When The Fates Align

Chapter 4

A strange sensation crawling on my leg abruptly pulled me from my slumber. As I gradually opened my eyes, I was surprised to see a squirrel perched on my right leg, curiously sniffing at me. Just as it turned to meet my gaze, it froze for a split second before darting off in a flash. I stood up and stretched my muscles, attuning myself to the whispering forest surrounding me. In that moment, I could have sworn I caught the sound of another breath—one that wasn’t my own.

I turned slowly, scanning the dense woods that loomed around me, feeling the weight of unseen eyes. A chill crept down my spine as the sound drew closer, mingling with the rustling leaves and distant bird calls. With my heart racing, I turned slowly, scanning the trees for any sign of movement. The air felt thick with anticipation, as if the forest itself was holding its breath.

As I gazed across the river, a gentle breeze brushed against me, carrying the familiar scent of woodsy vanilla that had lingered in the air the night before. I recognized it instantly; it was the same man who had captivated my senses previously. What was he doing here? Deep down, I felt certain that this encounter was no mere coincidence.

“He is following us. We must go, now. I don’t know how far out he is, but we must move quickly!” Claire warned.

I got up and slung my backpack on and moved into the forest edge. I walked maybe a quarter of a mile and continued on in the same direction. I had hoped that I put enough distance between the two of us.

“This is why we need to shift.” I said to Claire.

“Yes. I know, I am working on it. Tomorrow night. Then we will be able to shift freely to get away from him. I hope he doesn’t follow. I hope he was just passing through,” I told her.

The remainder of the day was dedicated to hiking, extending deep into the evening. The refreshing nap earlier had given me the vital energy boost I required to tackle my mission with renewed enthusiasm. My goal was to create as much distance between us as possible.

As the moon ascended high in the night sky, we were approximately five miles away from our destination. I set up a small camp, enjoyed some dinner, sipped on some water, and nestled into my sleeping bag. I only drifted off to sleep once I was certain there was nothing nearby that could threaten my safety.

Cyrus

We were almost caught. She looked right at us. I couldn’t believe she didn’t spot us. My mind and heart raced as her eyes seemed to look right at us, but she didn’t see us. How did she not see us?

“Maybe she can’t shift?” Bardou suggested with a hint of sadness.

“Maybe.” I let out a sigh.

If she is unable to shift, then she can never truly be my mate. The community would never accept such a situation. They would perceive her as weak and incapable of defending herself in critical moments. Even with the support of others, she remains vulnerable to capture and torment. I've accumulated many enemies throughout my journey, and they are constantly searching for any weakness to dismantle everything I have fought so hard to achieve.

“Follow her anyway, we need answers. I need answers.” I told him. We followed along the other side of the river.

Curiosity gripped me as I contemplated her destination, especially since she was venturing into perilous territory. Eventually, she came to a halt roughly twenty miles beyond the well-trodden path of rogue wolves and around thirty miles away from the Silver Moon wolf pack's territory.

I found it impossible to tolerate that pack and their outdated mindset. To them, she-wolves were deemed valuable only for a few purposes: bearing pups, maintaining the home, and serving their mates. Any she-wolf who dared to defy these roles was swiftly exiled from the pack.

The she-wolves faced a ban on enrolling in defense classes, leading numerous families to withdraw their daughters from local schools. Consequently, many young women experienced isolation and frustration, craving the education and skills that were unjustly denied to them. This mounting resentment ignited conversations about equality and the fundamental right to learn. Meanwhile, the alpha stifled any dissent, instilling fear among the women.

As we rendezvoused, we silently approached the tree line, shifting back to my human form. I easily spotted her. There she lay in her sleeping bag, deep in slumber. She appeared serene and radiant, the troubled expression she had worn was now completely absent. It caused the corner of my lips to turn up in a smile.

“We must not get too close, but I don’t want to leave her here, unprotected.” I told Bardou.

“Agreed. We can sleep when we are dead.”

From our concealed vantage point just beyond the tree line, we observed her slumber. A smile spread across my face as she stirred, mumbling softly in her dreams. But then, she suddenly cried out, thrashing in her sleeping bag. The sound of her distress was truly heartbreaking. I instinctively wanted to step closer, wanting to wake her. Instead I watched her fight the demons of her nightmares. The vulnerability on her face tugged at my heart, and I wished I could chase away the shadows haunting her sleep.

“I don’t know what she has been through, but she is struggling.” I said to Bardou. He didn’t say anything but I knew he understood. It pained him to see her like that, as it did me, but as of now, there was nothing we could do to help comfort her.

As the sun began to ascend, we stealthily re-entered the forest for concealment. We quietly shifted our positions and trailed her when she resumed her movement. The trek unfolded over several hours until we arrived at a clearing in the valley. From our vantage point, we observed as she settled into her designated spot. She paced anxiously, clearly engaged in a conversation with her companion about something significant. Her demeanor revealed a blend of nervousness and fear, perhaps both weighing heavily on her.

We watched together as she settled on the grass and I could see her mind was deep in thought. It was dark but I could see her perfectly under the moon lit sky.

My next breath filled my lungs with the smell of rotting flesh, which could only mean one thing… Rogue wolves. They were close, maybe a mile out. The stench was strong, which made me believe there was, at the very least, four or more of them traveling together.

“She is going to need protecting, Cyrus. We are going to have to step in pretty quickly.” Bardou was on edge, his anger pushing to the surface. Radiating heat spread through us like a wildfire in a dry forest. We watched as she stood and began pacing once more.

“Let’s move a bit closer. Be smart.” I transitioned my full control over to him.