The Wolf Within - The Monster Within Book 2

Chapter 2

'Your father and I were up for a while discussing this marriage last night.' My mother told me, air quoted the word marriage. 

'Hmm' I hum at her still half asleep, having only just woken up.

I sit at my usual spot at the breakfast bar with the same thing I have every morning, eating as my mother carries on talking to me about the marriage I'd already agreed to go through with.

'He's decided to not force you into anything.' She says happily.

'Ohh' I pretend to be surprised by my mother's ability to change my father's mind.

'He would still like you to meet with them, but the choice will be yours whether you want to marry this girl or not' she says with a smile, like she's won the battle. 'Isn't that great news?'

Little does she know I'll still marry the girl regardless of how I feel just to get my father off my back. If I marry and start breeding he'll leave me alone. I would have done my bit for the pack and I can live in peace without the weight of our existence hanging around my neck. I'm sure I'd grow to feel something for her eventually, even if it is just friendship.

My father had made it well known when we were young that we were a dying breed. That we had to do our part when the time came to help rebuild numbers. Well... not my sisters. Just me, the only male. I guess my dad drew the line at selling his daughters off.

When it comes to the wolf part of our family my dad is very traditional. He does things how every generation in his family had done it before. My grandfather had an arranged marriage to my grandmother and their parents before him. My dad was lucky when my mother was picked to marry him, but he did have to wait a while after her mother took her away, hiding her to prevent the arranged marriage. Little did any of my grandparents know at the time, that they would turn out to be mates, drawn to each other despite everything. My mother told me they knew each other as children, but at that age the bond wasn't there. Apparently you don't start to feel the draw to someone until you reach 17 or 18. So as children they had no idea.

'Do we know when they'll arrive?' I ask her.

'I don't know, soon I hope. Just so we can get this out of the way.'

'Think I have time for a run?' I ask her finishing my toast.

'Sure, go for it.' She says with a smile.

The closer it got to the day of their arrival the more I would go out and run and it wasn't until yesterday when Aurora mentioned it that maybe I was nervous? Or at least had some feeling towards it. Running helped me think and if it couldn't do that it helped to at least clear some of the stress that was starting to pile up.

'Archer, can I come with you?' Ava asked from the breakfast bar, finishing her cereal, her legs swinging under her like she didn't have a care in the world.

'No' my mother said to her before I could open my mouth.

'But...'

'You're still grounded for that joke you played on Aria, missy. Plus you're only 8, you won't be able to keep up with Archer.

'Pleeeeaaasssseeeee' she begged my mother. 'I won't do it again.' She promised, holding her hands together in front of her like she was begging.

'I said no. It'll take your sister weeks to grow her hair back again. She won't leave her room and you won't leave this house until she does.'

'Ohhh' She groans, frowning and looking down at her empty bowl.

'Maybe next time don't let the intrusive thoughts win' I wink at her.

'She deserved it. She was mean to me first.' She tells me before she hops down from the stool and walks to the sofa in the living room, finding some cartoons to watch.

'See you later' I yell through the house as I run to the woods again, shifting for extra speed.

The trees whip past me as I paw at the ground, pushing myself faster and faster. I run for an hour, out of town and into the wilderness as I listen to the wind and the birds and the twigs snapping beneath me, under my weight.

The day was hot. One of the hottest days for a while. Soon I'm panting, feeling the dryness at the back of my throat. I need water.

I slow my speed and walk through the trees on all fours looking for a stream or pond to quench my thirst when I catch a scent on the wind.

I walk towards it as the smell gets stronger. It's like my body has a mind of its own as I'm drawn towards it, unable to stop myself. It's like all my favourites scents were mixed together to create the perfect concoction. It smells like home and the grass after it's rained. It smells like wood fire and fresh mint, with a little sweetness thrown in. I didn't know what it was or where it was coming from, but I knew I had to find it. I need to find the source of that intoxicating smell.

As I get closer I start to hear the trickle of water. It starts to mess with the smell, smothering it. But still thirsty I keep walking. Somewhere around here there is a waterfall I used to visit. I loved to go there when I was younger, but found myself visiting less and less the older I got.

As I pull a thick branch out of my way I see the huge pond with a waterfall cascading into it. My mouth waters and I shift back into my human form, diving in. Why did I ever stop coming here? This is exactly what I needed.

The water washing over my body, feels amazing in the heat of the day. The cool, clear liquid against my sweaty, hot skin is so satisfying, better than any shower. I swim the length of the water towards the waterfall, standing underneath it with my mouth open, letting it run down the back of my throat. I love this place. I've been here a few times but its beauty still surprises me. I love the way the water bounces off the rocks as it falls to body of water beneath it. I love the way the sun peeks through the top of the trees, casting streaks of light over the clearing like it's a heavenly oasis. And I love the way that is so silent with no people, no TV and nothing to distract from the delicate sound of the birds flying above the tree tops, singing.

Then I hear a twig snap in the near distance, alerting me to the fact I'm not alone. My head snaps to the side as I scan the edges of the water for an animal or any sign of life. Upon first look it's empty. There's nothing there. But I did hear something. I know I did. Then another twig snaps, getting louder as squint my eyes, looking even harder.

And then I see her. A women standing on the edge of the water, looking straight at me. She wears a white dress that hangs loosely around her body. The cooper in her wet hair catches the light of the sun, making her stand out against the green of the woods. Her skin is tanned and her beauty is nothing like I'd ever seen before. And then the wind blows and I catch that scent again. It's her. She was the one I was looking for.