I feel my whole body aching, my legs starting to give out, and my lungs burning. I am running up the mountain, on my usual trail, at full speed until I reach the top. I could shift to make it easier on myself, but no—I push myself. Based on the stream I just passed, I have about a quarter mile to go. The last half mile is always the hardest.
I am the only one in my pack who trains my human side. My Alpha, Simon, doesn’t believe in it. His main focus is on our wolf. Yes, our human side is a lot stronger than any average human, but I believe it can be even stronger. So, I run.
Since the age of twelve, when I tried to "run away from home," I have been running. I got mad at my dad. I really wanted to go to a sleepover party, but my dad said no. My father, John, was always kind and loving toward me. He never punished me and very rarely said no. So when he did, I lashed out.
Flashback
"Dad, but all my friends are going!" I remember the fight vividly.
"I don't mind you going to the party with your friends, Ivy, but you're not staying the night. I'll pick you up from Olivia's by ten-thirty."
This made me even madder. My own father didn’t trust me? I got emotional, my eyes filled with tears, and I could taste bitterness in my mouth. I turned around and ran upstairs. When I walked into my room, I slammed the door. My whole body was consumed with anger, and I felt a surge of power rippling through my veins. I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror and swore I saw the ends of my white-blonde hair glowing for a few seconds.
In werewolves, our eyes glow when we get mad, so I didn’t think twice about it. There have been many cases where parents report their kids’ eyes glowing when they get angry, even before they get their wolf. My dad is an ex-beta, so I have stronger genes.
I passed the mirror, opened the window, and jumped out. I landed perfectly on my feet. It was like I was flying in slow motion, like a bird landing. I looked up at the window. I had never done that before. I didn’t know I could. I stood there for a second, looking at my body. I needed to hide my scent. Again, I felt a huge surge of power flowing through my veins.
I looked around. It was late afternoon, and no one had seen me.
Our backyard faces the mountain. I quickly found a trail and started running at full speed. Two hours of running at my max took a toll on my body. When I got to the top, my body gave out on me, and I almost passed out from exhaustion. I found a beautiful open area where I could see our town from above. Our pack is in a gorgeous valley surrounded by mountains. I sat down on the grass next to a huge rock and watched the nature around me.
This is when I missed my mom. Even though I never knew her, I had a great image of what she would be like. She died giving birth to me. My dad said she was human. He met her when he went on vacation to Miami with our ex-Alpha, Gregory. They wanted to see the beach, enjoy the warm weather, and, yes, visit the clubs. My dad was turning 35 and had never found his mate. He first thought my mom was his mate because of the strong attraction he felt for her, but it was missing all the usual mate signs—like tingling when they touched and the mate scent—which should be present even with a human.
I sat there, looking at the scenery and missing my mom. I must have dozed off because I was awakened by Alpha Simon. Alpha Simon is ten years older than me. He became Alpha at age 18. He’s been a great leader, like his father, so I was very surprised when he used such a harsh tone with me.
"Ivy! Wake up!" His voice was sharp. "The whole pack is looking for you. Your father is a mess."
I woke up, wide-eyed, looking at Alpha Simon. The harshness of his voice hurt me. It was a strange feeling. My mouth filled with a bitter taste, and my heart constricted in pain. I got up quickly. Alpha Simon offered his hand, but I didn’t take it. I used the boulder I was leaning on to get up. I guess he noticed the hurt on my face because his pupils dilated, and he couldn’t take his eyes off me. His facial features softened immediately.
I lowered my head submissively and said, "I’m sorry, Alpha. I didn’t mean to cause the pack trouble. I was mad at my dad."
Alpha Simon reached out and touched my chin. A faint tingling sensation spread from where he touched me, up my face and down my body. I shivered. It was like his one touch warmed my entire freezing body. Alpha Simon must have felt it too because he immediately recoiled, and I could see the frown forming in his eyebrows.
I assumed it was because his body was so warm and mine was freezing. After all, I had been sleeping outside on a cold night. Alphas are known to share some of their power with their pack members, like the warmth he gave me just now.
"Don’t submit to me, Ivy. My wolf didn’t like it. I guess it’s because you have beta blood in your veins. If you were older and male, you’d probably be my beta," Alpha Simon said in a calm, commanding voice.
"Let’s go. It’s almost midnight. I’ll shift and take us down the mountain; otherwise, it’ll take us two hours to walk."
I didn’t reply. I just nodded my head, finally realizing the trouble I was in. It wasn’t even worth the sleepover that started this whole mess.
Alpha Simon looked at me and asked, "How did you hide your scent? We couldn’t find it anywhere. And how did you get out of your two-story bedroom window? There are no trees near your window to climb down. You couldn’t have jumped—it’s too high. You don’t get your wolf for another four years, right? You haven’t gotten your wolf yet?"
Now I was confused. How had I jumped out of my window? How had I hidden my scent? All I remembered was wanting to do it, and I did. It came naturally—no fear, no hesitation. The scent? I wished it, but I didn’t know it had actually happened. Wolves can’t hide their scent, no matter how hard they try.
Alpha Simon saw the confusion on my face and let it go. He walked behind a tree, took off his clothes, and tied them around his waist. When he stepped back out, his wolf was massive. His beautiful brown-and-black fur was breathtaking. He was truly a magnificent animal. Wait, did I just call Alpha Simon a magnificent animal?
His wolf came close to me, placing his snout between my shoulder and neck where a mate’s mark would be. He licked my skin. Tingling erupted, and again, that warm sensation spread through my body.
Then his wolf suddenly stepped away and shook his head. He gestured for me to climb onto his back.
End of Flashback

YOU ARE READING
Long Run
WerewolfIvy is a young werewolf that can manifest anything she wants. No one knows of her special ability. Her father is an ex Beta and her mom was human with beautiful white hair like hers. On her 18 birthday, she finds her mate who is an Alpha of her pack...