Chapter 2 #2
“That’s because you’re an asshole,” Ryker chuckles. “I can say that. I’ve known you longer than anyone.”
“I have my moments,” Seb growls. “But it wasn’t all bad. The hunt was fun. Claiming her was even better. Just didn’t work out so well after that.”
“Let’s not pile our troubles on Victor’s shoulders,” Saul says. “Tonight, his hunt begins. It’s a time for celebration.”
“Yeah, we’ll go celebrate while you go find your mate,” Ryker smirks, then he extends his hand. “It’s been fun having you around. We’ll miss you.”
“I guess this means my days as a member of this pack are over,” I sigh, shaking Ryker’s hand.
“Yes,” Saul says, clasping my shoulder. “You’ll always have a place with us, but destiny calls you elsewhere. Follow the scent. It will guide you to her.”
I wasn’t planning on saying my goodbyes tonight.
I was hoping I’d never have to say them.
It’s bittersweet in a way. I expected to grow old in this pack.
Possibly lead it one day, after Saul and the older wolves are gone.
But Mother Fate doesn’t care about my plans.
I have a mate and her scent is so sweet I already crave it.
I’m just not sure why there’s bitterness beneath the ambrosia.
Donovan doesn’t look at me when he says goodbye. I understand why. Until a few minutes ago, we were the same kind of forgotten. Now I’ve become proof that maybe he is the only one left behind.
After I leave New Salem, I head back to the bunker. If I’m leaving, I’ll need a few supplies. I pack only what I can carry. Saul had backpacks made for us by a leather worker he knows. They fit us well in human form, but they’re designed so that we don’t destroy them when we shift.
Everything I don’t need for my trip goes into a box.
The same one my things were in the day I joined Silver Pack.
I’ve kept it in my closet for some reason.
Maybe a small part of me always hoped Mother Fate hadn’t completely forgotten me.
I’m not sure what took her so fucking long.
Most wolves who find mates feel the pull when they’re much younger than I am.
I’m warring with myself when I leave the bunker and shift into wolf form. The life I’ve built is over. My time as a member of Silver Pack is finished. Even if they do welcome me like a brother, should I visit or have a reason to return to the pack, it’ll never be the same again.
They’ve moved on from this stage of their lives while mine is finally beginning. Some packs would welcome mates, but that’s not how Silver Pack operates. It’s a place for wolves who lost their mate or never felt the call.
I run for almost a full day, miles passing beneath my paws before I finally have to stop for a break. Once I shift, I find a spot in the woods near a clearing and put my backpack down. I brought a few rations, but this trip may take a few days, so I should hunt some wild game.
After I recover, I shift back into wolf form and try to find a scent in the air.
“Bear,” I growl when I catch the scent, barely identifiable beneath the one flooding my senses. “Perfect.”
It would be safer to go after a deer or smaller game, especially since I’m alone, but I’m feeling more aggressive than normal. A fight with a little danger is exactly what I need. Besides, if Mother Fate is guiding me to my mate, I can tempt her a little.
The bear is by a stream, pawing at fish. I slink into the shadows that the trees provide and approach cautiously. If I can take it by surprise, I’ll be able to injure it enough that there won’t be much of a fight; just enough to keep me on my toes.
Except when I get closer, the scent changes. A second later, the bear gets mine and spins around. I don’t go for the attack. I shift and take a step closer.
“A bear shifter,” I growl. “Been years since I’ve seen one of your kind.”
The bear lets out a low warning rumble but then begins to transform. Bones snap and pop as the fur recedes, massive shoulders narrowing until a burly older man stands where the bear stood. The gray in his black mane suggests he’s older than me, maybe close to Saul’s age.
“It’s been a while since I’ve seen a wolf shifter, too,” he rumbles, meeting my gaze. “My name is Kodiak. Not many wolves around here. What brings you this far north?”
Bear shifters usually don’t travel in packs.
They’re loners who enjoy their solitude.
I’ve always been a little envious of shifters who don’t have the instinctual pull toward a pack or pride.
Saul claims there were once bear clans who weren’t much different from packs, but that’s either a legend or ancient history.
“Mother Fate,” I answer. “She’s leading me to my mate.”
Kodiak’s expression softens, but only for a second. “Then I won’t stand in your way.”
“You sound like you know better,” I answer.
“I know enough not to interrupt Mother Fate’s plans. Especially when she’s dragging a wolf by the throat…or the balls,” he chuckles, his voice rumbling. “Are you hungry? I have a cabin nearby.”
“I am, but I think I’ll hunt, as long as you’re not territorial about the wild game,” I say.
“No, there’s plenty to share,” he says, turning his attention back to the stream. “Help yourself. If you change your mind, I’m sure you can pick up my scent.”
I nod to the bear shifter and step back into the shadows before I call my wolf.
It looks like my journey will lead me through the heart of bear country.
If there are shifters around, I’ll have to be careful.
Some bear shifters are more feral and aggressive than the one I just met.
I could handle a wild bear, but a bear shifter is a different story.
By the time I find a deer, kill it, and drag it back to my campsite, the bear shifter is gone.
His scent lingers, and I could follow it, but there’s no reason to.
I’ve got what I need. I start a fire and rig a spit.
Shifters can eat raw meat, but it tastes better if it’s cooked.
If our legends are true, we were the first to discover fire, and it didn’t take us long to realize it was good for more than just warmth.
After I eat and drink some water from the stream, I continue on my journey.
I run for another day while the scent gets progressively stronger.
There’s still something off about it. Some sort of bitterness I can’t identify beneath the sweetness.
I’m not sure what that means. I consider stopping to contact Saul, but I’m too close now. I can feel my instincts flaring.
Finally, I crest a hill and see a city below me. That’s where the scent is coming from. There’s no mistaking it now that I’m this close. I shift into human form and set up camp. I need to rest before I start hunting my mate.
Based on what I know, I’ll have a few weeks before the mate bond fully develops, before I lose control and won’t be able to fight it any longer.
It’ll be the same for her, but I have to be careful, especially if my mate is human.
A she-wolf would be more prepared, but there aren’t as many of them around as there used to be.
“Covington,” I growl, looking at the lights of the city. “That’s where I’ll find my mate.”
I hope she’s ready for me. Everything inside me says I’m ready for her, even if I never asked for this. Never expected it.
I’ll track her. Hunt her. And after I’m sure she’s the one, I’ll make her mine.
I just don’t understand why the scent is still off.