The Panther

Compromise and Bunnies

Vini Vici- In & Out

The alpha has me sitting out here with a group of twelve-year-old, newly shifted wolves. There are eight of us and I feel just as scared as they look. They know what to expect. They've been taught this since they were kids. A lot of things being covered are brand new to me. I didn't know that the two days leading up to the full moon can be just as bad as the full moon itself. I didn't realize that my panther refusing to come out could be a danger both to myself and her once I did learn to coax her out properly.

It has been an entire year since I've become this and I've only shifted during the full moon when she can't hold back anymore. I always figured it was her choice. But the more I learn, the more I understand that she's not a demon. Not like James at least. I have a say over my body. My thoughts are supposed to be superior to hers. While she might be the panther spirit of motherhood, this is still my body. She wouldn't be here without me. I have to dominate my vessel. Not that I've ever dominated anything before.

"As you all know, we have a new member of the pack with us," Alpha Rick looked at me. I looked over at the kids who are watching me with their big frightened eyes as I stand up awkwardly. Colton tried not to laugh. The alpha waved me over to him. I jumped down from the bleachers and stood next to him. "Don't take this personally, Baby,"

"Is it going to hurt my feelings?" I whispered but who am I kidding? They're werewolf children learning to control their heightened senses. They can probably hear my heart beating inside of my chest. I can hear theirs.

"Yes, and I apologize in advance," he nodded.

"Well, you're the first to ever do that so, carry on," I shrugged. The kids all laughed. "It wasn't a joke,"

"This is an example of why packs are important," he continued. "Before I have you all begin the reign process, I am going to show you the sheer stupidity of suppressing the nature inside of you,"

"Yeah," I nodded. "This is going to piss her off,"

"The spirit of the wolf or in Baby's case, the spirit of her panther is a part of her subconscious. Can anyone tell me why Baby was chosen to be a panther?"

"Because I am mated to one?" I raised my hand.

"No," he shook his head. "Anyone else?"

"The spirit chooses the soul that it's most compatible with," one of the girls raised her hand.

"Correct. In other words, you shift into what you already are inside. Baby is a little bit of a special case. Her mate found her before she was able to shift. Which is why she misunderstood her circumstances. Can anyone tell her what that means?"

"It's the mark of destiny. It means that your mating is important to your pack and or all shifting communities. It can mean prosperity or devastation," one of the boys answered.

"That's terrifying," I sighed heavily. They all laughed again. There is no worse punishment than to stand in front of a bunch of kids as an example of what not to do with their lives. When did Colton and I switch roles? I was always the good one.

"The mark of destiny is often granted to alpha males and females or potential pack leaders. It means that this pairing will bring change good or bad. The outcome of the change can often be managed by the upbringing of the couple. The direction of the change they bring often is guided by resentment and jealousy of the former leading party. Especially if the former alpha male and female didn't accomplish what they set out to during their reign. As the mating gets closer and closer to absolution, the more the influence will be pushed on this couple. Can anyone tell me what can help prevent the influence of the former party?"

"Communication with our mate and control of our spirits," a little girl answered. There is a bunch of little red x's on today's list to a healthy shifter. She might be the reason why I go to hell sooner than anyone is expecting.

"That is correct. Can someone tell me what would happen to the couple if they spend long periods of time apart after their union?"

"It enrages the spirits," someone answered.

"It can keep the vessel from taking control of the spirit,"

"It can turn the spirit dangerous to the vessel and those around it,"

"Exactly," he looked down at me disappointed. You, sir, cannot be more disappointed in me than I already am. I haven't even given this shifting business a proper shot. I have a one-track mind and well, magic was the winner. "And this can be worse for a female of any shifting clan. The female is the caretaker. The protector of the pack when the male is away. Females have to be more territorial and vicious than males. It's their job to protect our futures," he sighed, scratching the back of his neck. "Now, it's rare but sometimes fate can be cruel. In Baby's case, fate has a very unprecedented circumstance. She didn't know what shifters were or that she had the potential to become one. No one in her family did and yet, here we are.

"From this bloodline, not only do we get one of the most prestige matings but the new generation's alpha of Babylon and one of the most dangerous rogues wolves have had in a very long time," he chuckled. "However, with the importance of this mating, ignorance can prove to be deadly. Not just to the mating in question but to everyone around both of them. We can fight fate all we want, but the end result with always be the same,"

"Sir," one of the pups raised their hand. "What would have happened to them had the alpha and the panther not been found when they were?"

