All The Secrets

A Quiet Death: Tyler

"AHH!"

I let out a pained gasp as my bones shifted and fur sprouted over my body. Falling to the dusty floor beside my truck, I felt claws break through the skin of my knuckles and paws form where my hands were. Clenching my teeth I felt the shift from molars to fangs and groaned.

Voluntary shifts were painful, but involuntary were worse, even if you didn't feel it in the moment. Shaking out my fur and freshly formed paws, I stretched feeling the last of the Change spread through me.

Finally! Goddess , it's been too long.

Sorry, Jax. I've been wanting to let you run for weeks but-

But finals, gotta study, more boring sympathy talk. Let's go, Tyler! I want to RUN.

A growl came from my chest and I dug my nails into the dirt, taking off for the trees. Scents invaded, my new sensitive nose picking up pine needles and the rabbits hiding below my paws. My ears twitched catching everything, from the heartbeats of the birds in the trees to the river running over the smooth stones at the bottom.

I let Jackson take control of my mind, merging with him completely so I could take a backseat. A tantalizing smell caught my attention, and Jackson jumped up.

DEER!

Jackson...

What now, Tyler?

Have fun.

Jackson howled before releasing a deep growl, pulling our lips back from our sharp canines. A wolfish grin broke out on our face, and Jackson chased the scent down through the hills, to the river. The clean water broke up the pine, and through the brush I could see a buck, doe and two fawns, under a year by the white spots on their backs.

Jackson?

Yeah?

Leave the Mom and babies. Dad only.

Duh. I'm not a monster.

Well...

Tyler?

Yeah?

Shut up.

Okay.

Jackson got low to the ground, circling through the brush. The buck's nose twitched and he grunted. Whipping her head around, I locked eyes with the doe and watched as hers widened in fear. Shooting across the clearing, she waited at the edge for her two calves to catch up to her before dashing through the woods.

The buck turned to face me, taking in Jackson's brindle fur and our slate grey eyes. Stamping his foot and lowering his antlers, we ran at each other, Jackson growling like mad. We were only half the buck's height, but Jax knew what he was doing.

I didn't like killing. But it was a part of being a wolf, so I allowed Jackson to hunt every once in a while. We rarely came across deer, at home all the deer had evacuated quickly after we set up the pack house and all the wolves began to roam those woods. Jackson jumped, aiming for the kill.

He always aimed for the kill. We weren't a monster, we were a werewolf.

Suddenly my senses were overloaded and our head whipped away from the buck, which was pinned beneath us.

Pine. Jasmine. Sage. Lavender. Oak. Apple. Cinnamon. Strawberry. Thyme.

WHO IS THAT?!?

It's our mate, stupid.

The buck jumped beneath us, and Jackson dug his claws deeper. Sniffing the air, Jackson ignored the buck's pained bleat. The mixed smell was intoxicating and distracting.

Jackson, finish this. Don't let him suffer.

But mate...

Jackson, now!

I closed our eyes, and with a snap of our teeth, the I felt the buck's neck give out beneath me. With a quiet grunt, the buck died below my claws. Releasing our hold on the body, Jackson tore through the river, chasing the scent.

15 minutes of running later, Jackson was still chasing the scent.

Stronger. Mate is close.

Whoa whoa whoa! Mate!?! What?

I dug our claws into the soft soil, forcing us to a skidding stop. Jackson growled harshly, trying to take over and force me to keep moving, but I held my control.

What are you doing? Mate will get away!

Mate? By the stars, Jackson, is this what you've been smelling all week?

Yes! Now let's go!

Goddess, YES! You need to tell me these things before we're in the middle of the woods without any clothes!

I released my hold on our body and Jackson took complete control, chasing after the intoxicating scent of our mate.