The Dark Ages of Wolves

Run

I wake up and feel something furry beside me. It feels warm, and something I hadn't feel in a while. I feel safe most of all in this warm embrace. A brief image in my mind reminded me of what happened last night. I remember becoming so afraid I run away from the castle and then falling in the snow. Then I remember being saved, but I wasn't sure by who or what had saved me. I blink and rub my eyes, my vision coming into focus now. I was in some kind of snow cave next to a large black wolf. My hand lightly touched its fur, and I feel very afraid to be by a large wolf, but by a simple light touch, I just somehow knew it was Hunter. 'Hunter saved me,' I thought. 'Did he really value me as someone important? Or was I just a valuable slave? I wondered. His eyes fluttered open, revealing his bright green eyes. He lifted his head and look directly at me. He came closer, but I recoil away from him. Hunter stands up, stretched, and his wolf body becomes more human.

"Are you alright? It was awfully cold outside," Hunter says. Unable to find any words, I nodded in response. He broke the roof of the snow cave allowing sunlight to pour in.

"We should go, when we reach the castle, I want you to enter through the back door and go downstairs through the back stairwell," Hunter tells me. A small gasp of surprise escapes my mouth when he suddenly picked me up. I wouldn't have allowed him to if I had known he was going to, though. I was already in his arms being carried back bridal style, so I didn't fight, but I almost found that I didn't want to fight. 'Have I lost my mind? He- he's dangerous, yet I find myself not fully believing that' I thought. In no time, we reached the castle, and I did as tell. I lay down on my cot until much later when Edmund calls me, saying he needs help to fix lunch while Chery is cleaning a room.

"Soup and sandwiches, I guess," Edmund says.

"Very good, Miss Jade," Eladia comments. I don't say a word to her or anyone. I set down a bowl of soup for Hunter and found that my eyes drift up to meet his eyes. Our gaze, eye to eye, lasted for a few seconds. I frown and let my eyes drop back down to my feet. What was I doing? Had I lost my ever-loving mind? I can't forget my place here; I can't be disrespectful. I know that, but still, my gaze lingers on Hunter when around. After serving everyone at the dinner table, I hurry back to the kitchen with a now empty plate.

"Are you okay, you seem a bit pale?" Edmund asks.

"Where's Chery?" I ask him.

"Sick in her cot," Edmund tells me. He stands by a pot of the soup that had been just served, "I'm going to make her a bowl of soup, would you like some?" he offers. I shake my head,

"I have chores to do, for now, see you later, Edmund," I answer. He disappears down the back stairwell with a bowl of soup. I wait a few minutes when I hear Chase call for me. I clear off the table for them and find Hunter in the kitchen when I return.

"Thank you, Miss Jade," Hunter says. Again, my eyes drift up to his eyes, but I quickly left the dining room before he or anyone could notice. 'I feel like I'm going insane, I feel this.... this pulls towards Hunter. Is it really because we suppose mates?' I wonder. I close my eyes tightly, 'No, no, no, no, no that's impossible. He's a werewolf, and they're supposed to be evil. No, no, no,' I mentally scolded myself. I nervously enter the living room and begin to pick up. The family is in the family room, and I can hear the fire in the fireplace crackle. I pick up the living room, my chore for some time. I'm not sure of the date, Mr. and Mrs. Lakefall are hosting a Christmas party for the entire Lakefall pack as well as the Brook pack, and the Schaedler pack. Meaning Suzah and Lilly's pack will be here, as well as Chase and Eric's pack. Hunter's family here is just one part of a pack, but there are side families as well. There will be a lot of people here. I hear the sudden crack of a door being eased open, and I whirl around to see Hunter coming in. He doesn't look my way but walks towards the bookshelf and begins to look for something. I continue on with my work, trying my hardest to keep focused on work.