Chapter 22

The air is charged with excitement. It's like a super charged current is wrapping around everyone. The moon is rising and the sun has nearly disappeared over the mountains to the West. Hundreds of wolves, still in human form are anxiously making their way to the lawn behind the pack house. The Alpha is on the platform, watching his pack in anticipation. He looks over to his sister, who stands nervously next to his Beta and he couldn't be happier for this pairing. He knows that Cody will respect Carolyn and take care of her.

Ashlynn

I'm walking down the pathway towards the pack house, Dawson next to me. He's relatively quiet, and I see him peering at me sideways, when he thinks I'm not looking. I am guessing he may be nervous to. I can't decide if I'm more nervous about potentially being naked in front of hundreds of wolves, or finding out if Dawson is my mate. Kind of both I guess.

We walk around to the back of the pack house and I see my Mom off to the side, talking with Cody. I know she's anxious, I can see it in the way she shifts her weight back and forth. I walk up to her and give her a hug. I whisper in her ear,"It's going to be fine Mama, just relax and enjoy yourself. Cody is a trustworthy man." I pull back and give her a smile. She instantly relaxes and shakes her head yes.

"I know honey. Now run along and worry about yourself, your Mom is fine," she says as she shoos me away. I can take a hint. I walk off to the side, so I can sneak behind a tree when it's time.

Just as the sun disappears, I hear a howl and look up to see my Uncle has shifted into his huge black wolf. It's one of the biggest wolves I've ever seen. I'm pretty sure he's bigger than my Uncle Tobias, but who could say for sure. His howl signals the start of the run and the other wolves respond in kind, then take off, most shifting in mid-air.

I watch as my Mom and Cody hang back for a bit. I don't see Dawson and I wonder if he has already run into the woods. Maybe he thought I was already out there. I don't mind actually, I kind of want to let my wolf lose for a bit anyway.

I duck behind a large tree, look around and don't see any eyes on me, so I quickly strip and fold my clothes and leave them at the bottom of the tree. I shift into my wolf, and since she's black, it's easy to blend in with the night. I hurry into the woods. I can hear wolves running all around me. Every few seconds you hear a howl, and I notice they are getting further away, up into the mountain side. I'm running through some of the deeper part of the woods, when I hear a low menacing growl. I stop and look around, and then I see her, a she-wolf. She is silver and grey and looking right at me, her teeth barred at me and a low growl comes from her chest. I feel like I should know her. And before I can say a thing via mind link, she tries to pounce on me. I'm twice her size, being an Alpha, and I'm also a trained fighter. I step to the side and she goes flying past me, landing in the dirt a few feet behind me. She whips her head around and comes back at me again. This time she snaps her jaw at me, and I reach out my claw and rake it down her side. She instantly falls, a slight whimper is the only sound she makes. I stand there, just watching her. I'm not sure what to make of all of this. I try to mind link her. "What are you doing?"

She raises her head and looks at me. "Screw you bitch."

Wow. Well I'm just going to walk away. I don't know who this crazy she-wolf is, but I'm done here. I run a few feet back into the deep woods. I hear some rustling behind me, and as I turn back I see her flying towards me again. She never makes it, because a huge chocolate brown wolf crashes into her, and they both go rolling down into a ravine. This full moon run is not what I anticipated. What the hell is going on? I'm not hanging around to find out, I run off deeper into the woods.

Dawson

One minute Ashlynn is standing next to me and the next she isn't. We are waiting for the run to begin. The Alpha shifts and then gives the howl that signifies the start of the Full Moon Run. I know Ashlynn doesn't care for public nudity, so I assume she's gone off into the woods to shift. Shouldn't be to hard to find her, or so I think. Then I remember her wolf is mostly black. I run into the trees, trying to find her scent. I've been running up the mountain a good five minutes before I realize I can't smell her at all. I decide to turn back. Maybe I was wrong, maybe she shifted near the pack house after all. As I'm slowly making my way back, so as not to miss her if I come past her, I hear a menacing growl up ahead. No one should be growling like that out here, it's a pack run. There shouldn't be any aggressors in our woods. Is it possible there is a rogue on our territory? Or perhaps someone from another pack has crossed into our borders? It's pretty far in for that to be the case. I pick up my speed just a little bit.

I'm getting closer to the sounds of growling and the brush rustling. In the moonlight, I can make out a silver and grey wolf. That's Bonnie, has to be. She's lying on the ground, a gash along her flank. I turn to look and see how she must have gotten that, and then I see movement to my left, and Ashlynn is walking away, into the deeper part of the woods. As I turn back, I see Bonnie's wolf rise and leap for Ashlynn's back. I know I have to make a decision right now, before it's to late. I run full speed and pounce on Bonnie's wolf mid-air, sending us both tumbling to the ground and down the hill. Bonnie mind-links me, "get off of me you ass, I'm trying to kill her."

I pause, shifting mid tumble and catch a tree root with my hand. I stand up and demand her to shift. Bonnie stands in front of me, her side bleeding. It's already starting to heal, so I'm not concerned. "Who exactly are you trying to kill?" I demand, but I already know the answer.

Bonnie looks livid. "You know who! The woman who thinks she can waltz in here and take the most eligible man in town! I won't have it. You," She points her finger at me, " You should not be with her! You should be with someone from our pack."

"Bonnie you sound crazy right now. Do you hear yourself? I haven't dated anyone from this pack in a very long time. I'm not interested in anyone but her. And she is now part of this pack, she pledged yesterday. You must want to die or be banned, she's the Alpha's niece you know?" I'm waiting for her reaction. I really just want to give Ashlynn time to get away while I talk some sense into Bonnie. I knew this woman was nuts, but she's gone to far. "Why are you so interested in my dating life anyway?" I cock my head to the side, trying to garner something from her body language or facial expressions.