Into the Woods

I'm running, closing in on my prey. The dirt under my feet, cold air rushing in and out. The trees are only a green blur and the scent of it makes my mouth water. It knows I'm coming for it. Around a boulder my feet tearing into the dirt. It's running up onto the bluffs, no where to hide up there. My wolfish grin stretches wider. I see it now. A female elk, large for her sex. She trumpets in fear and I crouch to attack. Pouncing I land on her back taking her down with me. Her hooves kick into my gut and I yelp. I bite into her neck jerking it back and up, the kicking slows then stops. I give another tug to make sure she's gone.

The meat is so good. Hot and sticky running down my muzzle. I tug back more of the skin to get at the insides. I toss a hunk in the air and catch it mid jump. After a kill I feel such a buzz. I pull out more digging around the coils and loops of intestines to the loin. Even wolves know that's the best part. I'm dragging out my prize when it hits me. I leave the meat steaming on the ground stepping over the elk to smell the air.

Something assaults me, so strong it makes my hair bristle on end. Something sweet with musk. Better than food, than home, than the smell of the other females in heat. I stand up tall trying to scent it on the wind. This scent; it's pulled down something red over my eyes. At first I think it's rage, the urge to go tearing after it is stronger than I've ever experienced. Every instinct in my body is humming. Follow. I don't know what it is, don't care all I need to do is find the source. The elk is barely started but I leave my kill to the scavengers. Down the bluffs I follow and through copses of trees stopping to sniff the air. Along the river, it's moving along the river. What is this smell? What could it be that smells so powerful? Then it hits me – my mate. This isn't rage, it's lust. It's my mate and she's here. Close. I press my nose close to the ground to breath her in. The ground is covered in pine needles so all I can follow is her scent.

Voices reach me before they come into sight. The scent of her grows stronger the closer I get. God I need it, I need her. I've waited longer than any of the other pack members. They're following a narrow trail next to the lake. I want to leap up on her from behind tackling her to the ground and take her right here. Roll and wrestle with her until she submits. No, I shouldn't she isn't in her wolf form. I almost bound up surprising them from behind when I put my nose directly on their trail again.

No, it can't be. I check again to make sure. This isn't, there's got to be a mistake. It's human. Revolted I back up slamming into a tree trunk. The humans start shouting. I know they can't have seen me but they've certainly heard me. I hear them running, probably think I'm a bear.

Shaking my head to clear it I bound back into the brush to camouflage myself. I duck behind a fallen tree, breathing hard, my heart hammering. And still the smell, a siren song calling me to my death, longing for me to join it. Go, go, go my body is saying. Human. A human mate for a wolf. That's an abomination, the stuff of stories. A human can't have a wolf mate. I must be wrong, but the farther she gets from me the more volatile I feel.

I growl jumping over the log and slinking through the trees alongside the trail until I catch up with them. I can move fairly quietly in the woods but am by no means silent. I set loose a shower of rocks and hear the humans again. I focus trying to listen in on what they're saying. I only catch a word or two before it's carried away. I need to get closer. Dare I move along the trail? Yes, yes I do, my mate is down there. No not my mate. Just one look and then I'll go back. Just to see. God I think pushing my head into a rock willing this desire to go away.

Climbing further up the hill I drop down around the other side to wait for them. I lay down under the shadow of a fallen tree leaning against a boulder. Shouldn't be able to see me from here. I want her. I want her for my own. I don't even know her, haven't seen her face but I know she's mine. The urge to reveal myself is strong but I'm so hard it hurts. Definitely can't reveal myself with that. I press myself harder into the dirt and bite one of my paws hoping the pain will make it wither. My entire body is pulsing with desire, all the blood rushing south. I look up to see them round the bend and listen to their conversation.

"Probably a bear or something," one says. A girl's voice. Is it her? How will I tell without getting too close?

"Bears fucking freak me out, let's get out of here fast," a male voice says. A growl rumbles through my chest. A male with my mate? What if he's her boyfriend? The thought makes me want to charge them and chase him off. She won't want him when she realizes I'm her mate.

"Oh relax, we're far away from him. Probably back there gorging on berries." My ears prick up and I raise my head to get a better look. I skip over a mousy haired girl and tall guy. It's her. Instantly I know, it's physical. Dark hair falling straight over her shoulders. I want to run my fingers through it in our bed, bury my nose in it. She's small and slight I notice as she picks her way around rocks and roots. Closer and closer she gets. I rise my whole body straining for me to go to her. I slink down the far side of the hill. Follow her home? What if they get in a car? I can't follow them then. I'll have to reveal myself. Scattering them would be easiest then I could pick them off until she's the last. But who should I reveal? The man or the beast? One thing I know: Laws be damned, I'll have her whether they allow me to or not.