by Jenya Tilar
Chapter 3
Anna decides to take the forest road that comes out a couple thousand feet from her house. Even though it’s not quite full, the moon illuminates her path nicely. As she walks, she thinks about the events early in the evening. It was hardly anything really, they barely had interaction, but still, she felt this inexplicable pull with Jade. She couldn’t explain it even to herself. But now she lets her mind wander; she’d never considered that she might be a lesbian before. Honestly, she’d really never felt anything for anyone. Everyone would always talk about imprinting and finding a mate, but they all assumed it would be a man and she’d never thought different one way or the other.
But now? Now, this has all got her thinking. What about Mrs. Stratham, her 8th grade English teacher. She could remember hanging on every word she ever said, and she was so gorgeous. What about how much she had always wanted Mary Parker’s attention? She had been classmates with the raven haired beauty since Kindergarten, and she’d always thought she wanted to be just like her. She looked up to Mary because she seemed to have everything going for her, but maybe she’d misinterpreted those feelings. And then there was Olivia. Of course, the older girl is her best friend, and always had been but could she say she didn’t feel a little bit of attraction when they went swimming or when they would cuddle up in bed while sleeping over at each other’s houses?
Anna sighs and stops to put her head in her hands for a moment. She has to chuckle to herself. She hadn’t struggled with her sexuality because she hadn’t even realized there was anything to struggle with. She’d never even considered it one way or the other.
Anna tunes in her ear when she hears a crunching sound. It's big, another wolf shifted and out for a late night stroll? Maybe. Perhaps even someone in human form walking just as she is. She sniffs the air. Of course, her senses would be keener if she shifted, but she holds down the urge. What she smells drives her a little crazy. All her senses go into overdrive. She thinks back to the diner earlier and the inexplicable feeling she had around Jade, and she knows.
“Jade?” She calls the name with a confidence in her voice. She’s sure it’s her, no one else she’s ever met has given her this particular feeling, no one in this community smells quite the same. She calls out again and then a third time. On the third time, her confidence has waned a bit. Maybe she’s imagining things now.
“Yeah, it’s me.” The voice comes from behind her, close to her ear.
Anna jumps involuntarily and spins around to face Jade.
“I’m sorry, I obviously scared you. I guess I’m sorry that I stalked you, too.” Jade smiles and two deep dimples appear on her cheeks.
“You were stalking me?” Anna is incredulous. Jade couldn’t be just as intrigued as her, could she? But really doesn’t Anna already know the answer? If they’ve imprinted on each other, she’s probably feeling exactly the same.
“Yeah, not intentionally at first. I was just exploring the woods with my brother, but we got split up, I was shifted trying to find him, and then I smelled you. You know you don’t smell like anyone I’ve ever met before.”
Anna’s heart skips a beat. So she is feeling it? “I know. I mean I feel the same about you.” Anna looks down at her shoes and chuckles quietly while shifting a pebble around with the toe of her shoe.
When she finally looks back up, Jade is staring at her with her head cocked and a soft look in her eyes that Anna can’t quite interpret. Jade reaches out and touches the undone bow tie hanging around Anna’s neck. “Your uniform is super cute.”
Anna’s cheeks pink up again and she can’t stop the wide smile from forming across her lips. “So is yours; I mean, well, you know what I mean. Your outfit, it’s cute too.”
“So I’m just gonna put it out there. What the hell is happening? I mean, I’m usually smooth with pretty girls. I get dates with anyone I want them with, and usually, I honestly don’t even end up wanting them. But with you, I’m scared to death you’ll even leave my sight. It hit me head on the moment I saw you. I don’t get it. I mean, yeah, you’re freaking beautiful, and you seem real cool, but what’s going on, for real?” Jade takes a deep breath and raises her eyes to meet Anna’s again.
“Well, you’ve certainly got me beaten. My dad has basically been searching for a mate for me, but I’ve never been interested in any of the prospects. I’ve been stressed out because an Alpha pack leader’s only child needs a mate, and I felt like I was never going to find one. All I knew was that I didn’t like any of the guys in our community, but it never even occurred to me that might be because I like girls. But then I met you, and it’s obvious. It’s so obvious, and well, I guess I think what we’re doing is imprinting.” Anna swallows and tucks her hands into her pockets. She shivers in the once refreshing breeze.
Jade is quiet for a long moment as she studies Anna’s face, soaking in every detail. Instead of verbally responding, she leans forward and kisses Anna softly and sweetly. It’s as if electricity literally flows between them. Both touch their lips when the kiss ends. After another long moment, Jade speaks. “You’re definitely right. We are imprinting on each other.”
Anna closes the already miniscule distance between the two and seals her lips on Jade’s again. They kiss and embrace under the moonlight for a long time before parting. “My dad is going to wonder what’s happened to me; I’m probably late by now.” Anna reluctantly takes a step backwards just to put some distance between Jade and her before she makes the decision to stay anyway.
“When can I see you again?” The words rush desperately out of Jade’s mouth as though she thinks the time might never come.
