I shot out of my seat. “Excuse me?”
My father raised a hand to silence me. “Cedric and I have been trying to put together a meeting to talk about the union. We didn’t think something like this would happen, but this has been planned a week in advance.”
“Reschedule.” I gritted my teeth.
My father’s eyes hardened. Even from where I stood I could feel the power coming off him. His wolf had awakened by the challenge, but my father was calm. He had many years on us and knew how to control himself better than we did..
“Not an option.” He said coolly.
“We aren’t in any mood to see Redclaw today.”
He shrugged. “That’s your issue, not mine. The union must be discussed. It’s business, Natalia. I have a deal to uphold.”
“No, you mean I have a deal to uphold. You need me to hold this meeting and I’m telling you to reschedule.”
“Luckily for me, you’re not my Alpha.” He
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It wasn’t until Byron leapt on me and I fell hard on my back that I realized what was happening. I shifted instantly; my wolf already prepared. This is what I’d been trained for. This is something I knew and understood. Attack. Fight. Defend. I ignored the pain from my fall and twisted my body, eventually getting a decent enough hit to Byron’s underbelly to make him jump back. He landed lopsided and scrambled to gain his balance again. It was only a few seconds, but it was enough for me to get to my feet and prepare for the second attack. It never came. Byron’s wolfish eyes met mine and he stilled. It was only then that I realized he hadn’t made a sound the entire attack. His lip wasn’t curled back the way mine was. His muscles weren’t tensed. In fact, he looked almost at peace. This unnerved me. He’s not your friend, Natalia. His thoughts came so clearly to me. Because yo
I knocked on the door for the third time. I knew it was only my impatience, but it felt like it was taking too long for them to answer. They had to be home. They had to be. I strained to hear past the door, but there was nothing. Silence. Deafening silence. My wolf paced in the corner of my mind, whining at the anticipation. Finally, I heard the latch on the door unhook and watched the knob turn. Doc’s face peeked at me through the small opening, but this wasn’t an invitation for me to come in. No, he was staring at me with confusion. “Natalia?” I froze. My heart stopped. The undeniable stench, foreign to an average human home, hit my nose like a warning. Wolf. Move. Trying to be as kind as I could manage, I shoved my foot into the opening and pried it open. Doc’s eyes widened but I kept going until there was enough room for me to slip in. I put my fingers to my lips when I saw him about to speak. He reached out a hand to grab me, but I shrugged him off and continued into the ha
Doc hurried upstairs to retrieve the man I’d heard so much about. I didn’t know what made me more uncomfortable; Hugo walking home when Redclaw could be stalking for him at the very moment or knowing the man who convinced my mother to betray her pack and the Elites was right above my head. I tensed as the stairs creaked. It was almost dramatic, how his feet appeared, then his legs, then his torso, and finally his face. He was a broad man, every inch of him screaming Alpha. Equal. This was the silent confirmation. He was my equal. He was an alpha. An alpha without a pack. When he stepped into the living room and looked up, his face paled. It was such an odd sight to see. His face didn’t look like it drained of color very often. I watched him with unease. Doc and Cass stepped into the hall, leaving me alone with this man. He took a step towards me and I took a step back, my lip pulling in a snarl. He put his hands up, realizing his mistake, and nodded affirmingly. “You’re Natalia.” He
It wasn’t until I heard his voice that I noticed his scent entwining with the others in the room. There were so many werewolves in such an enclosed space, it had been so easy to miss at first. He stepped from around the corner. No one moved. This made him smile as he reached for the door. Several Redclaw elders entered, stone faced and ready. They were followed by the Redclaw youths and…my father. If I hadn’t been fearful before, I definitely was now. My father didn’t look at me; he looked through me. I heard commotion and seconds later, my pack was pushed through the door. They were not coming in willingly. This was a relief as much as it was horrifying. Fyn came in last, his bound hands tearing at the Redclaw elder that held onto him. I saw his nails slash across the elders face and bright red blood appear. Enraged, the older wolf shoved him as hard as possibly able. Fyn hit the ground with a sickening thud. My instinct was to rush to him, but I was
The rogues had recruits come in soon after the fight had died down. The elders ended up trading places with my youths, having their wrists and ankles bound. My pack didn’t make a move towards me, but I could see they wanted to. I hadn’t moved from my place on the floor, cradling Hugo’s head in my lap. He hadn’t moved since the injection, but his breathing had gotten stronger. I could see the wound already working to heal. Whether or not he made it, my blood was a natural remedy for his wounds. Byron’s youths took seats on the stairs, watching the rogues warily. They weren’t bound, since they hadn’t made a move to attack. I wanted to know what he was thinking, but I couldn’t bring myself to ask. I’d come too far from the girl he thought I was, there was no going back. From the corner of my eye, I saw the rogues ease into the sofas. All except Doc, who sat near me, and my father, who’d taken to guarding the Redc
I was the first in the room, followed closely by Cass and Hanon. The other wolves, rogue or pack, didn’t move past the entrance. They peered in with morbid curiosity but couldn’t bring themselves to experience this up close. This room looked to be a second living room, with one couch and a tv set up on the opposite wall. Hugo had been set on the couch initially, but with all the thrashing and screaming, he had to be moved to the floor. “There’s a bed upstairs…” Hanon began, but Doc cut him off. “One hit from him in this state could be lethal. He doesn’t have control of himself. We can’t risk it, for the sake of everyone he will remain here.” Hanon nodded, but I was wondering how Doc knew that. No one else but Doc would come close to his son, except me. I knelt beside him and he handed me a warm rag. “Wipe his forehead but be watchful of his hands.”
