"How are you feeling?"

"I'm hanging in there." I had on a smile that would fool anyone.

A light orchestra of music played from the small speakers, giving the restaurant a light feel to it. Kevin and I decided to hit the town tonight. He said it was his way of making up for not showing up to the barbecue. Personal reasons he says.

I picked up my glass and brought it to my lips, my eyes sneaking a quick peak at Kevin. I actually felt relieved that he did not show up to the barbecue. I'm pretty sure Xavier would have scared him off as well.

"So how is the pack life treating you?" He leaned back in his chair before he crossed his arms, forcing his arms to ripple through the flannel shirt that he wore.

"Its...different. I became so used to the city life and private atmosphere. This was all overwhelming at first but it seemed to be getting better." A smile followed my simple lie.

I refused to give him the full story of my current situation living in the household. What could he do? I was living under the rule of one of the most prevailing Alpha's across the country. It was nothing Kevin could do for me.

"Amira?" his voice took on a more serious tone. "I really like you and would hope to see you again. Hopefully, it would be more...serious terms."

I looked into his eyes as they glowed with hope. I, left lost for words, was left with wide eyes and a slightly open jaw. I must have looked like a fool. A speechless fool. Amused by my reaction to his request, he let out a soft laugh.

"You don't have to respond so quickly. Just...think about it."

"Um." I still could not find the words to give him. "Okay."

He took a quick look at his gold watch that dazzled his wrist.

"I should be getting you back home soon."

I nodded my head in agreement. We finished off our drinks and gathered our things. He pulled out his wallet and placed a few bills on the table. We stood up as he escorted me out the restaurant and to his car....

The drive home seemed eerie. Our topic of our previous conversation replayed in my head like a broken record. Dating? Is that something that I needed right now in my current situation? How would the all mighty Alpha react to this?

My face went sour, clearly disappointed in myself for even concerning myself with his opinion. The car began to slow before it screeched to an abrupt stop. I gathered up my belongings before my passenger door opened. I took his hand as he escorted me out of the car.

"Thank you." A pure gentleman. His hand still enclosed around my own, we walked up the pathway to the main entrance door.

"Goodnight." He closed the gap between him and I once he wrapped his arms around me for a gentle embracing hug to end the wonderful night. He pulled slightly before he moved in for an ending kiss. My eyes eclectic and full of shock, I stood at the moment, unable to move a single limb.

I pulled back from the intensifying kiss before I shifted my eyes to the ground. It was deeper then I anticipated which seemed to throw me for a loop.

"I'm sorry; I didn't mean to upset you."

"No. No, its fine. Just caught me off guard." I ran the tips of my fingers across my lips.

"Oh." He slowly back away before he looked into my eyes. He starred at me as if he was waiting for a response from me. What did he want me to say? What did he want me to do? I seemed to be on the spot at the moment. Between his intense silence and piercing eyes, I swore I was going to lose my mind. What should I do?

"Well goodnight." I slipped into the large door before I closed the large oak behind me.

My hand still clinging to the door knob, I fought to wrap my mind around everything. He kissed me. My canines nipped at my bottom lip before I spun in a fright. Standing just inches away from me stood the almighty himself. Xavier.

My heart seemed to leap in fear of him seeing me this way. What did he hear? What did he see? How long was he standing behind me?

"Hello?" My voice cracked.

His eyes seemed to be full of curiosity as he looked over me before they narrowed. I watched as the far corners of his full lips lift to form a grin I found weirdly unsettling and very bizarre. I took in a lungful as I waited, ready to accept his speech of how I was just here to train. Weirdly, it did not happen. Without a single word, he turned away and disappeared up to spiral stairway.

I stood at the bottom of the steps, my eyes still trained on the spiral staircase that the Alpha used......

A warm breeze slipped into the cracked window as it carried the smell of Mother Nature. I walked over to the window and pulled the window up further. Waiting for me outside of my window were the trees that danced in the wind and mountains that settled in the background. Just below me rested an empty field that normally held a handful of members who were either training or partaking in a game of tackle football.

