The Alpha's Daughter

Chapter 5: Hunting

^Scarlet's Location ^

Waking up on the dirt floor isn't the most fun thing in the world but it's better than going through more nightmares. I stand up and shake off any dirt that may be on my fur, which happened to be a lot. As I am shaking off the dirt I notice a bunch of claw marks where I was sleeping. Where did those come from?

W~We did that while we were sleeping~ My Wolf explained in a rather calm and numb tone.

S~When?!~ ... Could it have been the nightmares? I thought to myself. That could be the only answer after all.

W~Yeah it was because of the dream. I mean seriously? Are you an idiot?~ My wolf is snapping at me.

After the nightmare we had, I'm not surprised that she is a bit snippy at me right now. I feel the same way but hold back what I want to say. I'm still too tired and shaken up to argue with her so I take a look at my surroundings. Everything looks very different now. I have no idea where I am, to be honest. There aren't any scents around either. It's weird how much I was used to having a full nose. Now instead of blocking out extra scents, I will have to try to find a scent or if someone tries to sneak up on me I will know ahead of time, wind willing.

Well, I guess I'll just go on an adventure then since I have nothing more to do here. It's kinda nice here alone in the woods anyway. I'm not the Alpha's Daughter. I don't have duties. And I don't have to impress anyone. I can just be me and do what I want. I am totally free.

Maybe I should have explored more as a kid, at least that way I wouldn't have to worry about being lost. But I wouldn't be surprised if I was severely disowned by my family now, it's amazing and free. I think to myself half-joking. Of course, making my wolf growl at me, she still misses the guarantee of food at the pack and the safety of numbers that the pack has to offer. I stop laughing at the thought that she likes the pampered life more than me when my stomach growls. Signaling me to get hunting if I want to survive out here.

S~What do you have a taste for?~ I ask my wolf, not being able to decide by myself.

W~Rabbit!~ My wolf barks out at me immediately, with no need to think about it at all.

Time to get hunting then.

~Hunting~

Catching rabbits wouldn't be so difficult if they didn't keep on going in their damn holes. So sitting around chasing rabbits is getting really exhausting and quite annoying. I feel like I'm playing 'whack a mole' with these damn creatures.

Finally sitting down in the center of all of the rabbit holes I can catch my breath for round two. Laying my head down I smell something or someone. The smell can only be described as rich dark chocolate with something else, maybe vanilla. I can't help but pick my head up and sniff the air wanting to smell this scent forever.

The smell surrounds me completely, hugging me in a gentle embrace. My body feels lighter as if the smell were a cloud that I am riding on. The scent seeping into my every pore and fiber of my being.

Then in what feels like seconds the smell vanishes. Opening my eyes, not realizing I closed them. I sniff the air hunting for that scent now instead of rabbits. Catching the scent I run to follow it. My wolf howling with satisfaction.

W~It's our mate! That's the scent of our mate! ~ My wolf yells in delight. Jumping up and down in my head.

A mate? How can I have a mate? I'm only two days travel away from my pack. That means my mate must be someone from the kingdom. Those years of searching abroad were a pointless mission.

That can't be possible. How could my mate be so close by all of this time and I had not noticed? All the need for hunting food is now replaced with the insatiable urge to find my mate again. Where could he have gone? He was here only seconds ago.

Starting to run after the scent I stopped paying attention to what is around me. I don't see the fallen tree in front of me. Not catching sight of it until right before it collides with my paws, flipping me over. I fall with a thud on the forest floor.

Whimpering from the pain in my ankles and legs, the scent of my mate floats away. Today is just not my day.

Standing hurts pretty bad. I need to shift back into human form so I can get off my right paw. The pain subsides, no longer using it for balance has helped. Now trying to ignore the throbbing pain in my wrist my heart starts to ache. My mate ran away from me.

I don't even notice the warm moisture on my face. It is a mixture of blood and foreign tears. I wipe away the tears that are still flowing not knowing where they came from at all. In my head my wolf whines, very upset and broken about our mate running from us. I am angry my body and wolf have betrayed me. I don't want to care and be hurt too...

Coming to my senses I continue to walk feeling numb of pain, only focusing on my frustration. I will not let my "soulmate" break me or my wolf. I am stronger than this. I don't need him, I never will.