Running From A Wolf

His eyes were so beautiful. That's the first impression I had of the man rumoured to kill his enemies ruthlessly. I crouched on the tree branch and watched his stunning looks as he sat at the outdoor coffee table. Aaron Thorne, the transfer student at my future university. He would be joining us from the next semester, which was two weeks later. And he would be my senior, since I would also be new at the place. Oh gosh. My young heart fluttered in my chest at the mere thought. His strong body stood elegantly, with an aristocratic demeanour that couldn't be faked. His fingers gently tapped the crystalline wine glass in his hand as he nonchalantly eyed the juice, like a king who was bored of the same forms of repeated entertainment. The other guests continued to glance at him frequently, their expressions ranging from jealousy and envy to apprehension and devotion. A shorter shadow stepped into the vicinity. A flowing skirt trailed towards the cold, indifferent man. Kristine appeared beside him. Her long black hair was braided into a French plait and her beautifully tanned skin glowed under the setting sun. Her modest blue gown gave her an air of elegance, adding charm to her blue eyes and small lips. I was almost jealous. Almost. After all, you would understand my point of thinking if you saw your best friend, dressed to perfection, standing beside a dreamy hunk and eating scrumptious grilled meat, while you stared at them from the top of a tree. Like a creepy stalker. Self awareness made me cringe sometimes. Kristine placed a palm on Aaron's shoulder and directed him to the other end of the courtyard. Leaving me alone as I cursed my casualty. Why wasn't I born as a wolf shifter too? The food they ate was always ridiculously delicious. I wanted to see more, but I had to be wary. If any of her people caught sight of me, then I wouldn't be able to live long enough to see the light of day tomorrow. I carefully crept between the leaves. Jumping from one branch to another, I thanked myself for the morning laps I had begun doing lately. The decrease in body fat made me agile. In the form of a cat, my flexibility was bolstered. Jump, jump, crouch, jump, crouch. The patterns repeated indefinitely. Until I caught sight of them again. Placing my focus on Kristine and Aaron, I prepared to leap onto the next tree, below which they lounged. Kristine sat really close to Aaron on the bouncy sofa. Every once in a while, she'd move closer and whisper into his ears. While it was normal in the setting surrounded by music, the gesture still appeared as if it were intimate. Another pang of envy. Mostly, Aaron just nodded slightly to acknowledge Kristine. His face was held in a cold and unconcerned expression. Occasionally, he'd check his watch or loosen his tie, but he seemed to stick to just a few habitual actions. How boring. The only good part of him must be his face. I leapt to the neighbouring tree and pawed at the blooming flowers. A few petals drifted down onto the gorgeous pair below, one dressed in a classy black tuxedo with a navy tie, the other tightly wrapped in a gown with her black hair braided to her waist. Kristine didn't notice me and continued to speak to Aaron. I made myself comfortable in a small hole in a wider branch as I looked at the two of them. I couldn't hear their talks, but I was perfectly content just to get the chance to drool silently at the handsome hunk. Now, if only I had the grilled servings too, my night would be purr-fect. A few minutes later, Kristine's dad walked over with her mom and I rushed to hide. Reaching for a couple of flowers near me, my paws plucked them. I quickly placed them in front of me to form a flowery wall, coarse enough to conceal me temporarily. Kristine's parents, Seamus and Grace Fort disliked me. Or rather, they loathed my kind. The difference between us...could be as vast as the space between dogs and cats. That fact was, is, and will always be very, very credible. "Mother, father." Kristine greeted her parents. "How do you like the welcome party, Alpha Aaron?" Kristine's dad held out his glass. "It is quite adequate, Alpha Seamus," Aaron replied with a barely discernable nod. Aaron...is an Alpha? An actual, leader of a pack, Alpha?! Kristine didn't tell me that! My swishing tail straightened with shock. Then I cursed and immediately curled it back. A flower slipped from the twig my tail had brushed against. Unfortunately, I couldn't stop it in time. I watched as it floated down. Please assume it to be natural...please don't catch my scent... I pressed tightly against the tree, praying that I wouldn't get caught. The dainty flower twirled a few times and landed beside Aaron's leather shoes. None of the others noticed it, but Aaron silently glanced at the flower for a few seconds before continuing with the conversation. I