The Forbidden Mate
Chapter Fifteen – Running Free

Katy

I am desperate to shift, my wolf is demanding to be allowed out, to take over, to run free. I know it is dangerous to transform so soon after my encounter with the black wolf. If he had managed to capture me, my secret would have been exposed, and I would be in great danger. I have refused to shift since, but I am losing the battle for control with my wolf tonight. She is slowly taking over, and I won’t be able to resist the pull of the forest for much longer.

Alex is out patrolling the pack borders, so he won’t visit me tonight. Emma is asleep. I will be more careful, I won’t go too far, and I won’t run near the border. I can do this safely.

I make my way outside, and this time my shift takes only a couple of minutes. The experience is uncomfortable, but I no longer feel pain as my teeth extend and sharpen into fangs, my bones break and re-form, and fur covers my body. As soon as the transformation is complete, my wolf is off running deep into the forest, and I have no control over her.

We run fast, enjoying being alone, and able to drink in the sights, sounds and smells of the forest. I am caught up in the sheer pleasure of being at one with my wolf. We continue in this manner for an hour until suddenly I feel my wolf stiffen, she senses something, a threat, danger. I can smell four wolves, and they are close by, they are heading my way.

Have they seen me? I need to get away. I change direction, picking up my pace in an attempt to escape. As I try to distance myself from them, I hear the fierce howl of an angry wolf. I realise that they have also sped up and are following me. They have spread out, two behind me, one at each side, leaving me with no option but to continue running straight ahead.

I am fast, faster than they are, and as I increase my speed they fall away. I feel relief but know that I can’t let up. I need to shake them off before returning home.

Suddenly a large brown wolf stands in front of me, snarling. His fangs bared, his paws pressed firmly into the ground in front of me, blocking my way. I veer to the right in an attempt to avoid him, but out of the corner of my eye I see him launch himself at me. His claws are extended as he tries to bring me down, his sharp teeth are snapping trying to pierce the flesh on my shoulder.

I am too quick for him, he fails to take a proper hold, and his jaws miss my shoulder by inches. He is unable to take me down, but I feel a sharp pain as his claws create a deep scratch down my leg. It doesn’t stop me though. I keep running, and this time I manage to get away.

My heart sinks as I realise that this isn’t a coincidence. These wolves were organised and seemed to be waiting for me. The four wolves that pursued me, had chased me into the direct path of the brown wolf. Had they planned to capture me, hurt me? Did they know who I was?

Alex

It had been a long night, and I missed not being with Katy, but it was good to be back out patrolling and not stuck in my office.

We hadn’t encountered any more rogues, but it had given me an opportunity to assess the strength of our patrols, and the defences at our borders. I had been pleased with the warriors’ performance but had identified a few weaknesses that needed to be addressed with further training.

I was going to have a hot shower, and then get breakfast before heading to my office to start work for the day. When I arrived at the pack house however Euan was waiting for me. He signalled that we needed to talk, and from the tension in his face I could tell that it was urgent.

I take him directly to my office.

“What’s wrong?” I ask.

“Ross has discovered that the group of wolves surrounding Carl have started doing their own patrolling. Not at the borders but they are going out in groups of five or six and patrolling the area where you saw the silver wolf.”

“You think that they are searching for her, trying to capture her?” I ask.

“Yes, it sounds like it, we already know that Carl is suspicious of a strange wolf and is trying to replace her.

Worse it corroborates our suspicions that he has been recruiting traitors inside the pack. They are not just attending social gatherings if he is using them to patrol for his own purposes. It is like he is forming a pack within a pack.”

How far has Ross got in trying to infiltrate their group?” I ask.

“He is close, they have invited him to attend some meetings, but they are pretty innocuous. I think there is a core group of warriors who Carl trusts with his real plans. Ross is hopeful that eventually he will be invited into their confidence, but it is slow going, as Carl seems wary of trusting people” he says.

“That is understandable if he is planning to betray the pack, he won’t want to confide in too many people.

We need to track these patrols that Carl is sending out each night. We don’t want Ross involved in case it jeopardises his ability to infiltrate their group. Instead use Jane, Daniel and select one of the trackers you trust.

At the same time we need to up our own efforts to replace this wolf, before they do. She is obviously very important to Carl if he is prepared to risk forming his own patrols to track her down” I tell him.

“I will brief Jane and Daniel” he tells me.

Carl needs to be stopped” he says angrily, “and I want to be the one to do it.”

“We both will” I tell him surprised by his sudden burst of rage. “Is there anything else that you think we can do to infiltrate his group of traitors, perhaps someone who can gather more information for us?

“There is potentially someone” he says slowly, “but I am not sure if I can drag them into this. I won’t put them in danger.”

“Who?” I ask curiously.

“I can’t tell you. I am sorry but I just can’t” he says.

I can see the determination in his eyes. He has never kept secrets from me before, but I know him too well to push him for answers. I trust him to do what is right. I change the subject.

“I will also tell my grandfather about this. I am due to see him later. He is going to let Katy and I know what his decision is going to be. If he will support our mating and help us tell the pack” I say.

“Good luck, I am sure he will support you” Euan says reassuringly.