Shapeshifters: Final Battle: Shapeshifters, #4

By Vivian Rolfe

The Triumphant Will Suffer

When the true leader of Blackpack is revealed, loyalties are put to the test, and every pack member discovers they've been fooled by one they all trusted. Now, the packs are divided and put in the middle of a war that began before any Shapeshifter.

The Final Battle is looming closer and every pack member is on edge. With a new prophecy stating that whoever betrayed would die, worry spreads as to who it would be. Many pack members have been betrayed and been the betrayer. 

Both Fantasyheart and Legendheart have their reasons to fight for their own pack. They have their own personal vendettas: Truth. Stubbornness. Determination. Proving themselves.

Yet, when all is said and done, will the cost of the Final Battle be worth all the turmoil? Will the deaths and loss make it worth it?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Vivian Rolfe
• Release date: Mar 23, 2023
• ISBN: 9798223321064

Book preview

PROLOGUE

THE SURROUNDING FOG seemed a little brighter than usual to the white and brown cat. In the time since she’d been here – still unclear as to where she actually was – the fog-like surroundings had only been this light a couple of times.

Glancing toward her left, she noticed the circle in the ground shedding light all around. The wolf was looking down into the hole, seeming frustrated and downtrodden.

What’s wrong, Shapeclaw? She asked.

He’s watching the packs, the fox to her right answered. I’ve tried talking to him about it, but his determination only gets higher.

Worry filled the cat as she watched the grey and white wolf shake his head. Almost as if giving up.

Shapetail, the cat began, what is he waiting for?

He’s still upset about what happened last sun-circle, Shapetail responded.

A sun-circle ago, his daughter had come out as the alpha of the enemy pack. She’d turned against the first home she’d known and created a new pack. Well, she separated the new pack because the members had been mixed in with the other packs. This new pack had been established before Shapeclaw’s daughter had been born, and yet she had become the alpha without anyone knowing.

If I’d seen the darkness in her, Shapeclaw said, I maybe could’ve stopped it. Helped her find a better path.

No one saw it. The cat tried to comfort him. She carved her own path and convinced others to follow.

Shapeclaw circled the hole, his gaze never leaving the space.

We have to do something, he growled.

Shapeclaw, we can’t, Shapetail warned. You and I both know the rules. We made them.

If my daughter can defy her own rules, then so can I.

I don’t know—

Destiny! the wolf snapped at the cat. Don’t try and make this better. Shapetail, it’s time.

The fox nodded, leaving Destiny confused.

It’s time for what? She wondered.

Shapeclaw and Shapetail were the original known Shapeshifters of the packs. The two of them were cursed to live as up-walkers and when they came back, they were changed. Destiny was a different kind of Shapeshifter. She couldn’t change her form like the other two could. Her power was different. She had premonitions, but nothing like her own daughter, Holly’s visions.

Do you think it’s possible for all three of us? Shapetail asked.

It’s risky regardless, but we have to try, the wolf replied.

Even though—

A sharp look from Shapeclaw silenced Shapetail. There was always something about the two of them that bothered Destiny. They seemed to be able to read each other really well. Sometimes, a little too well.

Their faces moved, as if they were having a conversation with only their faces, and Destiny couldn’t help but wonder if they were having a conversation in their heads.

Cut it out, she said, fed up. If you’re going to discuss something, please just do it aloud. I’m done being on the outside of these little... whatever they are.

The wolf and fox apologized before Shapeclaw said, We might have a way to get to the packs.

Destiny’s jaw dropped. The two of them had been talking of a way to get back to the packs and never told her.

They’ll need our help in the Final Battle, Shapetail added. Shapeclaw and I have been trying to find a way since our pups were first born. We wanted to be able to help them on their journey. Be there every step of the way.

Why do we need to go back? Destiny inquired. I’ve been dead for just over a sun-circle and you two longer than that. The packs have done just fine without us.

Your daughter had the vision, Shapeclaw pointed out.

It was true. Holly had had a couple of visions about the Final Battle. One of these visions included three groups going to fight. Holly confided in her mother that one of the groups had the original Shapeshifters.

Her visions are rarely clear, Destiny argued. It’s one of the many reasons I told her to keep them a secret as long as she could.

