Chapter 2

Dagger's POV

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There were three things I preferred about being in shifted form to being in human form.

Number one, everything was heightened. Smell, sight, hearing, taste…strength. That wasn't to say my human form was weak. It was still more jacked than regular humans and most other werewolves, but it had its weaknesses. Like having to cook everything. How stupid when I could kill a deer and eat straight from it.

Number two, I moved much faster on four legs than two, and as a lone wolf, that was huge. More ground covered meant more territory marked. And more territory marked meant less annoying visitors. And more food to bring back to Benny's cabin. With fall in three months, it was time to stock up on meat to dry out. Especially if we didn't want to head into town.

And finally, number three, I scared the shit out of people. Well, okay, I did that in human form too, but shifted form? Forget it. Hikers booked it when they saw me. But to be fair, if I was them, I probably would've pissed myself too if a seven-foot-tall, black wolf started running at me with its teeth bared.

So you've been scaring the hikers, hm? Benny's thought cut through mine, telling me the old coot had shifted too since we could talk without being close to each other. Quite the big, bad wolf, aren't you?

I rolled my eyes as I wove through the trees. Go home, Benny. You can't even see where you're going.

That's no way to talk to your elders. There was a sharp shift in his thoughts as he took on a more serious tone. Have you given any more thought to what I told you?

No. But I also try not to give any thought to what you tell me.

Har har. I'm serious, kid. You're not the same wolf you were ten years ago. And with packs all meeting at Elder's Peak for the full moon, it's the perfect opportunity to get back at Bane for what he did to you.

It wasn't exactly a secret that my wolf side wanted to watch my older brother suffer a slow, painful death by my hand. On the flip side, though, my pack had turned their backs on me. That hurt worse than any of the physical shit Bane did. I had been exiled, left for dead, and forgotten until I couldn't be ignored anymore.

You can't blame the pack for following their alpha, Dag.

Bane wasn't their alpha yet. My father was. You know that.

You were weak then. Leave it to Benny not to sugarcoat anything. You aren't anymore. Even the Elders are scared of you. But you'd be a good alpha. Better than Bane.

These weren't lies. My complete disregard for the Lunar Way and pack harmony paired with my strength terrified the Elders. More than once had I been brought before the council and sent away with not much more than a slap on the wrist because no one wanted to challenge me. Not after what I did to the alpha of the Frostclaw Pack.

It was just short of a massacre, but an example had to be made. I killed an elk in his pack's territory, and he took offense. So, I took offense to his existence. Problem solved.

You did not leave that unscathed, Dag. Don't forget who nurses you to health when you get into these fights. At least make it worth my while and become alpha of your pack. Please. I'm begging you.

Benny…you're annoying me.

Suddenly, like a pressure lifting off my head, Benny's presence was gone. Either he'd shut me out, or he shifted back. Regardless, I was alone again, continuing my patrol around the cabin. Solitude, sweet solitude.

That was the good thing about being one of the wolves in the Pacific Northwest. Solitude was easy to find among the trees and in the mountains. I felt bad for the packs in the south. Where did they get to hide? Behind a cactus? It was just sad, really.

Glancing up at the treetops, I let out a sharp snort of air through my nose. It was dark, but still oddly illuminated. The night before the full moon. I expected more activity, but the forest was quiet. Except for the soft thud of my paws on the cushy soil. Not even a deer was out. Yet.

Slowing a bit, I took a moment to sniff the ground to make sure I hadn't missed any trespassers. A wolf's scent was strong and musky, easily recognizable. And based on their pack, they took on different nuances based on where they were from.

For example, my brother's pack—the Bloodmoon Pack—had a hint of orange and jasmine because of all the mock-orange that grew near the lair. The Frostclaw pack smelled more like pine because of how many firs and pines hid their lair. And so the list went on.

It was the lone wolves that were harder to pin down. Yes, they smelled like a wolf, but from where? Anyone's guess. Usually, they were just passing through, so they didn't have time to pick up a scent. Benny, though, had lived in that cabin for years even before I crawled onto his doorstep. So, Benny picked up a woodsmoke scent. I was starting to take on that scent too, but I never stayed long enough to keep it in my fur like he did.

The sweet, delectable scent of a doe crossed my nose. She couldn't have passed through more than thirty minutes ago. Young, weak, and perfect for a quick hunt. So, I picked up the pace and followed her trail.

