Taking the Leap

Chapter 3

~Achilles~

Family. Pack. Home. My four paws grappled the earth, and I tasted the salt in the air. The magic of the moon pulsed in my blood, making my fur stand on edge and my heart race.

I pawed the grass, shifting from side to side, letting my packmates frolick around me and nip at my paws. I darted back and forth with my brother Anders, jumping on his back and wrestling with him across the ground. My yelps added to the cacophony of the slips of grass sliding across my fur, the whufs of my heavy breathing and the low buzz of insects along with an owl whirring somewhere in a not too far tree.

I licked Anders face, slobbering over his nose and maw. He growled low in his throat, hackles raising as I butted him with my head, wanting to play. Anders was always so serious. I was, too. But today...Today I wanted to play.

I raced around him, before joining the rest of the pack on our run. The woods had several paths throughout them and this was a park owned by the Asheborne pack. It was the one place we could unapologetically be ourselves. Every full moon we had a run and a pack meet. The night was winding down and we were doing our last run.

The alpha took the lead with her betas behind her and gammas behind them. The run was hard as we loped across the grounds, kicking up dust and circling around trees.

We paused, scenting prey. It was easy like this, too. Soundless communication, breaking up into two groups, one moving downwind and the other flanking.

The elk was large, grazing in the moonlight, moving lazily. The alpha shot forehead, pouncing on the animal and tearing at his neck, ripping out his throat before the rest of us jumped in gnawing through firm muscle to get to the fat. I chewed happily, wagging my tail, as the blood dripped down my maw and into my fur. This was bliss.

#

"Achilles." Anders said later, nudging my shoulder companionably. "I have big news."

We were sitting arm to arm at the cafeteria style dining hall in the pack facility. The pack grounds acted as a human campground for the bulk of the year and some members worked here full time. The property was partitioned  off  so that where we stayed was separated by a lake. The eastern side was our personal property, and the western side was for profit.

Anyone who hadn't been on the run had been cooking sinful amounts of meats and sweets. Shifting was physically taxing and food was almost always necessary after a shift, especially an active one. This was the only time of the month I'd relax my diet but it was always worth it. Running with my pack was the closest I got to being at peace. I was almost myself with them.

The dining hall was full of hungry wolves, sitting on wooden chairs at wooden tables. The pups were running around, under the table and wrestling one another or stuffing their faces with pecan pie. The teens were eating as heartily, barely composed compared to the kids. Us adults were wrapped up in different conversations, couples getting a little handsy and everyone else was talking amicably.

My mother and my step-dad were seated across from me and Anders, with Anders' wife, Justine, beside him. Our little corner lapsed into silence while Anders grinned from ear to ear. "We're pregnant."

Justine elbowed him. "Well actually, I'm the pregnant one." But she laughed while she said it, flushing happily. My mother yelled, getting up out of her seat and crossing the table to hug Justine. "Oh my god!" She squealed. "Congrats, baby. You'll be a beautiful mom. And Anders!" She continued on, hugging Justine and stroking Anders hair before hugging him, too.