Remember

Chapter 28: Hunting

We stayed with the pack for a full day, making it most of the way through Washington. We stayed in beast form the entire time, allowing our scent to be corrupted by the wolves around us.

When the wolves began to head north, the alpha female ran us off. She got a little too close to Janus for my comfort.

Why did I feel this way? The connection had been snapped, there was reason for me to feel how I did! I wanted to be around him, was jealous of anyone who got close to him, and I had no clue how I actually felt.

I slowed as we approached another stream, this one much deeper and faster than the one where we had shifted at.

I lifted my head unto the air, sniffing the air. A nervous feeling coursed through me as I caught a familiar scent.

Humans.

I grabbed at Janus's neck, pushing him back towards a natural outcrop in the nearby rocks.

My pulse was racing, adrenaline was coursing through my veins as they approached the stream. Janus was pushed up against me, barely any space separated our beastly forms. I wasn't sure if my pulse was racing due to nerves, or if it was because of Janus being so close to me.

What was wrong with me?

The bond was gone. I shouldn't feel this way!

I shut down that part of my brain, instead focusing on the humans that were now crossing the stream.

They were hunters, but not of our kind. They made it to the other side, not turning back.

My body involuntarily relaxed against Janus as I realized that the threat had past. I moved away, I couldn't let myself even begin to think like that. I headed back down to the stream, this time getting a drink.

Janus stood behind me, alert and keeping a look out for danger.

Out of nowhere I felt a shove and fell into the water. I let out a cry of surprise as I went in. The cold water a shock on my system.

I paddled back to the shore, fighting the current. I was met by a very smug looking Janus with a guilty expression. I laid my ears back at him before pouncing at him, initiating a fight.

It wasn't the brutal, violent fight for dominance that had occurred between Lewis and I. It was a play fight, a way of letting off steam and releasing the built up tensions.

We nipped and tackled each other,  exploring the others strengths and weaknesses. Janus worked to drive me back towards the rocks.

I let him, allowing him to drive me closer, to trap me against the rocks. At the last second as he lunged towards me, I jumped up, pushing off of the rocks and landing on the other side of Janus. He was shocked, I now had him in the weak position. He was just too slow to react, I had him pinned against the rock.

He let out a soft whine, lowering his eyes to me since he couldn't move his head.

I let him go, panting lightly from the exhursion. He stepped closer, I tilted my head in confusion before he nuzzled me.

I went stiff with shock at the gesture. It was an affectionate one, not one shared between friends or family, but mates.

Before I had a chance to react Janus pulled away, walking back down to the stream.

I shook my head, I was so confused. Looking back at the memories that I had gained when the connection snapped I knew that I was missing something. But once again, I just didn't know what.

After Janus got a drink we were back on the move. I tried to lose myself into the repetition of my paws hitting the ground, trying not to focus on Janus, and the tangled web that had emerged around the two of us.