“Tomorrow morning?” Anna poses it as a question, knowing she has the entire day free tomorrow but realizing the same might not be true for Jade.
“Tomorrow morning at 9am my whole family has a meeting with the pack leader, um, well, with your father.” She giggles. “I’m sure I’m free the rest of the day. All I’ll be doing is unpacking, if we can stay, and I’m sure I can get away from that.”
“I’ll see you tomorrow morning at 9am then; I have to be present with my dad at all the meetings like that. Then maybe we can sneak away together afterwards.”
“Yeah, I can’t wait for morning.” Jade closes the distance between them once again, giving Anna a short kiss and a long hug. “We have to shift together, can you imagine how amazing it will be?”
“I don’t know if I even can imagine, we could go for a run in the woods together and then have a lunch picnic at one of my favorite spots. I’ll show you around all the best places I like to go.” Anna squeezes Jade tightly, and then lets go. “I’ve got to get back he’ll be waiting up to tell me about the meeting tomorrow morning.”
The two part and, even though she didn’t want to run tonight, Anna runs all the way home to avoid being too late. When her house is in sight, she can see that the porch light and the kitchen light are burning brightly. Her father is sitting on the porch waiting for her when she approaches the house.
“Shift run late?” Her father stamps out a cigar he’s been puffing on and gestures for her to have a seat beside him on the porch.
For some reason, Anna’s first instinct is to lie and tell him that her shift did run late, but she quickly changes her mind. She never lies to her father, and why should she start when something really good is finally happening. Still, though, she is vague. “No, I ran into a new girl I met at the diner while I was walking home. We stopped and talked for a while. I met her whole family at the diner.”
“Ah, well, that’s what I had to talk to you about.” Her father begins and Anna stays quiet even though she knows where the conversation is leading. “There’s a new family, well you already know about that,” he chuckles before continuing. “Well they need some kind of emergency refuge it seems. So we’ll be having a meeting in the morning at 9 to discuss harboring them from harm and welcoming them into our community.”
Anna’s heart and mind race simultaneously. Jade and her family
are in some kind of trouble. She knows her father is a kind and just leader, and she knows that he’s given safe harbor to families before, but he won’t put everyone else in danger just for Jade’s family. What could they have done? What could they need safe harbor for? Anna isn’t used to ever even needing to question her father, but she has to try and find out what’s going on so that she doesn’t have to be afraid that Jade will be ripped away from her as quickly as she has come into her life. She treads softly. “Have they done something really bad?”
“I don’t think so, but right now I don’t know any more than you do. It was an emergency of sorts; they were driven from the community they were living in, and I went with my instinct that they would be safe to invite here. I won’t know until tomorrow if they’re able to stay.” He stretches his legs out in front of him and flexes the toes on his bare feet. He laces his fingers behind his head and throws his head back, yawning.
Anna realizes there’s nothing more to do than worry until morning when things are decided, so instead, she changes the subject in order to keep her own head clear. “Have you heard that Olivia is coming home for three weeks tomorrow?”
“Peggy did mention it to me, but I thought it was supposed to be a surprise where you’re concerned.” He smiles mischievously at her, making her realize he has probably known for a while himself.
“You know how Peggy is. She caved under her own pressure, I guess. She told me earlier this evening, and she said I had to act surprised.” Both father and daughter share a laugh knowing Peggy is notorious for not being able to keep her mouth shut about anything.
Anna’s father yawns again and rises out of his chair. “Well, I’m getting to bed. Don’t stay up too late and set your alarm so you’ll be up in plenty of time for the meeting.”
“Okay, I’ll be up and ready.” Her father hugs her as he walks by, and she can see his nose crinkle a bit when he does so, but he doesn’t say anymore. He just kisses her forehead and walks inside.
Anna stays out on the porch only a bit longer, staring up at the moon and stars thinking about Jade and her family. She wonders what the family could be running from, and she fears instantly for Jade with all the scenarios that pop into her head. She can only hope that her father will see fit to let them stay in the community. She knows he’ll let them stay unless they’ve done something really bad. They seemed like such pleasant people though. What could they have done?
The night draws on and after a while Anna decides that no amount of thinking and worrying is going to make any difference or get her closer to knowing what the truth could be until tomorrow morning’s meeting. She turns off the porch light so that the only illumination outside is the four small squares of light cast off by the shape of the kitchen window panes onto the lawn. She stands on the porch for a few more minutes just looking out into the darkness of the yard before walking inside and flipping the kitchen light switch. Everything is shrouded in darkness as she climbs the stairs toward her bed.
Chapter 4
Anna’s sleep is restless the entire night. She finally gives up on sleep at 6:30 and decides to shift and have a morning run through the woods before its time for the meeting at 9. Ten minutes into the run, she’s feeling slightly better. There’s a cool morning breeze and she watches as the sun pops up making its ascent over the tree line.
She marvels at the one thought that keeps coming to her head. She used to feel like nothing is better than this. She used to think that there is nothing in the world she would rather do than shift and run in the woods alone and free, but now as she rips through the forest with the sun making its appearance in front of her and the wind playing tag with her at her back, she realizes that there is something better. That something is Jade. Just the feeling of kissing Jade, of hugging her, of being near her, outweighs every good thing that Anna has every experienced thus far.
