Of Wolves And Wildflowers

Chapter 1 Runaway

Running was always my favorite part of the shift. There was just something so freeing about darting between the trees under the moonlight. The feeling of the cold night breeze between my fur. I felt powerful.  I ignored the howls in the distance, my father signaling the pack to return home, I needed more time to run or I’d never get to sleep tonight. I had separated from the rest of the pack wanting to be on my own. Exploring was more fun that way.

I came to a stop at the river that marked the end of my fathers territory I backed up a few paces and the second I even thought of making the jump a large black and tan wolf jumped in my way snarling a warning at me.

Father.

I stood my ground and gave him a growl. I wasn't ready to go home yet. I was 19 I shouldn't have to.

He circled me, baring his teeth. Angered by my defiance.

I growled again baring my teeth back at him, mocking him. He lunged forward and his teeth snapped on my ear in one final warning that made me yelp in pain before I relaxed my stance and bowed my head he nudged my side with his head ordering me to turn back and go home.

I whimpered and slinked away accepting defeat for now.

As soon as I made it home, I shifted back and wrapped myself in a robe hung up on the porch before I walked inside to meet the rest of the pack in the living room of our large mansion.

“Aw, did somebody get in trouble?” James, our packs resident asshat mocked as I held my ear that was bleeding slightly.

“Shut your mouth.” I snapped

“Maybe if you learned your place, pup, you wouldn't have these problems.” He sneered

I growled and stepped forward
“My place? You speak of my place but you clearly do not know your own. My father is Alpha of this pack and he could tear you to shreds for speaking to me this way. If you want to pester someone pester Jaquelin, mating season is a month away I’m sure she’s just dying to make you her bitch.” I smirked.
James grinned and leaned forward.
“Haven’t you heard? Jack’s old news, baby..” He said and ran his hand over my face. I pushed his hand away and reared my fist back to knock him on his ass. I was small, but there was a lot of fight in me.

“Amara!” I stopped in my tracks and turned to face my father, Arthur the pack Alpha. “To your room.” he demanded.

“I'm 19 you can't just send me to my room!” I crossed my arms.

“I am your father and your alpha when I give you an order you follow it!” He growled at me and towered over me. “Go to your room I will be with you shortly!” he barked and just like in the woods I tucked tail and hurried up the stairs. The wolf in me, unable to defy the Alpha.

While in my room I dressed myself and sat at my vanity detangling my frizzy dark hair. Until my father came in.

“Mara, darling you know I hate having to be that way with you.” He said softly.

“No you don't.” I scoffed. “You like the power. Don't lie to yourself.”

“Its hunting season! running is fine but you stay with the pack and you come home when I call!” he seethed
“I wasn't done! You don't let me run enough! I'm restless!” I groaned and plopped down dramatically on my bed.

“You are restless because you need a mate.”

“Gross.” I muttered

“What you call gross is long held tradition Mara, and you're already a year behind.” He sighed “I'm tired of you shunning tradition and making a mockery of my pack! So I have chosen a mate for you.”

I gave him an indignant look. “What?! Who??” I demanded

“James. Your mating ceremony is tomorrow be ready.” he said.

“I will not mate with James, he is arrogant, and selfish and he has had his eyes on Jaquelin anyways. You can’t just choose my mate for me!”

“I gave you plenty of opportunity to choose one for yourself but you were too busy eyeing the outside of our territory every chance you got.”

“Maybe my mate isn’t in this pack?..It's not unheard of.” I mumbled.

“Do you honestly think that the moment you step into Killian’s territory you will be greeted with kindness? No! Our packs are centuries old rival’s and I can’t bear to think of what they would do to you if they got ahold of you Amara, you need to settle yourself down and find a mate before the season and since you refuse to listen to reason I am forcing my hand. You are to be mated with James tomorrow night end of discussion!” He snapped before walking out of my room and shutting the door.

I packed a small backpack full of things and opened my window there was no way in hell I was mating with James. He was a creep and I hated him. I climbed out the window onto the roof and jumped down. One good thing about being a werewolf was I was incredibly light on my feet, and couldn't be easily hurt like humans. I looked up at the mansion one last time before running off into the woods.

As I was running a crossbow bolt whizzed past my head I gasped and ran as fast as I could, no longer paying attention to where I was going. I heard a group of maybe 3 hunters behind me shouting.

“I’m going to mount your head on my wall wolf!” One yelled.  

I knew if I shifted I could run faster, but I’d risk losing my backpack and the only clothes I had to change into and I did not want to be running around the woods naked.

I heard a loud bang and felt something stick me in the thigh. I looked down at the tranquilizer dart.

“No no no.” I whimpered as the tranquilizers effects began to work quickly and my legs felt like they were weighted down with every step I took. I made it to the river and about halfway across before I collapsed in the cool water, paralyzed and hardly able to keep my eyes open. I saw three silhouettes around me. And heard there boots splashing in the shallow water.

“Look at her, She’s a young one.” One of them said.

“But she sure is pretty..” Another said. “Maybe before we kill her..”

I felt calloused hands snaking up my shirt. I couldn’t move I couldn’t fight.
I heard a very deep bark and snarl from somewhere behind me and the three men backed away. I l rolled my head to the sided looking at the huge jetblack paws that came to rest beside my head.

“That's the biggest fucking Alpha i’ve ever seen!” One of the men gasped

My senses were shot, and I couldn’t smell, perhaps my father had come to save me. I could just imagine the talking to I would get come morning. I weakly reached up and ran my fingers between the wolf's fur.
He snarled and snapped at the men and they hurried away, brave enough to pick on perhaps the smallest of the pack but not the alpha.

I felt a cold wet nose on my cheek sniffling, and then a low growl in my ear. I then felt the wolf's teeth on the neck of my shirt dragging me out of the water. The only problem was..he was dragging me to the wrong side of the lake, out of my territory. The panic set in as the wolf shifted and I was lifted effortlessly off the ground by two strong arms, and the only thing I saw before everything turned black was a set of bright blue eyes and a cheshire grin.