The Traitor by A. Lombardo (i can read with my eyes shut TXT) 📕

His skin became even more sensitive to his surroundings—opening his mind and enhancing his ability to connect to nature.

Ryker is right. I can do more than see the world—I feel connected to all life around me.

Enthralled by the connection, Kai focused on the power spikes that each creature emanated back through his aura. The hair on his arms and neck raised, and his very essence compelled the beasts to run after him. Somehow, he knew, they felt him as much as he did them. Their energy brought a sense of peace and harmony. On a deep level, he realized that he connected each animal to the rest of the growing pack, like the hub in the center of a great wheel of life.

Beasts that should be at odds came together. Slowing to an easy jog, Kai let the other creatures close in around him. Smoke took the lead down the mountain. Kai gleaned the area. Trees and animals alike were set aglow. He noticed the flow of energy around them brighten. Together they were creating power, and it washed over him like an ocean.

A spark danced from his fingertips as he touched a few of the pack members. In his mind, he saw their design, the golden thread that created their form. The power rushed up Kai’s arms into his spine, instilling knowledge he had not recognized before. The power of creation set his crystal aglow, his stone blessed by Alenga during his Conhaspriga that enhanced his magic, showing him the possibilities to use the golden thread to become any beast he chose. He studied the subtle differences between each creature and variations within their structures. The beauty and peace within nature coursed through his heart—he had never known such harmony or balance.

Bright sunlight trickled through the thinning forest. Smoke cornered sharply, taking them to a large clearing; Kai joined Smoke in the center. The mismatched pack entered, circling until they found a spot and sat facing Kai. A kinship formed between him and the other animals. They spoke to him in a way he could not put into words, but there was understanding. A trust brought them together, and he knew they would come if he called. The moment lingered, and he nodded to them in acceptance.

As the pack dispersed, Smoke leaped onto a stone perch and glanced back. Kai felt more than heard his companion's call, and he followed. Smoke hopped from the overlook and darted ahead, leading Kai through the dense pine tree forest. Far down the mountain, the trees began to thin. When they reached a clearing, Smoke stopped. The cold, crisp air whipped through the open meadow, but that did not bother Kai’s exposed hands and face.

Kai's mouth curved upward at the recognition of their surroundings. Before he saw the wolf, he felt her presence. Her wild nature floated on the wind. Hidden in the snow- and ice-covered trees, she waited. Her pure white fur blended with the snowy surroundings, and her golden eyes focused on Kai. The snow wolf was nearly as tall as Smoke; her thick coat fluttered in the wind. The intensity of her stare struck Kai—then, he heard her mind speak to him.

Beastmaster, we would walk with you.

Kai nodded in acceptance. She darted into the clearing and rubbed her white fur against Smoke. The pair coiled around each other in a display of affection. Smoke turned and licked the side of her face. Kai nodded to her. Anjo, he spoke to her with his mind and offered his outstretched hand to Smoke’s mate.

Although she was a wild creature, Kai felt naming her gave her a special place in his heart. Anjo allowed Kai to run his hand down her back as she circled him. Out of the trees came three white and two black wolf pups. Two of them: one white, the other black, shared Smoke’s ice-blue eyes, while the rest favored Anjo’s golden irises. Kai knelt in the snow to greet the pups; they licked at his hands and face.

“My, how you’ve all grown!” Kai searched the forest west of their position and saw their den, a dark cave protected by pine trees and brush. “This is the first time I have seen your pups this far from the den.” He glanced and Anjo and Smoke; he saw a sense of pride in their puffed-up posture, which made him smile more.

An impulse tugged at Kai’s soul. The energy from his interaction with the pack still coursed through his veins. The bubble of power still begged for purpose. Although each Beastmaster understood they could only take one animal form, like his mother, Kai had a stronger connection to beasts—and also like his mother, he had discovered the ability to balance multiple strands within his core.

Holding his crystal, he felt the stone’s power amplify his magic. The excess of raw energy added to the magic he pulled from nature, and it made his skin feel hot. Heat radiated off his body, melting the snow beneath him. The power was almost more than he could handle, so he released the white crystal; the dangling stone burned bright. Hands outstretched, he touched Smoke and Anjo.

Loyalty and trust reverberated through his connection. In his mind, he called upon all creation. A spark illuminated his soul, and the sequence coalesced into two unique golden chains. He understood the structure of each wolf—he felt their strength. The spiraled-looking ladders showed him the similarity and variation between the two wolves.

Embracing the knowledge of creation within both chains, he blended them into one unique strand before connecting it with his own. As the change took over, he felt the snap of his form latch onto the new thread. He relaxed and accepted the change, assuring an easy transformation. The shockwave put him on all fours, and chills rushed down his spine and out his limbs. Fur erupted over his skin. He felt his face