Shapeclaw exhaled sharply. Now, I wish they were clearer.

None of us had control over our own powers, Shapetail interjected. Even our pups couldn’t pick and choose.

Destiny didn’t like being on the outside of Shapeclaw and Shapetail’s silent conversations, but she couldn’t get mad at them. The two of them had worked together for sun-circles before she joined their ranks. Old habits die hard.

Sorry to interrupt, she said. What are you two discussing?

"How cag-mag this plan of his really is," Shapetail answered.

"I’d appreciate you two not using the facial conversation method around me," Destiny told them.

The wolf and fox chuckled. The cat cocked her head, confused as to what they found funny about this.

It’s not a facial expressions conversation, Shapeclaw said. It’s a mind connection. Similar to how Holly used to speak with Legendheart.

Did... Legendheart and her have the same connection? While it had been a sun-circle since Shapeclaw’s daughter revealed herself as the alpha of Blackpack, Destiny wasn’t sure if it was safe to mention her name. Current or past.

You can say her name, Destiny, Shapeclaw said. Fantasyheart. It’s not a curse.

I know, I just—

I appreciate it, but don’t shy around it. She chose her path. We have to accept her new path.

What about her new name? Destiny inquired.

Light was the name that had been given to her at her coming. To break the first part of the curse placed upon her, she accepted the name of Lighteye, which had actually been given to her littermate. In breaking the curse fully, the alphas of the packs gave her the name of Fantasyheart. Out of her own doing, she had chosen the name of Icefall when assuming leader of Blackpack.

Just because I won’t acknowledge her newest name doesn’t mean you two can’t, the wolf replied. She’s my daughter, no matter what name she goes by. Regardless of her path forward, she’ll always be Fantasyheart to me.

Let’s try this plan, Shapeclaw, the fox interrupted, cutting off the response Destiny had on her tongue. If it works, maybe you can talk some sense into her.

You mean, after he scares the packs with his return, Destiny chuckled.

The other two Shapeshifters joined her laughter. Shapeclaw and Shapetail had enacted their own deaths so their pups, Legendheart and Fantasyheart, could rise up to their new ranks. Destiny died moons later from an attack on her home pack.

"With our return, Shapeclaw clarified. I’m not the only one doing this."

Hope grew within Destiny. Hope that this cag-mag plan would work, allowing the three Shapeshifters to bring hope to the packs. Hope that the packs would accept their offering of help and assistance. Hope that the cost of the Final Battle wouldn’t be as high as she assumed.

1

THINGS WERE GOING well. Patrols were going smoothly, and we had not yet felt a need to post guards around the clock. The packs left us alone, for the most part. We did our best to not bother them.

Black and Sunflower kept things in order when I took time for myself. The three of us, on occasion, would go back to the up-walker world. One at a time. We each had a life there that we didn’t want to fully give up.

Black was an up-walker cursed to be a pack member while both Sunflower and I were pack members cursed to be up-walkers. As his younger sun-circles were spent in the up-walker world, Black’s kin were there.

Sunflower was from both Valleypack and Shadowpack but couldn’t go back to either. Her story could make anyone’s head spin, as she was pupnapped and raised in Shadowpack. Then cursed. Three times.

Though I’m no longer cursed, I still dedicate myself and some of my time to helping Black and Sunflower break theirs.

Alpha? I turned my head to see my trainee, Claw. Are we going soon?

Claw was once Redthunder, one of the four protectors of the main three packs. I hadn’t called him by his Protector name in a sun-circle. Being focused on making Blackpack the best pack they could be took up most of my time.

I need to make sure Sunflower can function on her own, I told him. I’ll meet you at the entrance in a few moments.

Claw nodded and disappeared into the bustling pack.

Blackpack was a combination of members from each of the other packs, as well as some rogues that Black had found. For a while, the packs didn’t know who was a part of Blackpack. Not until my old mate, Legendheart, and I broke our curse and banished all the members of Blackpack.

I spotted Star, an old member of Sunpack, near me and asked him to track down my second to inform her to meet me in my cave.

You asked for me, Alpha? the tortoiseshell cat stood outside my cave entrance.

I did, I told her. Please, we’re on our own, Sunflower. It’s Icefall.