Now, it was nothing but an empty grassland. Everyone was gone for the day, well mostly everyone. Today, a majority of the pack traveled to the city for business related issues, while I decided to just fall behind.

Since Brittany and Angela went along and others continued their patrol, I was left in the house all alone with nothing to do. Without much to do in the middle of nowhere, I thought it was best to get a free run in. It was time to let my wolf out...

Peace. Inaudible. Sanctuary. I stood in the back patio steps. My nose to the sky and my eyes closed, I took in a whiff of what nature had to offer. Freshness. Fresh grass, fresh fallen pine cones and warm crisp air that enforced me to hum in satisfaction.

"Hey?" A voice became audible.

"Oh hey?" It was weird having someone speak to me.

"Nice day huh?"

"Beautiful." My voice seemed to soften.

"What are you up to?"

"Just...opting for a run. That's all."

"Hmm." I watched as he placed his coffee mug onto the lawn chair before he removed his t-shirt. "I will join you."

"I don't remember asking for a buddy." I toyed.

"Didn't have to." His smile had widened. His fingers latched onto his pants button right before I turned away. My eyes were focused on the trees ahead however I could only wonder what was going on behind me. My canines pierced the flesh of my bottom lip just as he shifted into his wolf.

A male wolf stood before me. Tall. Thick brown fur that you would just love to toy with and a posture that stood out as if he was highly ranked. Something about him seemed different. Something that I could not seem to figure out.

"Do you mind pup?"

Getting the hint that I would love a little privacy, he huffed before he took off into the opening of the trees. Granted privacy and ready to go, I stripped down in a hurry before I transformed into my wolf and took off after Steven....

Warm air danced against my soft fur, delighting me in a way that was hard to even explain. Steven seemed to enjoy the freedom as well as he pranced and trotted around obstacles of nature.

I could feel him pulling me, insisting that I follow him.

He took off through the trees as I followed closely behind him. He was quick however it was no challenge for me to keep up with the long strides and swift moves of the wolf ahead of me. We ran for miles until we came to the boarder of our territory, which entered unclaimed land. There we stood, just atop of which seemed like a cliff or a peek of a mountain.

Beautiful.

The view was magnificent. Below us laid a sheet of beautifully clear flowing water that seemed untouched by man. Just on the other side of the vast pool of water stood the tallest of mountains that seemed to touch the clouds.

Steven plopped down into bed of daisies.

My snout to the sky, I inhaled the world around me. The growing flowers, the fresh flowing water, the scent of the nectar that seemed to attract my heightened senses away from something else. Something quite peculiar.

Steven leaped to his feet in a hurry. I assume he picked up on the scent as well. Seeming threated, he released a territorial snarl before his eyes shifted toward the entrance into the dimly lit woods.

I urged for him to move however he did not budge let alone look my way. Instead, he stood his ground.

I grunted, almost begging for him to move. With the pack absent and our numbers low, this was not the time to stick around for any trouble. Finally hearing me, he looked into my eyes. Noticing the plea, he nodded before he followed into the direction of the pack house.

Is he crazy?

I could hear his feet platter against the dry leaves as he followed me.

He has lived this pack life all of his life so he should know better than to stick around for something he knew he may not win.

I could feel his internal guilt. His human knew of his wrong choice however his wolf seemed quite defensive, as if what just occurred was nothing to be apologetic about. I could tell he had a solider as a wolf. He was bonded with a wolf that was fearless, carless if it stood in battle against one or one thousand.

An unidentified and unfamiliar wolf lunged at Steven which sent them both to the ground. I ran toward them, determined to assist Steven in the battle of control. Pain shot up my side before I was slammed into a tree. I groaned in agony before I scrambled to my legs. Opening my eyes, I watched as a murky grey wolf stalked around me. Its eyes were dark and his teeth were exposed to me in a threat.

