Chapter Three

Danica

Howls echoed throughout the forest, followed by a stampede of paws on the earth. They were eager and far too loud. They would not catch any prey like this. A lone rusty wolf could be spotted below at the edge of a clearing, unlike his pack mates he was stealthy. Trusting his wolf instincts, he crouched close to the earth, his ears pricked forwards listening intently to the deer that grazed before him. He was downwind from them, so as long as he was silent, they’d be oblivious.

He edged closer, crawling on his belly through the grass. The deer were still unaware that their hunter was about to pounce. Only for his efforts to all be in vain.

With eager snarls three lean wolves lunged over him and shot towards the herd. Their chaotic approach gave each of the deer enough time to bleat warnings and charge into the safety of the thick underbrush, leaving the three confident wolves skidding to a halt in confusion.

The rusty wolf rose with a disgruntled snarl. He was broader and taller than the other three, but they were young, their bodies still growing and it appeared so was their intelligence. From my perch on a small cliff overlooking the clearing, I snorted lowly at their stupidity.

Lying down on my forepaws, I narrowed my eyes slightly watching the Rusty wolf, Reece, snap at the three boys. Even from this distance his teeth looked sharp and intimidating and the three pups lowered themselves to their bellies in apology.

Next to me laid a small brown wolf pup. She wriggled slightly with an impatient whine and sat up. She was not pleased that her brother messed up her hunt. I didn’t know why, but Veronica was more compatible with her wolf than the boys. Even at such a young age, her Change was faster than theirs, less painful. Swivelling my head, I peered down at her watching as she looked on unhappily. She was far too small and young to partake in a hunt with the boys. Though from the way she remained still and the constant flick of her ears, it was clear she believed she was capable.

The idea may have come from my wolf half as before I had realised my actions I was pushing on my front paws and sitting up. Next to me Veronica, Nicki, jerked and peered up at me with a confused whimper. Standing fully, I lowered my head over her, opening my muzzle. She stilled as I put my teeth around the protected part of the back of her neck and lifted her in my mouth carefully.

Moving slowly, I began to descend from the jagged cliff side. I hopped from jutting rock to jutting rock, growling lowly when pieces of material broke beneath me before jumping from the lowest ledge to the ground.

Setting Veronica down, I moved back and shook out my fur as she mimicked me. Growling gently, I pressed my nose against the grass and inhaled deeply before baring my teeth and looking in a random direction. Veronica cocked her head to the side not understanding.

Grumbling internally, I dropped to my belly and started to crawl forward on my four paws, pausing to scent the air as if catching prey. She yepped then and I stood up as her tailed wagged like a puppy. Yes, I was going to let her hunt. But only something small. Nodding my head I scented the air, catching the smell of a small rabbit I believed and looked in the direction.

Copying my move, Veronica growled lightly before dashing off into the trees. The protectiveness my wolf shot through my system, had me racing after her, my paws silent on the ground after years of training.

She moved ahead of me and it took enough control for me to ease the urge my sister wolf shot through my system to be right beside her. Instead I stayed back, lingering behind and out of the little pups way as she eagerly sniffed the ground, her eyes flickering as she listened to her surroundings. She was a natural hunter.

I huffed slightly with pride watching as her pace slowed and she began to slink forward, before quietly lowering to her belly. My noise twitched as a breeze wafted our way and I caught the strong scent of a rabbit. She had located her prey.

Sitting back on my haunches, I tilted my head watching as she crawled. I caught sight of the small rabbit ahead of her, helplessly munching on some grass. Veronica was still for a moment before with a growl she lunged forward.

I was already shaking my head even as the rabbit squeaked and dived into its home. Veronica crashed to the ground, her prey gone and she growled louder in irritation.

Striding from my waiting spot I chuffed in amusement as she pawed at the rabbits home. Nudging her away, I tenderly licked her muzzle. For a first try, she had done better than her brother.

