Lost Luna ✔️

20. My Mate Almost Kills Me

Skylar

When my eyes opened, I saw leaves and trees branches. A panicked feeling rushed through me before the memories flooded my mind and I registered the warmth coming off of Anna's small body. We were still animals and we were just sleeping in the woods. I let out a sigh through my nose. We were okay. We were free.

A twig snapped and my cat ears instinctively pricked. Someone was here. I breathed in and smelt a reclusive scent of body odor, obviously someone who hadn't showered in a while. Ugh. My nose wrinkled as the footsteps grew louder and louder..

My blood ran cold as two men stepped into the clearing just as Anna started to stir. I snuggled up against her, using my fur to cover hers. I flattened my body against the ground and my ears against my head, keeping my eyes wide open.

I recognized one of them immediately. It was Daniel. I could just barely hold back growl, surprising myself. The other guy had short brown hair and beady black eyes. He wasn't much shorter than Daniel and seemed very anxious, bouncing on the balls of his feet as they both looked around the clearing.

Daniel let out a loud snarl, making me flinch. I felt Anna shiver as she let out a tiny whimper. His fists were clenched as he glared at everything. "She's not here!" He roared.

"What if she went the other way?" The other guy asked, though his voice sounded extremely timid.

"'What if she went the other way?'" Daniel mimicked in a little kids voice. "We already checked the other way you dimwit!" He growled smacking the guy upside the head.

The guy took a few steps back, rubbing his head. Thank gods they hadn't seen or heard us. Or caught our scent. Daniel fumed for a few minutes before storming off the direction he came. The guy followed rather reluctantly.

I didn't dare move until the footsteps faded. Only then did I lift up my head and back away from Anna. She looked up at me with her small dark eyes and her adorable nose twitched. I watched in amusement as her whiskers twitched as well.

I gestured my head for her to follow and walked out into the clearing. I glanced around for any danger before turning back to where we had slept. Maggie and the fox came strolling out from under a giant leaf beside a tree. Maggie sat in front of me, curling her tail around her paws while the fox sniffed around us.

"Do you think it's safe to change back?" Anna's shaking voice broke the morning silence.

"Not just yet." Maggie replied. She stood and stretched her tail. "They'd pick up our scent. Let's get into Ryan's territory before changing back."

"You know Ryan?" I asked hopefully, my ears pricking.

The fox snickered. "Of course we know Ryan. We're not part of his pack, considering we're not werewolves, but we are great friends."

Huh. He'd told me about animal spirits and such but had never mentioned friends of his. I titled my head to the side. "Okay. Which way do we go?"

"You don't know where your own pack is?" Maggie asked, slight disbelief in her voice.

"I've only been apart of the pack for a few days." I muttered. "Give me a break."

The fox rolled it's eyes and a strange thought came to me. "I never caught your name." I said.

"That's cuz' I never said it." She replied with a mischievous glint in her eyes. "It's Gracie." She said.

I nodded my head. "Okay. Lead the way."

Gracie and Maggie took off the opposite way Daniel had left from and Anna and I followed. It felt exhilarating to run like this. On four paws instead of two legs. Anna was scampering along beside me, looking as if she was struggling but keeping the pace just fine.