Innocent As Charged (Completed)

Chapter 9

We somehow manage to survive the night without marking or mating but there are numerous moments of awkwardness which result in both of us deciding by mutual agreement to not look even remotely in the other's direction. Isaac accidentally releases me while moving and raises his hand as if to slap me, causing me to flinch.

I instantly shift in defence, trying to block out both the pain from the heat and the memories. I realise we should have done this earlier as this way we can't see anything. He copies me and gives me a gentle lick on the ears, soothing the heat. We lie next to each other contentedly, my head on my paws. Isaac sighs and cuddles up to me, echoing my position.

The night passes quickly as I fall asleep, the effects of heat wearing off as it draws to an end, and immense sense of relief settles over me; it's over. The nightmare, it's over.

By the time morning comes, the heat has gone completely and I can move away from Isaac without pain. We stay in our wolf forms however, as we still have no clothes. He gives me a gentle nudge to make me get up and gestures with his head for me to follow him. He scampers through the forest until he gets to a small hill and gives an ear splitting howl. He suddenly shifts and I slam my eyes shut in horror: I don't want to see him naked, especially as his 'parts' are exactly at my eye level. Isaac laughs and tilts my chin up towards him.

"You can open your eyes Iz." Hesitantly, I open them and am rewarded to see his green ones staring back, piercing my soul. I lick his face and he jerks his head away laughing.

"Seriously?" I nod and give him the wolf equivalent of a grin, baring my teeth in a manner that (I hope) is on threatening.

"Anyway, what I was going to say before you interrupted me;" I have enough guilt to look ashamed of myself; "Is we're heading back to the pack if that's okay with you."

I nod my assent and he shifts again and we race off into the distance, the miles nothing under our swift paws, our claws carving furrows into the soft earth, the trees blur in our peripheral vision, my mind fixated on beating Isaac to his own pack borders, beyond caring about any border patrols that will execute me the moment they catch sight of Jack.

The sky above us is cloudless, the sun streaming down through cracks in the forest canopy, the birdsong preceding us a joy to hear, constant alarm calls echoing through the air as me and Isaac pass by. The smell of the pack grows stronger as the distance between us and the territory decreases. Isaac and me mess around like eager young pups, play fighting and fake threatening snaps at each other. Jack and Nate, on contrary, growl constantly in an argument that neither me nor Isaac understand.

At last we come in view of the pack borders and we slow down, Isaac's eyes glazing over as he communicates with, presumably, the border guards, telling them to let us pass.

That's a relief. I don't want to hurt more packwolves.

I mean I wouldn't mind -

They're our pack now Jack. We're supposed to protect them, that's our job as Luna.

We continue to race across the large stretch of grass to the pack house, releasing all our pent up energy. I only focus on beating him to the front door, going at a flat out sprint. He jumps at us and seizes us by the scruff of the neck, running the rest of the length with me in his jaws. We attempt to snap at him in complaint but we're too busy laughing.

He drags us upstairs and dumps me on the bed. I immediately trot to the closet and borrow some of his clothing, a casual shirt and trousers along with some clean underwear (at least I hope they are) and trainers, shifting to my human form. I step out fully clothed only to see Isaac has shifted but not bothered to put on anything, meaning I am staring at his naked back. I squeak in surprise, covering my eyes with my hands before I see anything. He laughs and I feel him walk past me into the closet to dress.