The Wilds

Chapter three

Willow looked nervous as she followed Max. Would his pack accept her? If not, what would happen to her? She felt a prickling unease, spreading through her body. As she walked, she noticed what seemed to be a stream. Max appeared to be following it. As they pressed on, the stream turned into a river. Where were they going? What would await them? Willow did not know.

The river thickened, and the leaf-stridden forest floor began to fade away. Suddenly, a sparkling lake came into sight. The sun's rays made it look like it was glowing. Willow could see that what, on the right side of the shining water, there was something that looked like a campsite. "This way. We're getting closer to the Duskfall Lake Pack." 

As they came closer, it was clear that the 'campsite' was not a normal one, the kind that you would be forced to stay at in the holidays because your parents couldn't afford to go to abroad. No - it had several large, stained-white tents. Around the camp was a wall made of stones, with one gap that was an entrance. In the centre, there was a huge rock. "Come." Max beckoned, stepping inside the camp.

Inside, it was clear that someone was sitting on the rock, and that he had noticed Willow coming in. "Alpha Conall, this is Willow. She wants to join the Pack." Max told the man on the huge stone. 'Conall' was tall, with dark brown hair and brown eyes. He was over thirty, and seemed to be the leader of this 'Pack'. "Do you really?" Conall asked Willow, his eyes staring right into her. This unnerved Willow, and she backed away. "You do know that you will have to do the simplest jobs, work for the food you'll eat, and stay loyal to Duskfall Lake Pack forever?" he asked, and Willow spoke up. "I have no other choice. I have chosen to abandon the city, so really, this is the safest thing for me." she murmured, hoping he would accept his and know she was not lying.

Conall seemed to think a little. Then, without warning, he leaped down from the rock, with strength no human could have. Willow had to remind herself that if he was a werewolf, he was not fully human. She herself had the power to change into a wolf at full moons. "City Wolf Willow wants to join our Pack!" Conall let out a thundering shout that echoed through the camp. People emerged from the tents, and two children ran towards the stone.

The children seemed to be the same age, so Willow guessed that they might be twins. One was a boy who had messy brown hair, the other was a girl with freckles and long brown hair."Dad, who is she?" the girl asked. "Yeah, who are you?" the boy stared at Willow, his spiky hair getting blown by the wind. "..." Willow was lost for words. People normally ignored her, so getting attention was a big change, and she wasn't sure what to do.

A woman with long brown hair and green eyes came, along with a dark-skinned man with short black hair. A lady with short brown hair and a dirty white shirt followed, brining two people who could have been teenagers with her. Once they had gathered around the rock, Conall spoke up. "This girl wishes to join our Pack. Should she, or should she not, Luna Aspen?" he asked the brown-haired woman. "Well... we are in need of an Omega, since our last one became a rouge. I think that she should stay." 'Aspen' observed, not taking her eyes off the stranger.

"Very well, Aspen has cast her vote. Beta Tempest, Gamma Taye, what do you think?" Conall stared at the woman with the white shirt and the man with black hair. "I think that she should stay. We may need more people in our pack." Taye answered. Tempest waited a while before she gave her answer. "If she joins as omega, I will be fine with her." the lady mumbled.

"Well then, Willow, you will join our Pack. But first, in front of everyone..." Conall took a step towards Willow. "I want you to swear that you will be loyal to this Pack, all your life." "I will be loyal..." Willow stopped suddenly. Was she sure of this? But something compelled her to finish the sentence. "all my life." Willow sighed. "Then, under the eyes of our Pack, you are our new Omega." Conall breathed. He stepped back, and the Pack separated.