SWNOVELS Chapter The Chase
Tyra knows this area well, her paws glide across the ground, weaving, twisting and turning, between the trees and rocks, effortlessly leading the wolves away.
After ten minutes, only two of them are still following her, one is her mate, the other the smallest of the group, a light grey wolf, who is unexpectedly nippy but seems to be keeping pace with her mate, rather than racing ahead.
Maybe he was not as fast as she thought, nor got the scent tracking down yet, but then if he could keep her in sight, he didn’t need to be that good at following a trail, maybe more concerned she would fight him.
They were gradually losing ground to her, and the noise from them had been fading she guessed, she was probably about a third of a mile (0.5 km) ahead of them
She smiles, mouth open tongue lolling out, her mate had been a good fighter, but not so good at the chase if he wasn’t keeping up, can’t be good at all things, she smiles to herself.
It didn’t take long for Andy to realise his mate was fast, almost too fast, except Frank was a speed wolf, and Remus wasn’t too shabby, but not as fast as his mate over the longer distance, he was more a sprint wolf.
Everyone but Frank, drop back, I want a horseshoe formation, using the ravine as one side
Andy’s orders are easy and time honoured, they know the simple drive-and-trap manoeuvres
Yes Beta
Frank, we’re going to let her get a lead, so stay close to me.
Are you sure she’ll double back Boss?
Andy chuckles, Frank is new to this life
Trust me, that she-wolf isn’t running blind, not when she fights the way she does, if she’s leading us away, it’s for a reason, she will be back.
Remus controls the pace until the she-wolf has a decent lead, enough to hide her direction change as far as she’s concerned, the difference is, if she does reverse direction, he’ll scent her easily, he’s banking on her forgetting how strong the scent of a wolf is to their mate.
They run for ten more minutes and there it is, her scent becomes stronger to him and then weaker as they continue in the same direction, something he probably wouldn’t have noticed if it wasn’t his mate they were hunting.
About turn Frank, be ready to push her back if she comes our way
Andy smiles to himself, his mate has underestimated him, he’ll get one chance at this but that’s all he needs, she won’t make the same mistake again, but he doesn't intend to let her get away, he's been waiting a while to meet his mate.
Tyra held close to the ravine edge, but still in the tree line, moving slowly at a trot, doubling back is a dangerous strategy and there were five wolves all slower whom she had to pass, aware they could still be following.
She could have continued running before crossing the ravine at another point, but she wanted to get back to her clothes and car quickly, not wanting them to be found by this group, it’s not that she doesn’t want to be with her mate, she just wants to do it on her terms, she needs to feel more in control and his pack did attack her after all.
About five miles (8.5 km) from the crossing point she slows to a quiet prowl, something feels off, but she stills, listening intently, she can make out three wolves spread out in front of her, her hackles rise, turning, she’s realised she’s allowed herself to be boxed in, her mate trotting up to the side, standing in the middle with three of his wolves either side.
Rookie mistake
Tyra growls at the group, while berating herself for making the mistake, all the while assessing which is the weakest side to push through, there are reasonable gaps between the wolves.
At least our mate is clever, we aren’t beaten yet.
Tyra slowly turns her head around.
It needs to be all me, Toni.
Toni allows herself to sink down even further, ceding total control to Tyra, who walks growling towards her mate, keeping her aura in check, but clearly showing her annoyance, hackles raised, challenging him, getting to within three paces, she stops, staring him down.
Remus growls back loudly, he may not be an Alpha, but being challenged publicly isn’t something he will accept, he watches his mate, knowing if the fight starts again, he’s going to have to control it, maybe even hurt her a little to gain her submission, especially if she’s not got a pack smell, he can’t afford for her to go rogue.
Tyra, glances backwards as Remus lets his growl of displeasure roll out from him, feeling the strength of his command aura, she’d been hoping he would step back a few paces, but he’d held his ground, giving no quarter, she whines quietly, usually seen as a precursor to submitting, her ears go back flat against her head.
Andy hears her gentle whine, his heart swelling as he watches her lower her head slightly, ready to submit to him, he’d probably end up apologising for bringing his pack into it, but for now, they were useful.
He stands waiting for her to approach him, showing her submission, looking forward to scenting her wolf again to show her his approval and dominance in a single move.
Watching as his mate takes two slow careful steps forward he can’t help smiling internally, he thought after their fight earlier she’d fight it more, maybe even try and break through the circle of wolves.
Giving instructions she wasn’t to be hurt, just contained, he’d still been worried, accidents did happen, so both he and his wolf are happy that she’s giving up gracefully.
She was one step away, the tension in the air easy to feel as his pack held their ground, not closing in as they would normally do, all watching the Beta and his mate, waiting for any command Andy may give.