It wasn't long before I saw her, grazing on some grass in a secluded meadow away up from me. The moonlight shone off the brook running just in front of her. I licked my chops, already able to taste her blood on my tongue.

Crouching so low that the ground tickled the hairs on my belly, I began to stalk toward my prey. I didn't have the privilege of a pack, so I couldn't just rush the doe. There was a strategy that had to be executed. Sure, I probably could've overpowered the doe easily once she was in my grasp, but she'd outrun me before I even crossed the brook if she caught sight of me.

Sometimes, I wondered why I didn't just stay like this. Let my wolf take over, live free and wild. It wasn't like my human life held anything of value for me. Sure, there was my job, but that was so I could have some cash if—IF—I needed to pick up supplies for Benny from town. And Benny wasn't going to be around much longer. So when he was gone, what was stopping me then?

Just as I stepped over the brook, headlights flashed through the trees. The deer lifted her head, watching as the headlights neared. The sound of loud, bass-filled music almost overpowered the sound of a diesel engine.

Of course, it all spooked the doe. She took off towards the nearest cover of trees opposite of the headlights.

Fuck.

I scratched at my ear as if that would help shake the irritation I felt. Looking up at the sky again, I decided it was probably close to ten at night. Whoever was getting to the campground this late was going to hate themselves. Especially if they had to set up a tent in the dark.

Not my problem.

Trotting over to where the doe had been, I picked up her trail again and followed it through the forest until I couldn't anymore. And the reason I couldn't follow? A new scent caught my attention. One I'd never smelled before.

It was human, that much I could tell. Well, there was eight humans total, but there was one that stood out above all the others. Actually, this scent stood out above all of the others. This one was sweet, like honey and vanilla. Feminine.

No deer or rabbit could compare to the desirability of this one. But it wasn't a "food" sort of desire. It was primal, sure, but it was more than that. It was the sort of desire that someone has for air after being underwater too long.

And the scent was tailored just for me. I didn't know how I knew, but I knew that if another wolf was to have smelled it, they wouldn't have had the same reaction. The scent called to me and only me. Like a siren, beckoning me to my undoing. Which could only have meant…

But it can't be.

Not only was the scent human, but I was without a pack. The Moon Goddesses didn't give loners a mate because it was too dangerous. How could my mate be safe without the group to protect her when I was away? And, again, she was human. Weak, vulnerable. Just like the doe I'd been prowling earlier.

Sure, there were bedtime stories that mothers told their pups. Something about history and how when the number of wolves was low, the Moon Goddess had no choice but to mate wolves to humans. But that was millennia ago. So why did this scent call to me like it did?

Following the scent, I made sure to stay hidden in the shadows. Never in my life had I been more thankful for my black fur than at that exact moment. Because if the humans saw me, my special one would run.

I heard them before I saw them. Only two were still awake from what I could tell. My special one and one of the men. My hackles rose, and I knew then that this was exactly what I thought it was.

Fuck. Fuck, fuckity fuck.

"So you've really never—"

"For the fourth time, no," my special one squeaked and my heart stopped.

I hadn't even seen her yet, and I already knew I was going to lay my claim on her. And all I had to go on was a fucking squeak. But as much as my wolf wanted to bolt from the shadows and carry her off to some dark cave, I knew it was impossible. Not when she was human. Not when there were other humans around.

I'd break any of the Elders' rules in a heartbeat, but I wouldn't break this one. Humans could never know about our existence. That really would've meant my death. Probably by quartering. And having four different alphas ripping me apart didn't sound fun.

"Did you hear that?" My special one sounded panicked, and I wondered if she heard me making my way around their campsite. I'd been so careful where I was stepping, but maybe I was so caught up that I missed a twig.

"Hear what?" Just the sound of his voice made me want to rip out his throat. Nothing personal, guy. You're just a little close to my destiny.

"I'm probably just being paranoid."

As I crept around the last of the tents, I had the perfect view of my special one as she sat by a dying fire…with her unfortunate companion. My heart raced, and the wolf inside me begged to take control. He wanted to mark her just as badly as I did. And how could I blame him? Our fated mate was beautiful. Heartbreakingly so.

