His Human Mate

For the past couple of days, Erick had been sneaking out to visit Amber in her room. Her family were still oblivious to his midnight visit. But his parents knew.

Instead of holding him off, they left him be because they knew how hard it was to be separated from one's mate. Even for awhile.

Before his mother would protest as to why he would sneak out to meet a girl. But she stopped and had been so happy when she found out that it was his mate that he had been visiting. At first, they were a bit worried because his mate was a human. But it was not the first time that shifters were mated to humans. In fact, Hamish's mother, Mary, was a human until his father mated with her.

Both Lachlan and Luella knew that Erick would be able to overcome this. And it was not a hindrance for them as they were confident with Erick's choice of action.

Amber, though, had second thoughts of him visiting her room every night. It was not because she felt awkward. She inwardly felt delighted. It just felt so sudden. Why did he suddenly like her? True that they did not interact much with one another but she felt something off. Luckily, Erick had brushed away her negative thoughts.

He did admit that at first, he never thought of liking her as more than a friend. But then, he confessed he did have feelings for her when he first saw her. And after one time, he decided to not fight his feelings and started to pursue her. He just hoped that she would start seeing him as more than friends as he does to her. Although she might not see them as boyfriend and girlfriend, he would start treating her as his girlfriend… better yet, as his 'wife'.

One night, just as he was about to visit Amber again, he received a summons from the Alpha. It wasn't just him. It was a summon for all the new shifters.

Dejected, Erick could only abandon his idea of visiting Amber that night.

In the forest where they used to hold the shifter ritual, Erick stood still with Hamish beside him as they waited for the Alpha.

Jeayan was also around but she was with her other female shifter friends.

Shortly after, the Alpha finally arrived, together with Latham and Dewei.

The two stood behind their Alpha as Lachlan swept his eyes over the crowd of new shifters.

The new shifters were surprised to see their Alpha suddenly standing in front of them. Although they scented something earlier but because their wolves have scented that it was not something to get wary of, their defences were down. However, when they realized that it was their Alpha, they immediately fell into silence.

Erick knew that it was his father and the other two because he had smelled them. He was already familiar with their scents.

"Is everyone here?" Lachlan asked Latham, turning around to look at him.

Latham took a step forward and quickly looked around the new shifters. He then nodded and took a step back again.

Lachlan turned back to face the new shifters.

"Tonight, I have an announcement for all of you. As you all know that there has been an increase of rogues spotting in the area. Not just here but also in our fellow shifters' territories. So, without wasting time, the elders of the Kendall packs and I had decided that the new shifters will undergo training, where you will get used to using your inner wolf."

He then gestured towards Latham and said, "Latham here will be your head trainer. You will all listen to him and do not let the pack down."

Turning to Dewei, Lachlan then added, "Our head researcher, Dewei, will also help with the training. But he will take note on each shifters' specialties and who knows that you might get a weapon for yourself."

"For the pack!" Lachlan shouted, pumping his fist in the air.

"For the pack!" they echoed, also raising their fists into the air.

After he was done talking, he bid his farewell and left the training to Latham and Dewei.

Latham stepped forward and began to introduce himself once more. Then he began to show off his moves and asked for a volunteer.

Seeing no one was volunteering, Latham had decided to pick Erick to step forward to volunteer. Erick rolled his eyes as he stepped forward, ignoring Latham's smirking face.

Watching Erick standing in front of the crowd, Dex's mind began to fill with mockery, resentment and jealousy. Dex was one of the new shifters who had shifted together with Erick, Hamish and Jeayan a few weeks back. He was considered to be a cousin of Erick where his father was cousin to the Alpha. But they weren't close. He always thought that it should have been his father to become the Alpha but he had lost. Now, Dex felt like he had to be behind Erick's shadow and hence, has always been envious of Erick and his sweet life.

Not only was he the future Alpha but he was also handsome and smart.

Even though they went to the same school, their paths hardly crossed each other. In fact, Dex had seen Jeayan more than Erick.

This was because he was in the Science stream and he took up basketball, instead of football.

Watching Erick walking forward, he could not stand how this shifter training began to change to something that would shine Erick more.

He then voiced out his disp.l.e.a.s.u.r.e, saying, "I didn't know that this training was to cater to the son of Alpha." He still could not admit that Erick was soon going to be the future Alpha.

Everyone then turned to look at him, even Latham and Dewei.

Seeing all of the attention on him, he felt pleased and began to talk more. "I would have volunteered if it were to end like this."

His friends who were standing beside him just sighed sadly. They knew of his personality and usually, they would have ignored it.

Erick just looked at him with an expressionless look on his face. Hamish just frowned.

Latham c.o.c.ked an eyebrow and said sarcastically, "I did ask for a volunteer earlier but no one raised their arms."

He then narrowed his eyes and continued, "Was your hearing that bad?"

Dex's face flushed red in embarrassment. "No, it wasn't." He did not expect this triplet to snap back at him like that. He had always thought that this triplet was the happy-go-lucky type. The one who does not seems to be bothered much by insults and mockery.

"Then come over here and stand beside Erick," Dewei instructed, pointing at the empty spot beside Erick.

Dex walked over and stood beside Erick. He turned his head and smirked at him.

Erick just c.o.c.ked an eyebrow.

Latham stood in front of them and ordered them to fight.

Dex snickered as he stood in an offensive stance. He was confident because he had a bit of a fighting experience where he used to join a karate club when he was young.

However, before Dex could make another move, Erick was already in front of him. Erick then began to throw punches after punches.

Dust flew around them as moves were exchanged between the two young shifters.

It was hard for Dex to return an attack because he was too occupied, trying to dodge Erick's attack.

Erick's face was solemn as he quietly threw more punches. There were times that he even managed to kick.

Just as Erick was about to land a hit on Dex's face, Latham stopped the fight, holding their fists with his cupped hands.

"That's enough."

He turned around to the crowds where everyone was too immersed and excited, watching the fight.

"Now that you have seen a fight between the shifters. Even though, not in a serious fight. You should not only learn how to land an attack but you should learn how to avoid them as well," he said. "So, before we begin, give me 50 l.a.p.s around the grounds right now."

Everyone g.r.o.a.n.e.d, including Erick.

Once they were done with their l.a.p.s, both Latham and Dewei began to teach them on how to fight the rogues. Latham told them that first they would need to learn how to dodge and they should always avoid the hands.

Then Latham began to demonstrate on how to immobilize the rogue. He advised that it would be better if they go for the head or the heart.

He then further instructed them to go on pairs.

After a couple of hours, the night began to darken further, telling everyone that it was getting closer to midnight.

Looking around him with satisfaction, groans of pain can be heard all around the grounds.

Latham smirked as he watched them lying down on the ground, as if they no longer had the energy to move.

'This is just the beginning,' he thought evilly.