Charlie & Her Alpha

Charlie bolted down another alleyway, hoping with all her heart that the creature did not continue its pursuit. She was soaking in sweat, her hair clung sticky to her cheeks, her mascara running from the tears in her eyes.   She sucked in a deep breath as she felt her back meet the cool stone of the wall behind her.   There was nowhere left to run.   The creature continued to stalk towards her. Low and predatory, its eyes flickering between a golden green and solid black with red rings around the pupils. Its obsidian black fur was soft and luscious, shining glossy in the flickering street lights above.   Charlie was screaming inside, but no noise left her mouth. Her chest was tight, a rising panic moving to her throat, but unable to leave as she tried to steady her breathing.   Jason told her not to run at night. He told her again, and again the city was safe in the daylight but at night- at night it did not belong to the humans. At night, the city was a far cry from safe as the creatures of darkness came out for one thing. To hunt.   She didn’t know why she did it. She couldn’t identify the pull she felt when she got home from work and put on her running shoes. It was as if she didn’t have a choice but to run. Usually, she got home around 4 pm which gave her plenty of time to change and run in the warm sunlight. But this day, one of her employees hadn’t shown up for her closing shift, so Charlie filled in.  She had arrived home just as the sun was setting behind the mountains in the distance. She rushed around her tiny house, stripping out of her work clothes as she went. Tugging on tight athletic gear and stuffing her already blistered feet into her shoes.   Charlie had to run. She did not know why. But the night, it was beckoning her to run beneath the stars, and who was she to refuse such an offer?   She had left on her usual route just as the final rays of the warm sunset behind the mountains in the distance. The lilac glow of dusk was sweeping down her street as she found her stride. A right from her row house, 5 blocks until the main drag of the city center, left and 6 blocks more until she reached the edge of the city center where the forest greeted the pavement. A 3-mile trail near the forest's edge had been built last summer and had quickly become her favorite route to run.   She had entered the trail, ignoring the CLOSED AFTER SUNSET sign. Hurdling over the barrier chains like a track star. She bolted at speed. The night air was swirling around her as she bounded through the familiar trees. The thick canopy kept the growing moonlight at bay, but she did not mind. She always had superior sight, even in the dark. Jason often teased her about it as he would fumble from their bed to find the light switch at night, but she could dress and nearly do all her makeup in total darkness each morning.   One mile down, two miles down, she was bounding through the 3rd mile, nearing a third 8-minute mile when she heard it.   A growl tore through the calm night air as a giant wolf-like creature appeared to her left. Running beside her, matching her stride for stride.   Unable to process through the terrifying panic that set in, Charlie picked up her speed—pumping her arms as fast as she could as if they would somehow lift her feet further with every stride.   Finally, she made it out of the forest, but the chase was not over. She cut back to her route home, never losing speed, but the creature stayed close. Not attacking but not leaving her be either.   A soft thud of paw on dirt, then concrete was all she could hear over the loud thumping of her heart in her chest.   Go! Go! Go!   Her inner voice chanted to her as she continued to fly down the streets.   She cut right, but too soon. Charlie found herself heading straight into the stone wall of the city library rather than bolting down the next street over. The street that would have taken her home. Where Jason would surely be worried sick to see her running gear missing, she hadn’t even taken her phone.   Stupid. Charlie, that was stupid.   Her inner voice chimed in again, and she swallowed back her disappointment at herself.   She was trapped. She heard the soft padding of paws slow as she entered the alleyway and reached the wall. Timidly she turned and took in the horrifying sight in front of her.   The wolf-like creature was massive. Far bigger than any wolf she had ever seen on TV or in national geographic books as a child. Charlie knew this was a creature of night.   Everything Jason ever warned her about. All of it was true.   Charlie knew humans were not the only things to inhabit the earth. But with the laws on magic so tight, it had almost entirely disappeared. It had been at least 20 years since she had last seen a creature or magic of any kind.   A shiver washed over Charlie at the memory of her last encounter with magic. She had pushed that particular memory down deep into her mind but standing before the giant black creature; the memories forced themselves forward.   The creature neared her. Slowly, gently- as if trying not to scare her further.   Standing now a mere foot in front of her, its head tilted down, peering over her 5’6 frame from above.   It pulled in a deep breath of her scent through its long snout. The golden-green of its eyes flickering wildly again before being pushed back by the black and red. A soft whine escaped the creature as it shook its head. Its massive black ears were flopping from side to side like a dog. The beast lowered its head further, its cold wet nose sliding across Charlie’s shoulder and up her neck. She felt the soft, warm contact of its tongue as it lightly licked her neck under her ear. Shivers rocked through her, and a gasp escaped her at the feeling. Something about it felt warm inside her; something about the contact stirred her inner voice to purr in appreciation.   