37

Alpha.

Slyfer does not get a chance to reply before Elyna disappears into the dark. Only five minutes after she has left does his wits return and he can think, although not clearly. “Trisha’s mother alive? The great tigers have joined? What does this mean for my plans?”

Slyfer sits down on the bed still a bit dumbfounded and then he starts to laugh, to laugh at the world the same way he believes the world to be laughing at his plans. After pondering a bit more of the situation, Slyfer turns in to bed, but despite trying everything his mind refuses to shut down. Irritated he sits back up and starts to practice magic again. A feeling of urgency grips his heart he needs answers and to grow stronger. In order to get answers he needs to see the white dragon again.

The next morning the sun finds Slyfer still sitting in bed with droplets of water swirling around him like stars in the universe as well as yellow flames in the open palms of his hands. This is how he had spent the whole night. Just “feeling” the magic and doing nothing special. Vinx is the first to wake up and see him in this state. Despite wanting his attention she sits looking at her master’s face as if enraptured.

Two more hours pass before Slyfer finally opens his eyes and a smile plays on his lips. He had made some progress in his “Feeling” of magic; however it’s far from perfect. The progress had put him in a good mood so as soon as he opened his eyes he smiles at Vinx who had fallen asleep while watching him.

Nodding at the other fairies he exits and stretches lazily outside. The camp is still quiet so early in the morning hours accept for a few early birds here and there most of the warriors are still asleep or starting to stir. Slyfer decides to take a walk around the camp, but not before a familiar green light shoots out at him. Vinx’s voice is low at first, but grows louder as she nears. “Yooooouuuuuuuu! I waited for you so obediently and then you want to leave me behind while you go out and cause more trouble and pick up more women.”

Slyfer frowns. “Huh women? Trouble?” He takes Vinx in his hand that does not complain, but instead snuggles deeper into it, hiding from the crisp morning air.

“You know, you have a very strange perspective of me, I don’t always cause trouble and I have never picked up women.”

She pouts and crosses her arms. Her eyes grow wide as Slyfer condenses water to fill his mouth in a stream while he walks in order to wash it out. “You have made some progress!” Slyfer smiles looking all the more boyish because of it.

With a know it all face he starts to explain. “I won’t sit all night uncomfortable like that, if it wasn’t worth something, you know.” He takes another mouthful of water and then spits it out. Vinx starts to laugh with glee at this.

She soon also starts to shout. “Do me too, do me too!” Smiling he guides and fuses the molecules, which he has come to know as the two that forms water into a small stream that enters her mouth*1. She gurgles it a bit and then spits it out.

They both laugh and take turns doing it not really caring where Slyfer’s feet is taking them. In truth he has not felt this carefree since he left the floating island. They walk around inspecting everything around the camp. Slyfer finally decides on a destination and after asking around makes his way towards the main camp.

Entering a large white tent that is uncharacteristically heavily guarded, he finds two people. One he would rather avoid and the other invokes a sense of guilt so large he cant help but cringe at the site of him. “Good morning Prince.” The prince looks a bit startled at seeing Slyfer, to him Slyfer had changed a lot and a greater sense of danger floats around him. The danger is masked and hidden away since Slyfer does not have any anger at the moment, but it does not stop the cold sweat that starts to bead the Prince’s brow.

“Sly…. Slyfer, good morning.” Slyfer can hear the fear in the prince’s tone and a part of him can’t help but revel in it another part starts to feel guilt again.*2 Slyfer clears his throat trying to get through the awkward situation. The King is thankfully still asleep and snoring away without a care in the world. Vinx flits over to him and starts to fiddle with his nose drawing out a few groans now and then.

The two look at her for a second….. then shrug it off. Slyfer sits down next to the prince’s bed before he starts to talk. “Prince I feel guilty for not having attended to you and I apologize. We may have had our differences, but a promise is a promise and even though you are almost healed now I still want to make up for it with something of equal value. Is there anything you wish?”

The prince looks at his hands for a bit before answering. “You know I had the strength and power from the wolves before…. Before what happened and now I feel empty. Slyfer wants to say something, but the prince stops him by holding up his hand. “However what you said last time we met, has got me thinking. I can still feel some power left behind by them and I think I still have more strength then the average Dark elf, however I need more power in order to better serve my people. I was pompous and conceited before always only thinking of myself. I want to be a better leader and in order to that I need a bit more strength. My sister was gifted with fire magic since a young age, we knew this because one day while having a tantrum she had set the house on fire by accident.”