When I became alpha of Blackpack, I knew I had to have a different name. I had been Fantasyheart when I was a Shapeshifter and a Protector of the packs. Leaving the packs meant I had to discard my winged form of the Shapeshifter and become someone new. Icefall, a deep brown cat.

I have never previously considered shifting into anything beyond my up-walker, or human, form and my wolf-cat form. That was until I remembered when I had been teaching my old mate to shift back and forth and he ended up as a cat, which wasn’t part of his form. He was a fox-wolf, no cat. I tried and succeeded. Thus allowing me to become Icefall, a Blackpack member.

Sunflower nodded. What’s going on?

Claw has requested he and I go out again, I explained. Not long after we completed Blackpack, the old Protector had the idea to split the pack between two locations, somehow.

Do you think it’s smart to continue teaching him? my second asked.

I shrugged. It keeps his mind off what he left behind. You and I both know how hard it is to leave everything you know and start over. She didn’t know that I was training him to become one of the next leaders of Blackpack.

My second nodded. He’s been doing really well. Better than I probably could’ve at his age.

I don’t think so, Sunflower, I mentioned. By his age you’d been cursed twice.

The cat agreed with me and inquired as to what I needed her to do.

I need you to run Blackpack while I go with Claw, I answered. Find Black if you can, he’s around here somewhere. I think Claw might be onto something with splitting the pack up. The other packs know of our numbers, but we might be able to get them to lower their guard if they think they outnumber us.

We both know they won’t. Even if we split our pack in half, we still have more members than any one pack. We’d basically be forcing them to join together.

Sunflower, I began. You, Black, and I all know the only chance they have in the war is to combine their forces. Working together is the key to success.

You want them to?

I sighed. A prophecy given a few sun-circles prior stated that two pups would join forces and change the packs.

Everyone had first believed it was going to be Black and Sunflower, then they believed it was going to be the original Shapeshifters, Shapeclaw and Shapetail. After the two of them had died, the pack members thought there was little hope at that point. Once Legendheart and I were cursed, the packs had hope once more. We fulfilled the prophecy... or so they thought.

With me being the alpha of Blackpack, I had slashed the packs’ hopes and dreams of being saved. Instead of letting them wallow, a new Shapeshifter stepped up to the rank. Holly. A member of Shadowpack, but now a recognized Shapeshifter and Protector of the packs. She, alongside Legendheart, were now working together to help the packs gain enough strength to beat us in the Final Battle.

I’m not sure at this point, I admitted. I want it to be a fair fight, unlike when you and the original members of Blackpack killed Shapeclaw and Shapetail.

What I couldn’t tell her was that a part of me still cared for the packs, despite all the lies I was told as I grew up there. Even the continuation of the lying when I returned after being cursed. A fair fight didn’t matter, but it was the lie I was trying to believe myself.

That was a fair fight, she argued. They didn’t use their full power.

And why not?

During my time as recognized alpha of Blackpack, I had a list of questions for if I ever ran into my father again. Shapeclaw was my real father, not the one Sunpack had told me about.

For the two months until I was cursed, I had been a pup of Sunpack. During that time, Star pretended to be my father and I had been told the Shapeshifters were just fantasies. When I fell off a rock in the camp, everything changed because I began learning the truth for myself. Shapeclaw was my father, and Sunpack had been lying.

You ever think you’ll see him again? My second was referencing the fact that I used to talk to my father every few moons through a mental connection we had. I hadn’t seen or spoken to him since I fully stepped into my role as Blackpack’s alpha.

I hope so, but at the same time I don’t want to, I told her. I have no interest in trying to hold a civil conversation. I want answers and that’s it.

I left Sunflower in my cave to think and went to meet my trainee at the camp entrance.

He and I made our way, stealthily, to the clearing not far from our camp. I was always surprised to never catch the scent of Legendheart, or any of the other Protectors, around it. My old mate and I had found the clearing when we were looking for the pups one time. Legendheart knew exactly where Blackpack’s camp was, and yet, he never launched an attack. He knew, just as well as I did, that the entrance blended in with the surrounding forest.

It’s possible he forgot the exact location, I thought. But he could just follow our scents to get there.

What am I learning today, Icefall? Claw asked.

Today, you’re going to learn the art of planning and being prepared.

How?

