Jericho

Beginnings

 I ran. Forest and bush brushed my sides as I ran through them, tickling me, immersing me in their leafy embrace.

My home.

My feet went faster, limbs extending until I could feel the wild in me become too strong to hold back. I let out a deep roar, my body transforming to that of a proud, majestic silver lion.

I was a lion shifter. The last of my kind.

I roared into the skies, trees overhead, birds screeching and flying away. I walked slowly, remembering my brother beside me, always look over and out for me.

But he was gone.

I repressed the pang of sadness I felt and looked to the rain that wet my fur.The sky was dark and I picked up my bag with my teeth, running swiftly though the forest, still amazed at the feeling of freedom I got from the forest.

The forest got progressively less dense as I ran, and I started feeling a bit weary. I felt a presence up ahead, quite a few presences, all not nice in the least. The rain soaked my fur, so I shifted back into my normal human form, quickly pulling on some underwear, sweats and a hoodie. I brushed my hair in front of my face and turned around, quickly walking back the way I came. It was safer to change to human form, especially if there were hostile shifters near. I was showing I was not a threat to the pack if they found me.

I heard footsteps behind me, my heartbeat increasing. I kept my breathing slow and steady, a cool facade over my nervous one. A large hand tried to spin me around, but I shook it off and turned around myself. I was greeted by 3 muscled men, all wearing snarls on their faces.

"Who are you?

Why are you here?" The first one barked at me, powerful chest puffing up in order to intimidate me.

I could crush him in 5 seconds.

I let my ebony hair fall in front of my face, but spoke. "I am just a wanderer. I have no reason to harm any of you in any manner"

The men laughed, jeering at the fact that a mere woman could not defeat 3 werewolves. Fuck them. I seethed silently, but tried to calm myself. A temper isn't what has made me survive this long. Calm has.

"You think you can harm us? No shiz, you can't hurt a fly" A blonde one laughed, slapping his thigh. To be honest, it wasn't that funny. The brown haired one at the end was the first to sober after he saw my completely calm and serious face.

"Well, sorry Miss, we still have to bring you in" He said, walking forward to grab me. I sighed, they would take me but they should let me go soon enough. I needed to be on my feet constantly. I parted the men and shook off any hands that were put on me, walking in the middle of them back to their pack lands.

I was jealous that a pack lived so close to a beautiful forest, but when I came to the pack lands, it took my breath away. It was extremely large, but was all fields and scattered houses that went as far as the eye could see. It was perfectly modern yet remained uniquely natural.

The blonde one knocked at the door of a large house, not as big as a mansion I could make out in the distance, but big enough to be assumed as the pack house. We all walked in once the Blondie had mind linked, and I kept my head forward but hair in front of it. We entered a room that was just so expensive looking it was a stark contrast to the environment outside.

"This is the wanderer?" An authoritative voice murmured, the alpha of this pack. I could feel his power from where I was standing, but it had no hold over me. I wasn't a werewolf after all. He had slicked back brown hair and was the kind of powerful figure that you read about who is a CEO or something.

Reminded me of my father.

The Alpha walked around me, surveying my appearance and trying to look into my soul based on the body language I was giving out. He was easier to read than a 2 year old's book.

"Why are you here, in this part of the forest?" He stalked around me, trying to intimidate me. I squared my shoulders, letting my bag fall to the floor. "As I have said. I am a wanderer. There is no particular reason for me to be anywhere other than just being on the road and on my feet"

I sighed loudly, looking around in my peripheral vision. There wasn't that many people in here so I could make a clean break from them all, but it would be easier in the long run to just leave when they saw I was no threat. Less packs who know about me, less trouble there is in the future.

Survival.

The Alpha sat on his desk, eyeing me up and down before shrugging and sitting in his chair.

"We'll wait till Jericho gets back. He can do a scan of her then see if we can let her go or not"

I stiffened immediately, snapping my head up to meet the Alpha's eyes.

"Who is Jericho and when will he be back?" I asked, my voice firm enough to show my conviction. The Alpha raised an eyebrow.

"He should be back in a couple of days. He is our enforcer. The one who does pack land sweeps....does the more necessary things that the normal members aren't willing to do"

I smiled grimly. He was the left hand. The one who got his hands dirty. I nodded curtly. I could stay 2 days.

"We'll give you a room in my mansion, fresh clothes and food will be brought to you since you do not look like the type to be overly social." The Alpha said offhandedly, already going back to his work. The Alpha looked up suddenly, his blue eyes meeting mine directly.

"My name is Alpha Kayle. Feel free to ask me for anything that you may need"

I turned my back to him after nodding, pulling my hood up close onto my head. I hadn't needed anything in a long time.

Hey guys.

Have fun reading.

Good bye.