Feral

Chapter One

A young woman lay in her nest made from warm sand, letting out a soft whimper as she lay in a panting, sweating mess. Her dark den was hot, even though she'd dug it pretty deep into the desert ground. She couldn't do much to help herself, however. She had stripped naked years ago so there weren't any more layers she could take off. There was nothing she could do to feel more comfortable, she just had to have to try and sleep through the dry, burning day until the cool night came and she had the ability to hunt.

This was the daily world for the former Omega wolf known as Meleni. It was a struggle, day and night for her to survive, yet, that's what made it safe for this wolf. No other wolf would stray from the protection of their pack to live in such a hellish place. She had adapted at such a young age, she could live all alone with no help anyone, but the moon goddess.

Meleni shifted onto her back and shut her eyes, hoping sleep would claim her tired body. However, a faint sound and the smell of terror caused her eyes to open. She quickly let her wolf side take over, slipping into the blinding light. She flinched, her sensitive eyes closing quickly. She sat that way until she heard the noise again.

A pang of ferocity hit the she-wolf in her stomach as she ignored the sun glaring down onto her. She ran at such a speed that she would become a little pale blur. It wasn't long before she was able to scent something she hasn't smelled in years. The aroma of other wolves. From what she could tell, it was five large males. With a small growl, she sped up.

It wasn't long before they were in sight, sticking out like a sore thumb with their darker pelts against the sandy brown ground. They were all chasing small rabbits along the ground, easily plucking up the animals with their large jaws. Her heart ached at the sight, the vile creatures letting out victorious barks as they caught one in their teeth. They enjoyed the hunt, the terrorizing of such a helpless creature.

Meleni let out a piercing howl as she barreled into the largest of the wolves, clawing her way onto his back and pulling out teeth full of dark brown fur. A yelp escaped her as she saw him whip his huge head around, dropping off the side of his back and looping under him before taking off with great speed. Her ears flicked back to hear the thumping of large paws against the dry ground.

Determined to lose him, she began to bolt toward rougher terrain. She skillfully weaved though an army large rocks, not once looking back. He was in her territory, her home, he would not know it as she did. Or at least she assumed so. But the wolf kept pace with her. It brought an alarming feeling to her mind. He was an unusual goliath of a wolf, the sort of stature an alpha would have. Meleni let out a frustrated growl as she cursed inside her head. She'd have to pull out the best of her tricks.

The small wolf darted toward a rocky cliff that jutted out the ground. Lunging up, she scrambled onto a small ledge and began to continue to fight against gravity to make it toward the top. The alpha wolf followed her, though with much more difficulty. The rocks crumbled under his clumsy weight. Still, when she reached the top, looking back to check for any signs of him, she was met with a frightful sight. Huge paws gripping the ground as the male used his back paws to push himself up. With wide eyes, she took the opportunity to turn tail and run, gaining somewhat of a head start.

Meanwhile, the male had made it onto solid feet again, beginning the hunt once again, keeping close to the tail of the female. No matter what sharp turn she made, or the obstacle she jumped, he was always just one step behind her, seeming to never grow weary. At that point, she seemed to be running off pure fear of being captured in the jaws of the towering wolf. The she-wolf had one last option, though the one she had been avoiding.

The female kept her speed steady, veering toward a small ravine. And then, taking a deep breath, she leaped into the rushing water at the bottom, disappearing beneath the surface. The darkly colored wolf skidded to a stop and peered over the edge, only to find the female had seemingly disappeared. He could no longer smell her.

Growling in frustration, he backed away from the ravine, making his way to return to his pack mates. His ears folded back as he recalled the recent events. He'd almost scooped up a plump hare for a snack before she had pounced on him with amazing speed. A small blur of light blonde. It was only after she had begun running that he realized her fur was truly white, coated in sandy soil to camouflage her natural color. She was quite small and scarily thin, clearly an omega, yet she was quite quick and rather nimble. It made for an exhilarating chase, the sweet smell of the female making him only want to catch her more.

However, to his disdain, she slipped from his claws. He wasn't even sure she was alive. He never saw the female breach the surface of the water. Although his wolf began to feel antsy at the thought of the female drowning, he doubted that a wolf like her would die so easily. He began to trot back to the others who waited, their kills in their mouth. Their ears perked, they watched as their alpha returned, panting and empty-handed. Although, a few felt amusement that a lone female wolf was able to outrun their powerful leader, they didn't allow it to show. It was obvious he was in no mood to show them patience. He'd never lost prey. Not until he met Meleni.