The Wolf Within

She smells good!

** Lia’s POV **

Yes, she was definitely the source of that wonderful scent. She looked so beautiful as the moonlight hit her. Her short hair blowing slightly in the breeze as the Moon Goddess allowed me to catch another good inhale of that sweet aroma.

I dared not move, since the wolf before me had not shifted, I didn’t know what to do. Mated wolves normally see their wolf counterpart first before they shift and, well, mate. However, here she was, not showing me her wolf, just looking frightened, concerned and confused.

For a moment, I saw happiness and excitement creep across her face and I felt my tail wag slightly in response. She recognized me as her mate!

Then she spread her arms out wide and made to take a step forward before she said: “SHOO! SHOO!”

Instead I stepped backwards and tilted my head to the side. Not sure what was happening. She looked like she was trying to be a bear or something as she said it. Was she rejecting me?

If she was, she would have to do it formally, tell me her name and pack and say “I reject you”. Yet, here we are and she’s just….

Wait…

Is she trying to scare me away?

What is this?

Again, she yelled “SHOO!” and this time jumped off the ground a little bit as she puffed out her chest and made herself bigger.

I looked her in the eyes and once more let out a howl, calling to her wolf, and begged it to come out. I could see my call resonate with her deeply, yet, her wolf makes no appearance, not even in sound.

I turned and let out a small whimper as I trotted back into the forest. I did so slowly so I could hear when she made to leave.

As she began walking away, I stopped and turned around to watch her. As she made her way farther through the prairie, I couldn’t help asking questions. Why hadn’t she returned my call? Why didn’t she shift? She certainly was a wolf, was she a rogue?

But the most important question at time was: What is her name?

I stayed until I saw her enter a small little cabin at the other end of the prairie. Then I turned at made my way toward the pack house, anxious to hear what Al had to say about the situation.

Even still, I found myself smiling the whole way home; as ridiculous and strange as tonight had been… I’d found her.

***

As I approached the packhouse I got a glimpse of a few newfound lovers chatting on the porch, one younger couple was all hands. I cleared my throat to catch their attention.

“Hello Alpha!” One of them said, surprised.

“Hello, it seems you two were successful tonight.” I couldn’t help but smile at their blushing faces. “Maybe it’s best if you two went to a more private space.” I called as I walked into the main house.

“Yes Alpha!” They both said and immediately ran to the closest cabin.

The mate bond was a powerful thing, and many pairs would be doing exactly those things tonight. I was lucky enough to have found my mate, however, I would be doing something different with my blissful evening.

“AL!” I called out once in the entrance. I knew she would still be here waiting for the official end of the festivities at dawn before heading home.

“I’m in here with Frankie!” She called from the common room.

As I entered, I could hear her taunting her spouse with playful insults as they played an apparently competitive game of Battlefield.

“Chief, Al is being mean again! Make her love me again…” Frankie said, giving me a mock pout face.

“Awe! Baby I love you!” Al said as she pounced on her distracted mate from behind and covered their cheek with kisses.

Frankie giggled and called out “Chief! Help! She’s attacking!”

“At ease Al, give ‘em a break.” I laughed.

Al got up with a triumphant look on her face as she asked Frankie “Still questioning my love for you?”

“No, no, love, not anymore.” Frankie smiled.

“What’s up Lia?” Al said, as she set the controller down and walked over to me. She was the only one in the pack, outside of my parents, who called me Lia. The rest either called me Alpha or Chief. Chief because I am the head of the guardians, warriors and hunters of my pack, but I also select and train the guardians, warriors and hunters who will go on to protect our ally packs. Ever since I took on the role of Alpha, I’ve also taken on the role of Chief.

Frankie, one of my best hunters called “How…” then paused for a moment, unsure of whether or not they should finish their question.

“They mean, how did it go tonight? Was it successful?” Al’s face couldn’t decide between a hopeful expression or an understanding one. She had seen my pain so many times, I could tell she was ready to help me through it again if need be.

I figured I might as well not let that readiness go to waste, so I put on the saddest face I could as I said, “Well, I tried my best… I really did… I just didn’t know-“

“Oh Lia,” Al said before I could finish and walked toward me with open arms.

