Running From A Wolf

Chapter 1

His eyes were so beautiful. They reminded me of hot chocolate, the type that kept me warm and comfortable during the coldest winters as I stayed beneath the blankets, rewatching my favourite shows on television.

I crouched on the tree branch and observed his stunning looks as he sat on a patio chair. Brown eyes, speckled with green and gold, were narrowed indifferently at the proceedings around him. His long fingers tapped on the leather armrest as he brushed one hand through his silky brown locks, the colour so deep, it reminded me of the fresh soil after a heavy rain.

Aaron Ashford, the transfer student at my future university. He would be joining from the next semester, which was two weeks later. And, he would be my senior.

Oh, my gosh. My young heart fluttered in my chest at the mere thought. The girls were going to have a field day, and the boys...well, they would definitely have to up their games if they wanted to retain the attention of the girls. Compared to his flawless features, the other men seemed to be too... normal. Commonplace.

His strong body stood elegantly, with an aristocratic demeanour that couldn't be faked. His fingers gently tapped the crystalline wine glass in his hand as he nonchalantly eyed the juice, like a king who was bored of the same forms of redundant entertainment.

The other guests continued to glance at him frequently, their expressions ranging from respect to apprehension and devotion. He did have a reputation in Europe, where he was the Alpha of the current most prominent pack, Scarlett. Although the name was cliche, as I'd hinted to Kristine several times, their reputation was stellar and awe-inspiring.

A short while later, a leaner shadow stepped into the vicinity. Soft, blue glass heels stepped towards the cold, indifferent man, neither hurried nor pretentious.

Kristine stood beside him. Her long black hair was braided into a French plait and her beautifully tanned skin glowed under the setting sun. Her modest blue gown gave her an air of elegance, adding charm to her blue eyes and pert pink lips. She glowed with radiance that spread through the darkening garden, almost like she was retaining the last rays of light before they faded away.

I was almost jealous. Almost. After all, one would definitely feel envious if they saw their best friend, dressed to perfection, standing beside a dreamy hunk and eating scrumptious grilled meat, while they stared at them from the top of a tree. Like a creepy stalker.

Self awareness makes me cringe sometimes.

Kristine had everything I wanted; an easy lifestyle, wealthy upbringing, a loving family, adoration from everyone who laid their eyes on her. A pack. A place where she belonged. My parents probably prayed that I stay away from them.

To say I was shunned wasn't an exaggeration. I would have described my condition as a rogue, except my species didn't even have packs. Feline shifters were especially rare, and we were more of the lone hunters, sticking only to our family or community. That is, if said family didn't exile us.

Kristine placed a firm palm on Aaron's shoulder and directed him to the other end of the courtyard to introduce him to another Alpha. She was extremely comfortable and in her element, despite his cold stature. But he didn't reject her as she conversed, with his occasional involvement. Leaving me alone as I cursed my misfortune.

Why wasn't I born as a wolf shifter too? They had packs, bonds,and the food they ate was always ridiculously delicious. Was it some kind of secret ingredient that wolves hid within their fur?

I sighed. Why did I even decide sneaking into the party just to torture myself was a great idea? I was feeling a little clingy lately, and to stay near Kristine to ease my anxiety, I had to shivering in the cold with an empty stomach while watching others enjoy the life I craved for.

I wanted to return, but I had to be wary. If any of her people caught sight of me, I wouldn't be able to live long enough to see the light of day tomorrow.

I carefully crept between the leaves. Leaping from one branch to another, I thanked myself for the extra morning sessions I had begun doing lately. The decrease in body fat made me agile. In the form of a cat, my nimble attribute increased.

Jump, jump, crouch, jump, crouch. The patterns repeated indefinitely.

Until I caught sight of them again. Focusing on them, I prepared to leap onto the next tree, below which they lounged. Since that was the way to the thick shrubbery, I had no choice

Kristine sat really close to Aaron on the bouncy sofa. Every once in a while, she'd move closer and whisper into his ears. While it was normal in the setting surrounded by music, the gesture still appeared as if it were intimate.

