Wild Alpha and the Midnight Runaway

I did what I always do. I ran.  But this time, I wasn't coming back. I didn't even spare a glance behind me as I raced out the door, determined to go without looking back once.  The cool air rushed against my face and my hair streamed behind me as I quickly made my way towards the edge of town, where the edge of the forest lay.  It was past midnight on a clear night and I could see easily under the light of the full moon. The weather was in my favor to make my get away and I was going to make the most of it to get as far as I could tonight.  This wasn't a spur of the moment decision. It's something I've known I needed to do for months but the timing never felt right. But tonight I knew it was time to go.  My stomach turned at the thought of leaving my mother behind but it had to be done. I just hoped that she would understand. In time, she would have to.  At this point, I didn't have much choice but to run away. The urge I felt was too strong and it had been getting stronger for as long as I can remember now. I don't think I could hold back any longer.  As I reached the edge of town, I made my way straight into the forest without hesitating. The light around me changed instantly as the canopy of trees covered the sky far above me and darkness fell in about me.  Thankfully, I've always enjoyed the feeling of darkness and I didn't have any fear as I kept on running. The further I went, the thicker the trees got and I had to concentrate harder as I weaved through the trunks.  It was close to pitch black now and I had to feel the trees with my hands to guide my path, slowing me down to a jog.  I'd never been this far. Other nights I thought I found the courage to get away but the guilt always nagged at me before this point and I had made my way back home to the town and my mother, who was invariably waiting for my return on the front porch.  No doubt she'd be out there once again tonight, feeling my presence gone from the house immediately and waiting patiently for my return. Only this time, I was determined to keep going. I wasn't coming back and she would continue to wait until the morning.  I don't know what she'd do then. I'd never actually followed through with my plan. But tonight the feeling was right and I was ready to go. If only I knew then what was waiting ahead of me.  * * *  The pull that I felt, drawing me into the forest, was unlike anything else I'd ever heard of.  It was like a magnetic force calling to me, inviting me to follow it. An invite that I couldn't seem to ignore, no matter how much I tried.  No one else in our town had any desire to go anywhere near to the forest.  When I asked around, people would respond to my questions in hushed tones, as if someone might hear what they were saying about it and they might get in some kind of trouble.  The other girls my age didn't have any interest in it all. They were busy fawning over the boys in town or the latest fashion trends. But none of that interested me, it was only the forest that called out to me.  More than anything, people were scared of the stories that they'd heard.  There were some impressive claims about what goes on in the depths of the forest.  Wolves the size of elephants. Magicians with unexplainable power. Mischievous pixies that play trickster in the dark. All manner of mythical creatures come alive in the stories told about the forest.  But that only grew my fascination with it.  I'd take the longer path to the market square so that I could pass by the edge of town where the forest began, imagining what was happening inside at that moment. Any excuse to get a little closer.  My mother was worried about my interest in the forest from the beginning.  Unlike the rest of the town folk, she seemed to understand more about the forest than most. She didn't believe most of the hyperbolic tales told about the place but had a deeper understanding of it, which came with a large dose of caution.  She told me over and over again to stay away. "Right here in the town is the safest place for a girl like you," she would tell me.  I would nod, wanting to calm her. But the questions I had about the forest kept coming up and I knew I worried her each time I brought the subject up. In the end, I just held the silence to avoid the concerned stare she would give me.  Ultimately, the pull that I felt was too strong for me to resist. That's why I was running tonight.  I had to see what was pulling me in first hand.  * * * I kept on running, feeling freer than I had felt in years. Finally I was here, running through the forest, exactly where I was supposed to be.  I was breathing hard from the pace but I kept going, pushing through.  The further I went, the better I felt. A calm coming over me as I knew that I was getting closer.  To what, I didn't yet know. All I knew was that it had to be good, how could something that felt so perfect not be?  Even then, as confident as I was that I was doing the right thing, when I heard something coming up behind me I felt a prickle of fear.  I didn't dare to look back and increased my pace to run faster but it made no difference; my pursuer was quickly closing the gap between us.  I could almost feel the hot breath on my back as I ran, when suddenly the footsteps stopped and I noticed three large figures overhead making the jump over where I was running.  I slowed to a stop, staring up above me. Three large wolves were leaping overhead of where I stood closing off my path forward.  I watched them as if everything was happening in slow motion, unsure of what to do next. Make a left? Turn right? Run back the way I came?  It was my legs that made the decision for me; they were frozen in place and I couldn't have moved in any direction even if I wanted to. I stood there, waiting, straining my ears to hear any sound that would give me an indication of what to do next.  After what seemed like hours without even the faintest sound, I saw them. Three figures emerged from the trees in front of me.  Was my mind playing tricks on me? These were men, not wolves. I stood still, staring at them without saying a word.  Then the man in the middle broke the silence:  "After all this time. You don't know how long I've been waiting for you."