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ChapterOne
Vanya
Every single time I tried to stop and call the guys, it felt like the tracker was right on my tail. Between sleep deprivation and fear, my grasp on reality was falling away. I needed to find a safe space to sleep before I lost my mind completely.
As dawn started to hit, I found a hollowed-out log and my wolf climbed inside, curling up in the small space and hoping the mud and rotting wood would be enough to drown out any scent I had.
The sound of a stick cracking woke me from a deep sleep. I was up and on the run before a second had passed, my body hard-wired for survival after days on the run. The wolf was after me, paws tearing at the forest floor, and from the sounds of it there was more than one of them now. I didn’t stop, pushing forward with every bit of desperation I had in me.
They were just as persistent as the tracker, and it had only made me fear more that his pack had found me. Finally someone shifted, a female’s voice cutting through the air.
“Please stop, let us help you.” I turned for one second, desperate to see if she looked like Meira had in that photo or like Ava had when we found her.
That moment of hesitation is what did me in, two wolves slamming into me, outweighing me easily. I started to thrash, fighting back and trying to free myself.
“Please,” she tried again. “We won’t hurt you.”
I shifted then, needing my voice to argue back. That was enough for them to let go and step back. “Why should I trust you, you’re likely just as bad as him!” My scream had her eyes going wide. But I was too far gone now, this was my last straw, and I was ready to tear them apart to get free, to get back to my pack. My knees bent slightly as I got into position to run again.
“We’re not bad,” she argued. “We’re out here searching for one of our own. She disappeared weeks ago but we keep scenting a wolf nearby. I can smell him on you.”
“The tracker,” I said as all the fight drained from my body. Exhaustion was the only reason I could think of, but I was outnumbered here and curious to see where this was going.
“Come back with us. Get some rest and we can talk,” she said.
“Am I being forced?” I asked pointedly. She winced at the question and waved the other wolves off of me.
“Get off the poor girl.” The two wolves crawled off of me but didn’t shift and I was suddenly very aware of being naked.
“If I keep running?” I challenged again. “Would you follow?”
“You have answers that concern one of our own, we’re begging you to give us a chance,” she reasoned. “We can offer you safety and shelter. We’re just up the road.” I studied her for a moment before nodding.
“Fine, but I reserve the right to leave at any time, I have my entire pack searching for me. And I’m shifting now because I’m naked and don’t know you people,” I said changing back to my wolf form. She chuckled as she shifted as well, leading us out of the trees and down a dirt road. My survival instinct was telling me to run, and I had to mentally fight myself to follow her. I could be walking right to my own downfall, but if they knew anything, then I should get those answers. Plus, protected sleep and food sounded really good right about now.
The packlands was really just a large farming compound. A huge red barn was perched in the middle of it all with little farmhouses set on the fields around it. Around the barn was a huge garden and a pen for goats. A few kids were petting them and using bottles to feed the small ones.
You can’t own adorable goats and be a shitty pack, right?
But even as I had the thought, I scanned their people, looking for signs I was walking into my own demise. The women weren’t appearing submissive, the kids subdued, all in all they looked downright normal.
It was a flimsy attempt at reassuring myself, but I let it keep me calm as she led us toward the barn. She shifted as she reached the doors and pulled them open. I was expecting farming equipment and maybe more animals but they’d made it into a pack clubhouse of sorts. The barn was finished inside, the ground floor a huge den with a large TV, fireplace, a few gaming consoles, beanbags, and a fluffy couch. There was a large kitchen to one side and a hallway to the right that she led us down. I could see stairs leading upward but didn’t have a clue what was up there at the moment.
She led me back to a security room much like ours at the Bluffs. It was just as loaded with tech and a bit bigger than ours but still nice. Opening a locker, she pulled out a pair of shorts and a shirt, then tossed some my way once she was dressed. I shifted and changed as quickly as possible, hating how vulnerable and shaky I still felt.
“We’re not the monsters you think we are, we’re trying to fight against them,” she promised. “Do you want to talk first or eat and sleep? You’re a stranger to us so you’ll have to share a dorm room here in the barracks, but it’s safe.”
“Sleep,” I said. “I’m almost delirious.” She waved for me to follow her, and I didn’t hesitate this time, moving into the next room that was full of bunks. It was blessedly quiet at the moment.
“How long have you been running?” She was just curious, and I didn’t detect any malice behind her question.
“Days… I think. We were attacked on Sunday,” I said.
“Oh gods,” she breathed out. “That’s four days. Sleep as long as you need; I’ll make sure to post a guard in the next room so you’re protected but the door will remained unlocked. There’s a bathroom through there and I’ll have some real clothes waiting for you after.”
She walked away then, leaving the door cracked, and I decided that if I wanted to face them with a clear mind, I’d have to trust them enough to sleep now.
I was out nearly as soon as my head hit the pillow. There weren’t any dreams or restless wakeups, in fact when I did wake up again, the dim light that peeked through the curtains was now gone. Grogginess still clung to the edges of my mind but I was aware enough now that I wanted answers.