Hugo prepared to pounce again, steady and stealth. As little experience he had with this form, it came so naturally to him. I might have admired it, if he weren’t about to attack Byron. I snapped myself out of my daze, my instincts screaming to move. Move where? This wasn’t my fight. Hugo had challenged Byron for the pack. For me. This wasn’t the human; this was the wolf. Pure wolf instinct. Doc had said not to engage. Maybe engaging is what had prolonged Hugo’s conscious state. He was supposed to have passed out by now, but then again, he was not the average wolf. He was an Alpha. I wasn’t even sure that was possible, but everything about the midnight wolf told me otherwise. I watched his body tense, but just before he jumped, he slumped to the side with a whimper. Byron’s ears perked up, not understanding. The midnight wolf was Hugo again, and Hugo was unconscious. The episode was over. It took us all several seco
There’s something about the smell of rain that both ignites the soul and eases the mind. The morning sky was veiled with dark clouds, preparing to shower my forest. I opened the door to our cabin and took in a deep breath, before sighing contently. While the weather was in my favor, this day would not be. I heard my father’s footsteps coming down the stairs and closed the door behind me as I stepped outside. I already knew what he was going to say and preferred to enjoy these few moments of bliss before going back to reality. If this had been any other day, I would have already been gone, running through the trees in sheer harmony. Unfortunately, this wasn’t any other day. This was the first day of my last year in high school. To some, that may seem something to celebrate, given this would be my final year. For me, it was the end of a long road leading up to my final days of freedom. School had been a welcomed delay for my inevitable fate. -
Hugo prepared to pounce again, steady and stealth. As little experience he had with this form, it came so naturally to him. I might have admired it, if he weren’t about to attack Byron. I snapped myself out of my daze, my instincts screaming to move. Move where? This wasn’t my fight. Hugo had challenged Byron for the pack. For me. This wasn’t the human; this was the wolf. Pure wolf instinct. Doc had said not to engage. Maybe engaging is what had prolonged Hugo’s conscious state. He was supposed to have passed out by now, but then again, he was not the average wolf. He was an Alpha. I wasn’t even sure that was possible, but everything about the midnight wolf told me otherwise. I watched his body tense, but just before he jumped, he slumped to the side with a whimper. Byron’s ears perked up, not understanding. The midnight wolf was Hugo again, and Hugo was unconscious. The episode was over. It took us all several seco
I was the first in the room, followed closely by Cass and Hanon. The other wolves, rogue or pack, didn’t move past the entrance. They peered in with morbid curiosity but couldn’t bring themselves to experience this up close. This room looked to be a second living room, with one couch and a tv set up on the opposite wall. Hugo had been set on the couch initially, but with all the thrashing and screaming, he had to be moved to the floor. “There’s a bed upstairs…” Hanon began, but Doc cut him off. “One hit from him in this state could be lethal. He doesn’t have control of himself. We can’t risk it, for the sake of everyone he will remain here.” Hanon nodded, but I was wondering how Doc knew that. No one else but Doc would come close to his son, except me. I knelt beside him and he handed me a warm rag. “Wipe his forehead but be watchful of his hands.”