“…that she would smell so good.” I broke as my quivering lip turned into a broad smile.

Al stopped dead in her tracks. “Wait.” Her eyes widened and she her jaw slowly dropped as she took in what I said. “WHAT?!” She ran up to me and quickly put her hands on my shoulders. “What?!” She yelled and ran back to Frankie and shoved their shoulder in excitement. “She smells good!” She yelled at Frankie and ran back to me. “SHE SMELLS GOOD!” She said as she shoved me away and then pulled me in for a hug.

Then I was hit by a bombardment of questions I did not expect. “What does she look like? Where does she come from? What is her name? What does her wolf look like?” she stopped and looked at Frankie, then looked back at me. “WHAT!!” It was no longer a question.

I moved to the sofa and sat next to Frankie, who had turned off the TV so we could both watch Al absorb this new information undisturbed. “She smells good!!!” Al yelled again. “I can’t believe it! Our Alpha has finally found her Luna!!” She turned to Frankie again, “WE HAVE A LUNA FRANKIE!” She squealed.

At this, Frankie got up and calmly rested their hands on Al’s shoulders. “Al, sweetheart, you are going to wake everyone on the grounds. Please, remember what we worked on.” They began guiding Al through breathing exercises.

“Ok. Ok. I’m cool. I’m calm.” Al said, as she closed her eyes and took in another deep breath. “No I’m not.” She stopped and stared directly at me. “Tell. Me. Everything.”

“Can you be calm while I do?” I replied, smirking at her excitement. She had a tendency get overly excited about things like this. She was a sucker for romance.

“I will be calm after you tell me everything, I promise.” Al answered with as she sat on the floor behind the coffee table, looking like a child eagerly awaiting a bed time story across from me.

With that I filled her in on the events that had just transpired and spared no detail. I felt myself smiling through the whole thing, and even laughing as I got to the part where my mate had imitated a bear to scare me away. Both Frankie and Al laughed at that too, I knew they wouldn’t let my mate live that down once they got to know her.

“I can’t believe – she tried – to scare YOU!” Frankie said between laughs and gasps for air.

After we settled down, and Al had gotten all the information I had to offer her, I got serious. “Al, what do you think happened? Why didn’t she show me her wolf?”

“Hm.” She said, as she looked at Frankie. They seemed to be discussing theories through mind link and forgetting to clue me in.

Guys. I’m still here, talk to me. I interrupted.

“Sorry,” they both said in unison.

“I think Frankie has a pretty solid point.” Al said simply.

“Ok?” I said, “You do realize I don’t know what you are talking about right?”

“Oh, right.” Said Frankie, “Well, she didn’t act like a wolf at all.”

“Yeah,” chimed in Al, “Are you sure she’s a wolf?”

“Yes. I felt it before I saw her, and I felt the spirit of a wolf while I looked at her.” I looked down, as I thought about it. “I just didn’t see her… acknowledge it.”

“Hm.” This time it was Frankie’s turn to be thoughtful.

A long silence took place as I waited for an answer, until I realized they were doing it again.

GUYS! Would you please clue me in.

“Sorry,” they said again. I knew it was always easier for mates to have mind-link conversations, since it took less time and effort than talking, but man was it frustrating right now.

“I think we need to investigate.” Said Al as she slapped the table and stood up with a sudden air of determination. “You know where her cabin is right?”

“Yes. It’s at the other end of the prairie, past our forest. Over in the neutral territory to the East.” I replied. Wondering why Al was putting her coat on. “Um… Al? Why are you putting your coat on?”

“We are going to pay her a visit.” She said.

“Honey, I think it’s best if you two wait until the morning. Don’t you?” Frankie said. “Besides, if she calls the Ranger station to report her experience, that will give you both more than the perfect excuse to talk to her. Right?”

“Frankie!” This time I was the one yelling and getting all excited. “That’s the perfect plan!” I jumped up and ran to Al. “I’m going to go monitor the hotline.” Since my pack has been in these forests for years, we, naturally, became the “park rangers” of it. There was never a time I was more thankful for that fact. I quickly gave Al a hug and gave Frankie an air-five and ran out the door.

“Where the hell do you think you’re going!?” I heard Al call from behind me. “I’m coming with you!”