Wolfdale

BONUS CHAPTER (ISELEN POV)

SURPRISE!!!! Not a sequel, only 2 or 3 chapters to tell you how the girls are doing, okay?

"Run faster."

"I'm running as fast as I can."

"Oh, come on, Bianca, I know we can do better."

My wolf obeys, trying harder, and we fly through the forest like a white-coloured lightning dodging trees, jumping over fallen trunks and rocks, getting our paws wet in a stream, skidding on dry leaves when we turn on the path. The fresh breeze smells sweet even if temperature is still cold, this is the beginning of spring and we'll hold the annual fair soon, the pack can't wait to leave their houses and have fun because winter was very long and it was snowing for weeks. Not that wolves care about cold weather, but we cannot gather in one place because there's no building big enough in this city, we're social animals and we love to get together to celebrate important events and know about the lives of our neighbours. We miss each other.

"You can ask Ruby to build a massive stadium, she'll do it for you... the mayor adores you," Bianca chuckles while jumping again and we run through a small pine forest, heading back to the pond where we left my clothes and bag.

"There's not enough room in this valley for a stadium," I answer but can't help smiling inside the wolf's mind. I know my wife loves me, she's been showing it for a year, since the very first day we met in Greyson's tattoo studio. We've been very happy this past winter cuddling on the couch under a blanket, and Rosie and Bianca were able to meet frequently to run in the forest, my wolf is getting stronger and has learnt some tricks from our girls to hunt and survive in the mountains even if it's snowing. Unfortunately, with the arrival of spring, the hottie mayor is getting busier and we can't enjoy outdoor exercise the way we used to do.

"What was that?"

"What?" I ask confused.

"The noise..." Bianca stops right next to a big fern, breathing heavily, and we both listen carefully. A firecracker sound echoes across the forest and my wolf perks up her ears, bewildered, a second firecracker sounds closer and something hits the pine trunk above our head. Some wood chips fall everywhere and the animal steps back, scared, to dodge them.

"Fuck! Run!"

"What?" Bianca asks puzzled and, suddenly, a bunch of dogs starts barking.

"Run! Someone is shooting us!" The wolf obeys and her paws fly over the forest ground again, heading to the pond instinctively, I guess, because I don't know where we are and trees around me look all the same. I hope she knows where we are heading and we are not running in circles. A new firecracker echoes against the hills and Bianca lowers her head but never stops. "Hunters..."

"In Wolfdale? It can't be true... We're living in a protected natural park, supposedly."

"Tell Rose what's happening through your bond, we need our girls even if I'm sure they've already sensed that something goes wrong, they can feel our fear, probably... Ruby must send the forest rangers... Fuck..." Dogs are getting closer to our right side and I think they're trying to surround us to block our escape route. "We won't be able to reach the pond in time."

"What are we going to do? My white fur is too flashy and it stands out against the tree trunks and grey rocks. We need to find a place to hide."

"Let's got to the stream where beavers live, there's a cave behind the small waterfall, some cubs showed me the place last summer." Bianca obeys and turns again, misleading the hunters and their animals for a few crucial seconds, enough for us to jump in the water and sneak into the cave unnoticed. The wolf's thick fur protects us from cold when she collapses on the stone ground, gasping for air.