Laying down, I drank in every piece of her that I could. The way her wavy, chestnut hair framed her face, the way her big, brown eyes looked almost like cognac in the firelight, the way her teeth bit down on her thick, lower lip. All of it. I ate up every detail.

Her legs were tucked up on the folding chair, one arm holding them to her chest while she poked the fire with a stick. She was petite and wearing a sweatshirt way too big for her. I fought back a growl as I realized it was probably her friend's.

"I feel like we're being watched," my special one shivered, glancing over her shoulder.

Internally, I laughed because if she looked in front of her, just past the fire, she'd probably see me. A big, black wolf watching her.

And then she'd scream, run, and then I'd have to shift to calm her down. Which wouldn't be the worst thing in the world, except she'd probably scream because I'd be naked.

Fuck.

How was I going to do this? How was I going to gain her trust without this all going to shit? Not easily, that was for sure. And definitely not with Sweatshirt-Giver sitting right next to her. Given that it was a Boise State sweatshirt, I would've bet he had a gun in his car, if not on him. Open carry state, and all that.

Really did not need to go home with a bullet in me…again.

Fuck.

"You really don't like camping, do you?" Sweatshirt-Giver laughed, and I suppressed another growl.

I hated that this grinning idiot was sitting next to my special one. I hated that he was trying to win her over and that he was probably succeeding. I hated that I was in the shadows and he was in the light with her. Most importantly, though, I just hated him.

"Not at all." My special one giggled, a hint of nervousness in her voice, "Bugs freak me out, and dirt is…dirt. Oh, and then bears, wolves…things that want to eat me."

Covering my snout with my paws, I suppressed another growl. If only she knew I was right here. If only I could tell her that the only thing that was going to touch her would be me. But I doubted that would've comforted her much if she saw my wolf form first.

A new anxiety began to take hold. What if she didn't like my human form? It wasn't unheard of for mates to not find each other attractive. My aunt, for example, wasn't attracted to her fated mate physically so they rejected their bond. So what would stop the same thing from stopping my mate from not being attracted to me?

After all, she seemed pretty attracted to Sweatshirt-Giver, who—from what I could tell—was the exact opposite of me. His hair was this golden color, grown out to almost his shoulders. My hair was as black as it got, and I kept it cropped short. On top of that, there was a softness to him that I couldn't afford have. Maybe she liked the soft ones and…not me.

"Hm…I wonder how I can take your mind off all the bugs, dirt, and big, scary predators…" Sweatshirt-Giver stood up, scooching his seat closer to my mate. My head snapped up as he leaned toward her.

Abso-fucking-lutely not.

Standing up, I decided it was better to do something than to sit there and dwell on problems that probably didn't even exist. And if he had a gun, he could shoot at me all he wanted, but I was not letting him touch my special one. For dramatic effect, I stalked toward them straight through the dying fire.

Did it hurt? Well, it didn't feel great on my paws. But Sweatshirt-Giver's face? Priceless. Especially when I let out a low growl and he toppled backward, crawling away from me as soon as he could. Even better than that? The shriek he let out. Fucking priceless.

However, I just needed him away from my mate. So when he was out of the way, I laid at her feet. She was scared. No, terrified actually. I could smell her terror, but she didn't move. Her doe-eyes were wide, staring at me, and I figured I needed to do something to reassure her I wasn't going to hurt her.

So, I carefully set my nose on her feet. And when her legs slid down so she was sitting properly, I gently rested my head in her lap. It was amazing how small she seemed beneath my head, but I wasn't sure if she was actually so tiny or if I was just that big. My wolf form made it a little hard to make an accurate estimation.

Of course, she was still hesitant even with as gentle as I was. Could I blame her? No, but I had to put her at ease somehow. So, as humiliating as it was…I wagged my tail for her. Fuck.

Okay, so I usually didn't regret my actions, but I was starting to regret making Sweatshirt-Giver scream. Tents were opening and flashlights were waving around as the other humans came rushing over. Almost as soon as they saw me—a big ass, fucking wolf—with my head in my mate's lap, they froze.

Except one of the guys—who looked exactly like Sweatshirt-Giver—took a step too close, and I snapped at him. When he took a step back, I put my head back in my mate's lap so she wouldn't run.

"Serenity, what are you doing?" one of the girls hissed, wearing a look of disdain that must've taken years of practice. "What is that…that thing?"

