I couldn’t sleep. It’d been hours since I’d gotten into bed, but my head was full of questions and thoughts.
I was restless, uncomfortable, and hot in my sheets, frustrated at the fact that I was exhausted but I couldn’t get to sleep.
I stared up at the black ceiling, the room dark except where the moon shined in past my curtains.
I stayed quiet and still for a while, the manor covered in silence inside, unlike the outside world.
Wind swooped by, trees swinging and branches clattering to the ground in big heaps, rain belting down loudly on the roof and decks of the mansion.
After a while, through the rain and thick walls, I could hear Mum screaming and Dad yelling.
She was sensitive towards some topics and she could very quickly lose control of herself when it came to Ben and I. It was a good thing Dad knew the loopholes.
He knew when to just leave her to think it through for herself. He knew when to move in and hug her, calm her down, and he knew when he had to yell back to get her attention and tell her she’s talking nonsense.
They’d been fighting more though, recently. Everything with me and my mate and now everything with the vampires.
They’re scared and Mum doesn’t know what’s going to happen, so she’s overreacting and demanding answers Dad can’t give her.
When it didn’t die down anytime soon, I figured I wouldn’t get to sleep soon either, so I got up. I changed into a pair of black shorts and a loose blue tank top before I grabbed a pair of socks and my runners.
I sat on my bed as I put them on before I made my way out, hearing Dad yell for the last time.
“Enough is enough!”
Silence followed before I heard Mum’s cries break, but I ignored them as I passed their room and made my way downstairs, going quiet but fast so I wouldn’t get caught.
If they knew I was leaving in the middle of the night, they’d lock me up forevermore. I know it’s a risk. That the vampires are out there, but the warriors are out there too. They’ll help me if I do get into any trouble.
I stopped running when I reached the river, bending down to catch my breath, my hands on my knees and my eyes closed.
The air was cold, the wind breezy, and the river flowing fast, rough as night took over the woods. Owls were out, sounds of ‘hoo’ erupting from the trees, echoing in the wind.
Crickets were chirping and clicking in the tall grass by the river, frogs croaking and other animals awake, several sounds coming together and playing throughout the woods.
Water spat up as it crashed against the rocks, pooling into eddies and being blocked by fallen trees and branches.
The smell of dirt and moss captured the scene, particles of muck flowing in the air to give off a fresh, swamp smell.
I stood up straight again, looking over the water and to the other side, not looking much different from the side I was on, but it was the line of the boundary.
Dad didn’t own the land over there, and so I’ve never crossed the river and I would never. Too many dangers out there. Vampires watching, rival packs ready to pounce, rogues ready to hunt.
I looked down the river when suddenly a howl sounded off. A battle howl, informing the pack that we were under attack. It drifted through the night, making everything else deafen when it sounded again.
I didn’t think twice before I started, running alongside the river before into the woods again, seeing and hearing wolves battling out.
I’d fought before. There have been times when I’ve contributed to attacking rogues and packs, and helped the warriors out.
Four strange wolves fought against two warriors until they were parted, snarling at each other and circling, preparing to fight again. I stayed in place, ready to defend myself as a few noticed me as well.
A white wolf turned to me, snapping his jaw and snarling as I growled back, feeling my spirit animal bash me inside out.
I bit my tongue hard, letting myself be consumed by the warmth my silver coat gave. My knees hit the ground hard first before my skin and bones turned and snapped, reshaping painlessly into my wolf.
Wisps of joy and determination filled my soul while I fixed my eyes on the wolf opposite me when he just laid down, his front paws out in front of him and his head tilting as if he found me interesting.
I stepped closer slowly, glancing up as more warriors came around before I dropped my eyes back to the snow-white wolf when he leaned up enough to nip my coat.
I grunted a little, taking in the sweet smell covering him.
I dug my nose into his neck as I tried to work out who he was and where he was from. The smell of freedom was thick, dragging in his coat like honey stuck and tangled in.
He was hot, as if he’d been laying in the sun for hours.
He was bigger than I, taller and possibly older but not much, I could tell. He was still young, immature.
Growls and cries brought me out, making me pull away and look at the battle I’d forgotten was happening before us.
Two of the warriors were down but healing while another four were chasing off the other three invaders.
They hadn’t realized one was with me, by the looks of it. We were off to the side, hidden in the night and bushes, making no sounds to give off a fight.
I groaned unconsciously when I felt him lean into me, his head sliding under mine and making me turn.
Compelled by his presence, I whimpered when he took off into a run but stopped and looked back, almost like he was begging for me to follow.
I can’t just leave everything and go. I clamped my eyes closed when I heard him growl before he took off again.
My breath shallowed, my head dizzying while I felt loneliness crawl all over me, my blood bubbling under my skin, longing for him again.
I glanced up at him as he came over, standing twice as tall as me.
I whimpered slightly when I saw one of the warriors down, still and silent before Red blocked the scene from me.
I didn’t reply, resulting in him shoving me down. I growled back but stayed down, looking up at him as he waited for my answer.
The best thing about Red is that I can tell him whatever I want and Dad will never know.