Slyfer can’t help but chuckle as he pictures a small Fira with a temper burning everything around. The prince’s voice draws him back from his fantasy world where Fira is cute even though everything she touches burns. “I want you to teach me magic, I know I may not have the gift, but if there is a slight chance I want you to teach me.” At first Slyfer wants to refuse, but the pleading look in his eyes stops any objection from escaping his mouth.

Slyfer sighs before finally blurting out. “Alright there is a simple test one can take however we need mana leaf.” The prince beams out one of his most charming smiles and thanks Slyfer a few times. The prince’s question also brought on other possibilities. The old ways of the dark elves may have disappeared however that’s not to say that their magical ability has. If he could train the prince perhaps some from his own squad could also learn.

Slyfer spends a few more minutes talking to the prince about trivial things before making his way out. By then Vinx had manage to get the King to smack himself a few times. Slyfer had admonished her; afraid that he would wake up, but after the Prince said the King may be out until the afternoon due to the drugs the healers had given him. Slyfer actually wanted to join her in irritating him.

Standing outside Slyfer looks at the fairy. “Where to next?” She flits around him a few times. Then puts her finger to her lips.

“Mmmm, would you like to see the strange creature?” Slyfer nearly smacks himself because of his carelessness, he should have done this long before, however feeling the way he did, he had put it off and had completely forgotten until now. Steeling himself for what could be some kind of grotesque ugly unnatural thing, he only nods and Vinx starts to lead the way.

Slyfer took this stroll for two reasons. One being, he needed to catch up to things even while he was feeling depressed and lost in his own feelings the world would not wait for him, moving his body and keeping himself busy with other things would keep his mind off of it. Two, his normal duties would also soon catch up and he was sure a multitude of them would have already arisen due to his absence and before mediating the problems between the people and the wolves caught up, he wants to sort out a few things as soon as possible.

With Vinx in the lead Slyfer makes his way toward a cage hidden in some brush not far from the small camp, his scouts materialize seemingly out of nowhere as soon as he gets close. “My Lord everything is quiet and the…. Thing has not made any aggressive movement like it had the first few days when it was here.” The scout looks at Vinx with a bit of awe and a lot more respect. “Whatever the fairies have done seems to have worked to some degree.”

Slyfer nods pleased with the news. They make their way through it and soon reach a cage set on a wagon. SLyfer can sense the thing long before he reaches it. To his surprise its female. As if sensing a great danger the creature shores up its defenses in preparation for what is on its way.

Slyfer steps out of the brush and the creature comes into view. “This…. Is no monster.” Looking at the girl inside the cage he nearly tares the door of its hinges, but the panicked shouts from the his warriors holds him back.

“My Lord don’t. The girl only looks innocent, but once she changes….”

Slyfer looks at them his eyes blazing red. “What happens if she changes, tell me everything you know.”

The scouts look at each other and then start to talk. “When we first received….it, it did not look like the girl you see before you now. It was a monster with horns and scales teeth as sharp as nails. After the fairies spent some time with it, it started to change into this form, but don’t be fooled. It changes back into a murderous monster at the slightest provocation.

Slyfer’s eyes turn to normal and he apologizes for losing his temper, which causes the scouts to let out a long sigh of relief. Slyfer looks back towards the girl lying in the corner of the cage. “She is pretending to be asleep…. Smart, but also shows that its capable of lying. The scouts were right to stop me.”

Vinx flits over to his shoulder. “What do you think, we fairies did good right?” Slyfer scraches her little head with his finger while he thinks.

“How long has it been since the last time it changed?” He asks no one in particular but expects an answer from someone.

“She changed again last night, my lord.” Slyfer sends out his mind to prod against hers. Its surprisingly easy to get into, but he is surprised at the iron will the girl has. He may not be able to control her mentally, but she may react If he tries to talk like Vinx mentioned, its capable of speech and thinking like they are.

“Little one, what is your name?” Her little body starts to shake before she turns to him. Slyfer is surprised to see that her eyes are silver. Her hair, which must be a bright gold colour is hidden in dirt along with dirty smears over her cheeks and body. The girl is naked putting her cream white skin on display. It does not let Slyfer feel any feelings of lust, only pity. There are scars everywhere, the biggest is just under her naval. “She can’t be older than me and may even be younger.”

His anger starts to grow as he realizes it’s a brand. He calms himself, not wanting to scare her unwittingly. In his mind images flash through, images from her. They are incoherent and mostly jumbled, but it dawns on him. “She is like me, when Aldowin just came to the floating island. I was wild and did as I pleased, where I pleased I only knew how to talk with my mind and had only used my voice when growling at whatever creature I wanted to hunt. She is like me, only she had no-one not even dragons to teach her and was unleashed on people only to kill.”

