The Bite (Book 1)

Original Edition - Chapter 19: Donuts

We had sparred and sparred relentlessly until my wolf and I worked together like a well-oiled machine.

We were brutal, she and I.

Levi taught us to be relentless, to fight with a cold fury that could turn a summer day into winter, and most of all he taught us how to rely on ourselves.

The bond between us grew. After that day, the day he claimed me as his pup, I felt like I had been baptized into a new life. I felt the same yet I felt different. Levi said it was the alpha blood in me; his blood strengthening mine and giving me traits of his wolf.

Either way, I wouldn't complain. My wolf and I grew stronger. Stronger to the point that we were able to best Derek one day after a spar with him; it was a fight that earned me extra brownie points in the form of actual brownies at dinner.

This week though Levi had been taking it easier on me, and our focus has been more talk of strategy than practicing it. He said that I needed to be fresh for the hunt, he didn't want me to attempt to take a bear down while I was still nursing wounds.

Everyday my physical training tapered off more and more, and instead, Levi would teach me things; things I never thought I would ever be learning, things like the lay of the lands we were going to hunt on, how to tell which berries are poisonous or not, how to tell if a trail is days old or new, which bears are ok to hunt and which were not.

A year ago I was sitting in some beauty parlor paying way too much money to dye my hair. The only things I was learning was which shampoo would work best and which creams I should put on at night.

I still shudder inwardly at the thought.

That is not me, nor will it ever be again.

We had most everything packed. Derek had helped me put together my saddlebags; a few sweatshirts, two pairs of leggings, fresh underwear, thick socks, along with my sleeping bag. Elliot was coming with us and volunteered to take any extra supplies we couldn't carry, like my tent, which Levi said that I may or may not need because, 'We're wolves girl, do you see any wolf sleeping in a damn tent?' According to Lander, they were more for if the weather got really bad and we were not able to find shelter.

I was excited. I was excited and incredibly nervous at the same time. My wolf was giddy, she was like a kid on Christmas Eve. She made me laugh; for something that was so tough, her excitement was almost childlike, adorable

Levi had me go to bed early that night. We were leaving at five in the morning because according to Levi, there was this 'damned good donut shop' on the way there and he wanted to stop by before they ran out of donuts. I was never a morning person, but I was glad it was going to be a bit of a drive to get there, at least I could sleep in the car.

I laid my head on my pillow and begged sleep to take me, but it seemed pointless. My mind was going a hundred miles a minute.

I couldn't believe the ridiculous fortunate fairy tale that had become my life. I thought about my parents, about what they would think if they saw me. The thought saddened me and made my wolf let out a low whine. She never knew our mother, but she felt a deep love and connection towards them; my pain was her pain.

I hated nights like these. I hated nights when my brain wouldn't shut the hell up. My mind was my worst enemy. It always would be.

I decided to get up. I couldn't sleep and I figured maybe a sandwich would fill my belly and tempt me to sleep.

I made it into the kitchen, undetected, and started to pull out the ingredients for a peanut butter and jelly sandwich; my new favorite thanks to Levi. I finished cutting the bread in half then poured myself a large glass of milk when I heard him walking towards me.