Spinning on her haunches, she powers herself towards the ravine edge, calling on every muscle she can, hitting top speed in four strides, she lengthens her stride with ease and grace, she hits the edge of the ravine in five more strides launching herself up and off the side.
Remus realises what she’s doing a second too late
Stop her
He yells down the pack link before shifting, but while his wolves are fast, they fail to break her stride
“Stop”
He wants to push all his command into his voice but it’s too late, he sees his mate launching off from the side and he feels sick, the ravine is a good eighteen feet, maybe even twenty-one (6 or 7 meters) wide and at this point he can’t see how she can make it.
The best in his pack usually only feels confident of making jumps up to fifteen feet (5 meters).
His heart was pounding in his ears, his stomach felt like it was violently twisting, and he couldn't take his eyes off his mate, for fear she would fall.
Andy can’t remember the last time he felt this nervous and scared for someone and worse, he’d driven his mate to this, rather than trying to come back another time, his breath is held, willing her to make it.
Her front feet hit the bank on the other side, but part of it breaks off, crumbling beneath her feet, and her back legs no longer have firm ground to hit.
Andy watches as she scrambles at the edge of the cliff, his heart is in his mouth as he runs to the edge of the ravine, heartbeat racing as he watches his mate battling with gravity.
“Frank get moving to help her” his panicked command evident
The rest of the wolves around him have all shifted and watched on with shock.
Finally, after minutes that seemed to stretch into eternity for Andy, she pulled herself up safely onto the side, as her back claws gained enough purchase on the wall of the ravine to finally push herself up, turning around panting slightly she did a howl of triumph, readying to move off.
“Shift”
Throwing all the weight of command into his voice, Andy lets his voice carry across the ravine
Tyra cocks her head looking at her mate.
“Shift”
He commands again, louder, only to watch her turn and trot off
“Shit… I need….” Andy is interrupted
“I assume you wanted to talk” a soft female voice calls across the ravine.
“Show yourself mate” Andy’s voice suddenly softer and hopeful.
“Are you sure that’s appropriate, after all, I’m naked”
There’s amusement in her voice
“And there are unmated male wolves with you.
But if you really want me to step away from behind this tree I will?” Toni laughs
“No”
Andy’s voice is loud and panicked, aware that four of the people with him are unmated.
“Wait there until I come over, I just want to talk?” Andy’s words are rushed
“We seem to be talking fine here.
I’m also aware you’ve only got five of your friends there now, guessing the quickest has been sent to the crossing point, so let’s speed this along huh”
There’s laughter in Toni’s voice, Andy has gone from scared, to relieved and now, just a little annoyed, his mate had risked her life irresponsibly, but by the Goddess, she was impressive.
“Why did you run?”
She barks out a laugh
“You honestly expected me to stand around when six other male wolves from your pack turned up and attacked?
Would you rather I’d attacked them because I doubt they would go for training bites?
Maybe shifted and stood naked in front of them?
Or as I did, run?
I think I chose the best option don't you?”
Toni’s smile can be heard in her words
“Why did you attack?” He asks
“Neither my wolf, nor I am submissive and your wolf tried to dominate mine, so she needed to make sure her mate was good enough; she wasn’t trying to hurt you”
“Did we pass?” he queries
“Well, we were interrupted, but my wolf wasn’t unhappy!”
Andy grins widely at her admission
“So what’s your name?”
“No, no names, no ranks, no pack details” Toni’s words are a little too fast
“Why not?”
“Well, for example, if I think all Alphas are Assholes and you tell me you’re an Alpha, I may let that colour my view of who you are before we even get to know each other!”
Andy laughs, it loud and melodious to Toni
“Don’t worry little mate, I’m not an Alpha, and I don’t think I’m an asshole, but I’d rather have a name than just call you mate….!
and if I don’t know your name and pack, I won’t be able to find you.”
“That’s not my problem, but I’ll help you a little, I am staying in the Neutral zone for at least a week, I run here daily, although this is only a small part of my temporary range and you can call me Emma, but beyond that…. you’ll have to find me, no point in a chase if I just turn myself in!”
Andy groans
“Ok Emma, I’m Andy and trust me, when I find you, we’ll have words about the stunt you pulled here!”
His words have a warning tone to them, which just makes Toni laugh.
“It wasn’t that much farther than I’d jumped before, didn’t bank on the ground not being stable.
But I need to run, your speedy friend will be here soon and I’d rather not have to physically slow him down!”
Toni shifts and steps out, letting Tyra send a howl, part challenge, part call to her mate into the air, before she races off into the woods, all the while Tyra sends Toni images of what she wants his wolf to do to her!
Andy groans, his mate is going to be a handful, he can already tell, and while he’s proud of her spirit, she has to learn to accept the dominance of him and his brother, definitely his brother, as Alpha, Kieran won’t accept a direct challenge, not even from his own mate.