Chapter 3

Cain's view.

My wolf takes over running through the forest, following the pack boundaries, and checking the perimeter while I do it. It won't hurt anything if I check everything myself. I like to know what's going on with my pack to be. It's important.

My wolf's ears perk up when he hears screams and sobs. Oh, no way! Not in my pack. I rush quickly toward the crying. It sounds like a she wolf, oh god please don't let anything bad happened.

When I see a small she wolf curled up against a tree, I stop in my tracks. She looks so weak and shattered. She is hiding her face, so she probably doesn't have her wolf yet, or she would have smelled me by now. I take a few careful steps toward her and then realize that I'll have to move to talk to her because she's not on my link yet. Damn, I'd rather not have to do this. Her clothes stick to their small bodies, so I'm hoping that assault isn't an option. My wolf looks around to make sure she is alone and I won't be surprised. When her head lifts at the sound of the leaves rustling and her eyes find mine, he moves closer. Holy crap, she's gorgeous...

Her tears made her eyes red, but you can see that they are a bright sapphire blue. Her skin is pale and looks so soft. Her features are soft and innocently pretty, and she has sweet, round curves in all the right places. God, she smells good. I can smell lilies and...cherry blossom flowers, and it's so sweet that it makes me dizzy. She is so small that she looks like a tight ball. I must be scary, because she doesn't move a muscle and looks scared. With one last look and sniff, I'm sure she's by herself, so I quickly move. I don't usually mind being naked, especially in front of someone so beautiful, but I don't want to scare her by making her think I have a hidden agenda, so I cover myself with my hands.

Her eyes get bigger as she looks me over from top to bottom before meeting mine. God, those eyes are so bright I could swim in them. Then I realize that she's looking right into my eyes. She doesn't know who I am because she can't smell my power without a wolf. This could be good for me, because if she knew, she'd probably be scared.

"Are you all right?" Even though I try to keep my voice even and calm, it's still as deep as hell. She looks around as if she's not sure if I'm talking to her.

"Well, my friends know where I am," I said. She acts like she's scared. I bend over to make myself look smaller and less scary.

"I won't hurt you," he said. I heard you and, well, I just wanted to make sure you were okay." I'm usually not this kind. Not even with a she wolf, but she looks so fragile that even a slightly cold word could break her completely. She nods while still looking into my eyes, and I really have to fight not to get angry right now. The last thing I want to do is make her scared. What the hell am I doing? Why do I care?

----

Chelsey's view.

He's good-looking, like really good-looking. It looks like he has a jaw that could cut through stone. His eyes are the brightest green, just like his wolf, and his hair is a dark brown that is almost black. I've never been that close to a wolf before, so it was pretty cool to see him that way. I don't know what to say and I don't know where the hell he came from. I've never seen him at school, and I'm afraid he might be a lone wolf looking to take advantage of innocent she wolves.

"Are you on your own?" I have never seen you!" I try to sound strong, but it's clear that I'm scared.

"I'm not, no. I don't go to the pack school anymore..." He doesn't want to say much, and I don't know why. He keeps looking around to make sure we're alone, which makes me a little nervous. "Did you get hurt by someone...?" His voice sounds strangely worried, and it's kind of nice that someone cares so much. I'm not sure.

"No, well, not in a physical sense." I sigh because I feel like I should say more. "My guy just got hitched. We thought we were supposed to be friends, but I guess not... well, it's pretty clear that we're not. He didn't even tell me. Sorry, I'm talking too much. I don't know why I just told a total stranger about my problems, but I guess who else do I have now? To my surprise, he's listening, like I'm telling him an amazing story and not my sad teen drama.

"Don't be sorry... you have nothing to apologize for..." I'm not sure why he's being so nice when I look at him. His eyes are as bright as new grass in the spring. They aren't bad to look at at all. "If you want my opinion, any man who thinks leaving you behind is a good idea is crazy..." He shakes his head as if he wishes he hadn't said anything, but his words calm me down and I stop hugging myself so tightly. Something in the back of my mind tells me I have nothing to worry about with this stranger. Which is very strange, given that I'm alone in the woods with a naked man. He is covered in tattoos of our pack's symbol, which finally convinces me that he is not a lone wolf. If he had left his pack, they would have been cut off his skin.

"Do you have a real name?" I feel shy and don't want to tell him all of a sudden. If he knows Josh, then what? So I shake my head, and he light-heartedly laughs. It sounds like music to me, and I laugh along with him.

"That's a beautiful sound..." When he says it, my cheeks get red and I feel shy again. I wipe my tears away and stand up slowly, just like he does. He must be at least six feet and seven inches tall or more, so it makes sense that he bent down to look less scary. I look around at the dim light of day. I've probably been here for a long time. I've got to go home.

"I need to leave..."

"Ok..." He's looking at me from head to toe, and I'm getting red in the face.

"Uh, okay, thanks..."

"Cain... it's been my pleasure, little one," he says, and his choice of words makes me blush again.

I'm sure my cheeks are as red as an apple. It's a good thing he doesn't know my name, though, because I wouldn't tell him.

I turn around and walk back to the path I made, brushing off my clothes as I go. I hear twigs breaking behind me, so I turn around to look. His wolf stands where he used to be, and he lets out a small howl as a farewell.

I wave shyly because I don't know if wolves can even understand what I'm doing. I keep walking back to school to get my bag and books.

I get lucky and make it home in record time, right when I should be getting home from school.

Today is not the day to ask my dad if he still cares about me enough to come find me if he's not home when I get home. I find a small note that was only half written.

I'm at the bar. Get some food. Stay out late.'