Chance Encounter - Wolverine/X-Men Fanfic

Chapter 1: Jack London Never Had it So Good

The stars were magnificent tonight. Max couldn't remember the last time she'd looked up into a clearer sky.

The sounds of the evening echoed all around her, singing in her blood as she smiled up into the shining face of the full moon. It had been so long since she'd last broken away and let her nature take her where it so badly wanted to go, and years in the city had really done a number on her sense of smell. The exhaust, trash rotting in the street and urine from various vagrants too addled to care where they voided their bladders – it had all been so oppressive at first. After the first couple of months, the wretched odors eventually blended together. They had become like a low background hum that you eventually became used to.

Now, the richness of the earth combined with the exciting rural scents surrounding her, giving her an almost heady high.

"I can't believe I waited this long to come back to you." she murmured softly.

The moon was like a lover on nights like this. Tonight, she would run without restraint. She'd gone far enough into the wilderness to ensure that she wouldn't run into any people after she turned, and she wanted her hunger to ride her; the way she remembered from the days of her youth.

When she was still Pack.

Max's lips curled into a lazy smile as she stretched against the ground, bowing her back and letting her fingertips slide through cool grass. Summer was just ending and she was beginning to scent the first taste of fall on the night wind. So sweet. She stood in one fluid movement, the graceful curves of her naked body framed in soft, silver moonlight. As she let out a yawn, her body began reshaping itself, ripples juddering along her muscles as she crouched down on all fours. It hurt a little more than she remembered this time, but it was over quickly enough.

In her place stood an enormous, dark honey colored wolf with sharp orange eyes.

Her senses were suddenly overwhelmed and she let out a little whine, shaking her head briefly as she gave herself time to adjust to them. The wolf's nose was considerably sharper that that of her two legger form. There were so many things to focus on and she didn't know quite what to go after first. A field mouse slowly picking his way through the tall grass at the edge of the treeline seemed as if it would be entertaining, but it would hardly make a meal – or be worth the effort. As she settled back on her haunches, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

Bigger game was to be had out there and if she wasn't up to finding it, she wasn't half the wolf she thought she was.

There!

A pair of hinds were out and about, keeping each other company as they foraged for food.

Perfect.

Max slowly began stalking toward them, making sure to stay downwind so they wouldn't catch her scent and run.

Creeping through the brush, careful to keep from making too much noise, she smiled quietly to herself. Should she spook them and chase them, or simply down one of them? The last meal she'd eaten had been fast food – just to keep her stomach from growling on the drive up. Her hunger plucked at her now, wanting her to be quick about getting dinner.

Deciding that expediency would calm her nerves so that she could freely run after prey without worrying about the pit in her stomach, she moved closer. A loud cracking noise echoed out from somewhere behind the treeline, as if something large had stepped on a long dried out branch. It startled her prey and they immediately bolted, white tails flagging behind them in alarm.

Dammit!

She growled, cursing the noise that had startled them. She quickly spun in the direction of the noise and listened, ears swiveling forward. Perhaps this distraction would suffice for dinner instead, seeing as how it had so effectively chased hers off. There was another loud crack, then the sounds of something slowly moving away from her.