The Goddess's Chosen

Chapter Seven

Xavier

I would've never imagined running with my family through the woods of my homeland to feel so good. Sure, it wasn't the first time we had done this and it wouldn't be the last. But the run had left me breathless and my heart soared to peaks I never knew existed.

The smoldering embers of my sister's coat brought tears to my eyes. Her wolf was so beautiful. The perfect embodiment of who she was and would continue to grow into. My mother's wolf brought back memories of when I was a child, rambunctiously running circles around her and pulling on her ears.

I ran alongside Fia, her eyes alight with pure joy as she bumped into me. I yipped and tackled her. Nipping playfully at her ears and neck. We rolled around in the snow for several moments before she slipped from me and bolted. I chased after her. Joyous, airy laughter filled my head as our parents caught up to us.

My mother jumped over me and tackled me to the ground, nuzzling me and licking my face and ears. As a wolf, there was no other feeling like it in the world. The freedom. The energy. Through the eyes of a wolf, the world looked so different. Sometimes I would even forget I was a man. I become so engrossed in the hunt or the run that my mind goes blank and I succumb to pure animal instinct.

The fact that I was a man allowed me to feel comfortable anywhere in the world. But to my wolf, nowhere would feel as freeing or as safe as our slice of Brithari. And as much as I would love to keep running, there were things my father, and I had to do. We said our goodbyes to my mother and sister and broke off from the group.

My father headed towards Hayden's home—though I wasn't sure if he still lived there since he was soon to be mated. I turned my gaze away from him as I headed down the path toward the village elder, though I knew Ayla would kill me if she heard me call her that.

The village had indeed grown a bit since we left. On the way, I had counted ten new houses and there were probably more sprinkled around the lake. The buildings were made from the sturdy trees that engulfed this continent and to make sure we never overtake two trees are planted for every one felled. It filled my heart with joy to see so many children running about, both shifters and elves alike. Goddess knows how much our people have been through.

Beta Drake did an amazing job while we were gone. A sense of pride swelled up inside me at the thought of Hayden becoming my Beta when I someday take over the pack.

I paused at the shrine nestled between two enormous silver pines. Their dark bark and silver nettles swayed in the wind, rustling the chimes that hung on the branches. With a silent prayer, I bowed my head to the stone carving of our goddess.

As I neared Ayla's cottage, a rogue snowball came out of nowhere and hit my muzzle. I sneezed, shook my head, and turned towards the wide-eyed children. Balls of snow frozen mid swing in their hands. Hunching low to the ground and keeping my tail in the air, I yipped and watched as their shocked open mouths turned to smiles.