Outsiders
12

I had stopped thinking. I just ran. I knew Katelyn was slightly behind me at my right shoulder. I could hear our pursuers. If either of us stumbled, they’d be on us. I had no idea how much further it was to pack land or even if we had somehow crossed its borders. I periodically Called ‘help’. Just that one word. It was all the energy I had to give to the effort. If I’d had time, I would have shown Katelyn how to Call and had her attempting to do it, too. But not while we were running for our lives.

Wolf was doing the surviving now. My brain had shut down from exhaustion and lack of food. Wolf was more of a survivor and understood the stakes better. She was determined to get us home. Both of us.

Wolf and I had an alternative plan. Just in case. If we heard actual footfalls behind us, we were going to let Katelyn take the lead and nip her heels to push her faster. Then we’d turn back to lay in the brush. Someone was bound to run too close and we’d take its throat; hopefully, hamstring a second as it rushed by. Then there would be an assuredly brief but fierce fight. While they were occupied, Katelyn could get closer to home. Getting her to safety was all that mattered.

We plunged down an embankment and into a stream. I let my dry tongue hit the water as we ran through it to the other side. It wasn’t really a drink as much as a sprinkle. I lifted my head, smelling Were. If a second set of pursuers had gotten ahead of us, we were both goners. They could circle us like crazed deer and box us in.

Then wolf suddenly slowed down and sat. I felt a strange calm settle over me as I sat panting. Maybe I had a death wish. I tried to work up a panic but failed. Katelyn lay down next to me, equally tired and confused.

A little light bulb pinged as a giant black wolf plunged through the brush in front of me, surrounded by a large pack of other wolves rushing by him and me. He looked at me with crystal blue eyes and I felt approval wash over me warming every inch of my tired body. I sat up straighter, perking my ears as my Alpha walked over.

‘Well done, Cassie. There is a truck ahead to take you home, Tracker Warrior.’

My heart swelled and nearly exploded at the praise echoing in my head. And I was heading home. Then I realized he had given me a title. He called me a tracker and a warrior. I had an official place in the pack. I wouldn’t be an outsider anymore. I could have wept except wolves can’t.

He trotted off to join the rest of the group that was apparently going to take care of our pursuers. I looked over at Katelyn, giving her a doggy grin. She probably hadn’t heard what he’d said to me. I felt giddy. Maybe it was just the exhaustion.

I got up and walked forward on air. I sniffed and smelled a vehicle. I went towards it with Katelyn at my side. There were actually three pickups. Two were already filled with girls. The last one had several including Janis and Marci. I shifted and started to climb into the back of the truck when I heard whining behind me. I turned to see Katelyn pacing back and forth, looking at me.

“Just the reverse.” I said, “Close your eyes and think of standing there on two feet instead of four. Tell your wolf it’s okay. That she can sit back and relax now.”

Katelyn had more trouble shifting back than she had becoming wolf. I figured it was the lack of the pursuers breathing down our necks. But Janis and Marci were there to give her encouragement and more instructions. Once she shifted, she climbed into the truck. Janis and Marci were all over her, wanting to talk about how she found her first shift and to discuss all the fun stuff they could do together. I knew I’d faded into the background again.

I grabbed a couple of blankets from the stack and handed one to Katelyn. I took one and found a place to sit down and wrap up in the blanket. I laid my head on my knees thinking about what being a Tracker Warrior might mean. Probably training. Probably work schedules. I hoped they weren’t early morning. I really liked sleeping in.

I scooted over feeling someone sitting down next to me. I glanced to my left. It was Katelyn. The truck lurched to a start. Her fingers slid across the bed of the truck and wrapped around mine.

“Hello, brave hero.” she said softly.

“Nah.” I said with a slight smile. I was glad she didn’t appear to hate the sight of me what with the rabbit incident and the recent mayhem.

She leaned over and kissed me.

My breath stopped.

I had never felt such a soft, incredible kiss in my life. I had only kissed guys. My toes curled. I wanted to feel my skin against hers in the worst way. What was going on? She pulled back and I sucked in a breath to keep from passing out. I looked into her light brown eyes, and I could have fallen in and never left. Wolf settled in contentedly, with one word, ‘home’. My heart leapt and resettled. Wolf knew, had always known, since we had passed cookies across my bed on the first day. It was now so clear to me. Why her fearing me had stabbed my heart, why I wanted to protect her with everything I had, why the picnic night wrecked me, why just about everything.

She leaned over and whispered into my ear.

“I can’t wait to get you into bed.” And nipped the bottom of my ear.

I felt my thighs clench in uncharacteristic approval.

I couldn’t say it, but I had to. Every fiber of my being was being held on a tightrope depending on this one word.

“Mate?” I whispered through dry lips.

“Forever, Cassie.” She said and recaptured mine in another kiss.