The Survivors (The Alpha Daughter)

T w o

I walked out the back door and closed it behind me quietly, and turned to stare into the navy sky that was dotted with a star that would be a million lifetimes away.

Shoving my hands in my pockets and breathing hard, leaving a foggy cloud wherever I breathed, I walked to the back of the garden and grabbed onto some shrubs for support so I could pull myself up the 3 metre wall of dirt, and into the woods.

I stood up and brushed the dirt onto my jeans, then made my way to the special clearing that wasn't too far from home but also required a lot of time to get to.

After a bit of walking, the crunch of the crisp grass underneath my feet was interrupted by some howls. My mouth stretched into a smile, and I thought about Louise. She had come to this spot as well and she fell in love with it as soon as I did.

I pulled back the vines and walked into the clearing, that was surrounded by cave walls and trees and also dipped a few feet lower than the ground height I was just on. The grass was slightly less frosty, but the small pond in the middle of the clearing had a thin sheet of ice over the water.

I sat down on the rock that lived out its days next to the pond and put my hands in my hoodie pockets.

The air was cold, but still welcoming and as I sat there with a clear mind, there was a rustle in the bushes, causing me to jump. I looked behind me and saw a silhouette over where I heard the rustle.

I quickly slid behind the rock, thanking my height for being smaller than average for once as my breaths were quick and shaky.

Pretty places always had a smell of danger about them, whether it be the animals or people it attracts.

I slowly peeked behind the rock to see what was making so much noise.

That's when a man who looked older than me and was about 6"1 stood from the shrubbery. My breath was caught in my throat as I whipped my head back around and pulled my black hood over my head slowly.

Did he see me?

I saw the silver water take over his body and form into a jet black haired wolf — quite a large one — and his piercing blue eyes scanned the area as I heard a smaller rustle come from somewhere close to him.

The wolf made it's way quietly to the edge of the pond, and I sank down lower.

How the hell was I gonna get out of this? Transform? I don't have a choice... do I?

I was thankful that transformations were silent, and I let the silver liquid consume me and my wolf was sat down as it breathed shakily, wondering if he'd make the next move or if she would.

She had a glint in her eye, for some reason, but I don't know why. I'd never gotten it before.

I rose my hips and walked carefully around the other side of the rock, and made my way to the other side of the pond, and barled loudly.

He was fossicking around in the bushes, so when I barked it took him for surprise and  he leaped from the bushes, a squirrel in between his jaws.

If the squirrel didn't move it's arms, I would have taken it for dead.

My eyes were burning from the glint of light but I kept my stare and a low growl escaped my mouth.

He put the squirrel down slowly and carefully before pounding his front paws.

I became confused, as a memory popped from nowhere... my father and I playing in the garden, years ago, changing back and forth between our forms, when another wolf toppled from the garden wall that separated the woods and our garden.