Alpha Without a Pack...

Chapter 56

                                       Sidney

 Suddenly there was a burning fire spreading through my limbs as I felt the craving to shift, insistent and unrelenting it pressed my tired mind into overdrive. At first I fought the burn as long as I dared before realizing fighting only made it stronger. I knew this wasn't real somewhere in the back of my mind which made it easier for me to accept my next actions in this strange new dreamscape, instead of fighting the fire I let it consume me entirely. Then I was no longer human in this unknown place of mind, the burn spreading through me before sizzling out into a familiar desire. 

Standing proudly on four paws the desire of the wolf consumed me now, the desire of the forest, the desire to run. This time it did not wake me, instead I found myself running through the trees in a desperate chase, a chase that I felt I couldn't relent. I had many strange dreams and often horrid nightmares but this one left me more desperately curious of the outcome than fearing what waited ahead. I wanted to know why this felt so important, why and what the beast was determined to chase down no matter the cost, and why I could still feel the sizzling of the past burn rolling through me. Why were we running, what was the purpose, why was everything suddenly going from chase to desperation?!

 I could feel the burn building again and I let it consume me once more until the wolf was whining in pain,  stopped in our tracks as shadows appeared suddenly surrounding us. They were recognizable and sent anger and hatred through me as the snarl left my muzzle, I would not let them take me. I reminded myself it was only a nightmare, they couldn't reach me here unless I let them and I wasn't going to let that happen this time. I focused then on forcing all the bad memories down, smothering them in the good things I'd gained from escaping all of my past. The snarling shadows disappeared quickly enough and I let my beast run in our dreamscape to fulfill the questioning desire thrumming through us, but it was a chase without an end. 

I woke with a snarl of annoyance as a wet tongue trailed across my cheek, Ollie looking pleased settled on his haunches at my feet while I scowled at him. I guessed he'd woken me knowing I was dreaming of unpleasant things, either that or he was hungry and wanted outside to use the bathroom before breakfast. I was quick to take note of the fact that Simon and Tucker had joined me on sleeping on the couch, and although they seemed to be sleeping peacefully they didn't look comfortable at all. I sent a glance to the window with the early dawn light shining in, letting the sigh leave me in a soft whisper. I had slept longer than I thought possible but I was even more exhausted now than when I'd fallen asleep in the first place, I could even hear and smell Colton making coffee in the kitchen.

 I was about to order Ollie back to bed so I could rest my eyes a moment longer before I finally realized that the light coming from the window was different. I wiggled up the back of the couch to get a better look outside as a thrill of hope raced through me. I couldn't help the excited whine that escaped my lips as I got the full view, it snowed! "What, what's wrong!?" Simon jolted awake at my whine bringing half the guys running into the room and the other half stumbling after them, Tucker fell on the floor in surprise. "Snow!" The yelp of excitement had barely left my lips as I hopped up and wrestled free of the cocoon of blankets I was wrapped in despite not knowing how I'd gotten them, I suddenly wasn't so tired anymore.

 The moment my feet hit the ground I was skidding at a run towards the door as I yanked it open, I had shifted halfway on the porch as I launched myself out into the blanket of white. It had been so long since I'd seen a good snow like this one, it was easily six inches deep and I was loving it. I ignored the chuckles behind me as I launched into a nearby drift and rolled happily in the snow pile, it felt absolutely amazing stretching out over the cool blanket beneath me after the burning dream. An excited bark had me bouncing to my feet as Tyson led Spartan and Ollie in to the game of snow tumbles and play. I tackled them one by one in a playful wrestling match as they submitted to me before bouncing back and trying to get me to chase them again.