The rogues had recruits come in soon after the fight had died down. The elders ended up trading places with my youths, having their wrists and ankles bound. My pack didn’t make a move towards me, but I could see they wanted to. I hadn’t moved from my place on the floor, cradling Hugo’s head in my lap. He hadn’t moved since the injection, but his breathing had gotten stronger. I could see the wound already working to heal. Whether or not he made it, my blood was a natural remedy for his wounds. Byron’s youths took seats on the stairs, watching the rogues warily. They weren’t bound, since they hadn’t made a move to attack. I wanted to know what he was thinking, but I couldn’t bring myself to ask. I’d come too far from the girl he thought I was, there was no going back. From the corner of my eye, I saw the rogues ease into the sofas. All except Doc, who sat near me, and my father, who’d taken to guarding the Redc
It wasn’t until I heard his voice that I noticed his scent entwining with the others in the room. There were so many werewolves in such an enclosed space, it had been so easy to miss at first. He stepped from around the corner. No one moved. This made him smile as he reached for the door. Several Redclaw elders entered, stone faced and ready. They were followed by the Redclaw youths and…my father. If I hadn’t been fearful before, I definitely was now. My father didn’t look at me; he looked through me. I heard commotion and seconds later, my pack was pushed through the door. They were not coming in willingly. This was a relief as much as it was horrifying. Fyn came in last, his bound hands tearing at the Redclaw elder that held onto him. I saw his nails slash across the elders face and bright red blood appear. Enraged, the older wolf shoved him as hard as possibly able. Fyn hit the ground with a sickening thud. My instinct was to rush to him, but I was
Doc hurried upstairs to retrieve the man I’d heard so much about. I didn’t know what made me more uncomfortable; Hugo walking home when Redclaw could be stalking for him at the very moment or knowing the man who convinced my mother to betray her pack and the Elites was right above my head. I tensed as the stairs creaked. It was almost dramatic, how his feet appeared, then his legs, then his torso, and finally his face. He was a broad man, every inch of him screaming Alpha. Equal. This was the silent confirmation. He was my equal. He was an alpha. An alpha without a pack. When he stepped into the living room and looked up, his face paled. It was such an odd sight to see. His face didn’t look like it drained of color very often. I watched him with unease. Doc and Cass stepped into the hall, leaving me alone with this man. He took a step towards me and I took a step back, my lip pulling in a snarl. He put his hands up, realizing his mistake, and nodded affirmingly. “You’re Natalia.” He
I knocked on the door for the third time. I knew it was only my impatience, but it felt like it was taking too long for them to answer. They had to be home. They had to be. I strained to hear past the door, but there was nothing. Silence. Deafening silence. My wolf paced in the corner of my mind, whining at the anticipation. Finally, I heard the latch on the door unhook and watched the knob turn. Doc’s face peeked at me through the small opening, but this wasn’t an invitation for me to come in. No, he was staring at me with confusion. “Natalia?” I froze. My heart stopped. The undeniable stench, foreign to an average human home, hit my nose like a warning. Wolf. Move. Trying to be as kind as I could manage, I shoved my foot into the opening and pried it open. Doc’s eyes widened but I kept going until there was enough room for me to slip in. I put my fingers to my lips when I saw him about to speak. He reached out a hand to grab me, but I shrugged him off and continued into the ha
It wasn’t until Byron leapt on me and I fell hard on my back that I realized what was happening. I shifted instantly; my wolf already prepared. This is what I’d been trained for. This is something I knew and understood. Attack. Fight. Defend. I ignored the pain from my fall and twisted my body, eventually getting a decent enough hit to Byron’s underbelly to make him jump back. He landed lopsided and scrambled to gain his balance again. It was only a few seconds, but it was enough for me to get to my feet and prepare for the second attack. It never came. Byron’s wolfish eyes met mine and he stilled. It was only then that I realized he hadn’t made a sound the entire attack. His lip wasn’t curled back the way mine was. His muscles weren’t tensed. In fact, he looked almost at peace. This unnerved me. He’s not your friend, Natalia. His thoughts came so clearly to me. Because yo
I shot out of my seat. “Excuse me?” My father raised a hand to silence me. “Cedric and I have been trying to put together a meeting to talk about the union. We didn’t think something like this would happen, but this has been planned a week in advance.” “Reschedule.” I gritted my teeth. My father’s eyes hardened. Even from where I stood I could feel the power coming off him. His wolf had awakened by the challenge, but my father was calm. He had many years on us and knew how to control himself better than we did.. “Not an option.” He said coolly. “We aren’t in any mood to see Redclaw today.” He shrugged. “That’s your issue, not mine. The union must be discussed. It’s business, Natalia. I have a deal to uphold.” “No, you mean I have a deal to uphold. You need me to hold this meeting and I’m telling you to reschedule.” “Luckily for me, you’re not my Alpha.” He
Fyn draped an arm over my shoulder as we pushed through the cafeteria door. It was a friendly gesture to us, but it drew a few eyes from surrounding tables. I saw Fyn smile, enjoying the attention. I glanced back enough to see Jace take Mel’s hand; the gesture was so subtle but I knew I was seeing the beginning of something. I caught sight of Byron, leaning back in his chair and smiling at Claire, who sat beside him. The Redclaw wolves didn’t look uncomfortable around Chelsea’s friends; the same group they’d spent most of the last three years with. This triggered me, knowing that they’d nearly torn into Shadowfang for befriending Hugo and his friends. So, only they were allowed to hang out with humans? Not likely. We came upon a table that was erupting in laughter. The group of humans were enjoying themselves and their break time. It was only the sight of us sliding into the empty chairs around the table that silenced them. I sat beside Hu