Animal

Chapter Three (Part One)

Copyright © Rebecca Beatty

All Rights Reserved

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I clutched the soft pillow in my hand and pressed it hard into the side of my face. Was it five am already? I looked over at the vibrating alarm clock on my bedside table. Yup, it was five already. I kicked the sheets and covers off my body, and within seconds the cold, blistering air swarmed my body.

Looking down at the end of my bed, those warm sheets laid there, tempting me. But on the inside, my wolf was begging to be loose. I groaned and got up in my sweats and t-shirt and opened my window. Only one thing to do now. Go for a morning run.

I slipped outside and did a slow jog to the edge of the forest on my Uncle’s property. The scent of pine and fresh stream water started to follow along side of the wind, coming straight into my senses. I took a deep breathe and then released it as I started looking around. I didn’t see anyone and I didn’t smell anyone. I stripped down and hid my clothes in a hollowed out tree, and then, I let the transformation begin.

At the top of the tree tops, the singing birds stopped their veiled language. They could hear my bones shifting loudly and cracking like broken glass. I arched my back as my spine started to become longer, my hands began to sprout slate colored fur. I dropped down to my knees and felt my hind legs extend further out as my neck stretched out as well. I closed my eyes tight and not even two seconds later, I opened my brown eyes and quickly took off at full sprint.

The forest floor is coated with many things. From the stream’s moss, to the tree’s leaves, there was even small pine needles that were nestled closely in the soil. Growing up from the pit of the forest was massive trees. There was a mixture of oak, maple, chestnut, and walnut, that all had different wood coating. Some had large, coarse bark that was deeply grooved. While others, were smooth, and a light brown color or even a dark brown.

The sun was starting to rise a little and was playing peek-a-boo with the gaps in the tree leaves. As the sun and trees play together, the animals started up their morning chatter. Speeding past the vegetation, the smell of the small stream started to become more clear. I slowed my pace as I walked up to the gently burbling of the stream. Rather large stones were stuck in the shallow stream, yet the stream was a beautiful sky blue color. Tiny fish swam away as I leant down and took a few licks. I leaned back up and paced around the spot, taking in the amazing view.

*crunch*

I spun my head around towards the noise and automatically sent a threatening growl to those who were near. Without taking my eyes off any of the dark spaces, I smelt a female wolf and three males. I felt the sensations of paws smack against the forest floor as the four wolves came into view.

On the far right was the female. Her scent was clear, her amber eyes held anger, and her coat was a light red mixing in with a black patch of fur that lined along side her spine. The male wolf beside her was solid gray with a few patches of white on his belly and a few of his paws. His sky blue eyes were full of anger as well, but I could see how he had concern for the female beside him. Mates possibly?

The solid gray wolf with a large black marking on his back and stomach had nothing but rage flaring in his eyes. His upper lip snarled back as he snapped a bit. If I was human I would cock an eyebrow at him. I sat on my hunches and stopped growling as I looked into a pair of manly amber eyes.

My body felt like a magnet that was going through overtime. He was larger then them all, which made me conclude that he had to be an Alpha, and his markings. I looked quickly back at the female and then back at the Alpha. Siblings is what I concluded from the both. But I could care less about that. All I could think about was one thing. And that was…I found my mate.