Primitive Instincts

Chapter 18

Hunter desperately chased after me, but all his efforts were in vain. I could feel his frustrations and anger radiating towards me but it didn't matter. It was simply too late in the game for him to start all over again, even if I gave up now we wouldn't be back in time before midnight.

Then it hit me like someone just threw a snowball at my face.

I win.

The mere thought of this drove my legs to run a little bit faster in the deep snow. It was the equivalent to giving me a shot of morphine, I felt like walking on air.

From the resentful growls behind me it seemed Hunter figured out this little fact but was having very different feelings towards the subject. That was simply icing on the cake.

I did what everyone else said was impossible. Even my parents didn't think I could win something unattainable as my freedom against an alpha like Hunter.

Looking towards the sky I saw what felt like winning the lottery. The moon was shining bright and clear at its highest point.

I was done, completely finished with this stupid competition, Hunter, and Red Druid pack. All my problems burned away like a candle at the sight of the bright silver coin in the sky.

I stopped running, I didn't even care or notice Hunter as I began to jump and roll around with joy. My yips and squeaks of delight coming out shrill, my childish behaviour would normally bother me but lately I've been through too much to care.

Ever in a point in your life have you felt like everything was going to hell. Like maybe anything you do goes wrong or all your just as things start to get better it turns out it was just getting ready to have another swing at you. Feels like your slipping between the earths crack and falling into darkness and chaos. But then out of some miracle you run, walk, hell even crawl your way back to the surface. And now that your out things just seem better and happier then before, you develop an entirely new perspective on life because you know how bad it can get. That's what it felt like.

Suddenly an overwhelming amount of tiredness and pain crippled my muscles. I felt like I had run about 100 marathons in the length of 1 day.

I was tired as hell. Weariness burden my eyes and I began a slow slump to the ground. Unintentionally I shifted back to human form, my body mistakenly thinking my muscles burned because I was trying to morph. The burdens I once carried fluttered away leaving a peaceful haze of comfort and contentment. My brain didn't register the fact I was in the forest, naked, in -12 degrees celsius weather. All that mattered was sleep and how much I could get before the sun came up and I had to awaken and repeat this cycle.

My eyelids relax and shut out the world in an effort to soothe the pounding in my head and stiffness in my bones.

~time skip~

Light filled my eyes as I woke up covered in thick warm blankets. Looking around I didn't know what to expect, to my surprise I was at home in bed. My pjs snuggled my skin softly, they smelled like warmth and home, instantly a small bubble of happiness formed in my stomach. Little things like my favourite fur blanket and candles burning made me feel like things weren't as bad as it seemed.

There was something I'm not remembering. I couldn't quite bring my mind to wrap around it but it felt like an empty space in my brain, the wind blowing through it causing me to constantly bring my attention back around. Then it all flooded back like my world had just been fast forward fifty years and I had to learn it all in one sitting.

Hunter. The hunting. Rachel. The Red Druid pack.

But as I looked around my bedroom nothing sinister or dream crushing seemed to stand out.