She-Wolf Chronicles: United Forces (1)

Chapter 5

I leaned forward so I could cup some water in my hands and splashed it on my face, clearing off all of tonight’s make-up, before I stood up, my legs feeling like jelly since (after what felt like hours of running on all fours) I was not used to walking on two feet – though thankfully my boots had been shredded during the shift because when our hands and feet turn into paws and claws, gloves and shoes are instantly eradicated even though the rest of the shifters clothes stay on and get moulded into fur.

I stretched and combed my fingers through my tangled hair whilst taking in my surroundings, wondering how I could get rid of the pent up aggression still inside of my body. Noticing a rather large tree with appealingly sturdy looking branches, I walked toward it in excitement, revelling in the feel of the cool grass under my toes as I did so. Then I scaled up the tree, reaching my goal of the highest branch in more than half the time I would have done before I had become a full Werewolf.

Oh yeah, this super speed was awesome.

I rested my head against the trunk of the tree, my eyes taking in the landscape of the lake and clearing below me, the cool breeze carrying wondrous scents that wrapped around me like a safety blanket. I raised my head to the sky, wondering idly if astronomers found answers in the stars to every question they had, or if they just liked to look out at the brilliance of them.

But try as I might to feel the calm that I had felt when I was in my wolf form, it didn’t come. My heart still ached with the pain that only betrayal could bring. Just like that, a song came into my head that I had recently downloaded onto my iPod. I remembered that I had fallen in love with its soothing melody and true lyrics. I was certain that if I listened to it now I would feel the numbness I was desperately in need of and only a good song could ever help me develop.

I rummaged through my tiny leather pockets until I found my iPod Nano, thanking the Gods that I decided to bring this iPod with me rather than my touch. No way would that one had fit in such a tight and little pocket without falling out or bulging. I scrolled through until I found my desired song and popped the ear phones in, and let the melody sweep around in my head while I continued to gaze at the sky, slightly wishing I had my guitar to play along with.

As the lyrics absorbed into my heart, I felt my cheeks become damp. Startled, I scrunched my eyebrows together in confusion. It wasn’t raining. I stuck out my hand through the leaves to check for any drops, but there were none.

“They aren’t raindrops Mitchie, they’re tears,” A voice said, its words echoing in the silent back ground.

My wolf growled and I growled aloud with her.

I put my iPod back in my pocket and jumped off the tree, landing on the balls of my feet. I have to admit I was momentarily shocked at that move and my balance, but I quickly switched my attention to the stranger.

But when I sniffed the air I realised that the stranger – who was in the shadows where no light from the moon or the stars could reflect on him – had a familiar scent of cinnamon, oak and a hint of earth. Reminding me of years of playing in the forest, and rolling around in the dirt while play fighting…and the cuddles I had received whenever I had hurt myself while playing…

Nick!

My wolf immediately stopped growling, but started to whimper at the hurt that ran through me. But I couldn’t help how I felt, and so I couldn’t apologise to her. The one person I loved and trusted more than anyone else in the world, the one who I could always depend on if not no-one else, had kept quiet through the whole ordeal and not once tried to stop it.

Nick quickly stepped into the pool of light that the moon was providing, as if sensing my thoughts. “Mitchie-”

I interrupted him, his pained voice angering me. What the hell does he have to be hurt by?