The Alpha stared at me warily a calculative look in its eyes. It wasn't bothered by my warning, I was stronger than it was but the strength I radiated wasn't much than its own. However I was confident I could win, the strength I radiated was solely from my beast form and didn't account for any of my other abilities. Most importantly I could force a master bond on the wolf and make him submit to me.
It wasn't a bad idea, by making him my servant I would gain another powerful beast and his pack, yet I hesitated to do so. Not because he was male, which even I wondered for a moment.
Instead it was because I didn't like the feel of the beast. It was too calculative. Even if I made it submit I had the feeling I would have to constantly watch it and place commands and laws onto it as it would continue to try and find a loophole to get what it wanted despite knowing it was doing something I didn't want it to.
It would make a horrible subordinate, and if that was the case making it submit was pointless. I resolved myself to kill the alpha, the females could become Nala's subordinates if they were willing to submit or die with their mate if they refused.
With my mind made up I felt my mind calm down a bit. I realized I had been initially thinking with the overly emotional beast form. My mind ability had kicked in allowing me a bit more reason and calmer deductions. Killing the Alpha wasn't the only option, I could also drive it off. It would continue to be a threat to other humans, but I couldn't fix everything and I intended to take Tracy's family away from here.
Whichever approach I took was going to be decided by the wolf in front of me. I stalked my way forward until I stood between my females and the Alpha.
The Alpha snarled at me when it finally noticed I had blocked it off from my females, or maybe because I blocked him from the female Dena still has pinned to the ground.
It snarled at me angrily and I knew it was the latter. It wanted me to free its female.
I growled back at it. I had no intentions of that. It had attacked my people and had to pay a price for that. Releasing its female so easily would be a clear sign of weakness.
We stared each other down for several long moments growling and snarling at each other trying to intimidate the other. After a few moments when it realized that I wasn't going to back down at all the Alpha's attitude changed.
I prepared myself, my fur felt electrified as my black lightning flowed through the black fur ready to be released onto my opponent. I also kept my space ability at the ready. Blocking it or dropping it into a space pocket were always viable options, though I doubted either would hold it for long. The alpha was far stronger than anything I had tried to capture before including the purple twisted that had promoted into a silver.
The Alpha lunged for me and I swept my right claw out at the same time hitting its head deflecting it from me followed by a strong right into its chest that carried a surge of my black lightning which exploded injuring the wolf and forcing it back. I had no actual training but I had seen enough well choreographed movies to have picked up a few moves. My enhanced senses, mind, and body abilities let me pull the simpler ones off against an opponent unfamiliar with the tactic with no problem.
However the wolf was hardly a pushover. Before I could even consider pressing on to capitalize on my advantage the alpha was already back on its feet snarling at me angrily. I could see its surprise in its eyes. It was quickly reevaluating me and the danger I posed to it. I couldn't give it the chance.
I rushed forward forming a invisible space barrier in front of me then expanding it around to catch the wolf inside. It seemed to sense the danger and leapt back. I smirked then turned the barrier so it spread and encompassed the remaining two females that had been watching at its side. Unlike the stronger smarter Alpha they didn't realize the danger until it was too late and they were sealed within the space barrier.
Seeing its mates become trapped in my space barrier the alpha was enraged and rushed at me angrily. I prepared to meet it, but before I could lash out at it it dove into the shadow of a bush that wasn't even large enough to fit a human let alone an enormous beast.
I sensed the danger behind me and smirked, given the way it had appeared from nowhere earlier I had already figured it had an unconventional movement ability. My tail lashed out at the Alpha wrapping around its neck and zapping him with a stronger bolt of black lightning causing it to yelp painfully. I spun pulling the wolf by the neck lifting it with my tail then slamming it into the ground. I released it from my tail then turned to grab it with my claws only to realize I had again underestimated it resilience. It bound back up to its feet and out of my reach looking worse for wear but still mobile.
Looking into its eyes I could see fear. It had underestimated me twice now and been severely harmed because of it. It cast a look at the females I and Dena had captured then glanced away as if wondering if it should run.
I knew I couldn't give it time to think. The group of smaller wolves was quickly approaching and while I knew Nala and Mary could fight with them I wasn't sure if they could hold off the entire group without letting any get through to Tracy's family. I didn't want that to happen but this wolf was too strong for me to be able to handle it and keep an eye on the others. I had to end this quickly, either by killing it so I could concentrate on the smaller ones, or drive it off to the point that it recalled its underlings.
With time running out I rushed at the Alpha again before it had made its decision. I was already channeling my black lightning ready to use it the moment I had a clear shot.
Feeling the energy coming off me as I charged my black lightning the Alpha seemed to make a choice. I saw its eyes shift from me for a moment then it dove into another shadow. I spun quickly looking back at Dena my mouth open ready to shoot a bolt of black lightning to protect her. The direction it had glanced at was towards her making me believe it would try and free the only female it could reach then flee. While I didn't mind if it fled, I wouldn't let it harm Dena.
I felt danger at my back again and knew it had played me. I was surprised for a brief moment at its cleverness then I charged my fur with my black lightning. The moment I felt its teeth attempt to sink into my throat the lightning surged into it. My tail came up and wrapped around its throat and squeezed as I reached behind and thrust my claws into its head releasing another bolt of black lightning.
The wolf went limp in my tail but I didn't trust it. It was far to cunning. I slammed it down on the ground then released it before spinning around to face it. The Alpha remained limp on the ground a large gaping wound in one of its eyes from one of my claws. I was sure it was dead, but there was no reason I couldn't be thorough. I reached out and grabbed its head in my claws then twisted.
The Alpha revived in my claws but it was too late, I twisted its neck until I felt its neck snap. The wolf stared up at me hatefully until the light faded from its eyes. Only then did I release it positive that it really was dead.
I roared out my victory to alert the group of wolves that their alpha was no more.
I could feel the pack of wolves hesitate then flee away in fear.
I smirked to myself then turned to face everyone. I knew that Tracy's family would be scared of me but I wanted to see the looks of my women.
As I had hoped Dena and Nala had worshipful gazes, Mary and Calidia were smiling happily, and Tracy was clutching her hands over her chest tears streaming down her face. She smiled at me, she seemed to have been anxious and was now happy and relieved.
I was ready to shift back and comfort her when I noticed a faint presence behind them.
Looking past Tracy and her family I caught sight of a twenty feet tall falcon with sky blue feathers that blended in with the sky so well I hadn't even noticed its presence. Having noticed it I could feel its strength. Like the Alpha it was weaker than I was, but not by much.
The falcon didn't seem to mind that I had noticed its presence, instead I had a feeling it let me know it was there.
While I wanted to roar at it and demand it leave, I resisted the urge. It had obviously come in peace. It could have easily swooped in and taken a few of Tracy's family away without me noticing until it was too late to save them. It hadn't done that and was merely standing there watching my next move.