let out a soft sigh of relief. Sneaking around is getting too stressful too soon. Kristine had told me that Aaron was a Beta. Seems like I was accidentally given the wrong info. "Kristine is looking for a mate. I hope Alpha Aaron can guide her." Alpha Seamus didn't hide the suggestion within the sentence. I was known to be very dense, yet even I could hear his thoughts. Oh? This is interesting... Alpha Seamus and his wife, Grace, exchanged secretive glances. Then Grace gently nudged Kristine forward. "Go on, Kristine, dear. Don't be shy, now." They're trying to matchmake Kristine and Aaron? But Kristine already had a guy... Kristine just blushed and didn't refuse it. Which made me even more confused. I thought her parents approved of her boyfriend. So why would they try to suggest this? Suddenly, their words clicked. Aaron was an Alpha. A leader of a pack; a clan. Kristine was soon going to inherit the position from her father too. A marriage between two leaders would merge their packs, bringing the resources and assets together. This would also explain why the union between Aaron and Kristine was beneficial to both of them. I lit a candle for the guy she was currently dating. He was, unfortunately, a Beta. An Alpha would always win over a Beta. I waited, still and silent, for a while more. It was getting dark by then and the guests soon entered the extravagant villa. The courtyard gradually emptied until just a few remained. "Shall we head inside, Alpha?" Kristine asked. "I need to make a call. I will find you later," Aaron replied neutrally. Kristine inclined her head in a docile manner. "So be it, Alpha. I will wait inside." Then, with a slightly bashful look, she turned around and walked away. My gaze tried to burn a hole into her back. With each step she took, I penetrated straight through her. Since when did she become so flirty? She had been hitting on Aaron ever since her parents showed up. Maybe even before that weird brush. Her back finally disappeared into the house and I sighed regretfully again. I was so hungry, yet all I could do was sit and watch while everyone except me ate juicy fresh meat. My cat belly grumbled. I didn't want to imagine how my human body would react. A gust of cold wind blew at me and I shivered. An icy chill travelled down my spine and my fur stood on end. I slowly looked down to see the source of my disturbance. I saw a sharp face with dark hair. Handsome features carved on flawless skin. Thin lips and solid eyebrows. The most captivating of all we're his beautiful brown eyes. Eyes that were locked on mine. I blinked. He is... looking at... me?? Yes. Yes, he was. There was no mistaking that predatory glance. Fuck! I crouched behind the branches. Slowly, I peeked between the stealthy flowers that were placed in front of me. What I saw made me gulp. Not only had he already seen me, but he was still staring right at me. Even joining a convent as a nun wouldn't save my life right now. Oh, and to make matters worse? My tail bristled, pushing a few of the flowers to the ground. A group of five flowers floating down together during a windless night? Not suspicious at all. I was exposed. The flowers were gone and I froze. Those eyes closed up on my cat body and narrowed imperceptibly. There was nowhere to hide now. Aaron's eyes sharpened. A warm golden light encircled his iris and my kitty guts burst wide open. He was bringing out his wolf! An Alpha wolf! As a trespasser, I was in deep trouble. Immediately, I turned to my tail and ran as fast as I could. Jumping between the branches, I aimed at the courtyard wall. My white fur was covered with black mud for the sake of camouflage, but, while it did hide me well, it was useless against other shifters. Any animal with a sense of smell could find me, forget about a wolf that is a mighty Alpha like him. My paws raced faster. The wall was just four branches away! I was almost there. Escape was so near that I could taste it. Just a gigantic leap and I could run without leaving a trail. I increased my momentum and jumped. I can make it, I can make it, I can make it- Right when I was about to touch the wall, a massive mouth bit around my torso and bound me. I hissed with pain. The teeth didn't wound me, but they were sharp enough to sting. I couldn't escape without hurting myself. I looked at the face of my captor, indignant wrath in my eyes. The stare of the large wolf stiffened my reflexes. My heart fell below the crust of the earth. With the look he was giving me, I knew I was majorly screwed. The lethal ambience in his eyes made me gasp for breath. He detested me and I had no doubt that he would snap my frail kitten form in half. Just like my family always said - My tendency to be reckless would eventually get me killed. I wasn't even eighteen yet. And I'd be dead before I reached adulthood. Ouch.