Chapter 7 – Grace

Trees fly past me every step I take, my breathing even as I take in the scents and sounds of the forest around me. I need to cover as much ground as I can before the men are given a chance to chase after us, to claim us. If I can just find a river or stream, I can swim until I find a hiding spot and wait out the first few hours when many will be busy fucking. The forest is quiet, only the sounds of nigh time creature can be heard. No vampires or faeries either. Then the loud sound of a gun shot rings clear, even if the sound is muffled by the distance. I stop running, realizing that the ten minute head start is up and soon the males will be on us, hunting down their prey. With urgency running through my body, I take a deep breath and focus on scenting for water, instantly bolting left the moment the fresh scent of cold water hits my nose. As I doge more trees, the sounds of wolves crashing through the brush with no regards draw closer and I worry I may not reach safety yet. Then I find myself falling, realizing I had jumped over a bush and off a four foot cliff, but the sounds of softly flowing water below me brings a sense of relief and I shift mid air, falling into the cold water and quickly swimming up stream the moment I surface and finished checking to make sure my gold earing is still in my ear. My best chance in winning this bet and staying mateless is make my way to the edge of the barrier and walk towards the lodge using the outskirts of the town. While swimming, I think back to the days my father had me learn the topography of the Moon Goddess’ Forest, wanting me to learn where traps were because no man wants a scared she-wolf. I remember the conversation we had clear as day after pouring over the maps when I turned seventeen, the year before I should have participated in The Run for the first time. How he screamed at me for voicing that I did not want to participate, how I did not want a mate and had dreams. The bruise his fist left on my face and the swollen eye that took a few days to heal. He is the reason I do not want to be here. The reason why my mother died.

Shaking my head for a moment to rid myself of these thoughts, I make my way towards a sturdy looking rock and take a moment to sit, happy that the water still flows over me and carries my scent away. My muscle are starting to grow sore, the cold water finally taking its toll on my body. I will have to find a place to hide soon. With a sigh, I turn to look at the sky, knowing daylight will be coming in a few hours and that many wolves will still be searching for a mate. Once all the weaker she-wolves are taken, the males with some form of power will be hunting for someone like me, a wolf with powerful blood. I won’t be able to avoid them if I am exhausted and sleep deprived. There has to be a shelter somewhere around here for me to avoid the wolves searching.

Scanning the trees above me, I carefully look for any clue that a shelter is near by, a place that can be considered a safe haven for she-wolves who don’t want to be mated or a love nest for those who already are. If I can just find one of them, then there should be some sort of supplies. And then I see it.

Blowing in the wind mixed with the long branches of a weeping willow tree is a white rope ladder, barely visible if you have no clue what to look for. With a smile, I dive back into the river and continue swimming upstream, my body begging me to just rest again. But I keep going. I need to reach safety if I am to get any sleep. After what feels like an eternity of swimming, I reach the base of the tree, happy to find that the roots and part of the trunk are inside the river meaning my scent will definitely be hidden if a wolf were to come search. Even though I am exhausted, I swim under the covers of the branches and pause, not daring to reach for the rope ladder until I can make sure the area is clear of wolves and I can climb to safety. So I listen and sniff for any scent near by until I sigh with relief and grab the ladder, climbing it as quickly and quietly as I can and find my way into a small tree house, one camouflaged and barely noticeable if you aren’t paying attention to your surroundings.

Before I can allow my body any rest is pull the rope ladder inside. I can’t have anyone being able to climb in while I sleep and if I can find the ladder in the night, then it will be easy for those searching for a mate to find it during the day. Then, with my body resting against the wall, I take in my little home for the next few hours and realize there is a fresh mattress tucked away from the entrance with a hiking back pack on top. Grinning like the Cheshire cat, I crawl towards the mattress, careful to not get any water onto it, and pull the pack off. As soon as I open the bag, I am greeted by a bag of trail mix and a bag of beef jerky that I quickly start munching on, my growling stomach being appeased after being drugged and starved for two days. Between bites, I began taking each item packed by the co-ordinators of the event an smile at my haul. A dry towel is next, something I happily wrap around my wet body as I dry followed by a warm long sleeve shirt and pair of pants with string to tie at the waist. A pair of runners that thankfully are my size. These shoes will be perfect for walking through the forest in my skin form and I need to make sure they are kept safe when I shift. Finally, I find a water proof flashlight and a metal canteen filled with water that I quickly drink. Tomorrow I will fill it with the river before I make my six day trek to the lodge. After taking stock of what I have, I return the trail mix and jerky to my bag. I’ll have to hunt in wolf form if I want to eat anything really filling. Maybe I can find a few faeries and gain some food from them.

Light slowly starts to illuminate the small treehouse and I look outside the window above the mattress to see the sun beginning to rise. Most she-wolves will keep running now that they can see the forest in the day until their body give to exhaustion, If I leave now, I will be caught instantly. With a yarn, I decide to curl up on the soft mattress, deciding to sleep through the day and continue at night. As long as I can avoid the center of the forest, I will be safe.