Slyfer turns to Vinx. "I thought you said it could talk like we do?"

Vinx pouts. "Well it does.... sort off and has the potential to become even better." Slyfer only shakes his head and turns back to the girl.

He then projects a feeling of familiarity he feels with her, into her mind. It catches the girl off guard. Three of the four scouts had joined Slyfer and Vinx and were observing in silence, knowing that something beyond their understanding was transpiring between Slyfer and the girl as the two stared at each other.

To their surprise the girl suddenly jumps forward, towards the bars where Slyfer is sitting. The three draw their bows the instance she does, but Slyfer’s hand stops them from firing. She presses herself against the bars staring closely at Slyfer. Images flash through his mind even faster than before. He nearly starts to chuckle. “She is excited.”

He sends her an image of slow moving stream along with the word slow. She cocks her head to the side as if trying to understand, but doesn’t quite get it and sends more images. Slyfer catches glimpses of her eating raw meat that was thrown to her periodically while she was in some kind of room made out of stone with no light of any kind except a small slither that came down through a small crack in the wall.

Slyfer looks at the others. “Please bring a warm plate of food, I believe she is hungry.” They nod, not quite sure what to think of Slyfer anymore. A few days ago he destroyed humans without batting an eyelash and is now treating one very kindly. Reading their minds by accident Slyfer sighs. “You misunderstand me, I did not kill so ruthlessly because they are human, I killed because they were enemies. Were they any other race…. Nothing would have been different. I do not discriminate because of what a person is, but rather what they do. I wish for you three to keep this in mind as you travel with me.”

The three nod with a bit of fear. To them, him knowing what was in their hearts is a scary thing beyond any monster or army.

Slyfer turns back to the girl and sends her images of food, which causes her mouth to water and drool starts to run down her chin. The two sit for another half hour while Slyfer tries to glean what information he can. The food arrives and the girl hops excitedly while linking her lips. Slyfer takes the bowl of hot stew with a side of hot freshly baked bread. She rattles the cage while looking at it, but he ignores her.

“He sends her images of how to eat it, but in her eyes he can see she paid it no mind. Closing his eyes he tries to remember how Aldowin had taught him. It had taken a lot of trial and error, time he now does not have. He sends her the images again. “This is how you eat.” He breaks off a piece of the bread and puts some stew on it. Then holds out his hand while sending images of her taking it daintily.

Slyfer pulls back his hand as she snatches at it and when she can’t reach she starts to growl like a starved beast being denied its meal. Slyfer starts to get angry himself, having never taught someone these kinds of things, his patience is thin! Vinx wags her finger at the girl. “That’s not nice! Here Slyfer do me, do me!” Slyfer rolls his eyes and breaks of a piece that can only be described as a crumb and holds it on the tip of his finger.

Wild silver eyes follow Vinx as she bites the crumb from Slyfer’s finger…. That’s when things start to go bad. Anyone that knows animals knows not to take away its food, it’s just asking for trouble! The girl stands up and magic power starts to gather around her, her eyes focused on SLyfer is filled with deadly intent.

The look awakens the dragon in Slyfer, causing him to grow angry. “You want to challenge me?” The others take steps back seeing this is taking a turn for the worst. They had seen the girl do the same thing plenty of times before changing. To their surprise instead of backing away Slyfer steps forward his face in a snarl that is not humanoid in any way. The girl does not back down instead her aura grows tenfold!

A voice that does not belong to Slyfer’s normal body escapes him, it is deep and menacing but most of all overpowering. This has some effect on her as she backs down a little, but another glance at the food gives her courage. Slyfer’s dragon like irritation only grows, until the instincts completely take over.

Speeding forward he crashes through the bars as if they are mere cobwebs and grabs the girl by her neck. She struggles but her feet are lifted cleanly of the ground. His red eyes bore into her and he sends her an image to slow down, to stop. She ignores it and keeps going. It’s like he finally snaps and slams her into the ground shaking the earth with the force, but still she struggles. The warriors watching hold their breaths for some reason they know what’s going on, they have seen it before with the wolves.

One mutters aloud, not intending to. “Its… It’s like they are trying to prove who the Alpha is.” The others nod dumbly but they get scared into movement when the girl lands a lucky blow on Slyfer’s cheek. His hand squeezes harder, choking the life out of her. She starts to change but it’s too late, he has her now like a wolf holding its defeated enemy by the neck until it concedes…. Or dies.

Her flailing arms start to quiet down as her eyes start to fade, but she still wont give up. This angers Slyfer beyond reason and he starts to laugh causing birds nearby to take flight animals and wolves close enough to hear lay down conceding without him being near. Still she does not give up. Slyfer bends down his face a mere inch from hers. His own body nearly starts to change, but he holds it down. His eyes turn draconic and feint scales start to show.