Tell me all about this plan of yours to split Blackpack, I said.

Claw immediately explained his idea. The wolf’s eyes lit up as he spoke. His ears excitedly moved back and forth and all around, acting as if he were telling a really exciting story to pups. I thought Claw would’ve been more nervous about this idea of his, but he was actually excited.

He wanted to find all the pack members from Blackpack who could shift into something else and put them elsewhere. Whether that was the up-walker world or try to infiltrate the other packs. Somehow, give the other three packs false hope in thinking our numbers were diminishing.

When he finished, he smiled. The grey wolf, now pure white with one black streak down his muzzle, was proud of his idea. In the last sun-circle, Claw had gone from a questioning trainee to a full pack member who was very much involved in much of the strategizing.

I hadn’t originally planned for him to be as involved in Blackpack as he was, but it fit. I knew that I was going to try and persuade Sunflower to have Claw be her third when she became the alpha.

I do have a question, Icefall. He was calmer now, softer as he found the words on his mind. I’m not a Shapeshifter, so why I was I able to shift?

I thought about his question before answering. I don’t know, Claw. The only reason I can think of is because you changed packs. But maybe somewhere you have Shapeshifter blood.

If it’s because I changed packs, then others should be able to shift as well. Claw’s eyes lit up. That means there are other pack members who might be able to shift as well.

I wouldn’t plan on that, I told him. We don’t have the true answer as to why you can shift.

We both fall silent for a moment.

Do you really think there could be Shapeshifter blood in me? Claw asked.

I do. If Destiny and Holly were secret Shapeshifters, who’s to say there aren’t more of them?

He shrugged. "I wouldn’t put too much hope in that. I could just be cag-mag and have the random ability to shift."

No one can just shift because they want to, Claw, I argued. I was cursed, as was my father. Every Shapeshifter has been cursed for their ability to shift.

Is that why Destiny and Holly were able to stay a secret? They weren’t cursed and so they can’t shift.

I don’t know their story, I said. Which is why I don’t think splitting the pack up is a good idea?

Claw’s eyes widened with a hint of hurt. B-b-but you just wanted to hear about it?

I wanted to see if it would work, I told him. It’s thought out, Claw, but there’s no reason to. The packs know of our numbers. There’s no reason to hide them.

Claw looked at the ground, defeated. I understand. After a few moments, he asked, Do you think others will be able to shift?

Let’s not even get their hopes up, I answered. Come on. Let’s go patrol the border before heading back.

He nodded and said nothing. I worried for him as we patrolled. He had been really excited about his idea of splitting the pack, but it wasn’t going to work. There’s no good way to split the pack and there’s no real reason it. The other packs know our numbers – seeing how they lost many of their own pack members to Blackpack.

On our way back to the camp, after noting nothing unusual, I caught a scent I hadn’t in a while. Riverflow. The one and only true Shapeshifter pup.

What was she doing this close to Blackpack’s camp? I wondered. Shouldn’t Legendheart have warned them?

You caught it too, Claw remarked. What does it mean?

I hope nothing, I answered as I directed us back toward the camp. I really hope they aren’t cag-mag enough to purposefully start the Final Battle earlier than necessary.

Hasn’t it been rumored there’d be smaller fights leading up to the Final Battle?

I shook my head, smiling. Claw was always too inquisitive for his own good.

There have been rumors, I agreed. If you ask me, I think it’s more to do with all the curses that have been around the packs.

The original Shapeshifters were cursed. My second and third were also both cursed. The alphas of the packs have been cursed twice. Then there was Legendheart and me.

A lot of curses. A lot of miniature wars. Internal wars, but still wars. Breaking a curse is not easy. It’s a fight to return.

Alpha! My title was called from across the camp as soon as we entered. I recognized the voice as my third in command, Black.

Leaving Claw to his own defenses, I met up with the black wolf.

What’s going on? I addressed him.

One of the Protector’s scents was caught near the entrance.

I’m well aware of that. I recapped my little excursion with Claw. It wasn’t there when we left.

They had to have known you were in the clearing, Black said. What are we going to do?

Nothing. We will do nothing.

What are we doing nothing about? Sunflower joined us. I was under the impression we were practicing and training for the Final Battle.

That’s not what we were discussing. I quickly filled her in about Riverflow’s scent.

