The Mating Games

chapter 1- I know how to pack bags!

The road weaved around the monstrous mountains framing the large fields and speckled through the small town of Bains view. Gravel crunched and crackled under the sturdy tires of the jeep, thrown up and carried by the wind as the black blur sped around the corners. Shades of green and yellow mixed in the perfect combination of the springs last dying efforts to cling to the vibrancy of new life; but summer was fast approaching, the days drawing on longer and the heat clinging to the skin of every animal that inhibited the clumps of dense forest.

An ache in my neck awoke me from my slumber, the dull throb alerting me of the uncomfortable position I had been in for more than two hours now.

"Are we there yet?" I questioned in desperation.

"Almost, should be there in half an hour," Shane called from the driver's seat. He wound the window down and placed his arm along the frame, tapping the beat against the door of the music blasting from the speakers. Warm air billowed inside, swirling the inside of the car and picking the golden brown locks escaping from my messy bun. I sat up, stretching my sore muscles and clicking my neck left, then right; I wound my window down, letting the air battle for dominance while I cupped my hand outside the car and made shapes with my arm.

The dusty road straightened out and the landscape slowed down as we reached the small town. Shane shook Michael awake, the large man blinking at him in confusion. "We're here."

"That didn't take long", Michael grumbled out, heaving his large frame up the seat so his head touched the roof of the car. Shane drove on, passing several small farm houses that looked dilapidated and worn out, like they had seen one to many summers and were in dire need of a renovation. Now that I think about it, the whole town could use with some maintenance. We passed a small block of shops; a supermarket with giant fruit resting on the ledge that over hung the building and some smaller clothing stores and a mechanics. I stared at the fruit, their large unblinking eyes drilling holes through my soul as their unchanging smiles stretched unnaturally across their face; it was giving me the creeps.

The car kept moving, the shops becoming hazy shapes in the distance and fields sprung up all around us; "This place is a bit..." I trailed off.

"Yeah, I heard the alpha here is like, 23 or something. Lived here all his life but might be a bit of a country bumkin. His packs pretty big though, something like 500; beats our pack," Shane mumbled.

"Hope they have hot girls," Michael hive fived Shane while giving me a glance; I shook my head in disapproval.

"Seriously guys, that's disgusting! It's not all about looks and I think you're forgetting that packs from all over the country will be here so it doesn't matter about this one pack." I finished with a click of my tongue, crossing my arms over my chest.

"I think you forget that you're sexy as hell!" Michael countered while Shane punched him in the arm, "What the hell was that for!"

"That was calling my sister hot, and this was for saying it in front of me," Shane said, giving the boy another hit to the arm. Michael grumbled under his breath, turning his back to the boy only a year older. I looked at the side mirror, seeing a hoard of our packs cars trailing behind; we were all heading for the same place. Every wolf between the ages of 18 to 30 had to attend; after all it was the annual mating games.

//

We pulled into a long dirt drive way, following it for 300 meters before a large old style farm house came into view. The blue shutters were open, contrasting the crème of the house and the dark stain of the wood wrapped around in a large porch. Cars littered the grass on either side; people mulling around and unloading cars, teenagers held up phones trying to get reception as the older wolves threw a rugby ball across to a group of guys on the other side of the house. The atmosphere was light and laughter drifted in the air from all directions.