The Hunted

Chapter One - Avyanna

Pure white fur, shimmering under the moonlight, a thick coat resembling fresh snow on a mountains peak. Ghostly eyes, blending with her fur, almost disappearing completely, except for their silver glow that emanated from within them. From beneath her white coat, thick muscles tensed and untensed, displaying her strength.

Power rippled off of her, washing over me like a tsunami, crashing against me. It stole the breath from my lungs, leaving me gasping for air. I was drowning in her aura, an Alpha. I had never experienced power like hers, it was raw, regal and ancient.

My hands reached out, waiting for her to come to me. Her calculating eyes studied me, observing her potential vessel. I had been assigned to her at birth, to protect her and to serve her and my goddess while she matured. A reincarnation of her former self.

She stalked towards me, recognising me as her shield, her fur touching my fingertips. A surge of warmth exploded within me, illuminating the darkness surrounding us. My forehead pressed to hers, I felt the connection, an explosion of power enveloping me as our souls became one, completing the bond between human and wolf.

Our hearts beat as one, we breathe as one, we exist as one.

Her silver eyes bore into mine, an intensity I had never seen before sending shivers over my body. My arms wrap around her large physique, my fingers interlacing with her pale fur as she nuzzles into my shoulder, accepting me completely.

Ariadne.

An Albasnow, one of the original warriors of the moon goddess, pure bred and powerful. Luna of the original pack millennia’s ago, reincarnated now as my wolf, existing now as a part of my mind, body and soul.

I can’t remember how it felt to be without her presence, to exist without her power surging through my veins. Everything before now feels distant and foreign, like a dream.

She has always been a part of me, maturing alongside me in my unconscious, in the realm of her existence. She shares my memories and now I share hers. Images of a snow-clad realm, an infinite winter. A pup rolling in the snow, playing with other pups. This realm feels familiarly unfamiliar, a distant memory I don’t recognise.

Another image flashes before me; her and I walking through the snow, a dream from my youth where I visited her. Short, dark and curly hair contrasting against the perfectly white land, accompanied by Ariadne matching my movements beside me, almost camouflaging perfectly with her environment.

All of our previous meetings are presented to me now, the veil between conscious and unconscious slipping away, revealing our relationship as it always has been. Comfortable, loving, understanding, happy and connected. We had always been one with each other, we had always been an ideal match. We had always been companions.

Pulling away, the memories fade into a haze, the environment fading back into an abyss of darkness, the only light emanating from her lobes. We bow respectfully before she raises her head, a deep and echoing howl erupting from her chest and surrounding us in divine electricity and holy warmth. The goddess’s blessing.

~----------~

My body is jolted up, the cover slipping away as I gasp for breath. A current of electricity torrents through my veins, sparks lingering on my skin. I blink away the stinging in my eyes at the change in brightness, the suns warm rays cascading through the tent's thin fabric, fiery shadows dancing on the dew-covered grass.

I can feel her, stirring from her own slumber, her muscles tensing as she stretches rippling with decompression. It's unlike anything I could've imagined, a second consciousness existing within my own. Both connected and disconnected from mine, co-existing within each other.

Good morning Avyanna, I am Ariadne. I have waited a long time for this.

Her voice is regal, a soft silken texture that rings in my head. It is both comforting and startling, talking to her for the first time after our intimate reunion.

How about a run?

I smile, excited to shift for the first time. To experience her form. I pull away the blankets completely exposing my nude figure to the environment before crawling towards the exit of the tent, hoping not to wake anyone still sleeping in the nearby tents.

Blinded by the sun as it rises over the mountains, I take a few moments to adjust to the light before relaxing myself completely. Allowing Ariadne to take control, I feel my consciousness pushed backwards and the feeling of my breaking bones and tearing muscles is numbed.

One by one each bone cracks, breaks or displaces, shifting to match the shape of Ariadne's form. Muscles and ligaments tear away, reconnecting to the newly formed bones, expanding to meet her immense size. Tufts of perfectly white fur erupt from my pores, feathering and fluffing to form her coat.

I have almost no control over this form, but I feel and apprehend every movement, experiencing it through the connection. She takes off, her nimble wolf racing through the overgrowth of the forest.

Moss and grass scatter as her paws pound down on the earth, the thundering of her movements mixing with the rush of wind echoing in her ears. Her breathing is calm and steady, her chest rising and falling in unison with her movements. I can feel the way the wind ruffles her fur, how the grass tickles her paws, how her muscles extend gracefully with every pace.

A symphony of nature surrounds us, birds sing their morning love songs, the trees dance and sway to the tempo of the wind, their leaves rustling in time to the rhythm. In the distance a dear gallops with her fawn, rabbits patter and litter about a log, fish swim against the current of a stream.

The earth has awakened from its slumber, enchanting me with its sweet music, intoxicating scents and riveting sights.

She weaves around the trunks of towering trees as the sun cascades through the canopy leaving soft green and orange shadows reflecting on her fur. Her body is a canvas for the earth to paint its masterpiece.

The fresh scent of the forest lingers around me, dew crested moss, fresh oak and pine intoxicate my senses and spur her on further, quickening her pace as she races further into the woodland. I can taste the freshness of each scent on my tongue.