Another pang of envy.

Mostly, Aaron just nodded slightly to acknowledge Kristine. His face looked to be stuck in a cold and indifferent expression. Occasionally, he'd check his watch or loosen his tie, but he seemed to stick to just a few habitual actions.

How boring. The only good part of him must be his face.

I leapt to the neighbouring tree and accidentally pawed at the blooming flowers. A few petals drifted onto the gorgeous pair below, one dressed in a classy black tuxedo with a brown tie, the other tightly wrapped in a gown with her black hair braided to her waist.

Kristine didn't notice me and continued to speak to Aaron. Since I was already in the last tree before the bushes began, I had to wait until they left the area to leap down. It wouldn't be long anyway; most of the socialising pack members had entered the villa to avoid the evening chills. It wouldn't be long before Kristine, with her exposed sleeves, did the same.

I made myself comfortable in a small hole in a wider branch as I looked at the two of them. I couldn't hear their talks, but I was perfectly content just to feast silently on the Adonis.

If only I had the grilled servings too, my night would be purr-fect.

A few minutes later, Kristine's dad walked over with her mom. Goosebumps erupted along my fur, and I instinctively felt my stomach drop as I almost freaked out. The Forts would throw me out of the estate if they caught sight of me, and Kristine would be grounded, as well as lectured on the importance of choosing the 'right' friends. They never considered me to be a positive influence.

Reaching out to a couple of flowers near me, my paws pulled at the twigs, which bent easily. I quickly placed them in front of me to form a flowery wall, prayed that my faint scent would remain as weak as it had always been.

Kristine's parents, Seamus and Grace Fort, hated me. Or rather, they hated my kind. The difference between us...could be as vast as a cliff between dogs and cats. And that fact is very, very accurate. Not to mention that they think I'm a bad influence due to the number of times Kristine had had to rescue me from unfavorable situations, although it usually wasn't my fault. I guess first impressions do matter.

"Mother. Father." Kristine calmly greeted her parents.

"I'm glad to see you both getting along," Mrs. Fort gently caressed Kristine's hair and beamed at them. "How do you like the welcome party, Alpha Ashford?"

"It is quite adequate, Alpha and Luna Fort," Aaron replied with a barely discernable nod.

"That's excellent news," Mr. Fort grinned. "The pack is excited to have you stay with us. The young ones are eager to train with you. I'm sure Kristine would love to take you around Montana herself."

My swishing tail straightened with surprise. Then I cursed and immediately curled it back. A flower slipped from the twig my tail had brushed against. Unfortunately, I couldn't stop it in time. I watched, frozen, as it floated down.

Please assume it to be natural...please don't catch my scent...

I pressed tightly against the tree, praying that I wouldn't get caught. Kristine's parents would blow a fuse, and I didn't want to get mocked by a crowd tonight. Especially since I knew that the ones who were of our age would love to spread gossip on the first day of college.

The dainty flower twirled a few times and landed beside Aaron's leather shoes. None of the others noticed it, but Aaron silently glanced at the flower before continuing with the conversation. When he made no other move, I let out a soft sigh of relief.

"Kristine is looking for a mate. I hope Alpha Aaron can guide her."

Mr. Fort didn't hide the suggestion within the sentence. I was known to be very dense, yet even I could hear his thoughts. My eyebrows raised as I glanced at Kristine, who's smile was frozen in place.

Oh? This is interesting...

He's trying to matchmake Kristine and Aaron? But Kristine already had a guy...

For a moment, her eyes flashed with panic. Then Kristine just blushed and perfunctorily chastised her parents. Which made me even more confused. I thought her parents approved of her boyfriend. So why would they try to suggest this? And why would she go along with it, when she adores her guy?

Suddenly their words finally clicked. Aaron...is an Alpha. An actual, leader of a pack, Alpha. Since the person Kristine was currently dating was not her mate, it didn't matter if she found someone else, especially an Alpha of a powerful pack. Which would also explain why the union between Aaron and Kristine was beneficial to her parents.