We aren’t going to do anything? The shock in my second’s voice didn’t go unnoticed.

No, I repeated. If they want to speed up the Final Battle, that’s on them. I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again, I want this to be a semi-equal fight in the end. If they lose, I don’t want it to be because of our numbers. It’s obvious that we have at least twice as many pack members as they do combined.

My second and third both agreed with my statement. I told them of Claw’s idea and how I think it might actually work.

If we do have help in Nightpack, Sunflower began, then why haven’t they helped us before?

They have, I said. We have rogues. We have members from each pack. We have three cursed ones leading Blackpack. What do we say about cursed ones?

We have nothing to lose, Black and Sunflower responded in unison.

2

UNLIKE MOST OF MY previous visits to the up-walker world, I had an agenda this time around. Blackpack needed me so I didn’t want to spend a lot of time in the human world.

My past visits were short and mostly to check on my apartment. I no longer had many friends here. One of my closest friends, Petunia, spends most of her time in the packs as a cursed member. She couldn’t always come and go as she pleases. Being cursed meant you were stuck in one form most of the time. The only other humans I knew were Sunny and Black – who both now resided in Blackpack – Jade, Brett, Aviana, and Gabbe – all born and raised humans who knew nothing of the pack world.

Putting my past life behind me, I refocused on why I was in the human world, Talon. He was a black dog, the human’s version of a wolf. He had once mentioned joining Blackpack, and now we’d test how true his words were.

I knew exactly where Talon would be – where he always was. With the Folkland Police Department.

After gifting the dog to Gavin’s family, to help them heal after his older brother unexpectedly returned, they had given Talon to the police. I’m not sure why, but it didn’t matter. I didn’t need to know their reasons for giving the dog up.

How may I help you, miss? the receptionist, Eve, greeted me.

I’d like to speak with Detective Mills, I requested. It’s a personal matter.

Can I tell him who’s asking for him?

Sage Olsen, I said, telling her my human name. When I was first cursed, I chose the name of Sage. It was Petunia’s parents who gave me the last name of Olsen.

Let me give him a quick call, Eve said.

I smiled at the older lady and took a seat. The trick I learned early on in the human world was to blend in. The receptionist called Detective Mills’ and spoke with him for a few minutes. As she hung up, she signaled me to head back. I mouthed a thank you as I strolled past her.

Sage Olsen, he beamed. His coffee-stained teeth bright against his sun-kissed skin. His hair was still the curly mop I remembered from my last visit. The longest curl hitting his chin. I never thought I’d see you around these parts.

I laughed and shook his extended hand, meeting his gaze straight-on. I didn’t think of my human form as tall, and yet I was the same height as the detective.

Neither did I and yet, here I am.

What can I do for you?

I heard you were given Talon, a black dog, and I’d like to spend the day with him.

Mills chuckled, his big belly bouncing. He’s your dog, Sage. We only took him in because the Jameson’s asked us to.

I nodded. Looking around the station, I asked Mills where Talon was.

I’ll go get him for you. He stood from his desk and disappeared behind the holding cells. A minute later, he returned with the black dog. Talon’s wolf-like tail began wagging as soon as he saw me. Mills dropped the leash he was holding and Talon ran toward me. Crouching low on the ground, the dog barreled into my outstretched arms, tackling me to the ground.

I heard Detective Mills attempt to get Talon off me, but I only laughed and scratched the dog behind the ears.

Get off, Talon, I said in between fits of laughter. I can't breathe.

Talon licked my face and then sat next to where I laid on the precinct floor. I was overwhelmed with joy and happiness at the sight and smell of the dog. He still smelled like the human world, gasoline and smoke, with a small hint of a forest mint.

Good to see you, he said through our telepathic bond.

The first time I found Talon on the campus of North Willis Community College, the two of us discovered our unique way to communicate with one another. He could speak to me telepathically, but I couldn’t respond the same way.

It reminded me of my old mate, Legendheart. He and I could communicate telepathically, in a similar way. We were able to efficiently get things done in the packs. Back when I was a part of the main three.

I thanked the detective and grabbed Talon’s leash that still remained on the floor.

Please, Sage, he started, call me Sam. You’ve done it before.

