Found by the Lunar Pack

Jasper

The scent of wolves is strong in the air, surrounding my senses from all directions. I want to hide, to fade away in the darkness of the night. But I know they’re already too close. They kept downwind from me until it was too late. Ganging up on me, stalking me, hunting me.

I push myself between a wall and some trashcans, maybe that will mask my smell from them and they will move on. It is to no avail. I see four white figures strut into the alley and come straight for me.

There is one big wolf, walking ahead, with three smaller ones following a few steps behind him. A pack, a damn pack, my rotten luck.

I push myself against the wall more, hoping that my black fur will help me melt into the shadows, but the Alpha keeps looking at me, straight at me.

The pack stops and the Alpha walks towards me on his own. Stepping closer and closer. A growl starts in the back of his throat, intimidating, scaring, showing me that this is his terrain.

Of course it is, because why wouldn’t this beautiful area already be claimed by someone, or a whole pack. It was stupid of me to come here.

I keep in my place, not able to sneak out of the alley because there is a dead end behind me, but I also know that the Alpha is way stronger than I am, so I can’t fight my way past the pack either.

The Alpha snarls, his body tense. I need to come out, fight him or submit to him.

Instead, my body is frozen, fear having taken hold, memories of another time and another big wolf rushing through my head.

The Alpha snarls again, stepping even closer to me.

I want to do something, I want to show myself, but I can’t seem to move.

The snarls are turning into growls and one of the wolves at the back of the group jumps in front of me, his back up, his teeth showing. The Alpha growls at him but the last two wolves jump in too, forming a barrier between me and the Alpha.

What? That is not how things work, that is not how packs work. But the Alpha now backs off, stepping away from us and deflating his stance.

The wolf that first jumped in front of me shifts, limbs twisting, colours changing, a beautiful man now in its place. It only takes him seconds and then he reaches out, not touching me, simply letting me smell him. He doesn’t just look amazing, he smells even better, like wet grass and flowers that bloom in the night.

I lean forward, pushing my maw against his hand.

The man scratches behind my ears, rubbing away some of the tension. “You can come with us, little stray one. We won’t hurt you, not even big bad over there.” The man smiles, his whole focus just on me. “It’s not safe staying out on your own.”

I push against him, finally able to step forward some. The rest of the wolves push against me but none show any aggression, just greeting me.

Next to me the man turns back into a wolf, his pure white fur so different from my midnight black colour. He walks next to me as we all start moving. Where? No clue. But I feel safe, protected. It’s weird, but I don’t question it now. The white wolf next to me keeps casting glances my way, keeping an eye on me. Watching over me.