After hours of racing, leaping and weaving through the overgrowth she leads us back to the pack, slowing to a playful trot as she waits to show off her divinity and regal aura to her fellow wolves.

Emerging from the trees, she demands attention, puffing out her chest with pride and holding her head high. A wolf with auburn fur and dark amber eyes approaches cautiously, the smell of blood and decay lingers around him after the morning hunt, mingling with the scents of the forest.

He puffs out his own chest, attempting to undermine her superiority, demanding his rank is acknowledged as an Alpha. Her eyes settle on his, examining him before bowing politely and waiting for him to return the gesture. After a moment of her intense glare he conceded, lowering his head in submission and acknowledgment. Confusion casts shadows over the honey coloured lobes, analysing her with an intensity that made me uneasy.

Sniffing around her, she waits patiently, allowing him to get close to examine her further. Beneath the scent of the forest is my own scent, branded by our pack. After consideration he nuzzles her shoulder, realising now she is one of his own.

Side by side they trot back to the camp, separating to head to our respective tents.

Shift.

Without wanting my consciousness is pulled forward and now I can feel everything as bones and muscle return to their original positions. With each snap an agonising whimper escapes my chest. Her fur retracts displaying my own ivory skin, my body returning to its slender shape.

My chest heaves in agony as I attempt to hold my weight, panting and gasping for air to fill my lungs. My muscles ache and burn from the shift, throbbing from the pain. Slowly, I crawl back into my tent collapsing onto the ground. I didn't realise the exhaustion that would overcome me from her dalliance, forgetting that everything we experienced was shared. Her exhaustion, hunger and thirst were mine.

My legs and arms felt heavy, it felt like I was trying to swim through tar with my body weighted by chains.

After a short while of laying on the soft grass I composed myself enough to cloak myself with a thin linen, draping it over my shoulder and securing it with a corset. The material clung to my breast and waist, loosening at the hips to allow for a full range of movement, falling gracefully onto the floor. Some of my leg was exposed from the way the material formed against my figure.

After ensuring all of my dignity was protected by the material, I emerged from the tent, enjoying how the world now felt with my heightened senses. The smell of cooked fish stirred my restless stomach, leading me towards the source.

Conan stood in front of the fire, turning the fish expertly as they cooked. His thick body was rippled with muscles, a tribal tattoo spanned from his chest, across his shoulder and down his arms. The thick black markings were inked into his skin, displaying his status as Alpha. His long brown hair falls just below his broad shoulders.

A cheerful smile lingers on his lips as his eyes find mine, lingering a second longer than they should, before he gestured me over. He hands me one of the already cooked fish, his eyes continuing to linger dangerously, sending uncomfortable shivers over my body. Before today, his longing looks had made my heart stutter and my breath catch in my throat.

Mateless...

My heart sinks on realisation. Before I had thought that maybe he was a lustful man, with disregard towards his future mate. Now I realised, he knew he wouldn't have one. I try not to stay too long, my body urging to leave, his gaze only making it more uncomfortable between us. It seemed like he didn't notice and even as I walked way, his longing stare continued, piercing through my skull.

I ate the fish, pulling away chunks and popping them into my mouth, chewing slowly and savouring the smoky taste. With my attention completely focused on curing my agonising hunger, I never heard him approaching, not until he was sat beside me, nudging me and demanding my attention. Conan.

"Alpha", I tried to keep my voice low and respectful, but the way his shoulder felt against mine was repulsive. Ariadne was rejecting his touch, making it feel like daggers piercing my skin or an icy breeze nipping at my flesh. I didn't want to anger him, I didn't want to disrespect him, but my body felt like it was being burned by ice.

"Usual spot?", his voice is low and husky, oozing temptation. But unlike every other time, I'm not tempted.

Stolen kisses below the green canopy, longing touches under the constellations, romantic words uttered to a breeze. It all felt so wrong now, poison seeping into the memories.

"No". My words are strong and confident, making it clear things have changed but my heart sinks at his reaction. A knowing look lingered on his features, realisation that my wolf had rejected his, that our time together had ended as quickly as it had begun. The realisation of his situation, mateless.

"You got your wolf?", nodding he looks out into the forest, thinking and devising what to say next and how to say it. "Albasnow?", I nod again, his mouth opening again before quickly shutting, stopping himself from whatever he was going to say next. "A beautiful wolf for a beautiful woman".

Pursing my lips into a thin line I nod awkwardly, Ariadne now pacing about my head, her frustration building. For a moment his eyes flicker with emotion, worry, fear and finally acceptance.

"You leave for the palace tomorrow", without waiting for my reply he stands, walking back over the fire and letting it lick and bite his hands with its heat. I wanted to argue, that I wasn't ready, that I needed more time.

Everything I had worked towards, everything we had planned would require me to perform perfectly. I needed more time, to ensure it would go smoothly, that I would achieve our mission goal. Except I knew we were out of time. The palace is a month’s journey from here, the coronation was in three months, there was no more time to spare and now that I had my wolf, I had no excuses left.

I would leave tomorrow, and I couldn't fail.