14 Meeting Her…

James laid down on his bed rubbing his temples. A Shapeshifter. Why did her friend have to be a Shapeshifter? Her friend. How did she get a Shapeshifter as a friend?

He stayed awake, unsleeping. He assumed the human didn't sleep either because there was no screaming or other evidence of nightmares.

When it was six-thirty he couldn't keep still any longer. He walked down the stairs and found the human, sitting with the Shapeshifter. She watched him as he animatedly told her a story.

It bothered him, the scene. How could a Shapeshifter, the heartless and soulless drones of the Elves, talk in such a fashion to the human?

He walked through the kitchen and found nothing to eat. Hearing footsteps he recognized her scent and turned to see her watching him, her face a mask as always.

He stormed past her and opened a door that led outside, "I'm going for a run." And without further ado he shifted into his wolf and ran across the deck and down the stairs.

The yard, his yard, was open to the wilderness. His wolf relished in the breeze and scents of the snow covered forest around him. The cedar and pines, the spruce and maples, their sap was a sour addition to the otherwise sweet aroma. The snow dulled the scents slightly but added a crispness to the nature. He padded through the woods, unheeded by the ferns and huckleberries that brushed against him, and the snow that fell from high heights.

There were no paths or trails in these woods of which he was grateful. Out here he hoped to think.

Coming to a tree that had clearly fallen in a storm; its roots were raised in the air and a crater four metres wide spread from where they had once rested. The crater was covered in snow, but underneath the tree roots was a patch of moss with small saplings and fiddleheads.

He sat, his eyes searching the surrounding area. Maybe he could hunt some breakfast once he'd rested.

He rested his chin down on the moss and closed his eyes, allowing his other senses to keep him alert.

He let himself drown in memories saturated with emotions; him and Lilla running through the woods, her blonde wolf competing with his. He thought of her smile, her laugh. The way her magnificent ice blue eyes sparkled when he told her he loved her.

His mind drifted to his first memory of her, seven years ago. He'd been on a scouting mission, a simple one with a few other hunters. He was to report back to Beta but first he decided to stop at a local cafe.

As he exited the building buckets of rain began to come down in torrents. He stayed under the awning, trying to drink his hot coffee without getting wet.

His ears picked up the sound of footsteps running along the pavement. He looked up and saw a figure running through the rain, without an umbrella. She reached where he stood and began wringing her blonde hair out.

He inhaled and along with the notes of his coffee he scented a scent that ignited an excitement in him. He turned to face her, her eyes also trained on him.

Without a word he reached his arms around her and her arms found their way around his neck. His hands were empty he glanced at the ground and saw his coffee spilt there.

Looking back at her he smiled, his hands cupped her face and her lips broke into a startling grin, "You're my mate." He said softly, stroking her jawline.

She looked down bashfully, then raised her eyes and nodded, "And you're mine." She whispered in a soft voice.

He was brought to the present by a rather rude woodpecker. He raised his head and growled lowly at it, it promptly silenced.

He lowered his head sadly and smacked his lips, he caught the sound of a deers' footfalls but his blood didn't surge with the need to hunt. It only filled with a longing to hear her sweet and beguiling voice, to smell her sweet lavender scent.

He sighed when his heart was weighed down by regret and pain.

After a few more seconds passed he got up and trudged back to his new house. As he climbed the stairs that he'd previously ran down he scented the Alpha and Beta's scents.

He sighed when he reached the deck. He couldn't open the door. He decided not to care and shifted on the spot, and opened the door. As he walked in he was well aware of his nudity.

He hadn't brought a chain because, one, he could care less. And two, there was no need for quick shifting.

He walked through the doorway and looked in at the small living room. Alpha, Beta and the human were all gathered around, seated on different chairs. Alpha and Beta nodded and the human kept her eyes on the couch cushion.

He rolled his eyes and walked up the stairs to get dressed. Upon returning to the living room he sat down on a black leather armchair, it's arms had clearly been attacked by some sort of animal.

That's when he decided to investigate the strange new scent that he'd discovered when he'd first stepped in. He looked at the human and on her lap sat a small, dark brownish, grey bundle. He could detect a small, quick heartbeat from it and could make out the rise and fall of breath being drawn in.

He frowned, 'She also had a cat? How had Beta survived with a mate like her?'

He looked to Alpha when he heard him clear his throat, "Me and Thomas are here today to go over your duties as Gamma. You are to look after the financial welfare of this Pack, the health and training of the newest shifts, although Thomas can help with those. You are to organize meetings with heads and go over details of numbers and training. You are in charge of supplying this Pack with necessities, and in charge of maintaining buildings, structures and other such things." He paused and glanced between him and the human, "Any questions?"

James ran his tongue along his bottom teeth, "No." He answered without hostility.

"Excellent, I shall take my leave then." And he did, he showed himself right out.

"Sure you don't have any questions, James?" Beta asked from his seat on a bright yellow couch.

He nodded, "Quite sure."

"Alright," He stood, placing his hands on his thighs as he did, "If you have any questions be sure to ask me, and oh!" He exclaimed as an afterthought, "Ask Brooke for help on the paperwork, she's good with that."

The human raised her eyes and levelled them with Beta's. They showed absolutely no emotion.

"Oh, don't give me that." Beta said and waved his hand in exasperation, "And remember to be helpful." He said sternly to her.

After saying goodbye to both of them he left, and James and the human remained seated. Both were silent thinking of far off places.