I lit a candle for the guy she was currently dating. He was a 'lowly' Beta. An Alpha would always win over a Beta. Although I wasn't too keen about the guy, they had been childhood sweethearts. He was boring to my taste, but he did love her. I pitied him.

The conversation soon diverted to other topics that were trivial to me. I waited, still and silent, for a while more. It was dark by then and the guests entered the extravagant villa. The courtyard gradually emptied out until just a few remained.

"Shall we head inside, Alpha?" Kristine asked.

"I need to make a call. I will find you later." Aaron's response was indifferent.

Kristine inclined her head in a docile manner. "So be it, Alpha. I will wait inside." Then, with a slightly coy look, she turned around and walked away. Her hips swayed gently and I caught Aaron staring at her receding back.

My eyes burnt into her spine. With each step she took, I stared a hole right through her. Why was she even doing this? She had once told me that she would marry for love. If she couldn't find her mate, she would date someone who also didn't have a fated half. She definitely wouldn't marry an Alpha like her parents wanted her to, as she would become a trophy wife who would follow the words of her husband. The Forts were great parents and shared a healthy relationship with each other, but her mother was extremely submissive before her father, and that had always bugged her. Even if she were flirting with him to please her parents, her manner of speech after they left hadn't been normal.

Kristine finally disappeared into the house and I sighed again. I was so hungry, yet all I could do was sit and watch while everyone except me ate fresh juicy meat. My cat belly grumbled. I didn't want to imagine how my human body would react once I shifted back.

A cold gust of wind blew at me and I shivered. An icy chill travelled down my spine and my fur stood on end. Narrowing my eyes, I peered into the dark night, wondering why the cold had a suspicious tingle that straightened my spine. Instinctively, I slowly looked down to see the source of my discomfort.

I saw a divine face with sharply cut features. His lips were slightly curled and he was gifted with beautiful brown eyes. Eyes that were currently locked on mine.

Fuck! I crouched behind the branches. Slowly, I peeked out from between the shifty flowers I had placed in front of me, praying that my memory had messed up. Then I gulped. Not only had he already seen me, but he was still staring right at me!

Even joining a convent as a nun wouldn't save my life right now.

Panicking, the hair on my back stood on end and I jumped, accidentally snapping at the flowers that built my questionable floral wall. The flowers snapped from the twigs and floated down, one after another, as my cover disintegrated.

Those eyes locked on my cat form. There was nowhere to hide now. I was completely exposed and visible to his shifter eyes.

Aaron's eyes narrowed. A fiery golden light encircled his iris and my kitty guts burst wide open.

He was bringing out his wolf. As a trespasser, I was in deep trouble. Immediately, I turned tail and ran as fast as I could. Jumping between the branches, I sped up. Changing my direction, instead of the greenery that led to the woods, I aimed at the courtyard wall. It was far, but I would rather escape than get hunted by a wolf in his natural habitat.

My white fur was covered with black mud for the sake of camouflage, but, while it did hide me well, it was useless against other shifters. Any animal with a sense of smell could find me, forget about a wolf that is an Alpha. I had confidence that my scent was weaker than most shifters, but that wouldn't help me when I had a target on my back.

My paws raced faster. I could see the far walls, right as I jumped towards the tree that was planted along the way. I had to cross the entire line of them, but I could do it. I was almost there. Escape was so near that I could taste it. Just a gigantic leap, and I would only leave behind a trail.

I increased my momentum and jumped.

I can make it!

Right when I was about to touch the wall, a massive snout bit around my torso and trapped me.

Noooo!!!

I hissed with pain. His teeth didn't pierce me too deeply, but they were sharp enough to draw blood. I struggled feebly but the fangs just tore through my skin. I couldn't escape without hurting myself. I turned to look at the face of my captor, anguish in my eyes.

My heart dipped below the crust of the earth. It was Aaron, the Alpha. And I was an intruder.

The murderous aura in his eyes suffocated me. Just like my family always said. My tendency to be reckless would eventually get me killed.

I wasn't even eighteen yet. I'd be dead before I reached adulthood. Ouch.