Stranger in the Woods

Evelyn's POV

The cool water was refreshing on my heated skin. We've been traveling for days, yet I am still not ready to reach the Council of Alphas. The council convenes every 10 years to discuss alliances. As an Alpha's daughter I am expected to attend, and most likely wither away from boredom during the meetings. Another disadvantage of being an Alpha's daughter and being made to attend the council is that many families will force their children into arranged marriages. It's the last point that has my stomach in a twist. Being the daughter of an Alpha means I am to be used as a means of alliance and building bonds with other packs, even though we all have a fated mate waiting for us somewhere out there. It's just a sacrifice I am expected to make for the pack. It's all politics and my wolf Ashe and I agree that it is also just plain cruel.

At 20 I will probably be married off to some egotistical alpha before I am even able to recognize my mate. Normally wolves can identify their mate once they turn 18, but my pack is a little different. Beyond being shapeshifters, some of us were also gifted with other abilities. I happen to be one of these individuals and have the ability to create and manipulate fire. To balance having this gift, I am unable to detect my true mate until I turn 21 or if I happen to mate with them, but who has that kind of luck right? It's like the Moon Goddess couldn't allow us to have too much power at once, forcing our ability to find our true mates until later.

Crouching over the stream, I gathered one last handful of water to chill the heat on my neck. I would probably be cooler if I did not have my face and hair covered with my scarf, but I did not like going about where just anyone can recognize me. That's when I heard a snapping sound, like the kind when someone has stepped on the brush too heavily. I lowered myself and began to scan the area around me. I was warned not to leave my party of travelers, but I never assumed anything bad might come along. I felt my wolf, Ashe, push forward to assist in my sight. If I knew we were on protected grounds I would have already shifted, but you never know when those pesky human hunters are lurking around until they happen upon a lone wolf.

The rustling of more brush let me know that my little friend had not passed on, and I just knew I was being watched. Being the daughter of the Alpha of the Alpine pack, I was fairly easily identified. My blond hair and blue eyes stuck out like a sore thumb whenever we visited the southern packs. That's why I have kept my face carefully hidden, hoping any passersby would assume I am just a young boy, given my short and slight frame, traveling with his pack to the council. Only right now I am not with my guards from my pack, I stupidly waved them off when they tried to accompany me to the stream.

All because you're so stubborn, Ashe sang in my head. I'm not worried though, we're trained well, and no ordinary human stands a chance. But if it's another wolf we may need to determine an escape strategy.

"Wow, thanks for the vote of confidence," I snarked back to her in my head. Though I knew she was right, with my being only five feet, Ashe was also smaller than other full-grown wolves. It's in these circumstances that we rely on our fire. Besides normal training, I was also carefully trained on how to harness my abilities and how to best use them to my advantage. The presence watching me sent strange tingles up my spine, something about that feeling assured me that it was another wolf tailing me.

Throughout all this, I was slowly pulling away from the stream and continued scanning the area to find the source of the noise. Snap. I turned in the opposite direction and bolted, furiously running through the forest to get back to my group. I could hear the pounding of movement tailing me. Immediately, I recognized it as the pounding of paws against the earth. "Congrats Evelyn you were right," I said to myself, "You're about to get mauled down by some random wolf before you can ever make it to the council.

I could make out the distant sound of my party somewhere in the distance. Are you sure we shouldn't shift? Ashe pushed. I forced her back down, knowing I would be in even more trouble if I shifted in unprotected lands. It was then that I made the dire mistake that too often is the downfall of others, I turned my head to look back.

I was being pursued by a wolf, and not just any wolf by the look of it. I was being chased down by an alpha. I just knew it, from its massive size to the weight of the look in its eyes. They were murderous as if appalled by my nerve to run away. Even on all fours, this wolf was taller than me. It was covered in thick silver fur, I wonder to myself how I missed it before.

It was in that moment that I tripped.

I stifle my yell as a hit the ground roughly, sliding to a stop. Now you're just a sitting pup waiting to be eaten, Ashe muttered. I glared at her in my mind, she was incredibly unhelpful sometimes. Maybe I should have taken her advice and shifted. I could feel blood running from my knees where they were torn through my pants from the landing. I could hear the large wolf coming to a stop in front of me. I finally turned my head and found myself face to muzzle with this beast of a wolf, its dark eyes glaring down at me.