Veronica whined sadly before plopping onto her belly in defeat. As I watched she inched back to the hole and stuck her muzzle in it, growling, as if she could scare the rabbit into her mouth. Releasing a noise of amusement, I gently swatted her side causing her to roll away from the hole. She trailed after me away from the hole and mimicked me as I rested low on my belly, pressing my nose between my paws on the ground, my eyes zeroed in on the rabbit hole.

This was another lesson for her. Patience. Wait out your prey, for soon they would come back.

We didn’t have to wait too long and surprisingly, Veronica understood and remained still until, hesitantly the rabbit peaked its head back out. Not sensing us about, the little animal slowly exited his home and hopped over a few paces to get some more food.

I glanced down at Veronica, seeing her bright blue eyes fixated on me. Waiting. Baring my teeth in a wolfish smile, I nodded my head and without any stealth or grace like before she dashed from our spot.

This time she got between the rabbit and his home as he lunged for it. Instead, the animal was greeted with little sharp fangs as she caught him in her mouth. Unfortunately it appeared she wasn’t strong enough to kill it with a single bite and she struggled as it wriggled and writhed in her grasp.

Moving in quickly as she dropped the rabbit I latched my teeth around its neck and quickly bit down, snapping it. The animal went limp in my mouth and I dropped it at her feet. Veronica growled happily and wagged her tail before lunging at the animal to eat.

Huffing slightly, I returned to my previous corner and laid down, shutting my eyes. All was quiet around me, save for the sounds of Veronica eating. It didn’t bother me, after so long being a wolf I just accepted that it was life and in order for us to survive they had to die.

Briefly, I wondered what the others had gotten up to and I wish I hadn’t. My thoughts were a beacon to them and my eyes snapped open, ears twitching to the side as I heard the unmistakable sound of a rampaging deer.

My eyes swivelled from the right and back to Veronica, she was going to be in its path. A raging deer could trample a pup, even a grown wolf if caught unaware. Surging to my feet, I snarled out a warning for the pup. She paused in her feast, her muzzle glistening red and looked to me in confusion just as the loud sounds of trampling hooves reached her ears.

Her body tensed as she twisted and growled at the deer that broke through the trees before her. It was no use, that beast would not be frightened by a pup when grown hunters chased it. Growling savagely, I let instinct take over and charged from my hiding spot. Too gone was the deer that it hadn’t scented me and before it had time to either collider with Veronica or switch directions, I crashed against it.

We tumbled to the ground as my teeth broke through its thick neck. Blood rushed into my mouth as I latched on and bit down as hard as I could, until my fangs clipped against each other and a junk of the deer’s throat was in my mouth. Pain radiated from my back as I landed awkwardly with the struggling dear on top of me. The animal stilled then, dead, and I growled once more wriggling free from in, blood oozing from my jaws.

Veronica trotted over to me, her steps cautious and faltered as I moved to her and sniffed her. My muzzle bumped her gently before I cleaned the blood from her, more for reassurance to myself and my wolf that she wasn’t hurt than appearance.

She made a soft noise, a low whine to let me know that she was fine before I pulled back and tilted my head up howling. There were fast footsteps on the earth that alerted me to the fact that those responsible for this mishap were already racing our way. They slowed though at the sound of my call, suddenly hesitant to come forth and see what awaited them.

They appeared through the underbrush the deer had destroyed slowly. Three heads bowed low as they edged closer. By my feet Veronica snapped at them causing their eyes to jerk up. They looked from my bloody muzzle to the dead deer than back before glancing my way when I growled.

My eyes roamed from the dead deer to Veronica and back again, hoping to convey what had almost happened. Only one seemed to understand me and the light brown wolf, smaller than the other two whined slowly and approached his sister licking her muzzle as an apology. She snapped at him before huffing and going to her dead rabbit, holding it up for them to see.

What sounded like a long tired sigh echoed from behind me and I glanced back seeing the large Rusty wolf saunter towards us. His eyes flickered to the dead deer and he brushed against me in thanks before sinking his teeth into its belly with a happy growl.

