Bloody Paw Prints

Ch 10 Too close for comfort

I leap a fallen log and keep running, feeling body’s pressing into my sides. It felt too crowded, too suffocating. I knew this wasn’t the whole pack but it felt like too many, too many body’s, too much heat, too much fur. I could hear them panting, their barks, whins, yaps, their feet touching the ground, leaves crunching, sticks snapping. Uncomfortable heat pressed into my sides, too many scents made my head spin and the sunlight which pierced though the tress hurt my eyes.

Mikki’s shoulder rubbed against my ribs and I shy away, wanting to turn and snarl at her but feared I would trip. My shoulder brushes against Vic’s, my tail flicks someone’s chest and I’m nearly running into Sky’s butt. Someone’s paw brushes my back ankle and finally pushed over the edge, I turn to snap at them, fur rising. Christian recoils and skids to a halt in front of Ash who collides with him.

The pack comes to startled standstill, bodies pressing into each other.  Christian drops his head, ears back and sniffs at me in question, trying to ask what’s wrong. ‘Everything’s wrong!’ I wanted to shout. I growl, edging away from him, away from everyone. Too many bodies, too much noise, too much heat.

My nerves felt like they were on fire, my skin seemed to burning with the heat and every breath burned my chest, burned my nose with everyone’s scents.

Bray cocked his head, his wolf eyes narrowing at me. Tori let’s out a whimper and Ally makes a soft crying sound. Christian lowers himself to the ground and the pack shifts, curious eyes on us. He edges forward, seeking forgiveness, even though he doesn’t know what he’s done wrong. Heat radiates from his body, his whimpers piercing my head and his closeness makes me recoils.

It was all suffocating. Ash noses at my shoulder and I turn sharply to bite at him. He jerks away, barely avoiding my teeth. I back away from the pack, my head reeling. Bray straitens, taking up authority. He growls at me.

An image of me with the pack enters my head, the pack around me, pressing in too close, so close I could feel their fur, smell their breath.

I shudder.

He couldn't make me do this, I hadn't asked for this, none of this. What happened to my life, the one where I got to be who and what I wanted. I didn’t want to be a wolf; I didn’t want a pack always next to me, pressing into me, smothering me.

I retreat back a few more steps, struggling for air. I knew this, though I had never had it as a wolf.

Nor had it happened for the past two year. I had had asthma as a child and up til I was fifteen. I hadn’t had it since. But with so much heat, so many scents, i couldn’t breathe.

Bray sends another image of me and the pack and, finally unable to handle it I withdraw, sprinting over the snow, flying over logs, my senses picking up everything I need to know such as where holes were, or where a rabbit twitched in the snow.

The pack tore after me and I was surprised I heard them so loudly. I heard them calling after me, short yaps and things between and bark and short howl. I pushed faster, pushing my muscles to take me away from the unwanted heat, the unwanted bodies.

Before I knew it I crashed through the edge of the forest and into the clearing that surrounded the house. I leaped through the snow, panting as air tore it’s self from my chest, my paws sinking into half melted snow. I hadn’t even reached the door when I shifted. But with a few staggered steps I pulled the door open then slammed it closed.

I glance back to see the pack in various states of shifting before I ran up the stairs, my lungs feeling ready to burst. I reached the top of the stairs when the back door opens and Bray shouts my name into the house.

I slam and lock the door once in my room. I slide down the door, tears threatening to fall.

Fists bang against the door, voice shouting at me to open it. Tied and sore, my lungs still burning I crawl over to the bed. I don’t bother to get dressed, I fall onto the covers, head spinning. 

I fall asleep on the bed, naked and barely able to breathe, knowing that when I left the room there would be hell to pay.