The girl’s eyes widen and Slyfer sees a glimmer of acceptance in them. Feeling like he is starting to win he lifts his head to the sky and lets out a deafening roar, which can be heard for a few miles around. Dark Elves and wolves shake with fear at it and stop whatever they were doing. The prince knows the sound and it inspires enough fear in him to make him hide beneath the covers of his bed like a young child imagining it would save him.

The three scouts that were standing there curl up in on the ground. Slyfer looks down again. “Now you listen! Behave or your head will be mine, you have no power I can’t squash, no will I can’t break! Concede! I only wish to help you, once you have regained some semblance of a normal thinking being. You can do as you please, but until them you are mine! Slyfer looks to the side to find Fira and Grey King standing there. His eyes return to the normal blue, no longer dragon like. His hand still does not leave the girl’s neck.

His gaze returns to the silver eyes. They are no longer defiant, but respectful and coy. This is the way of the animal kingdom, survival of the fittest and what sits higher up on the food chain than a dragon? Slyfer lets go of her neck and walks over to the food that is near the collapsed three that are starting to stir. He picks it up and walks back. “Now you sit here and eat nicely.” He sends another image of how she is supposed to eat. This time she accepts it obediently. Slyfer smiles turning back into the boy he actually is. “That’s a good girl.” Pats her head.

Fira looking at the scene cant help, but feel a sense of danger. Not because she is dangerous, but because Slyfer is feeding and smiling at this unknown girl. Grey King swallows nervously before thinking at Fira. “What in the hell gates was that.”

Fira snorts. “That my dear wolf King was a mere spec of what Slyfer is capable of.”

Slyfer wakes up to a busy camp. Usually he is the first to start moving around, but this time the camp was awake before him. The reason is simple. One week has passed and today was the day of the ball. He sighs and sits up feeling like he has a hangover. He had spent the whole night like most nights teaching the girl things through his mind. To his surprise this takes a huge toll and results in the splitting headache he has now.

He looks to the side to find the golden haired girl curled up in a ball near him. Despite telling her countless times she still sneaks into his bed during the night. The reason for it is beyond him, but he believes it’s because he is the closest thing to any kind of family figure she has ever had or maybe it’s because she has accepted him as the Alpha? “Well at least I got her to wear some clothes.” Thinking back on what a struggle it was to get her to bathe and dress gives him a headache all over again. He had asked Fira and Jade to help, but the girl had bitten Fira and scratched Jade. In order to avoid a bloodbath Slyfer had to go in and do it himself, which made the girl happy.

Slyfer blushes, thinking about her soft curves and nice round….. he shakes his head to get rid of the thoughts. Vinx is also awake staring at the girl with crossed arms. He had woken up everyday this week with the same scene. Vinx’s reason being they can’t trust her yet and she may attack him in his sleep. Looking at the tired fairy Slyfer cant help but feel some affection towards he protective nature.

He takes her in his hand and plant a kiss on her head which makes the tired fairy re energise as if she has been struck by lightning. “You, what… what was that for!” Slyfer smiles and jumps up.

He winks at her. “Just because you are so cute.” She huffs but can’t keep the red from her cheeks.

“You know, in the beginning of the week when I told you, that every time you leave me behind you bring back another girl. It did not mean that you can bring back another girl while I am with you!” Slyfer looks at her and goes to his knees. His eyes focus on her with a mischievous light dancing in them. She tries not to look back and keep her aloof angry poise, but he just keeps staring at her. She finally gives up and with hands on her hips asks. “What is it, what do you want?”

“Vinx don’t be angry please.” She huffs again, but his puppy eyes draw her gaze back. “You know you are my favourite right?”

“I bet you say that to all the girls.” This time Slyfer acts hurt.

“Here I am trying to help this poor girl and you get angry at me and you say such nasty things even after I tell you, you’re my favourite. Ah! How it hurts to be rejected by a girl.” Vinx looks at him angrily, not buying the act at all.

He finally gives up and starts to dress, not saying anything. Only after he has dressed in his officers clothes, which now has an added rand does he exit. “I have to go to Grey King in order to sort out a grievance a soldier made about a wolf eating the deer that he hunted… are you going to stay or are you coming with if you are please look after her.”

Vinx finally drops her hands and makes a bee-line for Slyfer’s neck. “I am going with you.” Slyfer smiles and starts to make his way towards another useless argument he needs to settle.