"We'll never know," Alpha Rick looked over at me. "Because we did find them and they're here now. All we can do is try to shape the future as we have done for generations before this. Now, I would like for you all to stay on the bleachers. Baby here has volunteered to be the first to tame her spirit tonight under the watchful eye of our mother moon,"

"I did?" I asked when he pushed me back towards the field. The kids once again laughed.

"Yes, it's important. I'd never make you do something I didn't think you weren't ready for, Baby," that was actually sincere.

It's odd but Alpha Rick has a very soothing presence. Which is odd, most men scare me. He did when we first met. His authority was very menacing. I wonder what's changed. Maybe he trusts me a little more. Maybe Colton spoke to him and he's fully invested in helping us. Whatever the case, I feel a little more at ease here. Even with the watchful eyes of his guys surrounding us. I feel good about this.

"Okay," I nodded.

"Take your shoes off and anything you value," he instructed. I looked back to see my brother and his mate close by as well as some of the other adults.

I find comfort in knowing that she won't go straight for the kids when there are bigger challenges around us and alpha Rick promised that they could take me in the state she'll be in. I pray that this is the case when it comes to it. I removed my jewelry and my shoes. He motioned me to sit down on the grass. I took a seat and began to try and calm my nerves. I kept my gaze on the grass in front of me to avoid the eyes of everyone watching.

"I'm ready," I whispered to no one in particular. He got down on one knee in front of me. I tried to avert his gaze. She doesn't like that. He growled at me and gripped my chin to keep me from looking away. My hand automatically wrapped around his wrist. She's fighting it. I can feel her trying to overwhelm me but she's not strong enough to do so right now.

"You're not in charge here, kitten," he growled. I groaned when she moved inside of me. I felt it along my spine especially, I don't know if it's a shifting rule but it feels very personal. "Shift,"

"Wait, wait," I cried. My body arched back as she tried to fight the command. Yes, this feels very personal.

"Don't fight it, Baby," he ordered.

"It's not me," I cried out when she pulled back, my body swung forward. Had I not used my elbows to catch myself, she would have broken both my wrists.

"Get out here," he grabbed me by the back of the neck looking me directly in the eyes as he stood over me. "Shift," he roared. "Shift, Citlali,"

At the sound of her name, she growled. He stepped back when she tried to bite him. The pain is somehow gone. A gasped for air as my body completely relaxed and I fell back looking up at the orange sky as the beginnings of the sunset started to give way into the night. I can hear it, the sound of my bones rearranging themselves. The sound of the bones moving inside of my body. But it doesn't hurt. I shut my eyes trying not to feel disgusted by the sound. She really made me feel that pain in my spine just to be a b***h.

"You let that dog give me orders," my eyes snapped open. The field is empty. It's just me sitting across from Citliali.

"You didn't give me a choice. You're hurting us and others," I shot back.

"I fail to see how that's my problem," she huffed.

"My problem is your problem. Like it or not we're the same person now,"

"Are we?" she lay down facing away from me. "Why are you so far away from him?"

"Why do you even want to be with him?" I scoffed.

"He's our mate,"

"He left us. He put a bounded field around our house so that when we left, we'd get sick and return. Using my magic no less. He turned his back on us. I had to learn how to control my magic alone. If he wanted to be with you he would have come for us on the full moons. Where was he Citlali?" I asked her, feeling agitated. She turned back to look at me without meeting my gaze. "I'm trying to help us. With or without him. I need you to try and meet me halfway. Why are you punishing me for something I have no control over?"

"You should," she growled. I jumped back when she launched herself at me. Her teeth are inches from my face. "You are supposed to be some kind of grand witch, why don't you control everything? You should,"

"I didn't even know this stuff existed before we met. I know what you do. Everything we're learning. If you cooperate with me, we could learn more. I could do more," I sat back down angry with her. "Do you think it doesn't hurt me? Do you think you're the only one that feels abandoned? I haven't spoken to anyone other than my brother and Cam in over a year, My brother is an alpha, and Cam, well, she tries her best. I'm not exactly having a great time myself. You selfish cat.

"I've been alone most of my life but this is different. It feels a lot like they're really not coming back for me. A small part of me doesn't want them to. But the rest of me is crying out. I can't force you to do anything, Cita. If you keep doing what you are, they will have no choice but to put us down. You do understand that right? I'll go straight to hell where I want to be and what will happen to you? Are you so eager to go back to the endless darkness you were in until someone strong enough to become your vessel comes along?"