Yes, I had. The day after I found Talon, I ended up in the North Willis Police Station and learned of the detective’s real name. I used it once to throw him off course and hadn’t used it since.

I’ll bring Talon by on my way out of town, Detect – I mean, Sam.

He smiled at my usage of his name, which weirded me out slightly, but I didn’t think too much of it.

Before you leave, I wanted to tell you that I’ve given up on the Nixon Hart case, Mills told me. There were no leads and we weren’t getting anywhere. We had to label it as a cold case – a case that can’t be solved.

I nodded and said that I understood. In reality, I’d mostly forgotten about Nixon and his involvement with my daughter’s kidnapping. With my focus having been on Blackpack for the last year or so, I hadn’t worried too much about the human world and what my past here had looked like. Much less what was not figured out when I had left.

Thanks for letting me know, Sam. I smiled. Rayna is safe with her family and is doing as well as she can. I’m not sure about Tyrese, but I would assume the same.

I had dealt with Sunny myself in the packs about what she’d done. Pupnapping my daughter and torturing human kids to try and gain her loyalty. Nixon hadn’t always been on my not care list, but I had more important things to spend my energy on.

*****

I PULLED MY phone from the kitchen drawer I kept it in while with the packs. After plugging it into the wall to charge, I opened the sliding glass door and stepped out on to the small balcony. The fresh air always helped me clear my head and think things through.

My mind was clouded with concerns for the pack, what to do with Talon, and figuring out the Final Battle.

Is it good to be back? Talon asked, laying across my feet as I rested my forearms on the railing.

The white paint was beginning to peel off, but it didn’t matter. After the Final Battle, I’d come back briefly and get things in order. I’d sell this apartment and the car I was also gifted. I never felt good about doing that before.

You know what, Talon? It really is. Guilt rose in me as I glanced at the dog. This isn’t my first visit back. The others were fleeting. Maybe a day or two long. Even though I’m not here long this time, I wanted to see you and spend some time together.

Talon’s eyes looked confused and a little hurt. It doesn’t matter. You still could’ve come by the station and still said hi.

You’re right, I told him. I could’ve, but I didn’t. We can’t change the past. I didn’t even want to come to the human world.

Why did you come here then? The bitterness in Talon’s response didn’t go unnoticed, I just didn’t react to it.

"Blackpack is preparing for the Final Battle. I want to be there with them and training them more than I want to be here." I paused, thinking. I wondered if there was another reason I came to the human world at this time. While I did need to work with my pack on things related to the Final Battle, I did take time to visit. I took time to meet with my dog.

I sense you aren’t here for a small distraction from the chaos of the packs, Talon mentioned.

I couldn’t argue with the dog. I rarely could. Talon was wise beyond his years. He also knew me so well. Too well that it sometimes frightened me. There was no good way to casually bring up him joining the pack, so instead of postponing it any longer, it was time to face it head on.

You once mentioned coming to the packs, I started. Is that something you still want?

Talon nodded. I want to do something more. There’s this feeling that I’m supposed to do more than just be a lap dog for humans.

Relief floods my body as he agrees to come back with me at some point in the future. Most likely on my next visit, unless something crazy happens. I wanted to prepare Blackpack for a newcomer, something that hasn’t happened since I first started interacting with the pack.

After we collected the remained Blackpack members in the other packs, we stopped raising our numbers, I told Talon. We saw no reason to.

Is this really about the numbers? Talon inquired. Or is it more to do with how the pack will react to a dog joining their ranks?

I had no response. He brought up a couple of good points. Was this about numbers or about the judgment from my pack?

I had no care for Blackpack’s numbers in the beginning when we brought in every rogue we could. Even when we gathered the members still with the other packs. We had enough to win quickly. Talon is only just one more pack member.

On the other hand, I’ve always cared what the pack thought of me. I hid my Blackpack affiliation from the packs for a while. Blackpack still doesn’t know that I used to be Fantasyheart, one of the Shapeshifters and Protectors of the packs. Acceptance has always spurred me in one way or another.

Tell Blackpack the truth, Talon said, then I’ll give more thought to joining.

There was a lot to consider. What was the harm in telling them the truth? I’ve been loyal to them for over a sun-circle. I felt Talon huff while I pondered his request. It might be worth telling the truth if it meant Talon