Fira watches him leave, and then nails her eyes on the tent. She has seen him do it before. Somehow he knows exactly when the girl will wake up and is always in time to be there. Jade’s voice draws her attention back. “Princess, have you thought of what to wear to the ball?” Fira nods noncommittedly until her attention is drawn away from what Slyfer is feeling. She has found herself countless time just revelling in the closeness it gives her to him. It only saddens her that he does not feel it as strongly as she does. Unbeknownst to her, its exactly the same. However Slyfer needs to contend with dragons, and some kind of evil that wants to swallow him up whole.

Then there is also the connection to Ulric, even though the dragon has been quiet Slyfer can still feel the ever present pain there. In between all this the connection to him, feels very small. Fira has the wolves of course, but they are satisfied and Slyfer has kept his end of the bargain, which means they owe him their loyalty….just like the tigers.

They too have been giving Fira methods in which to train and she has snuck away a few times to go hunt. Jade’s question finally hits her. “What am I going to wear?!” Despite her huge wardrobe her mind keeps saying she has nothing. The biggest issue, being her ever changing hair colour. She simply can’t think of a colour that will fit with every colour of the rainbow sighing she enters her tent. Despite countless requests from her father she has refused to move into the main camp, which only caused the King more stress.

Jade is also shirking some her duties by telling her father she needs to train Slyfer how to dance the real reason however is that she wanted the best dress of all the woman at the ball. “Princess my dress was finished yesterday, if you want I can take you to my tailor. Maybe he can suggest something?”

Fira looks at her friend with tears in her eyes. “Jade, I would really appreciate that.” Saying that the two made for the tent of the people that follows the army.

Aldowin at that moment is sitting with someone he has been spending a lot of time with. Vanya across from him still has a bit of dark circles under her eyes, but has recovered for the most part. The biggest thing Aldowin had struggled with was to get her to forgive herself. Afraid that she would do something stupid he had stayed with her most of the time and by now they are close friends.

Aldowin moves a piece on a board game called Gurke, it means battle in the ancient language. He has no Idea who had come up with it, but he thoroughly enjoys the game whenever he plays. It’s based on strategic where you need to out think your opponent, something he likes very much. To his surprise Vanya is very adept at it and has given him a run for his money more than a few times.

She looks up at him after making her move. “So have you decided on what you are going to do when you see the Queen?” Aldowin looks at the board while he pinches his lip. It looks like the elf is thinking of his next move, but in actuality something else is weighing heavily on his mind….

“The Queen, why could she not have just stayed in her treehouse. Why did she come here. What’s her purpose?” Vanya frowns at his word a little confused and a little worried about her friend.

“Surely she can’t be that bad?” Aldowin finally tares his gaze away from the board and looks at Vanya and snorts.

“Vanya, do you believe me to be a smart person in tactics and war?” Vanya nods without hesitation, in her eyes Aldowin is a genius. Her unrestrained reply does nothing to calm his fears. “If you think am good with it, then you will find her to be a genius. She is one of the oldest beings left in this world. She is even a bit older than what the white dragon was. How he defeated her I do not know, but even just for that fact he deserves respect. She is cunning as can be and venomous as beyond compare. She is always up to something, once you stop thinking that, she has already beaten you.”

Vanya can’t imagine a person like that, her mind is too young and too inexperienced. “So what are you going to do Aldowin?”

He shrugs. “The only thing I can do; go to this stupid ball, If I don’t she will think she has already won. I lost to her once and my family suffered for it. I will not lose again.”

Vanya snorts.”Aren’t you over thinking things a bit?”

Aldowin shakes his head, not answering, until he makes his move in the game. “I am not; I only fear that I may not be overthinking it enough.” He sighs and looks at Vanya and smiles. “Have you got a dress for the ball yet?”

Vanya nods smiling back. “I have a few things in my old coach, she looks at her hands. I also need to return Schree to Slyfer. I have been feeding her and avoiding him for this reason.

Aldowin waits for her to make her move, then smiles. “I win and about Schree, I don’t think you have to worry for the moment. I believe Slyfer has his hands full with other females.

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#1 the two things that make water is hydrogen and oxygen H2O.

#2 finally closed that plot hole that was irritating me.

Believe it or not but this chapter actually took me three hours to write. i was just on a roll and the words were pouring out. (If only it could be like this all the time.

Unfortunately the fic did not reach 25 votes on Friday however I nearly have 200 followers. Compared to others its not great, but I think its pretty awesome. Thanks to the readers that have been supporting me. The offer still stands. I plan to release another chapter on Thursday however if we reach 25 votes I will release an extra two over the weekend.

Please remember if you like it FOLLOW OR FAVORITE IT, pretty please. If you don't like it, tell me why I am always looking to improve.