The soulmate hunt

Second stage of training

I was bounding through the trees, and this time it felt distinct. I wasn't in a rush like before, taking the opportunity to savour every moment. I stopped eventually at the place where those stunning sunflowers had caught my eye during my last 10mile run. The aroma of the flowers engulfed me, filling me with delight at their gorgeousness. For a while I just stood there admiring them, letting myself be swept away by their incredible beauty.

The scent of sunflowers will always evoke the memory of my birth mother. She used to wear a scented perfume that smelled exactly like it, and she'd tell me proudly that she made it from scratch. She even promised to show me how to make my own when I was older, an offer I wished I could have had the chance to take her up on. This reminder of her has brought tears to my eyes, the thought of losing her forever being too much for me to contemplate.

I decided to walk this track rather than run it, wanting to savour each step as I remembered my parents and all the things we did before they were gone. I was a mere sixteen-year-old when they passed away, only just having learned about my true identity as a werewolf and what it meant to be part of a pack. As a child, the term 'pack' held little meaning other than something vague; but now it was so much more - an entire family relying on one another.

I've often asked myself why it took them so long to tell me who I really was. I can only imagine how hard it must have been to keep the secret from me. Yet, in their own way, they were trying to keep me safe from all those who sought us out. So many people were still on the hunt for werewolves – some wanted to study us, some wanted to be bitten and a few even wanted to hunt us down, believing that we are responsible for dwindling human populations. I had never assumed that there were any other supernatural creatures out there, until I met my current family. My original parents had left me without many answers, but when my now parents found me they tried to explain it all to me. Whenever they failed to find the right words Hudson stepped in and showed them the way.

I had been a burden for Hudson, and I felt immense guilt for it. He was the one person I could always rely on for an honest answer, even when I was too scared to ask Mum and Dad. Hudson often acted like he had a responsibility towards me since it was him who found me close to his home when he was only 18 years old. I stumbled through the forest, nearly reaching the road until I felt a sudden wave of dizziness and fainted. The heat of the sun was oppressive that day and I was completely alone. When I awoke, I found myself in tall, strong arms with handsome blue eyes staring back at me. His short brown hair framed his face as our eyes met for a split second before he carried me to his home.

That day on Hudson has been my lifeline ever since, never turning me away. Even as I grew up and we weren't as close, he was there whenever I needed him. His family was cold and distant, so I often cried myself to sleep in those early days. But somehow, Hudson could always detect my quiet tears from his bedroom, coming in to wrap me in his arms until I drifted off peacefully again. Our bond was unbreakable - even if he was an ass some of the time

"Harper!" I heard someone calling my name, their voice cutting through the trees in the forest. I had made a stop right next to an old sunflower which reminded me of days gone by, memories that were so strong that they seemed to be carved into my memory forever. Whatever could they want with me? Could it already be time for lunch? This thought sparked a feeling of anticipation within me; lunch was always a pleasant break from the hectic morning activities.

I had a sensation that something was amiss. Mother had never raised her voice like that before, and it sounded like my name was ringing through the air. Without a second thought, I sprang up from where I lay and darted like the wind towards the house. My heart thumped in my chest so hard it felt as if it would burst through my rib cage at any moment, spurred forward by equal parts worry and dread. Was something wrong with Mother? Had she been hurt or injured.

As I quickly approached the house, Hudson came sprinting towards me rapidly and without any sign of coming to a halt. "Run, Harper! Don't look back!" He shouted in an alarming manner. It was clear that something had happened - I had never seen Hudson express such fear before. His agitation was palpable and infectious, sending chills down my spine. In an instant, my heart was pounding rapidly in my chest as his message to flee became clearer than ever. Unspeakable terror filled.

I started running and Hudson soon caught up to me, but before I knew it he was far ahead of me. That would be because his wolf side was manifesting itself, helping him to go at an unbelievably fast speed. I kept running, not caring where he may be; after all, he had been the one looking after me all these years and so I knew that he could take care of himself. I didn't know what had occurred, but I could tell that Hudson was furious. I could only imagine the thoughts swirling around in his mind at this moment.

As I was running, a black wolf suddenly appeared right in front of me. Could it be Hudson? I had only seen his younger brother Sam in wolf form, and he was only ten years old. Fortunately, this week while I had been training, Sam had been with his grandparents far from here. I stopped running and decided to approach him carefully as I remembered that slow movements don't scare wolves, which can help them trust you over time. The black wolf was Hudson, and I was standing just a foot away from him when he bowed his head down. I stepped closer and suddenly he motioned for me to hop onto his back. Without hesitation, I obeyed and climbed aboard as he took off running through the forest, towards some unknown destination. As we raced through the trees, a glance behind revealed people racing after us but just entering the forest, their intentions still unclear to me.