Hi! 

.

Bye! 

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Nova's POV

Have we ever run this fast? 

No, I don't believe we have. Isn't it just liberating?

Oh yes, it is so liberating. 

My heart pounds and my chest burns from the cold air being taken in at such a quick rate. 

We slow to a stop when we find a river, stooping to lap near frigid water from it, noticing the sun start coming up from the horizon. When the water becomes still enough and the sun comes up just a little bit, I can see my reflection. I've always loved my wolf self. She is beautiful, and there is no fault to be found in her appearance. Other female wolves tend to be smaller, but I didn't mind my size. 

I had also never seen another wolf that had my colors, or rather the combination of my colors. Dog breeders might call me brindle, but I have more brown and tan shades in my coat than brindle.

Having had zoned out into my reflection, I didn't notice the sun come up to bathe my body in warm light.  Blake would likely be getting up any minute and be wondering where I am.

The river is quickly out of my earshot as we sprint back until we break the forest line back into the pack's more populated area. It feels good not to have to hide such an important part of my identity anymore.

I walk back into our room, notice that Blake is still sleeping, morph back to flesh and get into clothes. The quiet in the room was unsettling, so I went and looked over the research I did yesterday, still confused. 

I'll bet the Alpha knows who that guy was.

~~~~

"Come in," Alpha Lucas says after I knock.

I push the door open and he looks up at me over glasses on the bridge of his nose. 

"Good morning Ms. Collins, is something the matter?" He inquires and sets his pen down. 

"Alpha Lucas, I met a man yesterday. I was sitting in the dining hall alone and he seems to have just appeared. He put his hand on my head and told me what sounded like a fortune." 

He takes his glasses off his face in a sage kind of way; the way a grandfather does when he is asked a complicated question. 

"Yes, Nova. That is Oliver. He is essentially a seer, and is also completely mute aside from when he has visions, which he hardly has anymore. What did he say?"

"He told me about how difficult my future would be but that it will only get better, and then he said some things in Latin which basically meant the same thing," I shrug. 

A frown of worry comes over the Alpha's face. In an exhale, his words punch me in the gut, "his predictions have never not come true."

Yikes.

"You and Mr. Wilson are leaving soon, yes?" 

"Yes sir," and after a moment of silent eye contact, "I'd like to thank you again for your benevolence towards Blake and I. It really means everything to us right now."

"It has been a pleasure," we both stand up. Me to leave, and him to wish me goodbye. I shake his hand, likely for the last time ever and turn to leave, closing the door softly behind me as he sits back down not before saying "Nova. Do be careful," with a haunting edge that threatened to send a chill down my spine.

~~~

I open the door to our room as quietly as I can and slide in through a crack to disturb the screaming hinges as little as possible. 

"Good morning," the voice startles me as I look up to see Blake sitting in the windowsill.

"Indeed it is. Are you ready to go? I had hoped to get a head start on the drive today," I return his gander.

"Yep, I'm all packed. Did you sleep at all?" He does that adorable thing where his head tilts, translating to concern. 

Is it possible to have an awake kind of sleep? I had not slept well for several days now. I will not say that I miss home, but I do miss familiarity. I miss my routine.

"Yes. I'll probably sleep more on the drive. I got up to run and say goodbye to the Alpha," as soon as I explain this his face clears, and we exchange a few more words of small talk before he goes to pull the truck around. 

Blake's POV

About an hour and a half or so into the drive, Nova is out like a light. She shifts and twitches every so often. 

She gave me directions beforehand and highlighted the path I was on so that I wouldn't lose it. To my understanding, this was her way of saying, "I'm gonna sleep now. Do not disturb." 

Driving has always been therapeutic for me. Nova had offered to drive or take over several times, but I always declined. 

I declined this time because she acted as though she was trying to hide something last night. Maybe a long drive would give me ideas and/or clear my mind of the whole thing.   

*: ✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* 

Noticing the light flashing on E, I stop at a gas station. Nova's eyes flutter open when the car stops. Before I know it, they are gone again and she is curled up in the seat like before. She was tired, that much I could sense. 

Leaning on the side of the car to pump gas, I smell something familiar nearby. Humans have a distinct smell, but this was not human. It was wolf.

We must be getting closer to pack territory. 

Once we're on the road again, it isn't very long to winding dirt roads and potholes. 

