A Wolf From The Other Side

Chapter 5 - Vance

My nighttime patrol had been uneventful. Another stroll along the border and I would return. Train within the gym in our pack’s warrior facility, before returning for my final patrol of the night. But a sound ahead had the attention of my wolf, Vesper. His hearing was exquisite, and the soft padding of footsteps, especially in the silence of the night, had stood out immediately, capturing his attention. He was frozen to the spot. On high alert...

I had long since dropped back to allow my wolf to take control as border patrol was under way. He was faster on foot than me, and he enjoyed the freedom of a run through our pack forests. It allowed me to let my mind wander, thinking of new ways to train, or occasionally think about the game I was currently playing on my console, so the sudden change I sensed in my wolf had my attention too.

Yes, this was a well-practiced routine for us now we were well into our seventh year as a warrior, and I hated to admit that my wolf often found animals to amuse himself with as he hunted them in between monitoring the safety of our great pack. But, this felt different. Vesper felt on edge. I was watching through his eyes as they seemed to focus in upon a lone shadow within the dark. I was aware there were some weak points along our borders that awaited some repair, and I feared we may be near one . . . so, did this mean that someone had broken our borders without setting off our alarms?

Vesper edged a little closer to get a closer look, his body on full alert. Yet, despite the fact someone was on the borders of our pack, I could sense no uncertainty from my wolf. Did he not sense any danger from whoever lay ahead? Vesper, just like me, was a fearsome warrior. One of the best our pack held. He was not about to stand down when someone had stepped onto our land.

Vesper froze once more as the sound of sobbing hung heavy in the air. Someone was hurt? I could see my wolf's nose as it twitched within the air, perhaps trying to detect the scent of blood, but he eased, telling me the person, a woman, by the sound of her sob, was upset . . .

She dropped to her knees with an almost silent, yet somehow agonizing wail. Tears were fast falling from her eyes and catching the light of the moon. A head full of auburn curls sat around her head like a mane of fire. This woman . . . she-wolf, perhaps, did not belong to my pack. I think I would recognize her if she did. She looked like a goddess with hair so stunning, and the palest of skin . . .

‘When you have stopped drooling.’ Vesper said with a chuckle. ‘We are meant to be protecting the border.’

‘Well go on then.’ I suggested, seeing as he was the one in charge at that moment. Yet Vesper did nothing. He hung back, watching the girl as she dropped closer to the ground. Hugging her knees to her chest as she sobbed some more. It was only as those sobs grew quieter that he edged a little closer.

Our little border-breaker was dressed in little but an oversize T-shirt and small denim shorts. Her long legs were curled up next to her body. She looked so vulnerable. Young too. The girl had to be close to twenty, perhaps. But, one thing I could see was that she had grown silent. Her body still. ‘Is she dead?’ I asked my wolf. ‘Because that will not look good if we have a dead girl on our watch.’

Vesper moved closer, nudging her gently with his nose. There was a slight moan, making me feel a wave of relief. At least we knew she was not dead. She seemed to shift almost uncomfortably. ‘We should leave.’ I told him, despite it going against all my warrior instincts. This girl was evidently vulnerable, and had somehow stumbled onto our ground by accident.

But Vesper seemed to now want to listen and nudged her once more, causing another moan before the girl before us tentatively opened one eye. Followed by another. A look of fear passed over her face as her gaze fell upon my wolf. She quickly shuffled backward, clearly wanting to get away while Vesper watched her. Her eyes moving around the forest surrounding us, an aura of fear suddenly radiating from the girl.

‘Think this is with you.’’ Vesper said with a chuckle, dropping back, before pushing me forward to encourage me to shift. ‘At least you can talk to her.’

I panicked. ‘What if she is not a wolf . . .’ I began.

‘She is.’ Vesper added, pushing me forward once more, so much so I had to shift. My body twisted and snapped as my limbs elongated and slid back into place. A much practiced process, but the girl before watched with wide eyes. I hoped Vesper was right, and she was a wolf, or else that had likely terrified her. I glanced i her direction, only to see her eyes were firmly upon the ground. It was only as I looked in her direction that I realized with shock I now stood naked in front of her.

When you shift as often as we do, it becomes easy to forget you shift naked. It becomes a non-occurrence within the pack, but when a poor stranger meets you for the first time, the last thing they needed to be faced with was my naked nether regions dangling at face level. I quickly moved my hands to cover myself, before turning to her, a little awkwardly.

“Hello . . .” I began, only for her to try to shuffle backward, combined with standing in a bid to flee. “Are you okay?”

The girl shook her head. That made sense. Seeing Vesper likely terrified her, and my little show undoubtedly made things so much worse! "I am Vance. That was my wolf Vesper. We are from Obsidian Mountain Pack, do you realize you breached our borders? Basically, you are on private land." I explained as best as I could, and it seemed to have worked, as the girl's beautiful eyes widened and she shook her head emphatically.

“I am s . . . so . . . sorry.” The girl all but stuttered, her stunning green eyes focused upon me now. “I did not mean to.”

Maybe this was why Vesper had not overreacted. My wolf and I were one of our pack's most elite warriors. Specially trained. Maybe he had detected there was no threat from her . . . I nodded. “So, I ask again, are you okay?”

“I think I need to go.” She whispered, standing. The girl was tall. She only had sneakers on her feet, but when standing she was only a little shorter than me. “My family will be getting the whole pack out on a search if I am not home.”

My ears flickered in interest at her words. “Pack?”

Her gaze drifted to mine, and she nodded. “Shadowed Moon Pack.” My heart fell. Though her words made sense. She came from our neighboring pack. The pack we were currently in conflict with. But what concerned me was just what had brought the girl stumbling across our border in such a state? Was that my business?