Living in A Pack (Book One)

Chapter Six

We pulled into the driveway of the house and I could smell the other members of the pack right away. I still wasn't used to it. I noticed a few members milling about on front of the house. I spotted an Arctic fox in animal form walking next to a very large lion, kind of a strange mix, if you weren't a shifter that is. Another small group of people stood together near the front door, I could make out the scents of jackal, leopard, caracal, dingo, and cougar.

"Alright!" Cameron shouted as the truck pulled to a stop. "I'm gonna win this competition!" He pushed open the door and leapt out as fast as he could. Amber quickly jumped out after him.

"Team members if there are teams of two?" Amber asked Cameron.

"Hell yeah! You know it sis!" He cheered and they did some kind of hand shake. I laughed and got out of the truck, walking around the side to join the others.

"Come on guys we have to take Iris's stuff up to her room first." Dylas said, grabbing a box. I still had Moondrop in my hand and had to lay her on top of the box I was carrying, it was the one with the books so I needed two hands. Everyone headed towards the house. As I walked past the crowds of people I could feel them staring at me. I tried my best to ignore it, I wanted to wait till I formally met the rest of the pack, and by the looks of it, other then seeing what I looked like, everyone else wanted to wait too.

A few minutes later we stood in my room, unpacking the the boxes of my stuff. I piled the books against the wall, Dylas promised I'd get a book shelf soon. Then I unpacked my clothes, putting them in the closet and drawers and laid the picture of me and my parents on my side table. Cameron and Amber put my bathroom stuff in my bathroom. Finally for the finishing touch I laid Moondrop on my pillow, I found it easier to sleep when I had her.

"All right, that's everything." Dylas announced, "time to join the competition."

When we all got outside dylas led us around the side of the house where there was a very large field. A large flat rock stood at the edge of the field and the pack was all gathered around it. I noticed that Alpha Doug stood on top of the rock, clearly waiting for the noise to die down before he spoke. Dylas lead us through the crowd the crowed until we stood at the base of the rock.

"Oh good, you're here." Alpha Doug smiled down at me from the top of the rock. "I was waiting for you so we could start the competition." Doug reached out his hand towards me, I took it and he pulled me up onto the rock. "Listen up everybody!" Alpha Doug shouted to the crowed of shifters surrounding the rock. Everyone turned and looked at the rock. I suddenly felt really self conscious with so many people watching. I wasn't used to being around this many shifters at once. "This is the newest member of our pack. Her name is Iris." Doug smiled gesturing to me. I swallowed hard and waved.

"Hello" I squeaked.

"She is a polar bear shifter." I heard a few gasps and one person whispered

"we've never had a bear shifter before."

"Yes, very exciting, our very own bear shifter." Doug laughed. "In honour of our new pack member, and also because we haven't had one in a long time, we are going to have a competition. It will involve many different challenges and competitors will be paired up in teams of two. Everyone pick your team mate and line up at the edge of the forest. The first competition will be hunting. At the end of every competition we will meet back here so I can announce the winners and the name of the next challenge. When you hear me howl, we will start." Doug finished.

I jumped down off the rock and made my way towards Dylas and the others. They were all gathered around discussing the competition.

"WE ARE GONNA CRUSH YOU GUYS!" Both Amber and Cameron were shouting at once. they were wearing orange shirts that said Team Camber and had a picture of a fox on it. I have no idea when they changed into those but whatever.

"Hi guys" I smiled, joining them.

"There you are Iris." Dylas said grinning. "I was wondering if you wanted to be my partner."

"I'm assuming you won't be Cameron's by the looks of it but what about Sasha?" I asked, figuring he was probably usually her partner.

"Oh, no" he said pointing to Sasha, she was off to the side standing with some guy I never seen before, I could smell that he was a Lynx shifter. "She's usually her mates partner, his name is Nate, he's a--"

I cut him off

"A Lynx shifter." Dylas just kinda stared at me in shock. "Anyway sure I'd love to be your partner." The shocked look was gone instantly and replaced with a huge smile.

"Great, let's go line up then."

"Okay, but I warn you, this first challenge might be mostly on you, I'm not great at land hunting."

"That's okay, I'm a decent hunter."

"BUT IM BETTER, IM BEST IN THE PACK!" Cameron suddenly shouted, "AND I GOT MY SISTER, WE ARE THE UNSTOPPABLE TEAM CAMBER AND YOULL NEVER BEAT US!"

"You never know what's going to happen Cam." Sasha laughed.

"Oh yes I do. I'm the best hunter and you know it baby." Cameron replied with a wink.

"Hey! She's my mate." Nate growled.

"Oh relax Kitty-cat boy, I'm gay and you know it." Cameron said, grabbing Ambers hand and running off towards the edge of the forest. "TEAM CAMBER" he shouted as they ran.

"Come on." Dylas said laughing. "We'd better get going if we ever want to have a chance of beating them." The two of us ran to the edge of the forest and waited eagerly for the sound of the Alphas howl. I realized my hat was still on so I took it off and laid it on the ground. I didn't really care if it got trampled at this point because it was kind of dirty extremely and a but squished. I noticed a few people next to me give me questioning glances when they noticed that I had my polar bear ears and not human ones. Most shifters want to be either all human or all animal, they don't like being in between. I don't mind it, it reminds me of who I am and I don't think that's a bad thing.

Suddenly a long loud howl sounded from somewhere behind me. I quickly glanced at Dylas and he nodded at me. The two of us took off towards the forest. We were going to win this.