The Hunters

Chapter Two - The Calm Before the Storm

"Alana," a strange voice softly spoke to me.

"Alana," she called out again. I buried my face deeper into my pillow. My body was aching from yesterday's training.

"Alana," it spoke again, but more firmly this time. Finally, my eyes slowly opened. I gradually sat up in my comfortable bed, fighting the urge to fall back into slumber. I rubbed my eyes lazily.

"Hello?" I whispered.

"It's me, your wolf," the strange voice spoke again. This time I felt a shiver crawl up my spine from the sudden excitement. I was awake within seconds and on my feet. The sun barely peaking into my room from the curtains. My room was still mostly enclosed in the darkness from the night.

"What's your name?" I asked her eagerly.

"Vesper," she said.

"How beautiful," I breathed. My heart began to race with excitement. I had finally met my wolf. "I want to shift now," I told her.

Without hesitating I reached in my closet and pulled out a change of clothes. I didn't even bother to get dressed or look at the clothes I had picked out. It was all a mystery.

I bolted out of my room and out of the pack house. I didn't say anything to anyone. The only other werewolves I saw up this early were some of the omegas who were cooking breakfast or cleaning. I didn't even pay any attention to the delicious smell of food in the air. I didn't realize my new heightened senses. All my mind was focused on was my first shift.

I ran for the forest and kept going even as I broke through the treeline. The world around me darkened as the morning sunlight was blocked out by the overhang of trees.

Finally, I stopped running. I hunched over trying to catch my breath. I needed it before I shifted. I had heard that the first shift was the most painful.

After a few moments I took in a deep breath and gave myself over to Vesper. Within moments I felt my body changing. My bones breaking and shifting. Fur sprouting from my skin. I cried out miserably in pain thinking it was going to over take me. Thinking it would kill me. My body felt like it was set on fire.

Most of the time, werewolves shifted after they found their mate or at least around friends or family. This was to help ease the pain of their first shift, but I couldn't wait. I was too eager, but also determined to show everyone I could do this. I could do this one thing alone.

I cried and screamed, hoping no one would hear me. It felt like it lasted hours, but reality was it only lasted a few minutes. My eyes watered from the excruciating pain. I didn't think I'd have a voice after this.

Finally, I collapsed on the ground in my wolf form. Every part of my body crying to remain still, but Vesper would not. She was finally able to be in control. Despite her muscle spasms and deeply aching body, she trotted deeper into the forest.

Vesper moved more gracefully than I did. The not every twig snapped as she strode by them. Not every spiderweb found its way to her fur. She was the epiphany of grace and eloquence. We glided through the forest, weaving through the throng of trees with such effortless ease as if we had been one from the beginning.

"I want to see what I look like," I told her. She didn't reply, but kept walking forward. I could see the world through her eyes. Everything looked so beautiful. My hearing was enhanced and every rustle of a leaf sounded ten times magnified. The scents were overwhelming and I couldn't tell them a part very easily. The forest smells were intoxicating and relaxing. I felt at peace in the forest.

After a few moments, Vesper paused in front of a small pond. I breathed in the smell of water and peered into its still surface. I saw pale purple eyes staring back at me. Purple!?

How could that be possible? Purple eyes didn't exist! I looked at the rest of Vesper. She was a slender wolf, a little taller than average. Typical size for a Gamma wolf or Beta wolf, except she was leaner. She wasn't muscular, but rather dainty. Her fur more plush and almost all white except for silver tipped ears and paws. My family were a mix of silver, white, and black colors so the coloring didn't surprise me as much. Though it was rare to have so much white coloring.

I was still memorized by my light purple eyes.

"How?" I stammered out. "Why?"

"It is what the moon goddess has given us," was her answer. I wasn't sure if she even knew herself. She didn't seem phased by it or act like it was a big deal at all. To her, it was normal. I knew it wasn't. I couldn't let anyone see me shift. No one could no I had a mutant eye color. There would be so many questions that I would not be able to answer.

I was more like my sister than I realized. Alina kept her wolf a secret from everyone except Owen and I. Not only had she shifted years before her 18th birthday, but her wolf was red. There wasn't such a thing as a red wolf.

"Alina's wolf is different, too. It must be connected," I said to her.

"Some things are connected and some things are mere coincidence," she responded which didn't really answer my question. Something told me she knew though. She had the answers and for some reason was keeping them a secret from me. I thought we were supposed to trust our wolves, but how could I when she was keeping things from me from the start.

Knowing what I was thinking she immediately began, "I don't have all the answers. What I do know, I can tell you in time. One step at a time."

I wasn't satisfied, but it did tell me she didn't know the answer to all of my questions.

I spent the next few hours in my wolf form with Vesper. We explored the forest as a wolf for the first time. However, before the sun started getting too high in the sky, I headed home to get ready for my party.

Shifting back was not as painful. Yet it still caused such agony. Once back in my human form, it took all of my strength to put my clothes on. My body trembled and desperately wanted to collapse. I wanted to give in to it's painful cries for rest, but I couldn't. Tears started to form in my eyes, but refused to fall. I was too happy that I got to meet my wolf to let this pain bring me to tears. I blinked them away and limped back to my room where I got ready for my party. I had to make sure I looked presentable for my mate. What if Blaze was going to be there? He wasn't only my crush, but also Alpha Rocco's son. I had to look the part of future Luna. So despite my protesting body, I forced myself to look the best I could possibly muster.

I ended up wearing a light blue dress that made my bright auburn hair stand out with radiance. My hazel eyes stared back at me in the mirror as I evaluated myself quickly before rushing out the door and limping down the stairs.

Once I entered the kitchen I heard everyone's voices call out to me.

"It's about time"

"Finally!"

"Late to your own birthday"

"Why are you limping?"

I grinned and greeted everyone, but it didn't take long for the chocolate cake on the table to grab my attention though it didn't hold it for long. I realized my sister was not here. I knew she was in her new pack, but part of me had been holding onto the hope she would be here for this.

The cake however smelled better than ever with my new werewolf sense of smell. I was overwhelmed by everyone's individual scents and yet among them, I didn't identify anyone as my mate. Not even Blaze who did show up for my birthday. It was a relatively small party. My family and closest friends which were really River and Blaze and their parents. A couple of other school friends had surprised me as well.

The day was coming to a pleasant ending even though my mate was no where in sight. I had faith that I would find him one day. Maybe he would come searching for me.

I laid in my bed, day dreaming about that. About my mate searching for me. He would come and sweep my off my feet. We would live happily ever after.