is life, bro.” The stocky man I presumed was Odecir spoke.
“You will also run with the pack in animal form three times a week.”
I was alive, and that was what was important.
“I’ve heard that not all of your pack are wolves. Is that true?”
“That’s correct. We are mostly wolves, but Odecir here is a black leopard. We have a couple of bears, a cougar, a honey badger, and a porpoise. We are a pack for those that are misfits. Those that never quite fit in although some just joined because they want to fight.”
Odecir laughed. “The porpoise doesn’t have to run with us, though.”
For the first time, Corbin cracked a smile. “Correct, no running for the porpoise. We will start you out in the kitchen. I’m assuming you have little experience, but the crew will teach you. You’ll also do anything else that Jonathon instructs. Got it?”
I ran my hand over my face. “You’re right. We always had servants.”
“We have none here, but we aren’t royalty, either. Everyone pulls his fair share. You’ll be bunking in the east wing with Odecir and a few others. He’ll show you when it’s time.”
We stopped in the middle of a field surrounded by large oak trees. In the far distance was a fence. I assumed the entire area was fenced in and warded with magic to keep everything else out.
Corbin turned to me. “To make your joining the pack official, I need to ask if anyone wants to challenge you.”
I nodded. It was common practice in our pack, too.
The alpha stepped into the clearing where Jonathon joined him. “We will allow Lord Bartholomew Harrington to join The Unleashed. Does anyone challenge him to a fight?”
I winced at the use of a title. Ramirez, the MMA fighter stepped forward.
“This isn’t a good idea. If this fucker will turn on his own family, we can’t trust him.”
Corbin shook his head. “Do you not trust me?”
“I don’t trust him.” He pointed to me.
Jonathon looked up from his clipboard. “We have things to do, Ramirez. Are you calling him out or not?”
Ramirez nodded. “I am.”
Fuck. My heart raced. This guy had at least a good fifty pounds on me and it was all muscle, not to mention he kicked ass for a living.
Jonathon sighed. “Fine, but you have to do it in were form. You good with that, Jack?”
Did I really have a choice? “Yeah, I’m good.”
Jonathon shrugged, looking slightly annoyed. “Strip down and get ready. You both have twenty minutes to change and meet back here.”
Odecir walked toward me. “I’ll stand in your corner, roomie, since you have no one else. You sure you want to do this?” He cocked his brow.
I ran my hand through my hair. “No, but I will do it anyway. I’m here, and I want in the pack.”
He arched his brow. “That’s as good of a reason as any, I guess. Follow me.” He headed toward a large section of housing, and I tailed behind him.
He pushed open the door and pointed down the hall. “Leave your clothes in there on the bed. That is our room.”
“My room, if I don’t die,” I grunted.
“Well, if you die, I’ll keep your clothes, pretty boy.” Odecir laughed. “I think you are crazy enough that you might not die. I hope not, but I don’t want Ramirez to die either. He is my best student, and the number one money maker for our pack. Just know that he will try to take your back quickly, no matter what form he is in. Now hurry and change. Your bed is on the left.” He walked out of our room then called out over his shoulder. “Don’t touch my shit.”
The room was on the small side but neat, much like my dorm room in college. I sat down on my bed and unlaced my shoes. My stomach was queasy. I had escaped months of death beating down my door, and now I was running straight to it. My body buzzed with adrenaline, I could feel my wolf stirring to come out. I slid out of my clothes and into my other skin.
I hadn’t shifted into my wolf form since the day my dad died. It was easier to bury that side of me along with my grief. Now that I was in this form again anger, fear, and longing for my father rang through my being. I took a deep breath through my nostrils trying to calm myself, but I was in fight-or-flight mode, and my wolf was looking for a fight.
Nudging the door open with my paw, I patted to Odecir, who was waiting by the front door for me.
“You are bigger and redder than I thought you’d be. I smell your alpha power all over you. Be careful around Corbin.”
I grunted and patted out the door. I was fighting merely for survival, not to take anyone’s place.
Ramirez was already waiting for me with a half circle around him. His wolf was so black that he was blue with one white patch on his chest. He stood wide with his eyes on me as I approached.
Corbin leaned against the oak tree with his hands in his pocket. I didn’t think he wanted this fight to happen any more than I did, but maybe I read him wrong.
Odecir walked up to Ramirez and rubbed his head then leaned down to say something in his ear. Jonathon stood in the middle.
“Are you two really going to do this?” I bowed my head and so did Ramirez. “All right then, whoever submits first loses. Try not to kill each other.”
Jonathon backed up along with the crowd leaving room for Ramirez and me. The wolf circled me, but I made sure not to leave my back open. I lunged toward him, and he skirted to the side, making me miss, then shot me a wolfy grin.
The crowd gathered around cheered. Odecir yelled something at me, but I couldn’t make it out. Ramirez ran straight toward me, blood lust in his eyes. He was a fighter. There was no way I would win. I panicked, stepped back and tripped over a root, landing on my back. Ramirez pounced on me, his jaw wide, teeth ready to clamp down on my neck for the kill.
