4 Antics

As we raced through the forest, I found myself flexing my fingers though Rune's fur and enjoying the way his muscles flexed between my legs. I guess he sensed it after a while because he tensed and looked back at me growling before pushing forward, going even faster than before.

It was then that pressure returned, pushing on my bones and making my skin feel like it was not only going to split but catch fire too.

Damn it, it's hot and damn that really hurt.

I grunted and shifted uncomfortably, trying to ignore it. I focused on the back of Rune's head. I'm hurting and burning up but sweet Gods, I'm bored shitless.

Since I'm not an official pack member yet, I had no way of communicating with Rune or Alpha Alistair in this form. It was a one way dirt road.

How boring.

I drop my head to the side in exaggeration. Then it hit me.

I know what I can do.

Leaning back a bit, I reached out to that damned voice.

"You," I mentally called out. Nothing.

"Hello?" Still, nothing.

"You talk so damn much whenever you want to but you can't respond to me when I'm trying to get your attention? Damn pest." I huffed, mentally crossing my arms. Maybe that will get her attention.

And right on cue, I heard her growl in annoyance.

"Ah, there you are," I piped triumphantly into the darkness with the exception of two monochrome eyes staring back at me. "I have questions."

"And I most likely have the answers," she stated, sounding a little more intrigued now.

"What's your name?"

"River."

"That's it? River?" I couldn't see her body but her eyes moved up and down for a moment, so I'm just going to assume that was a nod.

"Okay, River. What are you and why am I just now hearing you," I asked, genuinely curious.

"You really are dense, aren't you, Noir?" she asked as I just glared back at her. "Fine, fine."

With that, River stepped out from the darkness and my jaw dropped.

A wolf.

And boy, she was beautiful. Standing about 5 ½ — 6 foot tall, her ears, face, chest and front legs were black. The black seems to fade gray on her belly, sides and haunches where it once again feathers to black covering half of her back legs and tail.

When she stood directly in front of me, I took the opportunity to study her eyes. To say they were "gray" or "silver" was an understatement. Neither did them justice. They were so solid, so bright, the exact lustrous color of a polish shard of metal. Looking even closer, I saw swirls of glittering onyx and tinges of cyan at their edges. They weren't monochrome or boring. They were absolutely beautiful.

"I must say, you're beautiful. However, why are you just now making an appearance," I questioned yet part of me, somewhere, knew the answer.

"Because, I am your wolf and you're about to shift," she spoke slowly like I was an idiot.

"Oh," I thought about it for a moment as I went to touch her fur. "When will I shift?"

"Hmm," she started, scratching her ear. "Soon, when the moon hit its peak. You won't make it to Dark Wood before the change but that's okay, I'll help you."

"I see. Well, I guess I need to mentally prepare for this then." She nodded in approval as I snapped back to reality only to get smacked in the face by a branch, knocking me off Rune.

That had to be the slowest, longest fall of my life and the impact didn't help matters with my already aching and burning body. And to make it even worse, down an embankment I roll, tumbling down like a rag doll.

When I finally came to a painful stop, I just laid there on my stomach, face down in the dirt.

For fuck sake. What did I do to deserve this shit?

I silently curse as I hear River laughing.

Next thing I hear is heavy paws, crunching of bones and a, "Holy shit, are you okay, Noir," from Alpha Alistair. All I could do is exhale, causing dust to fly up.

At that moment, I hear him laugh before nudging me with his foot. "You'll be alright, come on, get up," he chirped as he went to pick me up.

The moment he did, he immediately dropped me causing me to groan and sit up.

"What the hell was that for," I all but shouted at him.

"You're hot," was all he said before leaning a tree lazily.

"Why thank you but was that any reason to drop me like a sack of potatoes," I huffed, standing to dust myself off and pop my back.

When I got done, I looked over to my soon to be Alpha, once again naked in all his glory while he stared at me.

"Shut up. I meant you're burning up."

I don't know why but for some ungodly reason, I growled and not like a frustrated, human-like growl either. It came out animalistic and echoed around us. Alpha Alistair's growl snapped me out of my shock and in a blink of an eye, towered over me causing his full height to really sink in.

He grabbed my face again but this time it wasn't gentle, it hurt as he forced me to look at him. His eyes practically glew as he stared at me causing me to shift slightly.

"Shit," was all he said as he practically shoved me away. 

"What the hell, Alistair," I growled, rubbing my face then froze when I realized I didn't use his title.

His head immediately snapped in my direction, returning my growl. The power behind his growl though forced me to bow my head and instantly bare my neck to him.

What happened next, I can't explain or remotely comprehend. In an instant, Alpha Alistair was in front of me again and placed a gentle hand under my chin, coaxing me to look up.

"Do not ever bow your head to me or bare your neck," he stated sternly but his tone was uncharacteristically gentle.

Blinking, I stared at him in confusion but before I could speak, he continued, "Also, go ahead and drop the Alpha title. Just call me Alistair."

Now I was completely and utterly baffled.

"But you are my new Alpha. Why would you have me drop your title," I questioned, looking at him quizzingly.

He stared down at me for a moment then backed up, roughly raking a hand down his face.

"Just do as you're told," he barked before turning his back to me and in a much lower voice said, "I'm sure you're going to find out soon."

Hmph. Whatever that means.

"I was hoping we would make it back before your shift. It seems that isn't the case." He mumbled something else to himself before looking back at me.

"What are you looking at now? It's creepy as hell when you stare at me," I quipped, pointing at him.

Just then, his eyes fogged over.

Mind-linking.

Why must something so useful look so damn disturbing?

Alistair nodded then looked at me with a smile. "Stop that," I snapped. His smile grew even wider. "WHAT? What is it already? You're weirding me out."

"They have your sister, Triaa. In the short time she was imprisoned, she was fed Wolfsbane. I'm assuming to cut off the mind link to you and her wolf temporarily. You should be able to mind link her soon," he stated proudly, puffing his chest out a bit. 

Right now, he looks like a turkey getting ready for a mating dance.

"Wait, what? Really?"

Gods, thank you.

But that's all that was said before my back popped causing me to scream and hunch over.