Lone Wolf (The Wulf Pack Book 1)

The sun was what woke Willow up. Lighting up her eyelids, making the darkness a glowing orange. Groaning, she pulled the covers up to cover her face.

“Time to wake up,” came a husky voice that sent a chill of pleasure through her. She groaned again, this time at herself, as she attempted to stop her mind from wondering to gutter.

He chuckled softly, the sound rumbling though his chest as well as the room.

“Come on, little wolf,” the kindness of his words peaked her interest, she listened as he slowly moved towards the bed, “we are leaving soon,” she froze at his words, they were leaving? They?

“We? We are leaving?” she asked meekly, as she lowered the blanket. Blinking rapidly, she slowly adjusted to the light streaming through the curtains, before she could finally see him.

“Yes, little wolf, we are leaving,” she sat up and looked at him, her thoughts swarming in her mind as she tried to understand why he would take her with him.

“Come on, little wolf,” he motions with both hands for her to stand, as if she was a crowed of people, “shower, do what you need to do, it’s already six thirty,”

“My name is Willow,” she grumbled in annoyance, pushing the blankets off of her and slipping out of the warm bed.

“I know,” he said, his lips twisted into a smirk as he turned back to his duffel bag. Rolling her eyes she padded, barefoot into the bathroom.

Cringing slightly at herself in the mirror she slowly slipping out of her clothes. A few whimpers slipped past her lips as she pulled the tattered clothes from the scabbed and healing marks on her body. Blood dripped down her skin in places the cloth had fused to the scabs,

The warm water stung as it hit her body, as did the soap as she gently used her hand to spread it, but she ignored it, it was nothing compared to what she had been through.

When her body was finally clean, her muscles sore but no longer tight, she forced herself out of the shower. Wrapping a towel around her body and another around her hair, she grabbed her clothes and stepped out of the steamy bathroom, goosebumps spread across her skin as the cooler air surrounded her.

Rage cleared his throat, drawing her attention the moment she stepped into the room. His head was down, short dark curls catching the sun from his place by the window.

“I placed some clothes on the bed for you to change into, until we exit the human territory and can shift,” he cleared his throat again, his eyes never meeting her’s, as he pulled a phone from his bag and started typing away on it.

She quickly grabbed the clothes from the bed and made her way to back to the bathroom. The soft cotton of the extra large shirt and sweatpants felt surprisingly alright on her healing skin. The fabric barely irritating her skin.

Tossing her dirty, torn, bloody clothes into the garbage she moved back into the main room. Rage was standing, looking out the window. He did not turn as she made her way to the bed to put on her shoes.

“Where are we going?” she asked, unable to handle the silence any longer. Rage gripped his bag as she stood and answered with out looking at her.

“Somewhere you will be safe,”

He tightened his jaw as he moved over to the door. He was fighting his anger as he thought about Willow being hurt. The smell of fresh blood had him seeing red when she exited the bathroom. Thankfully distracting him from the thoughts he was having while she had been in there. Picturing her soft body under the warm water...

He couldn’t bring himself to look at her as she followed him out of the motel and into the heart of this small town.

He could feel his phone vibrating in his bag, but he chose to ignore it. He wasn’t in the mood to speak to any of his brothers. The only reason he texted Fury was because he was the only one he trusted to keep Willow safe.

He couldn’t just leave her somewhere, with just any pack. The idea of it made his mind wonder to the horrors that she may endure out of his sight. Yet that was just it, he couldn’t bring her with him. He was a monster, he had killed her pack mate with her slipping just on the other side of the door.

No, he couldn’t taint her, couldn’t force her into the life of loneliness and killing that he lead. She would never survive with out a pack. Most wolves can’t. The stress, anxiety and anger it causes in most wolves drives them crazy, or they just aren’t strong enough and wind up dead.

He wouldn’t let that happen. She will live, safe and happy, his brothers will make sure of that.

He was grateful Willow stayed quiet as we entered the forest at the edge of the town, something in his gut told him last night wasn’t the last he would see of those wolves. Rage kept his eyes on the treeline on either side of them as we walked down the quiet road. It was clear no one used this road, it was doubt full that anyone came or left from that town often, if at all.

A bunny jumped away from the shoulder of the road, scurrying into the brush for cover, causing Willow to jump. Rage let out a soft growl in frustration as the anxiety rolled off of her, like fog onto the seashore.

“Relax, little wolf,” he said, a small smirk drawing to his lips as he said the words, he knew she didn’t like it, being called little, “If there is something out there, I wont let it get you,” he teased, causing her eyes to narrow at him. She huffed as he chuckled to himself.

Reaching the end of the tree line, he turned to Willow, setting his bag onto the ground.

“We are going to go as wolves from here,” she nodded and moved to the tree line cautiously, the last thing they needed was to be ambushed while shifting.

Slipping out of her clothes and shoes she tied them into a bundle she could easily carry as a wolf and set them down in the grass. Taking a few deep breaths she let her body change, pulling on the urge to be a wolf. It was like breathing, each bone popped as the joints separated and rejoined at a different angle. Her skin stung as the shift caused the wounds to open once more, her soft fur sprouted along her skin already matted with fresh blood.

Once on all fours she shook her head and stretched, letting herself get use to the change between forms. She always liked the change, the fur along her body, her spine extending into a tail, her long snout and ears, all so different from her human form. In this form, she was dangerous, in her human form she was venerable.

Willow gripped the bundle in her canines and swiftly moved out of the woods to approach Rage. A bit surprised that he was still standing in the road in his human form.

He watched her brown wolf approach him, not fearful of him, causing a slight spark of something went though his chest. She dropped the clothes at his feet and looked up at him, tilting her head to the side in silent question. She huffed as his only response was to smirk before stooping to pick up the clothes and slip it into his bag. Without a word he headed into the trees, bag in hand.

She sat on the cold road, watching for him to return, anxiety rising with each second, as she feared he would take off without her.

Rage moved into the tree line , pulling his shirt over his head as he kicked his boots off. He listed closely as he stripped himself down and shoved everything into his bag.

Gripping it in his hands he swung it on, slipping his arms through the short handles, fastening the buckle he had added, tight across his chest. Reaching behind him he stripped the long strap over his head, pulling the strap so it was resting on his collar bone. Once satisfied it was secure and would stay that way he let his body relax, pulling at the wolf within him, allowing it to come forth and change his body. Each pop of his joints sent both pain and pleasure through him. The feeling brings the knowledge of his masochistic tendencies to mind.

Once on four legs he trotted out of the trees, smiling inside as he spotted her waiting for him exactly where he left her.