Changed [Watty Awards 2013]

3. Mate

3. Mate

DELILAH

I was running. My arms pumped vigorously and my lungs burned. I didn’t dare look behind me—he would be gaining up on me by now.

I burst through a chain of trees and almost tripped over a root sticking up out of the forest’s soil. I looked over my shoulder and saw him—Master. The very thought of him chasing me sent chills down my spine. Why wouldn’t he just give up? He knows I’m with Nick’s Pack now. All the bullcrap with him is over.

I looked straight ahead of me and noticed a hill. I ran down it. I lost my footing and tumbled down the long hill. I yelped as my back hit a rock. I landed on the ground on my stomach. I stumbled getting up. He was right in front of me.

He smiled at me maliciously. I scrambled back only to have him push me down on the ground. He loomed over me and I tried to get out of his grasp as he held my hair in his hand.

“Did you actually think you could get away from me?” His breath puffed against my ear. “Did you think that poor, young Nicholas could defend you against me? An older, stronger werewolf?” He moved in front of my face and chuckled. “What a silly little pet.”

My blood boiled as I heard the old nickname roll off his tongue easily. I growled and rolled over so I was on top of him.

“Well, this is promising.” He smiled.

I snarled and scrambled off of him. He got up as I ran up the hill. I couldn’t fight him—not yet at least. I haven’t had any training done yet from Caelon and he was just too strong for me. He grabbed my hair and threw me on the ground, a wild look in his eyes as he snarled at me. The last thing I heard was my strangled scream.

I jolted awake in bed with a sob bubbling up my throat. There was a knock at my door and I greeted the person at the door. I looked up to see a brown mess of hair peek in. I waved Nick in. He shut the door behind him and sat on the edge of my bed, his hand on my calf.

“Are you okay?” His voice was soft and sincere.

“No.” If I’m going to try to be at least a little bit honest why not be honest to him? He was my Alpha. I also felt a ridiculously strong bond towards Nick. One I could not even explain to myself. I felt as if we were glued together.

I’ve been here for two weeks already and I have had nothing but bad dreams about him for the days I have been here. Every time I woke, Nick had come running to my bed side. I was grateful.

I also learned a lot about werewolf history while I have been here. I have to admit, at first I was a bit skeptical about the Pack being helpful toward me, but now I do believe that it was my best interest to join the Pack.

Werewolves, along with all of Supernatural kind, was run by an authority figure called the Law. The Law consisted of one member from each Supernatural race—werewolf, vampire, faerie, witch, warlock, and a necromancer. Each race had their own laws to abide by and if they were broken, the offender would receive a slow and painful death by them.

I definitely wouldn’t even fathom breaking any of the laws if it resulted in death. I was also just a goody-two-shoes, so that probably also wavered my opinion on the matter.

Nick looked at me and wrapped his arms around me and I wrapped mine around his neck, breathing in his sweet scent. He didn’t say anything. All he did just hugged me and it worked for me. I didn’t want him to say anything.

When I opened my eyes the next morning to see Nick sleeping beside me with his arm around my waist and my hand pressed up against his bare chest. It felt…right, almost fatal, waking up in his arms.