Loyal To The Pack

Sarah The chilly wind sneaks under my hair, sending a cold shiver down my spine. I quickly pull up the fur-lined hood of my jacket. Where is this cold coming from? We have only a handful of chilly days during winter, as the weather rarely goes below zero. “Please, please," she pleads, her tiny lips pouting. "Ok, Abby, one last slide," I consent, unable to say no to that cute little face, especially with her eyes shining like her mum’s. "Thanks, Aunt Sarah. You're the best." The end of her hair flips as she turns like a windstorm and sprints off. We came to this playground when I picked her up from preschool, and I’m surprised that it’s not empty due to the cold weather. I watch as she tells another girl excitedly that she can stay for one more slide and climbs the ladder. This time she follows through with our deal, and we leave right after she touches down. "You know, we promised your Mommy that we'll buy those running shoes today, and it’s getting dark," I explain to her a

Nate It’s Sunday, which means family lunch at my parents’ house. I love spending time with them and Gabriel’s family as long as our father keeps his opinion on how we lead the pack. Although that rarely happens. Most of the time, we argue about things he shouldn’t be concerned about anymore. “Hi, Gabriel,” I greet him as he walks towards me when I enter the house. I’ve never called him Alpha. He asked me not to when he took on the role. We trust each other, and he treats me as his equal. He always says this is our pack, not his. “Oh look, my Beta is here,” he calls out, and I frown. He had never addressed me like this before. “Fill me in on the details. What was the problem at the border?” he motions to follow him to dad’s office. I sit down and tell him everything I’ve discussed with the rogue: my suspicions and plans. We appoint a team to search their pack land. The family lunch goes as it usually goes, I sit with Clara, Gabriel’s oldest, and she explains every new technique s

Sarah The whole day was crazy after Nate showed up. Focusing on work was a new challenge I’d never had before. He’s been gone for hours now, but I still flush when I think about how he smiled at me. How many times have I dreamed about him smiling at me like that? I can’t even count. My mind is full of questions, though. Why is he here? How is it possible that he looks even better? Are we really going to meet today? What am I going to say to him? Hi, you look sexier than ever. … Hey, long time no see… Hi, I’m Sarah, remember me?... Yeah, like any of that would lead to something good… It’s been like ten years since I last saw him, and I almost forgot how it feels to look into his deep blue eyes. With a flick of his smile, my well-built confidence disappeared just to transport my body back to that shy 14-year-old girl’s mind and heart. The memory of the last time I saw him floods my brain: While packing my bags to leave my home to study in a boarding school, I look out the window

Sarah The afternoon sun emits its last rays, but we barely catch any between the area’s skyscrapers. Brit’s arm is still looped over my own as we walk, balancing our work- and gym bags in the sea of people rushing to catch the next subway or train. “So, tell me, how did it go?” Brit implores me ending our silent walk to the gym. “I don’t know. I’m still processing.” I sigh heavily as I wipe my face with a hand. She has no idea where I'm from, what secrets I have to keep, has to hide to protect others. “Ok, then tell me who he is," her voice jumps an octave at the end of that sentence as she inclines her head towards me. “Arrr. Why is he here?” I let out a growl in frustration. “Maybe if you’d talk to me, I could help figure that out.” She stops in front of me, blocking my way on the pavement. “Ok, ok. So, we grew up in the same town. I lived there till I was fourteen," I tell her the truth, keeping it as simple as possible. "He is five years older than me, and we never hang out

Sarah I’m in the forest. Running and running. This feels like the only thing I’ve been doing for a while. The surprisingly chilly weather already made my face sensitive and my feet numb. Running. The untouched nature in this forest would be dangerous for hiking, but I can safely travel on the ground full of leaves. Every color the fall weather can bring surrounds me as the seeds and leaves from the trees cover the ground. I love this season. Not as much as I love winter, but its beauty is undeniable. It is then that I smell wolves around me. I bend down to smell the ground, seeing my paws sinking into the leaves. How do I have paws? I look down at my body and my brown fur. Since when do I have fur? Then the realization hits me. I’m a wolf. I don’t even have a moment to think it through because the wolves I smelt have arrived. They surround me before I can blink. I look around, seeking an escape route. When I turn to run away, a silver-white wolf approaches me. His eyes lock wit