In The Pack

Chapter 3

"Layla, come on!" Xena called from downstairs. We're going to be late meeting the guys!"

I had just gotten out of the shower and dressed. As I brushed my hair back into a ponytail, I called back, "Hold your tail, Xena! I'm coming!"

With my long light brown hair safely contained in a rubber band, I bounded down the stairs to her side. Xena is stunning. Most werewolves are. She has shiny, curly, black hair down to the middle of her back, striking green eyes and an awesomely tanned and blemish-free skin tone. She's tall with super model legs. We're the same height, but I have straight light brown, carmely hair and blue eyes the color of the ocean on a sunny day.

"It's about time, you slow poke!" Xena told me, nudging my arm with her elbow.

"You know they'll wait for us," I told her with a smile.

She laughed. "Yeah, they will," she agreed.

Arm in arm, we headed out the door towards our meeting place at the edge of the woods. Lee and Nate were already there and waiting for us.

Lee is tall, toned and lean with dark brown hair and light brown eyes. Nate is about two inches shorter and built. If he wasn't one of my best friends, I'd be terrified of his stature. His hair is the same color as mine and his eyes are hazel.

There were smiles and hugs all around before we shifted and headed into the woods. As a wolf, your fur takes on the same color as your hair. Nate is the largest, then Lee, me and Xena.

In the woods we raced, rolled and wrestled, just being goofy and enjoying ourselves. We all enjoyed the freedom of these times without training, a job, or even a purpose, and we never waste a second of it.

After a bit of tag, Nate barreled into me before taking off, with a choking sound equivalent to laughter. I took off after him with a growl while Lee and Xena relaxed.

I was almost on him when I heard a howl from the wolf pack in the woods. The howl went from low to high. It meant there was an intruder in the woods.

Changing course, I headed in the direction the howl had come from. Nate skidded to a stop in surprise and barked at me in question. I'm the only werewolf able to completely communicate with the wolf pack because I had lived with them. Nate had no idea what that howl had meant. He just followed behind in confusion.

It was easy to find the wolf that had howled. By the time I got there, a ring of six wolves surrounded a lone werewolf. The werewolf was crouched on the ground with his ears flat, looking around. When he spotted me surprise showed in his eyes.

Behind me, I heard Nate slide to a stop about ten feet back. For the moment I ignored him. The new alpha of the wolf pack, using a range of twitches, noises and eye movement, summed up the situation for me. They had stopped the wolf because he was barreling through the woods towards our territory.

I flicked my ears and dipped my nose an inch to say thank you. Then I asked him to please watch my back. When he agreed, I shifted.

I held up my hand, palm out and the alpha bumped it with his head and rejoined the circle. This passed the command briefly to me.

Looking at the werewolf inside the ring, I said in a hard voice, "I want you to shift and put your hands in the air. Now."

In only a second there was a naked teenage boy in front of me. An attractive, naked teenage boy. He was taller than Lee, which is over six feet, with toned muscles; more than Lee, but not as much as Nate. His hair was jet black and slightly shaggy, with eyes just as dark. His skin was darkly tanned with jagged scars criss-crossing his perfect abs.