My mouth bit down on his arm. I leaned to the left side, using gravity to knock him off me. I scrambled out from underneath him and was on top. My jaws went for his neck. I pressed my teeth into him to make sure that he knew one move from him and he’d be gone.
Corbin stood over us, and I heard him call my name. I stood there with Ramirez in my mouth, fighting with my wolf wh
o wanted to end him. I was fighting to make sure we had our place in the pack, but I didn’t want this man’s death on my conscience. If their money ticket died, they’d make my life miserable, no matter whom my mother was.
I slowly let go of Ramirez and backed away. His eyes were wide, never leaving mine. He didn’t trust me; hell, I wouldn’t have trusted me, either. It would have been a fast kill.
Odecir and Jonathan stood next to Corbin, and they all looked relieved. Odecir reached his hand out and I patted over. He leaned down and whispered into my ear, “You almost killed the baddest motherfucker in this pack. If I were you, I’d show some submission to Corbin, or else you might find yourself in trouble, man.”
A soft growl escaped me. I had to calm my wolf. It was instinct to be alpha, but I didn’t want that, and I sure as hell didn’t want to die. I bowed my head and walked over to Corbin’s feet. I laid on my back and showed my belly to him. My wolf hated it. Hell, even I fucking hated submitting, but this was about survival.
Corbin reached down and let his fingers rake through my fur. Ramirez stood to the side growling, and I realized how vulnerable I was. Ramirez could attack me and kill me. Corbin could set it up.
My heart raced. Did I stay in this position or run? Corbin looked to Ramirez.
“Knock it off. You guys go change. We have a new member to add to the pack.”
I trotted off behind a tree to change, and no one followed me. My wolf was still a bit uneasy, and I took a deep breath trying to calm him. This wasn’t the time to freak out. We didn’t trust Ramirez, but he had run off in the other direction.
Once I was back in my human form, I joined the group, scanning the crowd for Ramirez, but he was nowhere to be found.
“You want some clothes, man?” Odecir asked, holding a robe toward me.
I shrugged. “Not a big deal to me.”
He smiled. “Us either.”
Jonathon stepped forward, holding a ceremonial knife. It was long and white, the handle carved out of bone. We had one too; knives were passed down for generations. I wondered where they had gotten theirs since the pack was less than a decade old.
“Are you ready?”
I held out my hand. “More than you know.”
Corbin’s lips pressed into a smile. Jonathon handed the alpha the knife. Corbin held my wrist.
“Jack, our pack isn’t like any other in the world. We are of all kinds, and we all bring our own assets to the pack. All I ask is for loyalty and that you put your pack first. Are you sure you’re ready to join?”
I nodded. He searched my face, then slid the knife down his palm. Next the blade pressed into my palm making my hand sting. He grabbed my cut hand with his. After a moment my hand warmed. The warm feeling crept up my arm then spread throughout my body. My wolf yelped in my head. Corbin held onto my hand tighter.
“It’s okay, this is normal. It should only take another moment or two.”
I felt queasy. My head was fuzzy. I heard wolves howling in my head; one loud one I knew was my mum. She knew I was leaving, but I felt her anguish and well as others. It was unexpected. They were gone, then slowly I felt new people. Many were strange, not even wolves, but I felt their presence. The loudest in my head was Corbin. His presence was associated with color, a warm amber. He had a tight grip on me, on all of us. It was almost alarming, but I also felt calm and safe. This had a different feeling than my previous pack.
Corbin’s eyes widened then he quickly smiled. “Congratulations, Bartholomew Harrington. Our friend Jack, you are now a member of The Unleashed. Now go get ready for dinner.”
Corbin let go of my bloody hand walking away. Everyone but Odecir followed. He threw his arm around my shoulder.
“Welcome to the pack man.”
“I felt you. Can Corbin hear you even though you aren’t a wolf?”
“Nah, he can’t get into my head, but he feels me and I feel him. Like he’d know if I were in trouble, but I don’t think he could pin-point where I was. Damn, man, you did a good job, bro, especially with no training. Pure instinct, man, and maybe a little luck, and thanks for not killing Ramirez. He may seem like a dick, but deep down he’s good. He just needs to get used to the idea. Let’s go get cleaned up and get some grub.”
Chapter Six
I kept my head down and headed to the empty table in the mess hall, the same room we’d convened in early. Now it had fold-up tables set all over the room along with chairs for everyone to eat.
Today felt surreal. I’d stolen Matthew just to get an audience, and I’d almost killed their golden boy, but here I was, in the pack. My goal was accomplished.
Not everyone was happy about that. I knew I would not make friends anytime soon, and I didn’t want to make myself a mark, either.
