Ablaze

The story of my namesake always made me feel warm inside, and it made me love my hair early. I was the only person in all of Stay’s landing with red hair, which could have so easily been a curse. It was long, curly and wild- it often took ages to do anything more than a simple bun or braid, but the curls helped make it look a little more put together. I smiled inwardly as I gazed at my locks in the mirror, quickly snapping out of my trance and pulling them back in a thick braid out of my face. I quickly brushed my teeth, washing the stale coffee aftertaste away with the cool mint. I dabbed some chapstick on my dry lips and swept some mascara over my long eyelashes. I was lucky t

I stepped out into the cool air and locked the back door behind me, once again tugging to make sure it was tightly closed. Sage was bubbling over, fighting to come forward. I resisted, first scanning to make sure the coast was clear. I ducked behind a stone wall and took off my clothes, shuddering in the cool breeze. As werewolves we were all too used to nudity, but I still tried to cover myself as I scurried to tuck my clothes in my bag, hanging it from my bike handlebars. It was one thing to catch a glimpse of someone in the woods, post patrol and slipping something on. It was another to see them in the buff behind the libra

I bolted in my house out of the sudden rain, breathless and awestruck by what had become. I said a silent prayer as I crept up the stairs, begging the Moon Goddess not to wake my mother. I made it to my room without stirring her and quickly peeled off my wet clothes, pulling on the softest flannel pajamas I owned and burying my exhausted body into the well awaited warmth of my bed.  

The sound of my alarm blaring stirred me out of bed, and I sluggishly pulled myself from the comfort of my blankets to silence it. I was exhausted, my whole body yearned for rest. It had been alert and on edge for two days now, having been battered unwieldingly by the rapid changes around us. "Don't expect it to stop anytime soon!" Sage warned me, but I knew she was right. Something told me that this would be the first of many days in a row spent training under the guidance of the new Alpha, and my already sore muscles were about to be beaten to submission. I stumbled to the bathroom, hastily brushing my teeth and pulling my thick hair into a bun at the top of my head, securing it with a thin elastic headband and several bobby pins. While I was physically fit enough, I was by no means athletic and my stomach turned thinking about the battering I was to endure. I slipped into a pair of tight wrestling shorts I had bought ages ago to wear when I wore a dr

As quickly as I noticed it Rhodes had pulled his hand away and I willed the furious blush to subside from my cheeks. As someone flicked on the lights, the room started to clear, chatter about the movie and ongoing pack programs lingering in the air. I looked towards Alpha Rhodes, but he didn't meet my gaze. My head was swimming, confused with thoughts of confusion and longing for this strange new Alpha. I barely knew him, knew so little of his story but I couldn't deny the magnetic pull I had to him. Beta Gideon mentioned something about reviewing border lines before patrol to the Alpha and he nodded, leaving the room with the last of the warriors as the credits finished rolling across the screen. I collected my thoughts, swallowing hard as the dark room filled with light, willing the blush forming on my cheeks to subside before Torrance or her mother noticed. They chattered away, talking plot points and sequels, before Leona turned to me, "Would you like to stay a litt