Wolf Moon

Awake

Slowly I came to. The room around me was spinning. I had no idea where I was. Finally my eyes fluttered open and there was so much light. Two of the four walls were glass with endless sunshine flooding the room. One wall was covered in books and vinyls. I sat up and in the other corner was Harden staring at me. His composure was lacking today. I rubbed my eyes once more to make sure I was really seeing this. Did I wake up in Harden's room? Why did he save me in the woods? We are natural enemies. Maybe he didn't save me. Maybe I was dragged into the lions den. I pulled away and and balled myself in the farthest corner of the bed. He sighed and looked pained as I cowered away from him.
    "Hello, I don't think we've been fully introduced. I'm Harden Aldrich." He attempted to smile. But I could sense he was in pain. His face contorted, I listened for his breath and he noticed he was holding it. I studied his face and all I found was confusion. "I'm Ella Claymore. What am I doing here?" I asked bitterly. I saw him flinch away from me. How was this painful for him? When I looked at him all I could feel was a swell in my chest. A blush crawled up my cheeks again as the images I saw yesterday flashed across my eyes once more. It was love, it was devotion, it was unwavering loyalty to his safety. I wanted to be anything he needed. If that was a friend I'd gladly grasp at the chance. Anything to be near him. I gasped at this realization and stood up quickly.
    My movement must have been unsuspected because when I stood up Harden met me face to face. I was inches from his lips. His skin was pale white and ice cold. I longed to touch it. To caress his face and kiss his lips. I had never felt like this with a man before. I took a step back. I must have looked scared because he also took a step away from me. "I.. I need to get home. People will be looking for me." I wanted to make sure he knew that whatever happened people would worry about me. I wasn't scared of him but his demeanor told a different story. I could recognize the expression of a hunter and his prey. He sighed again trying to smile at me. I couldn't tell if he was feeling what I was feeling but I knew I needed out of there to figure it out. "I'll take you home." He said dryly. "You cannot step foot on our territory. Take me to the woods and I can make it back myself." I didn't need this right now. I pushed past him and went out the front door. There was no one else in the house. I busted out of the door and took off in a full sprint shredding the clothes Harden put me in.
    I sprinted through the woods and I felt Harden's eyes leave sight of me as I continued my way home. I needed to come up with an explanation for what happened. I couldn't lie to Kota his dominance prohibited it. I could tell the truth, the partial truth. I passed out in the woods and woke up alone. I transitioned and sprinted home. I repeated this half truth over and over until I felt close enough to my house. I needed to stop by and grab fresh clothes. It's not uncommon for our kind to walk naked on the reservation but it was frowned upon. After I had grabbed a loose fitting shirt and gym shorts. I laced up my tennis shoes and began jogging to the pack house.
    I walked through the front door and Kota game me a weird look. I linked him. What's up? I walked past him and up the stairs to my room. We need to talk. I sighed as I opened the door to my room and flopped on the bed. Meet in my room in 5. I rolled over and let out a silent scream into the pillows. I was exhausted. Just as I was about to nod off a light knock was at my door. I popped up and opened it to see Kota looking concerned. "Hey." I said wryly. "Hey." I sighed loudly. "So what's up?" He sat on the bed next to me. "What happened last night? I tried to wake you up this morning but you where gone. I looked everywhere for you. I didn't tell your parents that you where gone, or my... dad." He started to rub his neck in anxiously. "I... I passed out on a jog last night. Maybe over exertion? I woke up a..alone and jogged back to the reservation." My half truth only wavered twice. He had to believe it. "Are you hurt?" He starts to examine my body for bruises. "No stop touching me." I slapped his hand away. "I'm fine I need rest and I need food." He smiled and stood up. "Alright your wish is my command Luna." There was an eagerness in his eyes, a longing. I looked away. "Ill meet you down there."
    I turned away from him and waited for the door to shut. I hadn't realized that I was holding my breath until it all rushed out when I was finally alone. My lie had worked. I gathered my go bag and made the bed. I threw on an oversized crew sweatshirt and changed the tennis shoes for moccasins. I needed a shower and food. My stomach grumbled in agreeance. I made my way to the kitchen and around the tables sat my pack. No one gave me a side ways glance or even noticed I was gone. I sat next to Kota at a table and grabbed a blueberry muffin off the table. I hungrily scarfed it down and grabbed another. Kota smiled at me happy that I was eating. After I was finished I grabbed Kota's hand and gave it a squeeze. Ill see you later for patrol. I stood up and walked back home.
    The walk was long but I enjoyed being in the forest alone. I was an apex predator in these woods nothing would dare attack me. I needed this time to think. What had happened in the last day. It felt like my whole world had shifted. I started to think about him again. I felt my chest swell. I needed to know what was going on. I picked up the pace and hurried home. It was time to talk to my mother about this. She was mated to my father she knew what the imprinting process was like. I hoped with all my heart that this was not what I was going through. Tears welled in my eyes as I rounded the corner to my house.