Bodyguard Bear

Tala glanced nervously out the window as the train pulled out of the station. She could not see anyone following her, but she still did not breathe easily until they were fully underway. Finally, she lay back in her seat and tried not to think about how she had gotten here with only a duffel bag to hold her worldly possessions. She rummaged through that bag now pulled out her iPod, put her headphones in and let her mind wander ahead of the train to her destination and Penny. It was a bright sunny day when Tala first arrived at the large on campus dormitory building 2 weeks before classes began. Staring up at that building she felt small, insignificant; more then she usually did; and the smallest thrill of excitement at being free of her pack. She slipped in the doors being careful not to brush up against anyone as she headed through the lobby and up the stairs to her room on the second floor. Tala had been in the shock of her life when she opened the door and found herself faced with a stunning blonde girl who towered over her and reeked of bear. It had been enough for Tala to immediately hunch over, look down and try to become invisible.  The blonde looked down at her and shrieked "Oh my god! you must be my roommate Tala! I am so excited to meet you! I can tell already we are going to be the best of friends. Why are you looking like that...? Oh wait... Shoot! I forgot I am so sorry. I talk too much, everyone always tells me that and here I am yammering on and not letting you get a word in edgewise... and I have left you standing in the hall! Damn it all to hell, I really am sorry can we start this over again? Hi, I am Penelope Henrietta August and it is really absolutely wonderful to meet you! Why don't you come on in?" The train jolted over a junction in the tracks and Tala smiled for the first time since graduating remembering her first meeting with Penny. Penny the bear who drew attention like flames drew moths and allowed Tala to slip by in her shadow unseen and unmolested. Her best friend who had slowly drawn her out of her shell and made the years at college the best of Tala’s life. Here she was running to the only person she knew she could trust and had ever made her feel completely safe. Tala knew her parents had tried to keep her and her brother’s safe but no safety existed for any of them in the pack, where the Alpha’s word was law and no one dared to defy an edict given until Tala ran. She knew her family would suffer for her only act of defiance, but she could not stay and face what was coming for her.