My special one shook her head, "I-I don't know…"

Serenity. Even her name was pretty. It matched everything about her appearance, too. Elegant and innocent. Petite and vulnerable.

"Get rid of it!" the same girl from before snapped. I wondered if she always looked that pissed off, or if this was just a special occasion. She shone her flashlight over on Sweatshirt-Giver. "Tank, are you okay?"

"That thing was going to eat me!" Sweatshirt-Giver—Tank—screeched. He scrambled to his feet but made no efforts to come near me or Serenity. Points for being a quick learner, I suppose.

"What if it has rabies?" The Tank-Lookalike—Tank Number Two—asked.

"What is going on out here?" Another Tank-Lookalike—Tank Number Three—joined us all around the group, rubbing his eye.

"Serenity got a new pet, apparently," a different girl—a not-so-angry-looking brunette—shrugged. Her nonchalance was puzzling, especially since her friends were freaking out.

"What the fuck is that?" Tank Number Three pointed at me. "Is that a fucking wolf?"

"Yes!" Tank Number One squealed from the ground.

Peeking up at Serenity, I tried to gauge from her expression if she was attracted to him still. However, she wasn't really paying attention to him. She was looking at me. My tail thumped the ground for her again.

"Should we call someone? Have it like…relocated?" The pissed-off one asked. "I just don't want our camping trip ruined by someone getting their arm bitten off."

"He doesn't seem…dangerous?" Serenity tilted her head to the side, giving me a more thorough look-over. Her hand rested on my head, her fingers embedding into my fur. A low, throaty groan left my body. It was such a simple touch, but never had anything felt so good. Fuck.

"Doesn't seem dangerous, she says," Tank grumbled. "Do you not see the size of that thing? It's taller than me, Serenity! Fuck, it's bigger than Macie's car!"

I flicked my tail in annoyance.

"He's like a really big dog," Serenity ran her fingers through my fur, making her way to the back of my ear. I'd forgive her for that comparison if she just—Ah yeah, right there. My leg thumped as she scratched behind my ear, right in the spot I just could never seem to reach.

"Yeah, like if a really big dog and a bear had a baby…and then that baby had a baby with an even bigger bear!" A different guy—one that didn't look like Tank—stated. This one had brown hair that was cut short, and he was bulkier than Tank.

"You know there's been a string of animal attacks right? And they don't think they're grizzlies…" The blonde girl who hadn't spoken yet was hanging onto the Not-Tank's arm, gazing at me with fear in her eyes. She dropped her voice to barely above a whisper, "What if that's the thing that's attacking people?"

"Oh, come on guys. You're going to tell me that this seems like he'd hurt us?" Serenity scratched a little harder and my leg went nuts. But with her point proven, she stood up and patted my head. A whine left my muzzle, but she patted my head again before turning to her friends. "I'm going to bed."

"You're going to bed while that is in camp?" Tank asked, eyeing me suspiciously.

"I think if he was going to hurt us, he would've done it already." Serenity shrugged before walking toward one of the tents. I followed behind her, listening as her friends grumbled before heading back to their tents as well.

Once we were at Serenity's tent, I let out a low growl. Not angry, just irritated. Because Tank's smell was all over this place. Again, Serenity patted my head, like she was trying to reassure me that it was fine before disappearing into the tent.

I, however, sat outside and watched as Tank put out the fire. Then, when he walked towards the tent, I growled at him. Over my dead fucking body was he sleeping in there tonight.

"Come on! My shit is in there, and I need to sleep," he gestured to the tent.

Bringing my face to his, I let out a more vicious growl. One said, Back the fuck off or I'll rip your face off, in any language. Tank's face paled, his heartbeat nearly pounding out of his chest. But I think he got the hint because he held up his hands defensively, backing away slowly until he disappeared on the driver's side of one of their cars.

Only once I was sure Tank wasn't going to try coming back to the tent did I do a quick patrol around the parameter. We were outside Benny's cabin territory, close to the Paleoak pack's territory. A little too close. But again, there was no sign that a wolf had been this way. So, I went back to the tent where Serenity—and only Serenity—was soundly sleeping.

Curling up in front of the entrance, I rested my head on my front paws.

At least she wasn't scared of my wolf form…but how the fuck was I going to tell her everything else?