Nova wakes up with a jolt as I speed over a hole too fast.

"Are we there yet?" She asks and yawns.

"Yeah.. just a couple more miles."

She sits back and we are silent for a couple minutes until she asks, "did your parents leave you any information about this pack?" 

"Not really, just a couple loose ends. We have to talk to a few people, apparently there is a box of clues for me or something." I say with my eyes on the road. I did not like the wild goose chase they were sending me on, but I understood. 

I was really only worried that Nova would get tired of this and start to think that I didn't care about her family and eventually go off on her own. 

We came to a stop and walked into pack territory, but something was different this time. The men were looking at Nova like a piece of meat and something inside me told me to jump on her and claim her right there.

Upon being let in, I could see why. I saw maybe one female for every five males. I swear I saw them all perk up and sniff in Nova's direction as we walked by. 

Out of instinct, I put my arm around her to try and avert their attention. Some did, the others decided to follow us all the way to the Alpha. 

The welcome wagon is rolled out, we are given our room, instructions on where things are, well wishes and all that bullshit. I'm busy focusing on all the commotion I hear outside. Nova all but takes over for me and says all the thank yous and does all the introducing.

When we finally get outside there is a whole line of males all fixated on her. I put my arm around her again and kiss her lips out of impulse when she turns towards me. She looks just as surprised as all the other males do.

When the majority of them walk away, she is left speechless with her fingers on her lips. 

"Coming, babe?" I ask a little louder than I normally would to ward off any stragglers.

"Yeah.. yeah." She mutters and takes my hand.

Her touch was different. So much so, that in that moment, I couldn't help wanting more of it. 
Wanting all of it.

~~

Later that night, after we had eaten we go back to our room. Nova lays down on the couch which was just big enough to fit her. 

"What are you doing?" I ask, confused. "There is a perfectly good bed here."

"There is only one bed.. is that not weird?" She asks, looking embarrassed. 

Not weird at all. Kinda hot actually..

"Is this about earlier?" I ask and lean on the couch looking down at her. 

"No, Blake. I just don't think sharing a bed is a good idea." She states coldly.

"Look, I'm sorry. But those guys were looking at you like they had never seen a girl before. I got a little jealous." That was the truth, it was jealousy. "That, and if you don't sleep on the bed, I'll sleep on the floor." I smirk.

Just pull her into bed.. she's a twig.

Not gonna happen, buddy. The last thing I want to do is mess up what we have going on here. 

"Why are you so stubborn?" She groans and gets up. That was easier than I thought. 

She gets comfy in bed and lays on her back, looking up at the ceiling. To ruin a silent, only a little bit awkward moment, I ask:

"What happened on the night that you made me watch you?"

DUDE!

"What?" She turns to me, "what night?"

"The one where you were hurt and made us sleep in the woods."

"Oh." She looks away again.

And then a long silence commences.

"If it pertained to you, I would have told you," she says decisively.

"It obviously pertains to me if you called me to help you," I shrug and cross my arms. 

"It's too late, and I am too tired for this. Not now," her tone is colder now as she turns over, away from me.

"Nova, I have a right to know. My road trip buddy turns up barely able to balance and covered in scratches.. I'm gonna be worried. I was worried." I sit up and look at her.

"Leave. It. Alone." 

"What are you so afraid of?" My frustration is made apparent in my voice.

"Fine. You want to know? You really want to know?" She shoots up and faces me, standing now at the side of the bed. 

"I went to a race that night and won double because Mack tripped me while I was going 150. I couldn't handle the pain in this form, so I switched to heal faster."

I can't even process it.

"He.. what?" 

She scoffs, "there's nothing you can do, Mr. Tough Guy. Let it go."

"Why didn't you tell me? And why didn't you stay home if you didn't want me to know?"

"Because I wasn't thinking!" She almost yells. "I needed to feel safe in that moment."

"You feel safe around me?" I can't hide my smile.

She lays back down and pulls the blanket over herself. 

I brush some hair out of her face and kiss her head softly when she looks asleep. I have a strong urge to just grab and hold her that I overcome through a wave of fatigue.

We had originally planned to stay an extra day just to rest, but in this pack? Probably not the best idea for my peace of mind. 

God.. that kiss was amazing.

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This chapter took me so long to write for some reason. Sorry!

Can we get an "awwwww"?