Already Mated

TWELVE: Grace

The skin beneath my fur stung as I ran through thick and thorny bushes.

I had cuts grazing my skin as I forced myself to keep going and not to look back.

I knew I was far enough away that I had time to rest but I couldn't bring myself to stop running just yet.

I had passed a few towns meaning that I was well and truly out of the Storm packs territory by now.

I could feel my legs buckling beneath me.

I had never pushed my wolf to such lengths before.

I thought back to the look on Caleb's face as I ran from the office... He actually looked frightened.

If I was gullible enough I would think that he was scared to lose me, however, the fact that none of them had caught up to me was proof enough that they didn't care.

I was weak, extremely weak, especially compared to all of them. If they wanted to catch me, they would without breaking a sweat.

I whimpered with each step I took.

Why did this have to happen to me?!

I thought I would meet my mate and fall in love and live happily ever after but instead, the man that I felt so attached too, wanted nothing to do with me.

He already loved someone else.

He would never be mine.

I just cant believe this is my life.

After hours of running, I finally came to a slow halt.

My knees were buckling and my paws throbbed.

I scanned my surroundings and was meant with trees, bushes and more trees and bushes. It was awfully quiet as I sniffed the air.

Not a single sound, nor scent was picked up.

After a few hesitant moments, I shifted back into my human form.

Just as the last bone cracked into place I fell to the ground in a sobbing mess.

"Why would you do this to me!" I whaled as I begged the goddess above to send me some type of answer.

Of coarse, I received nothing.

After what felt like hours of crying and thinking about the man that would never love me, I curled up under a tree and tried to let sleep overcome me.

I was beginning to drift of when a twig snapping brought me up on my feet.

"Who's there?!" I called out, sounding a lot less brave than I wanted to.

"It's ok dear, I am a friend" An elderly woman slowly stepped out from behind a tree.

"A few of my friends heard you crying and came to let me know you may need some help" she added as three wolves came to her side.

I coward away, trying to hide my exposed skin from them all.

I could tell one of the wolfs sensed my fear because he gave me a truly sympathetic look with his big brown eyes as he moved in front of the other two, blocking their view of me.

The elderly woman threw a blanket in my direction "Please, come with us out of the cold, there is a safe place not to far from here filled with all kinds of wolves" she said as the wolves began to make their journey back where hey came from.

I didnt say anything, I just wrapped myself in the blanket and looked at the ground in fear.

Who were these people?!