Someone was hungry.

Whining the other three males edged closer but Reece, paused his feasting to snarl at them, ears flattened in warning. If I was human I would roll my eyes at his display of dominance. Instead, all I did was tackle him away from where he’d had more than his fill of the deer.

The tree boys jumped on the free meal as Reece snarled at me now and I yepped back cheekily. He huffed out another sigh and just laid passively on his belly beneath my paw that was thrown around his neck and allowed me to clean his muzzle.

Wanting to show off her kill, Veronica trotted over, the rabbit in her mouth and held it proudly for Reece to see. He rolled his eyes up to me in question and I nodded, yes she caught it ,before he lolled out his tongue happily to her. Before twisting his neck and returning the favour, by cleaning my muzzle for me.

Once the boys were finished, I pulled away from Reece and nudged Veronica into movement. She walked close to me, often squirming so she awkwardly walked half in front of me, half beneath my chest she was that small.

The boys crowded around us, messing and playing with each other only to stop and sulk when Reece snapped at them. When we returned to the house I trailed after Veronica up the stairs to her room and Changed back.

After so many years, my Change was fast and painless. Darius had explained that those watching would see my body shimmer and hear what sounded like all my bones cracking at once before I either, exploded with fur and collapsed onto all fours, or my body elongated and the fur receded back into my body.

Standing, I stretched and watched Veronica slowly finish her Change. Since she was so young, the mere fact of Changing left her exhausted and she would fall asleep immediately after returning to human. This time was no different.

I picked her up and moved her to her bed, curling the blanket around her and kissed her forehead before leaving her room to my own. The Change always left everyone naked. Even me. Since our bodies for a brief period were distorted into a half-half form and the fact our body mass changed with the Change, our clothes tended to be ripped.

“Reece tells me the hunt was not a success,” Darius mused strolling into my room as I finished pulling on my top.

“I wouldn’t say that. Veronica caught a Rabbit,” I grinned, moving to sit on my bed.

Darius raised a brow before frowning slightly. “Did she kill it?”

“Her jaws aren’t strong enough to break a neck yet. So I killed it for her, but she stalked it, caught it. Showed all the signs of a proper hunter,” I smirked before rolling my eyes. “The Boys on the other hand, need to learn the rules once more. They not only interrupted Reece’s hunt but caused a deer to go on a rampage and almost trample Veronica.”

“They are too excited together,” He muttered rubbing his forehead before giving me a look. “Any Rogues around? Pack?”

“No, but maybe we should continue South soon?”

“I do not want to take anyone South, Dani,” his voice was low with an unspoken warning. “I do not understand your urge to go there but it is too much of a risk to bring the others.”

“It’s just this…unnerving feeling I’m getting,” I grimaced finding it hard to explain. There was a sickening feeling in the pit of my stomach, a weakening one almost. Something that told me something bad was happening or about to happen. “I need to go there.”

“They do not need you right now. They chose him, Dani. Do not put yourself through this again.”

This feeling must have been messing with my senses and I growled lowly, turning my attention to the new comer that had someone managed to sneak into the room unannounced. Something that should have been impossible since she was heavily pregnant and due any moment.

Claudia stepped into the room as she spoke and moved to sit gingerly next to me, her hand protectively around her large round stomach. I eyed her closely, my fingers grazing her arm gently and blinked not feeling her wolf within her at all. It was subdued, due to the baby she was going to have. All because of me. Claudia was a werewolf, and everything about her wolf, protested to having a child yet I could handle it.

“You wouldn’t understand, Claudia,” I sighed looking away from her.

“I will soon,” She shot back smiling down at her stomach before looking back to me. “Though, I do not want to be in your position.”

“If you have a son, then trust me, you will,” I sniggered patting her head gently, recalling a time when the woman who was over fifty years old though appeared only twenty-something, was only in her mid-teens and blushed madly around both Axel and Rowan. Now here she was all grown up and about to have her own child.

I hated that I felt so old at times.