Chapter 60

We ended up catching more than twenty fish. They were really biting today. I caught five myself. Lucas said it was beginner’s luck. Phoenix and Taylor were going to join us for dinner. We hadn’t seen much of them since school started.

Phoenix was busy running his faedom. Taylor had enrolled at the community college while he waited to see if he got accepted to Harvard. Mom, Dad, Uncle Ben, and Uncle Jason still went there. Uncle Zach was around, but he got a job at the hospital and was usually busy as well. Uncle Scott and Aunts Rose and Scarlett pretty much only came over for family game nights. But tonight was special. I had just shifted for the first time. Mom called everyone and they were coming to go hunting with us, except Phoenix and Taylor, they would join us for dinner but not hunting.

We took our fish back to the packhouse where Beta Kyle helped clean and filet them. Then Kit grilled them while we sat around the fire and listened to the stories of past hunts. This was the one day a year that the pack hunted together. We had runs and other hunts, but those were smaller groups. I couldn’t believe I shifted earlier. I would get to go on this hunt. I listened to the stories carefully, I wanted to know what the specifics of each hunt were so I could enjoy this one. Kat, Jane and Trevor would be on this hunt, too, for their first time, as well as a few others. From what I heard in the stories, the wolf that comes back with the biggest deer wins. They get a trophy and get to choose a spot to build their future home. If I win, my future home is the packhouse so I will let someone else have the honor. This is my first hunt so I would be lucky to catch anything.

I sat with Phoenix and Taylor for dinner. The pack’s omegas had set up picnic tables all around the packhouse. They did a wonderful job with decorating too. It was very surreal. We talked and joked while we ate. They said it is rare for someone to have two wolves and that I was very lucky. I wasn’t so sure about that. Taylor said I should train more now that I have two wolves. I would need to know how to fight in all forms. I agreed with Taylor. It would be wise to know all my strengths and weaknesses and when to use which form. Phoenix said I should also learn how to control both wolves. Again, I agreed.

After dinner, we all prepared for the hunt, those of us who had shifted or were invited to join, anyway. We ran toward the mountains but stayed in the trees. When we got close to the clearing, we could see a group of deer. That’s when we spit up. The hunt was on. The deer scattered as we entered the clearing. I saw the buck and decided I wasn’t ready to take him on. I was in wolf form and not quite sure how to handle myself yet. It wouldn’t be the same as fighting in human form. I decided to go after a doe. I gave chase but soon lost it. I saw another one and chased it. I managed to bite its hind leg and drag it down but it kicked me in the face and got away. I was able to follow its blood trail and caught up to it again. I shifted into my hybrid form and grabbed it. I snapped its neck and threw it over my shoulder. Uncle Scott ran by me chasing another doe. I watched him catch it, very majestic like. I wanted to learn how to do that. It was a very cool tackle. He walked with me back to the packhouse.

When we arrived back at the packhouse, the omegas were just finishing putting up the stands to drain the deer. We hung ours and tagged them. A few others were coming out of the woods with deer also. Gamma Jake came out a short while later with the buck followed by the rest of the pack, some had caught deer and some had not.

Every one weighed their deer and then hung them to drain. Uncle Scott and I had begun to skin ours. This year, the pack was donating all the blood to mom’s family and mom of course.

We would use the hides to make rugs and other decorations as well as clothing for the homeless. Our way of giving back to the human communities. Mom was really big on charity. People didn’t usually notice because she acts like a kid sometimes, but she has a huge heart and is always ready to help others. She has taught me how important it is not to judge someone based on appearances. You never know, she said.

Anyway, we made some things from the hides and after we butchered the deer, we would make tools and things from the bones. Like knife handles, instruments, and stuff. We would sell those in one of our shops. The deer meat we would donate to the local homeless shelters. Dad says we would butcher the deer after they have drained sufficiently.

That night after I showered, I watched Wolves with Jason Momoa. I knew it was cliché, but I wanted to see how the humans depicted lycans or werewolves as they called us. It was a pretty good movie. I really liked that they named the town Lupine Ridge, can’t believe Cayden didn’t notice the name either. Well anyways, it was a good movie. After the movie, I went to bed.

I woke in the morning to the smell of bacon and eggs. I was glad I got to participate in the hunt. It was amazing. I learned a lot from the stories told. And I learned a little about my two wolves. Today I would focus on shifting between the two, right after breakfast.