The Wolf Within

Two

          A knock sounds on my front door and I sigh in frustration. I pick myself up off my floor and cross over to my front door, stepping carefully over the wooden floors as I have just mopped them. "Who is it?" I call.
   "It's Sonia!" my friend calls back. I reach the door and open it to reveal Sonia, a good friend to both my father and me. She wears very tight jeans and an even tighter t-shirt. Her raven-black hair is braided over her shoulder and her green eyes bright with mischief. Her creamy white skin looks absolutely beautiful in the first rays of sunlight. "What brings you here so early in the morning?" I ask and lean against the door. She looks me over, no doubt questioning the blue overalls along with the white tank-top I wear. "What are you doing, Elena?" she counters and gestures to my outfit. I roll my eyes and let her in. "I am cleaning my home," I walk back through to my kitchen, "watch out for the floor, half of it is still not dry." I pick up where I left off and scrub my tile floors with care and hear Sonia gasp. I glance up at her to see her green eyes wide with wonder. "Where did you find tiles like these?" she asks and bends down to run her fingers over the marble tiles with different designs. "I bought them and carved the designs myself before I laid them down," I comment and go back to scrubbing gently. "Elena, you hardly ever socialize with the pack anymore. What is going on?" she asks and takes a seat on the floor. I stop what I am doing and brush the stray strands of hair from my face. "My father does not make it easy for me to anymore. Anytime I am spotted outside, he comes to look for me and lecture me on what a first daughter is expected to do. In my home, he is not allowed in, nor is anyone else who comes to bring tradition onto my front doorstep," I say as I go back to cleaning my floors. I feel Sonia eyes on me the entire time as I finish cleaning and put away my tools. I turn around to look at her and find her eyes moving over my body slowly. I narrow my eyes at her and cross over to wear she sits.

          "Don't Sonia," I threaten and pick her up off my floor by her arm. She steps away from me and rubs her forearm. "You know I would never cross that line Elena," she replies coldly.
   "It does not matter, do not look at me as if you desire me Sonia. You know how my father is about tradition better than any pack mate here," I counter harshly. Her features soften and she reaches out, taking my hand into her own. "I know you do not feel for me the way I do you, but you still look out for me as though we were lovers. Why?" she asks softly. I look at her for a moment and remember my mother speaking  to me about how a female always looks out for her other females. She protects them from the wrath of the Alpha and beta wolves. "I protect my own kind just as my mother did," I reply and smile at her. Sonia leans in and kisses my forehead before releasing my hand, and turning to leave my home. "You will make a wonderful mother and leader, Elena. I know you will," she closes my front door behind her and I smile. I turn and open my French-doors leading out into my backyard. I walk out onto the wooden deck and take a seat on the warm wood, remembering what it was like to have my mother protect me from my fathers rage.  She would always protect me and defend all females no matter who they were, or where they came from. Every pack called her the guardian, and every female respected her whole-heartedly. I turn my face towards the warm rays of sunshine and breathe in the sweet smell of rose-wood and lavender. I close my eyes and take another deep breathe of fresh pine and cedar. I will escape from here and walk down my own path just as my mother wanted to before she mated with my father.  I open my eyes and stand up, looking out over the tree tops and decide I need to form my plan to be gone from here within three months time. I start back inside when Dominic comes from out of the brush, calling my name as if his life depends on it.

          He reaches me and knocks me to the ground so fast I barely have time to react. I laugh as we roll off my wooden deck and down the hillside. He wraps his arms around my waist and fits his body around mine as we continue to roll down the hillside. He unwinds his body from mine as we come to rest at the bottom and pins my body beneath his. "What are you doing?" I ask as I laugh still and look at him. He leans down and kisses my cheek. "I just wanted to spend time with you is all," he replies and flicks my nose. "Oh? Is that all?" I counter and pinch his arm. He growls and soon has me running as he chases after me. I laugh as I round a tree and swing onto the next branch above it with no trouble. Dominic stops and scans the area as he looks for me. I smile as he goes off into another direction and remain on the tree branch gazing up at the blue sky. I watch as the clouds pass over and wonder what it will be like to have freedom finally. I imagine it is wonderful to go where you want to go, to see the world without having permission, and to experience the world for what it is without being restricted to it. My thoughts abruptly stop as I hear footfalls only a few feet away. I glance down to see a man in a blue polo shirt and black jeans that hang from his hips erotically. His dark brown hair is medium length, but tousled by the light breeze. His body is muscular like my father's, but tight and chiseled as his clothing leaves nothing to the imagination. His skin is lightly tanned and gorgeous. I catch a glimpse of his dark hazel eyes and suddenly turn cold. He is an Alpha and here for god knows what reason. I silently wait for him to leave and come down from the tree, scanning the area to make sure it is clear. As soon as I feel it is, I run back to my home and go inside, making sure everything is locked.
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