I woke the morning after the Qual's with a mild hangover and a massive sense of euphoria.
I had done it. I had achieved a Pack Ranking, despite my inability to shift.
A few questions had been asked as to why I hadn't shifted, and why I alone had received what had obviously been exemplary training from Jack.
We kept it simple and told people it was all under Alpha's orders - for his entertainment. Whether or not people found it odd, they wouldn't dare question the Alpha.
I could hear Holly singing tunelessly in the kitchen and chuckled, getting out of bed and beginning to dress.
I'd had the luxury of a lie in this morning, with no coffee shop job to go to and no assigned work as of yet.
My thoughts turned to Jack as I realised with a pang of sadness that this would be the first day in as long as I could remember that we weren't due to meet up.
Pulling on my socks I forced a smile on my face. Today was a day to be happy and proud. Not to wallow over what would never be.
Joining Holly, we ate cereal and caught up. It had been a long two weeks away from the gossip mill.
We had just finished giggling over her story of Kyle being so drunk at last nights party that he drunkenly flirted with a horrified Violet. When Holly suddenly became serious.
"So... your turn." She told me. Sipping her tea and arching an eyebrow expectedly.
I laughed uncomfortably. "I've been stuck in a cabin in the wood for two weeks with Jack. What gossip could I have?"
Raising her second eyebrow to meet the first she clicked her nails against the side of her mug. "What gossip indeed?"
I feigned ignorance for another few minutes before she finally snapped at me. "I have been your best friend since we were in nappies. I know you. There's something you're not telling me, and honestly, I'm a little hurt. Haven't I kept your secret all these years?"
She sniffed pointedly and looked away.
Sighing I caved. Although unsure how to really describe the moments Jack and I had shared.
I began telling her of the cut on my leg in training. When I got to the licking part, she made a noise that could only be constituted as a cross between a moan and a groan.
"Noo Charlie!" Tell me you didn't sleep with him! She groaned, then shook her head, "Ah... no... tell me you did... how was he?" She giggled and fanned her face before switching back to begrudging horror. "But you didn't, did you?"
I snorted at her Jekyll and Hyde moment and shook my head. "No Hol. I didn't sleep with him."
"But you kissed?" she prompted, adamant to get the details.
I answered before thinking. "Not that time..." trailing off as Holly's eyes widened and I realised my mistake. Shit.
"Charlie!" her voice was so high it could rival a pup training whistle and I cringed.
"That's all though! Just a kiss." I conceded, holding my hands up in attempt to calm her down.
No other topic of gossip would do at this point though and I ended up recalling every detail, right down to the necklace.
"He bought you jewellery?" she gaped, incredulous. "Jack... Jack bought you jewellery?"
To be fair, I was as surprised as she was.
"It was a mentor-student congratulations gift, that's all." I insisted, absently stroking my thumb over the flat gold disk.
She snorted. "If you believe that then you might just be stupid enough to give in next time he turns on the charm." She paused to finish her tea, wagging her finger at me as she swallowed. "He isn't your mate, and even if he was, he's made it perfectly clear over the years that he isn't the settling down type. You're too good for him. All this, not to mention, the age gap, the human thing and he's your boss. Are you trying to get kicked out of the pack?!"
I grimaced and looked away. "Okay, mom. That's enough, I'm going for a walk. And you wonder why I didn't want to tell you."
She rolled her eyes, firing one last parting shot after me as I headed out the door. "You better not be going to see him, no matter how ridiculously hot he is!"
I laughed as I started down the gravel pathway, with nowhere to be it was my first full, free day in years.
I grinned as I skipped off the path into the woodland, sniffing the air to delight in the earthy scent of the undergrowth.
I often thought of how fun it must be to shift and race through the trees, hunting rabbits and playing catch with unsuspecting birds.
Something I'd never get to experience, sadly.
I'd been walking for around thirty minutes when I became aware of an unfamiliar scent. There was no mistaking it was a wolf, but not one I had come across before.
Slowly I lowered myself to the ground, rolling in the dirt as quietly as I could to mask my own scent.
It was probably just one of the neighbouring Pack members, on their way home after joining us yesterday. But I couldn't shake off the bad feeling I had.
The forest seemed eerily quiet all of a sudden.
I lay still for a while. I was just starting to think I had imagined it when a deep chuckle sounded over to my right. "Haha, too slow. Smelled you already. Whatcha doing down there girlie?"
Shit.
I quickly sprung into a crouching position. Eyeing the man in front of me.
He was tall, with large muscular arms and light stubble coating his square jaw. The grin on his face was not the welcoming kind and I darted my eyes to his right, checking my path back to the Pack was clear.
The chuckle rumbled again as four wolves slinked out of the trees to flank him. I could see even more behind him, moving through the undergrowth.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you girlie." He smirked, taking a step towards me, causing my heart to begin to pound. He scented the air, seeming satisfied, as if the smell of my fear pleased him.
"You wouldn't happen to know where I can find a Mr. Vincent would you? I have business to discuss with him." He questioned, a sickly smile on his face.
Nerves twisted in my stomach as I realised what he was asking. He was looking for Jack.
There must have been a moment of recognition on my face and the stranger noticed.
"Ah! You do know him... How perfect." His smile widened impossibly further, making him look a little mad. "Now, why don't you be a good little pup and tell me where to find him?"
I shook my head, shock robbing my words.
Anger glinted in his ice blue eyes and he shot out a hand, catching me by the throat as I stood frozen. "When Drake Darran asks for something. He get's it." He growled.
Choking though I was, I blame hysteria on the fact the I couldn't hold in my snort. Who addresses themselves like that?
His anger flared even more, and his fingers tightened, shaking me hard. "Do you have a death wish girlie?"
I gasped for air and desperately ran my training through my head. My lungs burned with lack of oxygen and if I didn't get lose soon, I'd pass out, or maybe even be killed.
I clawed at his large hand, desperation kicking in as I watched his eyes light with the glee of his violence.
With no other option, I forced my adrenaline fuelled body to still and go limp. My lungs screaming for air in my chest.
Chuckling, Drake tossed me aside as if I was no more than trash.
I landed against a tree with a hard thump. The piercing stab and loud crack told me I had broken some ribs at the very least.
I managed to pull air in silently through my nose as I flew through the air. As soon as I landed, I hopped to my feet, ignoring the slicing pain in my side.
Instantly I was moving, pushing my legs faster than I had ever ran before. My lungs felt as though I had drunk acid as I forced them to overwork in their fragile state. My bruised throat and body ached with every breath.
Thirty minutes walking would take me about ten to return at this speed. If I wasn't caught first.
Luckily, Jack had trained me well. I was fast.
I could hear angry growls and paws thumping the earth behind me but didn't dare to turn to check their progress.
Just as I was running out of energy, I burst through the trees into familiar territory.
As I skidded into the pack house, The Alpha was talking with the mentors in the foyer.
All eyes landed on me. Annoyed frowns quickly became worry as they took in the sight of me.
Ignoring all procedure, I grabbed the Alpha's arm. "Raiders." Was all I could croak before I passed out.