Moonlit Fur Chronicles: Lucid Fur
Chapter 24 Missing Wolf

I had a new text message. Dylan wanted to check on me. I decided I’d call him. It had been a while since we had spoken and I was rather short with him because of my parents. Dylan’s phone rang a few times before he answered it. His voice was groggy, he had been asleep. I felt a pang of guilt for waking him up. “Hey Reese, what’s up?” “Hey, I got your text. It must have been last night or something. It sounds like you were asleep. Did I wake you up?” “Don’t worry about it. Have to get up anyway. Don’t need to sleep all day.” I began, “I wanted to apologize for how I treated you the last time we saw each other. I was going through a lot, but that’s no excuse. I’m sorry.” Dylan was nonchalant, “I know that you weren’t mad at me. It’s no big deal.” I was glad he wasn’t upset with me. He was my best friend and had been for many years. Dylan and I chatted about life, especially the weird woman who claimed to be my sire, the wolf who had turned me. “She seriously wore that,” Dylan guffawed.

I shook my head and grinned, I couldn’t believe she had been so tacky. I wondered if she was really crazy or if she was just putting on a show for me and my pack. I hoped I had seen the last of her, but I knew she’d be back. Dylan mentioned that he no longer needed crutches but his leg was still sore. I was glad he was well on his way to proper health. We talked and laughed for a half an hour before he needed to get his day started. I said “good bye,” and hung up the phone. Quinn and Phoenix were on the deck lounge chairs by the pool. The sun had given them glorious tans while I was occupied with Dylan. I sat down beside my two girlfriends and listened to them chat and giggle. Quinn’s laugh made me feel intoxicated. Her joy filled me and I was deeply grateful to be part of her life. I was happy. I was happy for the first time in what felt like a very long time.

Unfortunately, I couldn’t enjoy the euphoria. Drew stumbled out of the woods. His face wore an expression of anxiety and fear. “I can’t find Kai! I lost her! Reese I’m scared!” I stood up, “Lost her? What happened?” Drew fell to his knees and panted. He spat his words out between heavy breaths. “She ran off into the woods, after we all argued early this morning. I followed her and talked to her. I thought I was able to get through to her. She hauled off and sucker punched me. When I came to, she was gone and I couldn’t pick up her scent.” Quinn and Phoenix were on their feet beside me in an instant. “How far into the woods were you when she hit you,” Quinn urged. Drew still hadn’t caught his breath, “About forty five minutes of hard running to the southeast,” he mumbled. “Human or wolf,” Phoenix demanded. “Human,” Drew panted. “I’m going out there,” I exclaimed. “Reese, how are you going to track her scent,” Quinn queried. I answered her, “I am the Alpha.”

I yanked the clothes from my body and bent low to the ground. I leapt into the air and phased into my wolf form. I shot forward into the woods. Part of my mind, the human part, wanted to argue that Kai had purposely chosen to assault Drew, which was odd considering how close they were. The Alpha wolf part of my mind demanded I find her and keep her safe. I was torn, I felt rage build up in my chest. I released an angry tormented howl that shook leaves loose from tree limbs. I raced through the trees and underbrush. I tracked Drew’s scent until I arrived at the clearing where Kai had pummeled him. There was a funny smell to the clearing, not a physical smell per say, it smelled of Kai but it was definitely off. I breathed in the scent and pondered it. Kai had struggled with intense emotion here. Was it because she hit Drew or was it because of something much worse?

I closed my eyes and listened to the forest. The usual animal and bird sounds floated in the air. Birds sang and squirrels chittered. A familiar scent teased my snout, Kai was close. Why hadn’t Drew sniffed her out? Had she left him there and returned with a guilty conscience? There were too many questions and not enough answers. I pointed my nose in the direction of Kai’s scent. I trotted off slowly and carefully. I sensed that stealth would be important. Kai’s scent trail was clear and easy to follow, almost as if she wanted me to find her. Something felt off, I couldn’t put my finger on it. The scent trail wound around trees and over small hills. It finally led me to a cliff. I saw Kai as she sat with the oddly dressed weirdo who claimed to be my sire and several women who seemed to have the fashion sense of a lumberjack.

The tree hugger noticed me and like clockwork, all the other women turned their heads to face me, Kai included. I felt a stab of pain, Kai smelled wrong and she seemed to act stiffly. “Welcome Selene,” the tree hugger greeted me with exaggerated flair. This one was quite the drama queen. “I am Artemis. I am the Alpha of our little pack.” She waved her hands in a loose circle to indicate the women who sat around her. I stepped closer to the group. I felt like I had encroached on enemy territory. Kai was there and I felt like I needed to rescue her but she refused to make eye contact. Her odd behavior combined with her refusal to make eye contact filled me with dread. I remembered the first wolf to leave my pack and how much he had hurt us. I truly hoped Kai would return to her senses and come back home. I strode up to Kai and whimpered softly to her. “Reese, listen to her. The things she has to say are life changing.”

I sat down strategically between Kai and Artemis. A sneer crossed my lips, I glared at Artemis and dared her to change my mind. She began a speech that felt rehearsed. It was about how women were better than males were. Honestly I had to agree with that. Artemis continued on about how women were superior and males were inferior. I narrowed my eyes at her, she got too close to hate speech for my tastes. She explained how she decided that she didn’t need males in her life anymore and was looking for like minded women. She clearly was successful in her mission, she had several women around her. I had half a mind to introduce her to Chance Stirling, the werewolf hunter who had nearly decimated my pack a year or two ago. I wondered how long she would survive against him and his forces.

I pulled my attention back to Artemis and her grandiose speech. My patience for this hatred towards males nonsense had quickly run out. I barked decisively and turned toward Kai. I nuzzled her cheek with my snout. “I want to stay and listen, Reese, this is fascinating stuff!” My heart sank, Kai had listened to and absorbed this garbage. She had fallen victim to Artemis’s hatred and lies. My eyes were full of sadness as I looked directly into her eyes. I held her gaze for a long moment. Confidently I paced up to Artemis and glared at her. I bared my teeth in a silent snarl. Artemis took an unintentional step backward. It took her only a split second to recover and step forward to where she had once stood, but the damage had been done. She had backed down before me. She had shown that I was the superior wolf and her whole “pack” saw it. A gleeful twinkle appeared in my eye. I turned slowly and walked away from Artemis and her wounded pride.

Artemis’ voice wavered briefly but she regained her regal tone and flowery words. I was angry and hurt that Kai would believe any of this pathetic nonsense. It felt like Kai was about to choose between that drama queen and I. I had put my life on the line for her more times than I could count. I gave her a warm and safe home, a loving pack, and coincidentally a boyfriend. I knew that men weren’t all they were cracked up to be, but to drink Artemis’ hate kool-aid like that. I knew Kai’s mind was clouded; her behavior had hurt both Drew and me. I was confident that this was just a phase and she would return home to her pack and friends. If it wasn’t a phase but a new lifestyle choice, I’d do what I could to support her, because that’s what family’s do. I made my way back to the house dejected.

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