There were whispers all around, but no one said anything directly to me. I felt their weird nervous energies in my head, but at a distance. I looked up from my plate to see Corbin and Jonathon’s gaze on me. At his table were his nephew, Odecir, Ramirez, and a few others I figured were important. It was a place I didn’t belong, but it didn’t matter. I was alive, and my brother would not come after me since I now had a pack behind me. I’d always been good at blocking members of my pack from knowing where I was, but now no one could feel me at all, not even my mother.
I broke eye contact with Corbin and concentrated on my meal. They fed us well: a steak, mashed potatoes, and vegetables were on my plate, although anything would have been better than the fast food I’d been living on.
Odecir slid in beside me. “I was looking for you, bro. Why you over here by yourself?”
Ramirez caught my eye, and he snarled but looked away. I set my fork down.
“I’m staying out of the way. Besides, I’m at the bottom.”
“We don’t work like that here. You are one of us, no matter the position. Ramirez will quit being butthurt soon enough. He’s tough, but you aren’t the first person who has kicked his ass. He’ll lick his wounds, and you’ll be buds soon enough. He is a good guy.”
Jonathon strode over. “You will want to eat up. You’re on clean up duty, and I have a feeling you will have to be taught.” He snickered.
I shoved a few bites of food from my plate into my mouth, “I’m ready now.” I wasn’t feeling confident with so many eyes on me. I didn’t lead the pack so I couldn’t hear my fellow members, but I was good at reading people. Some were curious, and others didn’t like me and I guess I didn’t blame them.
I followed Jonathon to the back of the cafeteria where there were big tubs that held dishes. “Scrape your plate off and set it in the bucket, then grab that full one over there and follow me.”
He pushed through the doors into a kitchen. There were about fifteen people running around doing various tasks. Jonathon pointed to a few sinks to the side.
“This is where you’ll be. Mikey here will show you what’s up.”
Odecir leaned against the door with a huge smile. “Man, I’m staying for this. I bet this pretty boy ain’t never done a dish in his life.”
I laughed. “And you’d be right.”
Chapter Seven
My bed shook, and I jumped. Odecir stood over me. He kicked my bed again.
“Get the fuck up. You missed breakfast and work duty.”
I ran my hand through my hair. “Dammit, why didn’t you wake me up?”
Odecir grunted. “Do I look like I have titties to breastfeed you, bro? I ain’t your mama. Besides, I was out running this morning. Get dressed. Corbin wants to see you.”
That couldn’t be good; not even a day in the pack and I was already fucking up.
“Give me ten minutes.”
Odecir narrowed his eyes. “Now, bro.”
He meant business. I jumped off the bed and grabbed the shirt and pants that I’d worn last night and followed him.
It was a quick walk from our living quarters to where the offices were located. Odecir nodded to the dark-haired secretary who opened the door to Corbin’s office f
or us. “He’s been expecting, you.”
Corbin, dressed in a three-piece suit, sat behind his desk. He looked up from his computer and surveyed me, making me question my outfit choice. He looked impeccable while I looked like a slob who hadn’t even brushed his hair yet. Odecir sat in a chair in front of Corbin’s desk, but I stood until he invited me to sit.
“Did you dress like this when your father called upon you, Jack?”
My hands straightened my shirt. He wasn’t wrong. “I apologize. I was in a hurry and threw on the closest thing to me.”
Corbin leaned back in his chair studying me. “Please sit.”
I took the seat directly in front of him. Odecir’s warning played over and over in my head. I looked down as to not challenge him. Corbin needed to know that I wasn’t a threat.
He tapped his fingers on the desk. “You didn’t make your work duty this morning, and from what I heard, many of those dishes you washed last night had to be rewashed.”
I swallowed. Dammit, he was going to kick me out already. Every part of me wanted to be in the pack, even my wolf. We felt safe with Corbin and his protection.
“I, uh, I can do better.”
Corbin rubbed his chin. “Maybe dish duty isn’t for you.”
I looked up, he had a smile and I exhaled a sigh of relief.
He tapped his pen on a stack of papers. “I have a new duty for you. It is simple, and I believe that even you can handle it. You don’t need any special skills except for watching. I think that even you can do that.” He held up a file at me. I leaned forward, grabbing it. I opened it up to see a picture of a young woman; she was cute, maybe early twenties, tanned with blonde hair and green eyes. An All-American girl; she didn’t look like much trouble. I looked up from the picture. “Who is this?”
“She’s a human, an adopted daughter of a friend of mine. She’s new to Tampa. Your only duty is to make sure she doesn’t get into any trouble. Do not approach her, you’re not to talk to her. Just watch. Got it?”
I nodded. “Sounds easy enough.”
“Odecir will take you to the garage to choose a vehicle. Nothing too conspicuous and don’t do anything to bring any attention to yourself. Her address is in there. Remember, only follow. There is a debit card in there for you to use if you need anything.”
Submission MMA Shifter Urban Fantasy: (The Unleashed Book 1) Page 3