Bitten

Chaper 2

3 Years Later

"Aria this officially the dumbest thing you've ever done," cried Ash.

"Why? I kept my end of the bargain. I studied hard, did all my exams, I'm expected straight A's and Nate gave me money to spend on whatever I want," I groaned.

"Not a TATTOO! For God's sake, are you suicidal?!" yelled Ash. I sighed. One major drawback of male werewolves was that they were very protective over what they regarded as theirs. Nate and Ash were no exception. As Nate's foster daughter and Ash's best friend I have practically signed up for a life of torture.

"Hey, it looks really good you have admit,"I argued.

"That's not the point! Nate is going to KILL you!" Ash shouted.

I rubbed my shoulder. The tattoo was still sore, a golden wolf on my left shoulder blade. It looked exactly like my wolf. It made sense to have my wolf on me. Everyone who came to visit Nate and Riley asked who I was and what did my wolf look like now they can see it without me shifting. I'm 15 now and all grown up. I'm about 6 foot tall and my hair hangs around my thin waist. Riley was right, I am a beauty. Boys keep asking me to be their Mate but I always refuse. I am my own person. Darren keeps teasing me for being a Bitten but now I am a strong woman who can pack a punch. I am the best at hand to hand combat and wolf to wolf. Never challenge me to archery, shooting or knife throwing. When I have a sword or knife in my hands, I kick ass! As for my Earthen Powers I can summon an earthquake or grow a whole forest. As you can tell I have gone out of my way to prove that I am better than Darren.

"He won't actually kill me. And you can't order me about because I'm only your friend when Darren isn't around," I screamed. He looked upset. I knew it was a low blow. As a Purebred Ash was trapped. If you were a Purebred then you belonged in Darren's gang and if you were part of his gang then you had to think what he thought. Since Darren thought I was dung Ash was supposed think I was dung so if Ash was seen even talking to me then he would be punished. I had been punished often enough to know what that entailed. The gang, more often than not Bruce, beat the crap out the victim till they bled. Fortunately Bruce had changed Pack when he was 16 so Darren was weaker without his sidekick beating up people he viewed as unworthy. Ash always apologised mentally whenever he had to throw an insult or a punch. But whenever we hanged out we laughed and joked and had the time of our lives. He was my best friend and I loved him. He turned and left.

Idiot I thought to myself. I went into my house and, surprise surprise, Nate was waiting for me. Now I was 15 and eligible to choose a Mate he had been demanding that I reported my every minute of my day. I didn't blame him, he didn't want to see me like Riley. When she was 15 a werewolf had slept with her and then changed Packs. A few weeks later she had discovered she was pregnant. When Nate had met Riley she was 7 months and alone. He had claimed her as his Mate and raised Lydia but I knew it hurt knowing she wasn't his. But Lydia looked like a younger Riley so no one guessed she was born out of Matehood. Nate loved them both but all the same Nate had learned his lesson.

"Where were you?" he asked.

"With Ash. And before you ask, no nothing happened, he's just a friend," I groaned.

He pursed his lips. He frowned. "Turn around," he said in a stern voice.

I sighed. I'd been dreading this. I slowly turned around, my tank top showing the tattoo. I heard a low growl. Nate's hand traced the shape of the wolf. Then he bit me, his teeth sinking into the tattoo. I'd been expecting this. By biting me in his human form he was marking me as his. It wouldn't scar me as it would if he had been a wolf but it did cause some pain because the spot was quite sore. And I was, as far as wolves are concerned, his until I found my Mate. When he let me go, I breathed a sigh of relief. That could have gone worse. If the wolf had been a different colour or had a different body shape to my own then questioners would have ben raised. Questions wasn't ready/didn't want to answer. I rubbed the spot were he had bitten me. Wasn't the first time he done that. A week after I first moved in he bit me. He explained what he was doing but I still freaked.

"Hey Ari," he said.

"Yes," I said carefully.

"Nice tat," he grinned. This was the worst thing about Nate. You were never sure if he was mad or not. He would get angry and he would either yell or joke. You never knew which.

I headed to my room passing Riley who said she loved the wolf but I should be careful that no one thought it was some else's wolf.

I began to finish of my latest painting. Ash's blue black wolf howling at the moon, his ice blue eyes stood out from the black and white painting. It was his birthday soon so I was making sure that his present was perfect. Darren had recently turn 16 and we will soon know what Pack he's in. We were all praying for a transfer.

I was hoping Ash would be able to stay. To be honest I don't know what I would do without him. He's always been there, a constant in a world of madness. Every one asks if he is my Mate but I don't think he's interested in that way. But since he is turning 16 then he might be transferred to another Pack. My birthday isn't for a few months now and I really wanted to stay. I seem to spend more time painting Ash than with him these days. Tomorrow we will find out if Darren's moving or not so if he is then we can spend as much time together as we want. I began to paint. I was planning to paint me riding Ash's back the two of us laughing. I was painting this in case either one of us gets transferred so he won't forget.

The next day me and Ash met in the market and were caught by Darren.

"Well well well, what do we have here?" he pondered.

"Shut up Darren. Your not a cop in the 1800's," I said

"Ash thought you had standards, hanging out with a bitten," Darren laughed.

"Well since she's been my best friend for the last 3 years I guess I don't," Ash growled. I gasped. He was actually standing up to Darren on my behalf.

"Really?" Darren looked disgusted.

"Really," Ash grinned putting his arm across my shoulders pulling me closer.

Darren didn't know what to do. He looked this way and that, trying to figure out what to do. That's when Shanen's messenger came with a letter for Darren. We eyed it carefully. This is when we would find out if he was leaving or not. I spotted a lot of crossed fingers and lips moving in silent prayers. Darren ripped it open and read it.

"I'm staying," he said nervously.

I snatched the letter out of his hands and read out loud. "Dear Darren Darkheart, wow name is the same as the subject, We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted into Tail Pack!" I crowed. There was the sound of cheering and people high-fiving. I continued, "We request that you leave for your new Pack within the next 24 hours after receiving this letter, your sincerely Alpha Shanen."

Darren looked enraged. "She's lying! I get to stay! I'm..."

"Making excuses, now run along you've got some packing to do," I said coolly.

Darren turned and left taking with him all the pain and fear I had suffered because of him, leaving only relief. My fighting with Darren was over little did I know a real battle was on the horizon, lying wait for me.