The Protector of Wolves

Chapter 7: A New Beginning

Lacy’s POV

The sun beams down on me, slowly waking me from my restless sleep. Temporary confusion sweeps through me as I orient myself to the wooden bench in the park.

“Ugh, I gotta find a real bed tonight,” I grumble to myself as I sit up and rub my back.

Yesterday’s events slowly start to flood my mind and a wave of emotions washes over me.

My family thinks I’m dead, Travis wont rest until I’m his mate, and the hunters are helping him.

Or he’s helping them?

I can’t remember.

I rub my temples.

Oh, that’s right; a “mutual agreement,” as he put it.

Either way, I can’t believe he’s working with dark hunters. He’s gone a level up from power hungry Alpha to crazy psycho Alpha. It’s unfair how Travis is trying to claim me as his. I deserve to be able to find my fated mate. He’s cruel for thinking that he can just force me to give that up. And what’s worse is that he is putting the entirety of our species in danger.

I’m pulled from my thoughts when I notice a few early risers taking their morning walks or jogs in the park. Some are shooting me strange looks.

“What a sight I must be to these humans – a young woman alone sleeping in the park...” I laugh-sigh to Cecelia.

I hear her yawn in my head.

“At least we’re alive. You’re lucky the hunters didn’t find you.” She sleepily murmurs. “Or Travis.”

“You know, the ring probably helped...” As much as I don’t like hiding my wolf, I will admit that concealing my wolf's scent is what kept us alive, for now at least. I just hope this is only necessary for a short time.

“Don’t tell me you’re thinking about leaving it on!?” Cecelia squeals at me in disbelief, now fully awake.

“I know you don’t like it, but it’s our best chance of survival until I can figure out what to do.” My disgruntled wolf doesn’t reply and quickly recedes into the back of my mind. I can sense her feelings of betrayal, but I know this is the best choice for us. I need time to figure out what to do about Travis and the hunters. But Cecelia is all I have right now, and I hate being at odds with her.

I let out a sigh.

After dragging myself up off of the bench, I make my way to the park exit.

I look around the city, and it's hard not to feel energized. There are blocks and blocks of tall buildings along with tons of people scrambling on the sidewalks quickly trying to get to their respective destinations.

I’ve always lived amongst werewolves on the packlands, but my family has visited human cities like this one a few times before. It’s a lot calmer on the packlands, and although our pack is like a city in itself, it doesn’t quite have the same chaotic motion as a big city. I think it will be so easy to blend in here among the hustle and bustle of big city living.

After leaving the park, I quickly find a public restroom and wash my face. I pull my unkempt hair into a tight french braid and observe myself in the mirror. I look pretty decent, considering the last 24 hours, even though my eyes are puffy and swollen from yesterday’s tears.

“Good enough,” I mumble to myself.

After leaving the restroom, I stop and look all around me again. I feel so small and insignificant. And in a weird way, it’s nice to feel unimportant for a moment, to not have the weight of protecting my species resting on my shoulders.

That is, until reality sets in. I am still the protector of wolves, whether everyone thinks I’m dead or not. It is still my responsibility to protect them. But in a way, I do feel that I have just abandoned my pack and my kind.

My heart sinks at the thought of my family and my pack. I hate that they think I’m dead. I hate that I am deceiving them. I just hope more than anything that I can protect them all and that they will understand why I’m doing what I am doing. As much as it feels like I did, I try to convince myself that I didn’t abandon them. I am still here for them, doing my duty as the protector. I had to leave for their safety and mine. I am just a lot farther away now.

I hope that I wont have to stay in hiding very long. I can’t wait to go home and tell my family I’m alive, and to take this ring off so I can find my fated mate. I feel an ache in my chest, thinking about my mate. I know it’s affecting Cecelia, too. Afterall, my mate’s wolf is her mate. She can’t find him if I’m concealing her, so I don't blame her for being upset with me. But I have to figure out a way that I can defeat the dark hunters first, and Travis, too, or else we’re all at risk.

The Moon Goddess granted me the power of magic. I know I need to master this gift before I can take on my enemies. I have no idea how to even go about this, especially in a human city.

But more a pressing issue is that I need money and a place to stay. I could sleep on the streets, but that is far from ideal.

I close my eyes.

Moon Goddess, please point me in the right direction.

I slowly open my eyes, and nothing has changed. Although a part of me hoped the Moon Goddess would have a presented me with a giant neon sign with an arrow saying something like "go here!" or "This way, Alessia!", I would have been satisfied with any sort of hint as to what to do next.

I give it a minute and still, nothing.

My stomach rumbles as the wonderful aroma of pastries hits my nose and I start off in the direction that the delicious smell is coming from. Once I get closer, I find the source: a bakery located on the lowest floor of a tall building. The baby pink color of the bakery catches my eye, but it’s the scent of croissants that makes me want to go in. I stop just outside the door and stare at the beautiful display of pastries.

“Smells good, huh? You should go check it out,” says an older gentleman standing next to me. He is munching on a scone with one hand and holding a small coffee in the other. “Cora has really done well for herself here.”

I was drooling too much over the baked goods to notice him at first. I’m surprised I didn’t hear him walk up next to me with my heightened wolf-senses. Maybe the ring is already starting to take its toll...

“It does smell good,” I reply with a tight smile. “But, uh... I don’t really have any money right now.”

“Oh! Well, if it’s money you need, just ask Ms. Cora for a job,” he says, pointing to a help wanted sign on the window. “She’s been looking for a helper for quite some time now. Most people don’t want to work so early in the mornin’, so it’s been difficult for her to find someone to fill the position.”

Hmm. I’m not a professional baker by any means, but I am pretty skilled in the kitchen. And lucky for me, I’m used to being up early from all the morning training sessions we had back at the pack. Maybe this would be a good way for me to earn some money while I figure things out.

I turn to thank him for the suggestion and notice he is gone, but, I didn’t hear him shuffle away at all. Strange...