Hunter's Secret
Chapter 3 - Pressure

Hunter's POV

“A witch! You brought a witch onto our land dad? Why!?! They cannot be trusted!” I shouted angrily at my dad.

“Keep your voice down son! I do not want the whole pack house to know! This is Ash. She is here to help. I invited her here and I trust her completely. As your Alpha, I command you both to do the same.”

“I know our kinds do not get along very well but I promise I am only here with good intentions. Alpha Jackson reached out to me when you were born for help controlling your wolf. River is powerful and has been not so patiently waiting for you to turn eighteen, hence the incessant pacing,” Ash replied nonchalantly.

“How do you know all that?” I asked suspiciously.

“Well, I have been checking in with your father often and he has kept me up to date on all things related to you, Hunter. I simply disguise my scent whenever I come onto pack lands so I can not be detected and then I come find you to watch how you are managing. I have seen the countless hours of work you have put in to not only strengthen your physical body but also to strengthen your mind. Cameron also deserves some credit for he has helped you tremendously.”

Narrowing my eyes, I asked, “so why are you here now?”

“I am here to help you tame your wolf.”

“How?” Cameron asked, not taking his distrustful eyes off of her either.

“By having Hunter drink this potion.”

“What!?!” I shouted, “Absolutely not happening. Nope. Not doing it,” I glared at my father, “Why would you even think of doing this to me?”

My dad did not hesitate to use his Alpha voice this time.

“Hunter, you will do as Ash says,” his loud voice bounced around the small office. Cameron, never hearing the Alpha voice before, fell to his knees in respect. I bowed his head in defeated acceptance while Ash watched, a small smile tugging at the corners of her lips. My dad, back in his normal voice, continued, “Hunter, I have given Ash my full permission to use whatever means necessary to keep River under control until you have learned how to control him yourself.” sᴇaʀᴄh thᴇ (ꜰind)ɴʘvel.nᴇt website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

“Fine,” I said dejectedly.

“Fabulous. Since you have two months until you turn eighteen, you will need to drink a sip from this bottle every day leading up to your first shift. Also, you will come to me on your birthday so your first shift can happen near my house in case anything goes wrong,” Ash stated matter-of-factly.

“Goes wrong?” I said, shooting my dad another questioning look.

“Ash, what do you mean ‘in case something goes wrong’? What is your plan if something does go wrong?” he asked.

“To answer your first question, River is powerful and might try to totally shift. If he does that, Hunter won’t be able to shift back to his human form. Ever. So, we don’t want that. In answer to your second questions, shoot him,” Ash responded.

“Shoot him?!?” “Shoot me?!?” My dad and I exclaimed in unison.

“Yeah. With a tranquilizer laced with silver,” Ash said matter-of-factly.

“Really Ash, a silver dart? You know silver hurts us and too much can even kill us,” my dad stated sternly.

“Oh, I am counting on it. River knows what silver can do to you and since he is so strong, he will sense the silver. It should prevent him from performing a total shift but if he tries anyway, I will simply shoot him. It will only be enough silver to force River to retreat. I mean it certainly won’t feel good, but it is the only thing I have thought that will work,” Ash responded.

“Dad, are you sure? This seems crazy.”

“I am absolutely sure. I trust Ash. She is actually the one who helped your mother and I conceive you in the first place,” my dad replied.

“Eww dad. I didn’t want to know all that. Does mom know you brought her here?”

“Grow up. You are seventeen. And of course, your mother knows. It was actually her idea. Ash is from Red Rock, the pack shunned by the rest of the kingdom because they accepted Ash into their pack as a member. Titus Black is still technically their leader, but his official Alpha title was stripped from him when his pack was shunned. When I found out why Red Rock was removed from the kingdom, I was very interested in reaching out. I thought they could be a good resource. However, when I tried to meet with Titus, he didn’t want to have anything to do with me. I met Ash as I was leaving their pack lands. Titus does not know that Ash has helped us before, but even if he did, he would have to allow it. Ash has helped his pack so many times in the past.”

After discussing more details with Ash, Cameron and I were dismissed and told to go to my room with instructions for how to take the first sip of the potion. Cameron eyed the potion suspiciously and closely inspected it before handing it back to me. Following the instructions, and against my own opinion, I took a small sip from the bottle. The green liquid oozed into my mouth, making me gag in disgust. The taste was not the worst, but the process of swallowing was not enjoyable. I immediately started to feel the effects and had to sit down.

“Something….wrong………get……..dad,” I said weakly before completely passing out.

Third-Person POV

Cameron rushed out of Hunter’s room and straight into the office without knocking. Alpha Jackson, seeing Cameron’s face, quickly sprung up from his chair and ran to Hunter’s room with Ash and Cameron following close behind. Jackson lifted Hunter like he weighed nothing and gently placed him on his bed.

Turning to Ash, he whisper-yelled, “You said this wouldn’t hurt him! I trusted you! What did you do?”

“I didn’t *do* anything. River is stronger than I expected and is rejecting the potion. I will come back tomorrow with a different one. I promise with some rest, Hunter will be just fine,” Ash pointedly said before turning on her heel and leaving.

Hunter drifted in and out of consciousness for several hours while Cameron sat by his side. When Hunter finally woke up, Cameron called for Alpha Jackson and Luna Alice to come right away.

Hunter's POV

“What happened, Locks?” I groggily asked.

Before Cameron could reply, my dad plainly said, “River rejected the potion, and his rejection caused you to pass out. Ash is coming back tomorrow with a different one.”

“No, no more potions. I can’t do it. Please don’t make me do it again dad,” I pleaded as a tear slipped down his cheek. My mom brushed it away and motioned for Cameron and Jackson to leave. Neither one moved until she gave them the ‘mom look.’

“Baby, it will be okay. You will be okay. I know this is hard. But it will be harder if River is not controlled. You can do this. I believe in you.”

“Mom, I can’t. I can’t do it,” my voice cracked with emotion as I sat up and clung to my mother, “Why did this happen to me? If I am not strong enough to even drink a potion, how I can control my wolf?”

She just held me as I finally let all the emotions, I had kept bottled up for years come pouring out. All the fear, all the anxiety, all the worries, and all the difficulties came out in liquid form. I sobbed as my mother just held me.

“Mom?”

“Yes, dear?”

“Do you really think I am cut out for this? I am seventeen and sitting here crying like a little kid. I am weak. Packs need strong leaders who can control their emotions and keep everything under control. I don’t think I am strong enough for that.”

“Well, let me remind you that it is okay for you to feel all the feels and to cry if needed. The pressure to be perfect is overwhelming,” lifting my head so my eyes would meet hers, she continued, “You, my sweet sensitive boy, are still learning. You are only seventeen. You don’t have to be perfect. In fact, you won’t be. You will mess up and make mistakes, just like every other Alpha before you. That is why we allow our children to be just that: children. Sure, when you turn eighteen you will have your coronation ceremony. But you won’t take over your father’s duties until you are twenty-one. You still have time. Try not to worry. We will figure it out together,” she said, pulling me in for a tight hug.

Releasing me, she gently wiped the stray tears from my face before telling me, “Your father cries too.”

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