Finding Alley

"Cee! Where are you? Time for your nap!" Mommy called. I giggled, hiding in the shadows of a oak tree, clutching my soft toy wolf Waggie.

"Stop hiding Alleson! Uncle Ken is here and he's got something for you"

Taking the bait of a present, and plus Mommy used my full name, I scrambled out towards her, and she hugged me tightly. I held hands with her, skipping merrily into the house. Cee is my nickname, my family called me Cee as I have a birthmark in a 'C' shape on my left shoulder.

I had been playing at the edge of the woods to the east of my house. The whole area belongs to my family, the Kingsley. James and Cassidy my older brother and sister by 6 and 3 years respectively were in school.

Rushing along the hallway I almost bumped into Uncle Ken, my father's best friend and Alpha of the surrounding territory. Daddy is also an Alpha.

"My little Ceeley! " he boomed, ruffling my black hair. I chided. "Uncle Ken! Cee!" He thrust several brightly wrapped packages at me, stopping my chiding.

"Cee! No opening of presents till tomorrow! It's not your birthday yet!"

"Mommy! I wanna open now! I am 5!" Protesting and showing her five fingers. She swooped in and kissed my thumb, pushing it down.

"Nope, you are still 4 years old till tomorrow!" She laughed. "Come, James and Cass are back from school and we are all hungry for dinner!"

"Jamie! Cassie!" They laughed at my enthusiasm and hugged me. We sat down to a delicious dinner, then I was sent to bed.

I screamed happily when I woke up the next day. "It's my birthday!"

"Yes Cee I think the whole house heard that." Daddy and Uncle Ken chuckled.

"Can I open my presents now?! Please? Mummy Daddy Uncle?"

"You can open them after breakfast." Oh! Mummy made waffles, my favourite!

The waffles are delicious with strawberry jam and butter! My attention is diverted by the piles of presents in the living room.

I got a black bag with paw prints all over it, like Waggie's! That's from Uncle Ken. I got a card from Erin and Jamie plus some Cadbury chocolates which they bought with their own pocket money which I put into my little bag immediately, leaving the card on the floor. Mummy and Daddy gave me some new clothes and a really pretty shirt with glitter on it, colour pencils and a pretty necklace with a ruby red stone in the middle, helping me to put them on.

But the best present have yet to come. I can now shift for the first time with permission from Mummy and Daddy helping me! And play with Erin and Jamie in their wolf forms in the forest without supervision for an hour!

They had reluctantly conceded as it may be unsafe. Considering Jamie is 11, 6 whole years older, they can trust him, but we only had one hour for our picnic lunch.

Daddy said. "Picture yourself as a wolf in your mind. You will feel a warming sensation when you shift. We will help you become human Cee Cee again later!"

I smiled. "Like Waggie? And like when I have a hot shower?"

"Yup! Now focus and enjoy yourself!" He laughed.

I saw a picture of Waggie in my head, and feel a sort of pushing sensation, then warmth and pressure.

I shook my head, yapping! I am a wolf pup now! Jamie shift into his black wolf and Erin into her grey wolf, carrying the picnic basket in their mouths.

I refused to leave without my new bag with all my goodies in it and drag it along, with Jamie carrying it for me in the end. It is around noon when we reach the meadow at the end of the forest and I became hungry, shifting back with Erin's help.