Wayfarer

Chapter 3

Max

As the 6 of us headed across the lawns at the back of the pack house to the watchtower I could tell they were up to something. I looked over at Ned, my future Beta with suspicion. We left our clothes at the foot of the tower as usual and as we took off running we all shifted into our wolves mid-air. Howling with joy at being out, Marrok took control and steamed ahead of the rest of the group following our usual path.

‘Max stop!’ Jenson, a dark grey warrior wolf yelled, ‘we’re not going that way tonight.’

I slowed to a trot and turned to the group, ‘What’s going on?’ They all looked at each other knowingly. ‘We are going somewhere we have not been for years, a final celebration of your freedom before the weight of the pack becomes yours’ and with that they all must have mind linked each other as they all took off eastwards. Marrok and I dug our claws into the loose forest floor to try and catch up with them.

With my size and speed I easily caught up to them, ‘where are we going?’ I yelled into the oncoming wind. ‘It’s a surprise’ Tobias called back, ‘Come up on lets pick up the pace’. We ran for over an hour, I was beginning to wonder whether it was even worth it when all of a sudden the trees disappeared and we emerged into a moonlit glade.

As we slowed our run into the clearing I realised I had not been here since I was about 16. In front of us was what was left of the Forest Atlas estate. Me and my friends used to come here to play fight and picture ourselves as great warriors, revelling that the Forest Atlas pack threat had been eradicated due to our fathers. It was a sense of pride among our group and this was the site where it all happened. I remember my father coming home and telling the pack how brutal and tough the battle was but also how sweet the victory had been when all of Forest Atlas had fallen and our lands were safe once again from their threat and betrayal.  

I stood up a bit straighter and couldn’t help but feel pride at the fact I would soon become leader of this strong pack. Jenson let out a howl and the others set off running through the footings of the once grand packhouse, I could hear them as they tackled each other, their huge frames knocking over some of the decaying rubble as they went. I watched them and shook my head hoping that one day I would be able to protect my pack as my father had and maintain the dominance we had amongst our territories.

I did a lap of the clearing to remind myself how it looked and reminisce about the times we had come here before. ‘Where are you going we brought beers’, I heard Ned call as he shifted back and ran into their earlier placed stash of clothes and alcohol, ‘I’ll be there in a minute’, I shouted back. I wanted to take another look at the place.

It was a shame that Forest Atlas could not be trusted, they really had had a picturesque territory and as I sat on one of the small hills a mild yet refreshing scent of freshly cut grass rolled across me. It was not strong but it was pleasant and I closed my eyes as I breathed in deeply. I had not smelt that here before and I rolled onto my back enjoying it. As I lay on the ground I realised the grass was not cut. I raised my head from the ground as I realised I had not smelt freshly cut grass here before because, well, who would be cutting the grass of a pack that no longer existed? Maybe I imagined it? Marrok threw his nose in the air trying to locate the scent he seemed tunnel visioned all of a sudden. ‘What is it?’ I asked.

‘Max!’ I was brought out of my thoughts by Ned, ‘Are you joining us any time soon?’

‘Coming,’ I replied casually. As I stood up the aroma of cut grass filled my nose once more. Marrok pricked his ears and I felt my heart rate race, I hadn’t imagined it. She’s here Marrok said. ‘Who,’ I asked but I already knew, I felt elated all at once. Marrok howled in excitement. I sniffed the air trying to locate the source of that intoxicating scent, of all places for me to find my Mate, she was in an abandoned territory.

Unknown

I heard them before I saw them. I estimated about 5 or 6 of them crashing through the bushes. I ran into the base of the watchtower, the only building still standing and able to provide cover. Over there years there had been a number of wolves that found their way to this place, seemingly popular with younger teenagers as a sort of passage of rights. Many came here to spook themselves or their friends, telling tales of haunted corners of the glade. Of course I had been around here long enough to know that the only ghosts were these screeching banshees that turned up here to disturb the peace of the woods from time to time.

I was sure I had not seen this group before, they looked to be fully grown adults and I huffed in annoyance as they took off howling through the remains of the pack house, destroying what little was left of standing walls. I was so focused on my annoyance at these idiots that I didn’t even notice the largest wolf of the group heading sitting on the hill next to where I was hiding. I froze. The wind was just a gentle breeze across my fur but none the less it was blowing through the missing wooden bars of the watchtower. Blowing my scent towards him. I had to get out but I wasn’t sure how I would do it. We need to go, I heard Aphinya my wolf whispering to me and I could feel her shaking despite the warm air around us.

I watched in fear as the huge black wolf flopped to the ground and rolled his back against it, like he was a pup. I held my breath as I edged backwards to the door of the watchtower, never taking my eyes off him. Once I was outside I would have to run for it and hope he would not see me. Even though this was not his pack, as a Rogue wolf I had a strong chance of being executed, especially as his muscular frame screamed Alpha. He began to sniff the air, he had found me, his nose stretched out to the air. He paused as I ready myself to run and for a split second I felt Aphinya inexplicably rooting me to the spot. ‘What are you doing’ I screamed at her through our link.

My eyes widened as he stood up. ‘Aphinya…come on’ I pleaded, wait she replied. He stopped again and as he sniffed the breeze he howled. He knew I was there and I forced back control of my legs from my wolf.