The creature lowered its body to the ground in front of Charlie. Its massive head still reaching above her waist even when not standing. It nuzzled its snout against her belly and whimpered again. Pushing its head flat against her, its ears pinned back, and its tail wagged a moment.   Charlie felt a small laugh bubble up from her throat as her fear dissipated just a moment. Such a terrifying creature acting like a puppy, it made no sense. She should have been ripped apart, lying in a bloody dead mess by now. Yet here she was- being nuzzled by what she could only assume was a werewolf.   Another laugh escaped her, mixed with tears as the creature continued to rub against her.   Something overtook her- the pure insanity of the moment took control of her body as she lifted a hand and placed it on the creature’s head.   The creature’s fur was like silk in her hands. Warm to the touch, she ran her fingers through it in awe of the feeling. The beast whined softly to her in appreciation. She scratched behind its ear just as she would a dog. Still crying but also laughing- she could not comprehend what was occurring.   What is happening right now?   Her thoughts were all over the place, running wild through her mind as the creature seemed to be well content just to nuzzle her and not eat her.   Suddenly it stopped. Its ears shot back up as it rose to its four paws again in a flash. Another terrifying growl ripped out as it did.   Charlie did not move. She did not even take a breath as she saw another similar, albeit smaller, werewolf entered the alleyway as well. Its eyes were also black with red rings, although its fur was a deep chocolate brown. The second creature lowered its head in submission to the one in front of her. Laying its body all the way down. Ears pinned back against its head; eyes pointed to the ground.   Just as the black werewolf had done to her.   The black werewolf’s eyes glazed over, and she heard a voice unfamiliar to her rattle through her mind.   This had better be good, Julien, or so help me I will kill you right now.   The voice was low and dangerous. Rough and jagged as if it was strained to speak at all. Charlie finally sucked in a deep breath again, at which the creature in front of her snapped its head back around to face her. Tilting its head to the side, its eyes narrowed in as it studied her.   It leaned down to give her one more small lick to her cheek before bounding off into the night. Back down the alleyway it had chased her from, the brown wolf falling into stride behind it.   Charlie did not wait a moment longer after the two furry creatures disappeared.   She bolted home at a speed she was sure she had never run before.   Slamming into her front door, she fumbled with her keys. Dropping them twice before she managed to get the key in the lock.   Go! Go! Go!   Her inner voice chanted once more in her mind.   She forced the door closed behind her as she slid all three locks into place. Dashing through the house, she sealed all the windows and double-checked all the entries before finally sinking to the cool tile floor of her kitchen.   Her two black labs just followed her, as worried as a lab could be. Their ears were alert and tails barely moving as they sensed her worry and perhaps smelled the creature’s lingering scent on her body.   Finally, laying flat on her back, she tried to calm herself. Tried to steady her breathing and her thoughts. She was surprised but relieved to find that Jason had not come over that night.   He must still be at work.   She thought as her heart rate finally began to drop. Charlie willed herself to rise. It was going to be a pain to admit to him she had not listened, and he had been right. Although, she wasn’t sure she really even needed to admit her failure in judgment to him. Nothing had happened- she made it out alive.   So, he doesn’t need to know.   She filled her dogs’ bowls with food and fresh water, reassuring them it was okay to eat as they merely stared back at her instead of inhaling the food the moment it hit the bowl.   “Belle, Captain, EAT.,” she commanded, and finally, they turned to their food, although still timid about eating. Captain kept glancing over his shoulder, watching Charlie in the kitchen between bites of kibble.   Reaching into the fridge, Charlie grabbed a newly opened bottle of white wine, pulling the cork out with her teeth and drinking straight from the bottle as she made her way into her master bathroom.   Flicking on the hot water, she poured oils and salts into the bathtub before stripping out of her sweat-drenched gear. She took a look at herself in the mirror. Her hair was still matted and gross against her neck. Her eyes slightly red and swollen from the panicked crying, her lips dry and cracked from the heavy breathing of the cool night air.   Charlie ran a hand up her body, following the trail the werewolf had taken along her shoulder. To where the creature had licked her. A jolt of pleasure ran through her core as she touched that spot just below her ear. She gasped at the feeling. Remembering the warmth that contact had brought her.   She shook her head and closed her eyes.   I’m losing my mind.   With another swig of wine, Charlie finally climbed into the decadent hot bath. Letting the salts and oils caress her aching muscles and wash away the grime of the night.   She soon found herself relaxed against the back of the tub. Her hands were roaming freely over her form- reaching up to caress that spot on her neck once more.