I can fool around and he can tell me off for this and that but at the end of the day, Dad would have no clue what happened or what was said while Red had control. Neither would any of the warriors.
Once their wolves were in control, a whole different setup and system was followed by Red’s rules, not Ryder’s. Both Alpha but they were alphas to two different packs.
My father ruled the pack when everyone was human while Red took over with the wolves. Until it comes to Cursed wolves, having the one mind and soul, we follow both.
~“You should have run off with him. He’ll see this as betrayal, choosing us over him—” ~
~“You’re my family. My home—” ~
I looked from her concerned eyes to Red’s when he dropped his head to lick mine, making me close my eyes.
“Josephine, what were you even doing out here?” I heard Mum start and I sighed inside, whining softly to Red to take her away now.
His eyes shined with amusement before he stood up again, transforming back to look like my father but not letting him take back full control.
Claws were still out for fingers, his usual blue eyes, Red’s gold instead.
I rolled my eyes at them as he grabbed her hips and pulled her against him as she gave him a hard look.
“She ran away again,” she muttered and looked at me. “There are vampires after you, Josephine. Why on earth would you ever come out by yourself?”
“Oh, Puppy,” Red put in as I growled lightly and got up to phase back.
My bones and skin turned to crumble my coat inside while I felt myself shrink yet stretch.
I took a deep breath, feeling the aches and pains in my muscles fade as they healed and I stood up straight, looking from Mum to Red.
“I couldn’t sleep. Not with you two screaming at each other.”
I knew he hated when I referred to him as Dad. I didn’t know why because in a way he was too.
Also, he thinks Dad’s a lunatic with no right mind. It’s funny how they both see each other. They’re both alive because of each other, yet they mostly despise their other half.
He’s always been an angry wolf, always on high alert and violent, but he’s also very protective and kind when he wants to be.
Like Dad, he knows what’s best and he doesn’t have to think twice before he puts something into action.
“You know what I mean,” I replied, waving a hand at Red as he glanced at Mum with a funny look.
“You’ll know soon enough,” he shrugged, walking back to me.
~“Be careful, Pup. Your mate won’t quit until he has you.” ~
“I hate to butt in,” Mum snapped, clapping her hands. “But you share it with me too.”
“Chill your frill, Mate. She understands never to run off this late at night now since whatever Ryder told her didn’t work—”
“She shouldn’t have to be told,” Mum replied, gritting and getting angrier the longer Dad was locked up and not set free. “I want Ryder back.”
“Can’t handle Puppy yourself?”
“Dad,” I touched his arm. He looked back at me in shock, then sadly when the light in his eyes flickered out and they were blue again.
“Phinie,” Dad breathed, stepping in and touching my cheek as he searched me for any obvious injuries.
“What are you doing out here?” he asked, frowning a little before he glanced at Mum and then around, trying to put the pieces together.
“Four rogues,” I started, helping him out. “They got away though, and-and Mitchell was—he was killed,” I struggled, feeling my heart suddenly beat a little faster.
He dropped his hand from my cheek, looking over to where the warriors picked up the body. I watched them sadly, shifting on my feet, as they carried him away and back towards the manor.
“Phinie, what were you doing out here?” Dad asked, his jaw clenching.
“I-I came out for a run. I couldn’t sleep,” I added quickly and glanced at Mum as she took Dad’s hand.
“You were arguing. Again. You have to stop fighting,” I told them, watching them look at each other softly. “I got to the river when I heard the howls. I came to help.”
“Did they hurt you?” Dad looked over me while I shook my head lightly.
I knew he could smell the scent on me, my mate’s scent, and so now he was trying to figure out why exactly it was all over me.
“I’m going to go back, try to get some sleep now,” I told them, watching Mum nod before I passed them and started running into the woods, towards home, but I wasn’t ready to go home just yet.
I reached the center point and took another direction, heading back towards the river only to stop before I hit the water.
The scent crossed my path, igniting my senses and consuming me as if I was drowning. I breathed it in as I turned my head towards the hills where the river ran down from.
I paused before I started, following the trail and jumping only to land on four paws, beating at the ground and running faster than I could have with just two legs.
I ran for no less than an hour before I even got close. When the scent suddenly cut, I stopped short and couldn’t help but start whimpering because I’d run so far for him and now the trail had just stopped.
I stepped back and glanced around, looking through the trees and down the hill again to see if maybe he was hiding from me but I couldn’t see anything.
I growled out, letting my beast pull me down until I was lying on my back, my arms and legs returned, skin covering me and not fur.
I stared up at the night sky through the trees, stars shining back down but I wasn’t too convinced they were the only things watching me.
I paused before I sat up and took another look around, turned at the sound of a stick snapping but I couldn’t see anything. No wolf. None as white as snow like my mate.
“Show yourself!” I called, getting to my feet and making my way over to where the sound echoed. But when I reached the space, there was nothing again.
“If you’re out there, I’m sorry for not coming with you but I’m here now. Let me see you,” I said loudly, feeling my eyes start to water as I wondered if he didn’t want me seeing him.
Maybe I really did betray him when I didn’t come. Perhaps I should have run off with him, I thought, swallowing hard as I took another look around but I didn’t like my luck.