Rogue?

My father always warned me of them when I was a little girl. Viscous, careless, heartless wolves that seemed to have lost their humanity and minds over the years. They were either abandoned or broken beyond repair. I was told that they were monsters. Wild, untamable monsters that could be seen running in small cliques rather than a pack. Trust me, there is a difference. They did not care for one another like we did. They would even turn on one another without reason or care. They were just one of the problems we faced.

I looked into the abnormal eyes of the ragging wolf, almost determined to find the humanity that I thought still lurked in it. Nothing. All I could see, all I could feel was the blackness that resided in it.

It snapped its teeth at me. I stood my ground in attack mode. It began to circle me however my mind seemed to focus more on the scrambling of the two battling wolves to the side of me.

I trained for this.

I took in a breath as I concentrated on the rhythm of my pulsating heart. Concentrate. Watch. Feel it. Destroy it. I watched as its muddy paws slammed against the leaves under him. His mouth had opened, exposing the deadly teeth that could easily take me down. Its eyes were focused in on me as it charged in my direction.

I leaped to the side, out of the path and jaws of the monster itself. It landed right in front of me, allowing me the opportunity to get the best of him. Its weak points exposed to the fullest, I lunged into him, slamming him into the base of a tree. Its body went motionless and its breaths were scarce. He was out cold for the moment.

I turned to Steven. Gladly, he was up on his feet however he was out numbered. Surrounding him were two rouges that seemed determined to take him out. I ran to his side to even the numbers however things only seemed to get worse.

Emerging from the thick marsh were two more wolves that seemed just as viscous as the two that stood before us.

Shit.

Outnumbered, we knew things would not end well but we would not go down so easily. I snarled. A rouge snarled and growled in return. I knew they were here to kill.

I could feel Stevens anger and bravery despite our numbers. Damn I wish I had that courage right now.

I damn sure did not train for this shit!

Unfocused and off guard, a wolf lunged into my direction. Before I could even think to react, I was already knocked into a tree again. This time, the impact affected me more then I hopped for. An intense pain creeped up the side of me. I released a whimper from the intensifying sting.

My vision almost a blur, I glanced up just in time to catch two wolves surround me. I guess it's no time to use the 'innocent woman' plea? Fragile and immobile, I stared into the eyes of the heartless. They showed no pity. They showed no care for the broken she-wolf that lay under the tree. All they saw was a kill. A weak kill that would be easy to rid of. Finally, one lunged toward me. Unable to move, I waited for the impact and the deadly teeth of it to catch me and rip me apart.

His senses were focused on me and only me. Even I must say that was a large mistake on its part. Before it could even touch me, before it could make contact with me, it was forced to the ground. Its teeth deep into the neck of the rogue, I watched as the black wolf snapped its neck. A surge of coldness creeped up my body as I watched the lifeless rogue hit the ground.

Xavier. My body had relaxed as my heart skipped a beat when I saw him.

Emerging from the trees were the many wolves of our pack that did not hesitate to fight. I heard that most rouges were always ready to battle anything however these were not the ones. Before any more blood could be spilled, they turned and took off into the woods into unclaimed territory.

Finding the coast clear, I couldn't stop the urge to shift back into my human form. Tears filled my eyes as I shifted. It seemed as though everything was broken as my body to on my mortal shape.

"Amira! "Already in human form, Steven came to my side as others remand in their wolf and began to canvas the area.

This is awkward but hell, I'm in pain!

"I'm fine, it's my side." His fingers seemed light hot fire under my bruised skin. I cried in pain before he retracted his hand.

A low grumble erupted from Xavier. I had a feeling that I was definitely in trouble.

"We have to get you back okay? I will carry you!"

His hand slipped under my dirt covered thigh and my lower back before me lifted up and off of the ground just before another inhuman growl rumbled from Xavier. This one caught the attention of many in the area.

"Come on, just get me home Steven." I looked away, refusing to look into the eyes of the angered wolf we left behind.