"No," she finally pulled away and sat down next to me. "It's an odd feeling to want to be here but also not being wanted. I wanted you to fix all of this for us,"

"I want to but I can't with you acting out the way you are. Hiding from me. Altering my memories. I can't trust you anymore. That's why I let the alpha deal with you. Let's try it his way for a bit. With someone else in charge, I can almost guarantee you that he will come for us and that we'll get to learn what we need to,"

"Do you want him to?" she turned her bright green eyes to me.

"I miss arguing with him. Yeah," I nodded. She bumped her head against mine affectionately.

"We'll do it your way then,"

"Thank you," I scratched her chin. She yawned before standing up and stretching.

"It's too much work to keep you grounded anyway,"

I opened my eyes to see a massive silver back wolf in front of me. I looked around to see the others surrounding me. My senses are all heightened. I can breathe in properly. I don't feel irritated anymore. The tightness I felt all over my body is slipping away. I stood up startling the wolves as I stretched and clawed at the grass under my paws. I didn't think this would ever feel this good. I feel liberated.

"Baby?" Colton stepped forward. I sat down and bowed my head to greet him properly. "That was painful to watch," he slowly came closer and then cautiously placed his hand on my head. "Is she still fighting you?" I shook my head and he finally knelt down in front of me with a smile on his face. I tower over him like this. "Good. We're going to have to do that a few more times," he stood up keeping his eyes on mine. "Shift back,"

I stepped away from feeling the command rush through my body. My bones began to rearrange themselves again. The ringing in my ears returned. It didn't hurt as much as it did when it first started. I gasped for air instantly feeling cold as I caught myself from falling on my face with my bare hands.

"Shift," Colton demanded.

I didn't get a chance to take a proper breath when it all started over again. Again and again, he ordered me to shift back and forth until it was more of an instinct. Every time I turned back it took me less time to change back into the panther. The alpha and the others shifted back and slowly they began to go back to their posts knowing that I wasn't going to harm anyone. I stayed in my pelt as the kids took their turns. It was late when the last one finally got the hang of it. The other pups were all jumping on me trying to keep my tail from waving around. They're cute little things.

They got comfortable with me a lot faster than the adults did. Citlali loves their attention. She likes rolling around letting them bite at her playfully. Colton's wolf is still very young but it looks a lot like Alpha Rick's wolf. Smaller of course and well on its way to becoming the beast it's meant to become. He growled at the kids and pounced on me when they retreated. I growled and pawed at his face. He raced out in front of me playfully. I pulled back tightening my body-preparing my muscles for an attack. Citlali excitedly launched me forward. My front legs wrapped around his neck We wrestled for a bit before the silverback called to us.

He jumped up letting out a low growl when I swiped at his hind legs. I dropped to the ground letting the pups all line up the way the alpha wants them to. He came over to me and placed his massive paw on my head. The others can hear him. They're part of his pack and while I've accepted him as my teacher, I can't ever be part of them. Not the way they are of each other. Panthers aren't meant to be ruled this way.

The alpha walked out and turned his attention to the woods. The pups all yapped at him excitedly. I jumped up startled when he let out a loud roar. They all broke for the tree line. I stood up when Colton stopped to look back at me and motioned me to follow. I looked over at the alpha who gave me a single nod.

"Are you ready, Cita?" I asked her.

She responded with a little wiggle as she prepared to go after them. I heard his little growl when she finally took off. The darkness in the trees provides the best hunting coverage. She jumped into the trees as she caught up with the others. She's looking around for something to play with. She let them go on ahead as she looked around. She didn't have to wait for long. The wild hares are trying to stay away from the pups. She slowly made her way down to the floor trying to keep as quiet as possible.

The thing about being new to an area is that nothing suspects a huge cat jumping out of the darkness. Why would they? Up until now, their biggest concern was just wolves. The two rabbits trying to stay out of sight fled in different directions as she reached for them both. Her claws ripped through the grass barely missing her target. She rushed after one without hesitation until she was able to pounce on it when the rabbit tried to make a sharp turn. She caught it between her paws and went for the strike instantly killing it when her teeth pierced its body. It's bigger than a house cat but nowhere near enough to satisfy her since she's used to hunting people when she overwhelms me during the full moon. This is the first time she's let me see or rather maybe this is going to be the first time she lets me remember.

"You have to come back now," the voice startled me. The hair on my back stood up and I hissed at him before taking an attack position. He put his hands up in surrender. "It's just me, Rick," he tried to reassure me. I growled at him to keep him from coming any closer to my dead rabbit. "Okay, I'll let you finish the bunny. Look, I brought you the other one," he tossed it in front of me. "But you do have to come back. We made dinner and I know the human part of you wants something warm and seasoned. You get to dine with the pack tonight,"