Free mate

White wolf

"Why do you have issues with the other pack?" I ask Sera later when everyone else leaves the kitchen.

"It's been like this for years. I don't even know the details, but they killed a family from our pack and then blamed us for killing someone in their pack. It's always been tense but now it's getting worse again", she explains.

"Did you kill someone?" I ask. The thought of a cycle of revenge that could start again makes my stomach turn.

"No, at least that I know of", Sera doesn't seem worried. I don't understand how she can have so much faith in her pack to deal with something like this. Isn't she scared that Daniel will have to fight and lose?

I still wasn't sure how close this pack is. They kept me contained in here with only a few people I've met and while they made sure I always had company they seemed to move in and out of the apartment and I assumed at least part of is was to meet other people.

My old family was close with each other which is why the rejection hurt so much. They ran together in the forest as wolves and as people and sat in the living room watching tv. It always made me jealous to see them in wolf form on the ground, enjoying the sun and their company. A loud growling kept me from going too close but I looked at them from afar, hoping I could join them. Thinking about it now I realized I've only seen Matt as wolf once, otherwise they stayed as people when I was close.

"Sera", I ask when she's about to get up, "don't you ever shift at home?" She tilts her head.

"Usually we do sometimes but... we assumed you'd feel uncomfortable. Matt said you got scared when you saw him at first so we decided to stay human when we're around you."

I had been terrified but I was scared of everything then. Sera hums when I say this.

"You wouldn't mind now?" I try to really think. Before seeing a wolf made me terrified but I felt like I knew at least Matt and Sera. Daniel was constantly on my mind and I wouldn't feel safe if he would shift, nor would I like to see Oscar quite yet but Sera? Her wolf was something I would like to see and now I knew she wouldn't hurt me.

"Not with you or Matt."

"Okay", she got up and took off her hoodie before facing me.

"If you regret just say, I don't want you to be uncomfortable." With that she swifts.

It took a few seconds for her to finish and I stare at the big wolf standing in the kitchen. Her milky white fur is long and sleek, I want to reach out to touch. She's not nearly as big as Jason or Nicolas but still when I stand up her back is as high as my hips. Her blue eyes stare into me, making sure I was okay.

It didn't scare me. I thought it would be like it was before when I knew that a wolf standing this close meant I was going to get really hurt, leaving various scars on my body. They didn't bother changing often for that, it was easy enough to hurt me as human but sometimes especially Jason liked reminding me just how easy it would be for him to kill me. Now with Sera I really wasn't nervous. She's not talking, I'm not officially part of the pack so she probably can't.

"Can I touch you?" I ask. Sera steps closer, which I take as permission to stroke the soft hair on her back. She sits there, letting me pet her for a while. It's pretty awe-inspiring to be this close and touch a wolf and for a second it crosses my mind that I haven't touched anyone since Jason. I stop that thought before it goes to wondering how long it's been since I've had any human touch that wasn't meant to hurt me. I didn't want to think about that so even though seeing someone shift made the memories come up again I push it out of my mind and focus on Sera. She soon gets up and I take my hands off quickly.

She doesn't change back though, just stretches a bit and nods her head for me to follow. Her claws tap on the bare floor when we walk to the living room where she hops on the sofa, looking at me.

"Should I?" I point at the couch and she nods. I slowly sit there, opening the tv and settling back. Sera takes up most of the sofa and she puts her head on my lap. This is just what I saw my family do, piling up and just being there with each other. It feels strange to be here now, with someone I trust more than the people who raised me but I lay my hand over her soft back and we sit there, watching reality tv.

Before I fall asleep I think of Daniel, if I can ever see his wolf. I think about the fight he mentioned and if he's really going to win like everyone seems to believe. Sera makes a small whine and licks my hand, she must have sensed my anxiety. I close my eyes and lean my head back, some sense of peace lulling me to sleep.