Shadow Wolf

Chapter 5

A week has passed and the young male now stays in the den with me, helping to keep the pups warm in the cold, bitter winter while also keeping us plenty fed. I become some what a motherly figure to him, his mother having been killed by a male and his father abandoning him. I love him as I do my pups but the feeling of being watched doesn't seem to cease.

By the end of winter, I grow even more tense by the prospect of my coming heat. At only three months old the pups have their eyes open and can walk more and more as the days go by. The male pup though, he grows closer to me wanting more and more of my attention. I know it has to do with my impending heat, but I don't want him to feel neglected!

"What's that smell?" He suddenly asked as the breeze shifts stirring up new scents.

"I'm not sure! You keep eating and I'll go check it out!" I nudged him and he nodded his head and continued to eat while I moved up the hill.

I sniffed and frowned. Another wolf was in the area, but where? I checked the area and movement across the field drew my attention. A solid black wolf was trying to conceal itself in the shadows. I growled immediately, my fur rising on my neck and standing on end.

I charged down the hill, thinking the wolf was small enough that I could take him alone though when I got closer, he was quite large, well fed, and heavily muscled. I started to slow though I tried to push forward. The furious beast in me slowly died away leaving a curious beast in its wake. I trot towards the beast and tilt my head, I've seen those eyes before!

"If only he wasn't mated!" I growl and he yips at me stepping out to meet me. He lowers himself to the ground, not submissively but surely not a friendly gesture either. Shadow wolves were evil. I try to wake the anger within me but it doesn't come. It's like trying to put on a pair of shoes that don't fit!

Wait... Shoes? What the... "Female, state your identity!" A deep voice sounded in my head and I yelped and looked around backing away.

Danger! Run! I take off without a single glance behind me and I hear him following, gaining on me. I run as fast as I can throwing all of my survival methods out until of course a rabbit burrow swallows my leg and snaps it. I howl in pain and I hear the shadow wolf drawing near.

I remember the burst of pain from last time and cannot believe it is happening again. I writhe and I hear a snarl near my head. "Stay away from her!" The young male snarled and I turned my head to see the shadow wolf squaring off with the child.

"Don't hurt him! Please don't hurt him! If you come to kill me, just do it! He's only a pup!" I whimper and the wolf tilts his head.

"Strange, we are already in tune to one another! I am not going to hurt you! I'm here to help but you ran away from me and I was worried about you, I didn't want to scare you but it seems like I did!" He lowered himself as to show he wasn't a threat and he licked at something.

I yelped and the pup jumped forward, ready to kill. "Easy there pup! She has a broken leg!"

A shimmer filled the air and pleasure erupted through me. "What... What's happening?" The pup whimpered and backed away and I looked down seeing my nude body and the pup shivered before his fur fell away and a human body remained, tiny and fragile.

"Shh, come here!" I waved him to me and he came to me and sat in my lap. I wrapped my arms around him and looked up at the male who was fully clothed. "What do you want?" I growled at him and he smiled at me.

He wasn't unattractive and looked oddly familiar. Chin and cheeks held a thin layer of dark hair, his hair dark and eyes bright green, his body was full of muscle and strength. He could make a great mate if he wasn't marked. Something drew my eyes to the base of his throat and a niggling of memory shadowed but vanished almost as quickly.