The feeling is both deeply pleasing and a bit terrifying all at once. She had never been afraid of love or the effect it could have on her because she had never even come close to it. And now she’s staring it right in the face. Now it’s a real and tangible thing.
After her run she returns home for a shower before she and her father head over to the meeting together. She can’t help herself but to smile as she applies a bit of eye liner and lip gloss in the mirror and checks her outfit for the tenth time. She usually doesn’t care to just leave the house in whatever, no make-up and no worries, but she wants to look nice for Jade, and that revelation makes her feel good.
Her father comments on how nice she looks, but he doesn’t question her on why. They arrive at the meeting ten minutes early and take their spots. Only a couple of minutes later, Jade and her family arrive as well, taking places in the front of the room sitting opposite of Anna and her father.
A gigantic smile breaks out across Anna’s face just seeing Jade again. Her father notices her smile and matches it with a wide toothy grin of his own. In the back of her head, Anna wonders if his smile would be so ready and wide if he knew the reason for her smile but she quickly chases those thoughts away. She has always known her father to be a fair and tolerant man, and even though she is scared to broach the subject with him, she doesn’t really believe that she will be met with bigotry from him.
The meeting commences and her father simply asks Jade’s father to step forward and tell his story. The truth unravels quickly as he talks about how he fell in love with his wife, a human, and they tried to settle into the shifter community he had been originally from. The pack leader was not so accepting and had kicked the family with their newborn son, Axle, out of the community. They had taken refuge in the town the wife had grown up in amongst humans, but they had kept their secret under wraps, afraid that they would find themselves kicked out of another community due to their unconventional union. They had done a good job of staying low key, but as the kids grew, they were finding it harder and harder to hide their shifting and eventually word had gotten out. They had been faced yet again with the need to flee. Jade’s father had been in contact with an old friend of his that had heard Anna’s community and suggested trying to take asylum because Anna’s father was such a fair and understanding pack leader.
By the time Jade’s father is finished with his story, Anna has a tear in her eye. She now knows that her father will be kind and accepting of the family. They’ve had humans in their community before, and in fact, even a couple of shifters in the community are currently with humans. Still, she is touched and saddened by the story and the trouble that the family has already faced.
Anna finally feels like she can breathe again knowing that her father will have mercy on the family and welcome them into the community. Now the only obstacle to surmount is telling her father that she has finally imprinted, but the circumstance is not what he would have imagined. While Anna is busy thinking of the ways she can tell her father that she has chosen a mate, and then how she can break it to him that Jade is her chosen mate, she has missed everything that he has been saying.
Anna doesn’t realize something has gone wrong until she looks into Jade’s eyes and sees the shocked upset look that Jade is now wearing across her face. She tries desperately to communicate with her without words, but their bond is not strong enough yet, and they can only hopelessly stare at one another.
Anna looks, instead, to her father. He has a triumphant, even joyful, look on his face. She reaches over for his hand and asks him inside her head what she has missed. He responds telling her to be open minded and to pay attention.
“So it’s settled then, Anna and Axle will begin courtship toward hopefully imprinting and mating so that Anna can take her rightful place as my successor with a proper mate and a family.” Her father’s grin widens again.
“But…father…I…” Anna rips her hand away so that her father cannot hear the frantic thoughts whirling around in her head. She feels the pinprick of a tiny tear stinging at the corner of one eye.
“Anna, it’s important to the legacy that you mate. P
lease give it a chance and don’t insult this family by not even trying. Everything’s settled, everyone can be on their way.” Her father stands from his chair, giving Anna a poignant look before heading for the door.
Everyone begins to file out into the late morning sunshine. Anna sits still, now several tears have escaped her squeezed shut eyes. She feels so helpless that she doesn’t even know how to begin to put it into words. After a few moments Anna can hear that the bustle has died down. She thinks she’s alone until Jade’s smell invades her nose. She quickly opens her eyes, brushing away the tears. Both Jade and Axle are standing in front of Anna.
Jade reaches up catches a stray tear making its decent down Anna’s cheek. She quickly wipes it away. “We just have to make them listen, they’ll understand, you can’t deny a feeling this powerful.” Jade smiles up at Anna in her elevated chair. “I told Axle about us last night; he’s on our side.”
Anna lets out the breath she’s been holding. She works hard on her composure so that she doesn’t fall apart. A look into Jade’s eyes somehow lets her know that everything will be okay one way or the other. “I have to tell him, and he’ll have to understand. I can’t just turn away from it the first time I feel anything real.”
“We’ll tell him together; I’ll be by your side the whole time. We’ll all three do it together.” Jade gestures between the three of them, and her brother nods in agreement. “Please, right now, just spend the afternoon with me. Let’s have that picnic you talked about and shift together, then later we’ll all tell them together. We’ll sit all of our parents down and get it all sorted out.” Jade’s smile and hopeful eyes melts Anna and she can’t say no, she doesn’t want to say no.
