Wolf Spirit Awaken, The Summoner Series

Chapter 9

POV Tessa

I am now driving to the new land I purchased last week. Closing on something that I can now consider mine was very exciting. Alpha Lorenzo released me from the pack right before I got into my jeep. It didn’t hurt much at all, which was surprising since I was told it could be painful to go rogue. I wondered, since I am so powerful, that my body just naturally recognized that I didn’t need the pack anymore. I am my own pack; a pack of one. I did feel a little empty inside, knowing I wouldn’t be able to mindlink my parents.

I drum my fingers on the wheel as I sing along to “Thinking ‘Bout you'' by Dua Lipa. I am driving on small back roads heading north from my old pack, Pine Creek. Up north are forests that are thicker and dense. The towns are also more spread out. The closest store is about 40 minutes away. This will be good to keep myself distanced from others. I had a good time driving towards the property. I slowed down and carefully looked for the private road that is mine and would take me deeper into the property. I see that the road is made of gravel and peeled away from the main paved road. The private road is blocked off with a thick metal chain that is linked to two wooden posts lodged in the ground.

“I guess I might need to upgrade the entrance at some point,” I sighed.

I know a lot of work is ahead of me. I would need to clear trees to make space for a house and for a yard for me to hangout in. I could build whatever I wanted since I didn't need to answer to anyone. I’ll need to build a big enough house for when people come to visit. My parents and friends will visit often, it seems. I pulled the jeep over onto the shoulder of the road and put the car in park. I stepped out of the jeep, closed the driver’s door softly and stepped in front of the jeep and made my way towards the metal chain. I unhooked the metal clasp that was secured to the wooden post. I drop it on the ground and make my way back to the car. I drove the jeep just past the gate and put the car in park again. I got out to put the chain back up.

Don’t want any unexpected visitors today, I thought. I kept on the dirt road until it came to a dead end about a mile into the property. I parked and got out, taking a deep breath of the fresh air and forest around me.

It smelled lovely; a pungent aroma of pine and earth flowed into my nostrils. I already felt connected here and a sense of warmth filled me. “Home,” I said out loud.

I left early this morning, so I had all day to make sense of my new property. I think a run would be the first thing on the list. It's the middle of April in Maine, so the weather is a pleasant 56℉. It rained a few inches last night. I could tell by the dampness I smelled in the underbrush of the forest. I reached for the back driver's side door and started to unbutton my beige fleece long sleeve shirt. I folded it neatly and placed it on the seat. I unbuttoned my worn-out blue jeans and bent down to untie my sneakers first. I kicked them off and removed my socks. I also placed them on the back seat. I took off the remaining clothes and closed my door. I can’t bring anything with me while in wolf form, but I don’t need to worry about anyone stealing anything, it's Maine after all.

Shifting quickly into my wolf, I stretched around a bit. It had been a few weeks since I was able to shift last. It felt good to be in my wolf form. I no longer needed to be on high alert looking out for pack patrol. I can just enjoy running freely in the woods and tap into my wolf senses. I could hunt small or even large prey. That thought got me excited. Even though I am still me in my wolf form, my animal instincts are stronger. The drive to hunt and tear into my prey is very strong.

I took off like a bullet into the forest and decided to check out the land and see where the borders were located. I jumped flawlessly over logs and small divots in the earth.

I saw a deer off in the distance and I immediately diverted my path to get to it. I launched myself in the air a few feet and I came down on the poor unsuspecting creature. It didn’t even know what hit it before I latched my jaw and broke its neck quickly and efficiently.

I decided to fill up on the deer since it's not like I’ll be getting takeout any time soon or have the equipment to cook hot meals. This deer will keep me sated for a while during my run of the 50-acre property that is now mine. After enjoying my meal, I licked my paws and continued on toward the border. As I progressed, running the boundary line of the property, I decided to mark it so other werewolves knew this was claimed. I rubbed myself up and down on the trees and marked the ground periodically with urine. It’s the way of our world.

I was more than halfway around the property when I came across a small river. I decided to jump in and swim a bit. I knew it would be cold, but my wolf abilities would keep me warm. I wondered if this river had salmon in it. It would also be fun to hunt. As I approached the river to jump in, I noticed my reflection. My beautiful fur was slightly matted with blood stains, but that is not what got my attention. My eyes were even brighter, it was like a gold aurora was floating around in them. It was very mesmerizing to look at.

I felt calmer and more peaceful. I turned my attention back to why I came to the river in the first place, swimming! I could clean my fur off when in the water. I jumped around and swam for about 30 minutes, then decided to finish exploring and marking the property border. When I made it back to my jeep, it was probably only noon. I am fast, so the running and exploring didn’t take up too much time.

I dried off and got dressed. During my explorations, I figured out where I wanted to place a house and build a similar obstacle training course like the one Pine Creek Pack has. I needed to find a way to stay strong, so this would be a good idea.

In the back of my jeep were some gardening tools, building tools, several mementos and personal care products I packed before finally leaving the pack. My parents also gave me a tent and sleeping bag as a parting gift. However, I could easily sleep in my wolf form if I wanted to, but that wouldn’t be realistic for a long period of time. The longer you stay in wolf form, the more animal you become.

Shifting my attention to setting up my tent near my Jeep, I grabbed my machete and moved around toward the lower brush to start clearing the ground. There were many trees that needed to be trimmed. I removed smaller branches and moved any fallen branches or tree trunks and formed a wood pile that I could use for several things during the construction process. I cleared the brush and forest floor for half a mile around the area I wanted my house to be located. Walking over to the wood pile I formed earlier, I pulled logs from the pile that seemed ideal as firewood. I love a good fire and I could also use it not only as a heating element for warmth but to cook food. There was enough time to hunt down some dinner and maybe cook something before night began to fall.

I also needed to make a list of supplies for cooking and building. I’ll have to see how good my cell service is around here. I’m sure I'll be using YouTube for lots of how-to videos. I also need to research the closest hardware shop and see if they would rent me a chainsaw. That is the next logical item I need to remove these stubborn trees.

Lost in my thoughts, I opted not to start a fire tonight. It wasn’t cold enough, but I did spend the time building a nice natural fire pit. I dug a little into the ground, cleared it of any debris. I lined the circle with rocks that I had found scattered throughout the forest during the time that I was clearing earlier. The rocks were placed two layers high and then I added the firewood to the pit so it would be ready for tomorrow.

The night was beginning to fall, and I definitely was very tired from all of the activities that I did today. Not just the physical, but the mental drain of leaving my pack that I called home for 14 years. Many emotions and thoughts crossed my mind. I made my way to the tent, too distracted to go hunting. Settling in the tent and under the sleeping bag. I closed my eyes and not long after I fell into a dreamless sleep.