Aeriela.

I ducked low in the bushes so the wolf crawling around wouldn't see me. I recognized this wolf, it was a wolf named Gavin. He was in the pack and I recognized him because of he was a tan wolf but around his head was darker tan fur. He was sniffing around for my sent but he wouldn't find it. After twenty minutes of being in the area he gave up on the spot and left.

I stood up from the bushes, breathing out in relief. I made sure my ears were focused on my surroundings just in case I heard anyone come near. The dried mud on my skin cracked as I walked away. I had dried mud covering my legs and arms. Some smeared across my face and neck to block my scent. I had some vines braided into my hair and I think not bathing the last three days helped.

I didn't know where I was. I didn't know the forest in Texas like I did in the northern part of America like I did in the south. Uncle Ramses liked the northern part and I didn't know how I was gonna find my way back there. But I'm gonna try. I had to find my way back to my family.

I was able to hide from any wolves that came my way. I being smearing mud on me and hiding. In the wild, they teach you how to hide. It was mostly for hunting so no deers or animals around didn't see us coming. When the full grown wolves wanted human meat they would sneak up on hunters. I never ate human, young pups like me stomach can't handle it yet.

I didn't wanna go back to the pack. I knew I would be judged and Mat will be pissed. I'm tired of it all now and just want to be back with Uncle Ramses. Or on my own. I know enough surviving skills to handle being on my own.

I soon found a farm. I looked around to see if anyone was around but there wasn't. I stuck into the corn field. I grabbed a cob and tore off the leaves. I bit into the corn and quickly ate it. I ate a few more before to a garden where there was tomatoes and they even had some strawberry vines. I quickly filled my stomach up. I was heading over toward the chicken coot but I heard the farmer step out of his house so I ran.

I stopped at a river. I washed off the dry cracking mud off me and smeared some fresh mud onto me. At least I can say lotion is crap and mud is good. My skin felt soft and smooth on me. Sure I was use to getting baths and be clean but I grow use to my old ways quickly.

I have survived three days already.

While I was smearing mud on me I felt a pair of eyes on me. My back stiffen and I reached over towards a big rock. I slowly turned my head around to see a big black wolf ten feet away from me. A big lump formed in my throat and my hand clenched harder onto the rock.

The black wolf shifted back into a human. The familiar man looked the same as I remember but he had a rag around his one eye. I held onto the rock though harder.

"Aeriela." Uncle Ramses said, breathing out in relief as he looked at me.

Mat

My paws roughly hit on the ground as I ran. I was breathing heavily since I had been running for more than three hours. I couldn't find her scent though, it's like she just vanished. Killian soon found me and he got in my way. I growled at him and he growled back.

We both shifted into a human and I walked over towards him, "Out of my way." I coldly said as I pushed passed him. I shifted into a wolf and started to run but he jumped on top of me as a wolf. I turned into a human again and so did he. He held my arms down, "Killian!"

"You need to rest!" he said. "You been out here all day and the pack is worried about you. You haven't been eating and you barely slept."

"I'm fine, they don't need to worry." I coldly said. He turned me around and I glared up at him, "Killian, let me go."

"No." he said. "Okay, don't go back for the pack but go back for me. I'm worried about you. Look, you can hardly fight me. You're tired and hungry, I can see it."

"Aeriela could be in this area and you're stopping me. I could be close for all I know." I said, struggling to get out of his hold but he firmly held me down. "Get off! I need to find her."

"Aeriela is gonna be found! Many of the guys are looking for her." he said. "You need to go back to the pack and rest up."

"No! She left because of me. I wasn't protecting her hard enough." I said. I frowned, "I was ignoring her when she probably most needed me. She's probably so confused right now and scared."

"Mat," Killian said softly, his blue eyes looking down at me. "None of this is your fault. You have alot of things on your plate."

"I'm suppose to be taking care of her, Killian. I was-I was suppose to be like her big sister and I just been ignoring her." I said as I looked away. "I can't find her scent, Killian. None of us can. It's like she just disappeared."

"She's probably blocking her scent, she knows how to do that." he said. He got up and grabbed my hand, lifting me up. He grabbed my chin softly and made me look at him, "She's a smart girl but she's gonna be found. Don't forget, you ran away also."

I scoffed, "That was different."

"Really?" he questioned. "You ran away because you were scared of who you were and how everything was changing. Aeriela probably just scared she isn't fitting in and thinks she isn't able to survive in a pack. She grew up in the wild, it's hard to adjust to new things."

"Okay! I still came back though. It's been three days." I said.

"I had to talk you into coming back with me." he said, making me roll my eyes. "She's gonna be fine, she knows how to survive in the woods." I knew he was right since the woods was Aeriela first home and she knew how to take care of herself. It not like she's some city girl who doesn't. Still, I was worried about her. Killian leaned down and kissed me. It felt like a long time-since it has been-since he actually kissed me. Usually it been a peck but now he kissed me. He leaned away, "Come on, you need to eat and rest. Tomorrow you can try again."

Aeriela

I stood up from the ground, "How'd you find me?" I asked as I held onto the rock hard enough that my hand hurt from the edges. He appeared the same as my uncle only his left eyes had cloth around it.

"I heard about the young female wolf staying in Texas so me and the others made our way down here. I been looking around for you." he said. He stepped towards me and I stepped back. He held his hands up, "Aeriela, I'm not gonna hurt you. I would never hurt you."

"You hurt those people months ago at the party. I know alot of things now, Uncle." I said, shaking my head. "I heard alot of things."

He brought his hands to his chest with soft eyes, "Aeriela, it's me. You're Uncle Ramses, you know the real me. I was doing it for my father, for revenge for what they did. I never hurt or harm you."

"Maybe not me but others." I said. I scoffed, "Uncle Ramses, you tried to kill Mat. You told me her and the others down there they were there so you could teach them about being wild-the true way. You lied to me. I'm not some naive girl anymore."

"I raised you." he said a little more coldly. "How could you abandon me? I took care of you when your mama died. And that's how you repay me?"

I shook my head, "I was scared. You knew I was different from the others."

"I know." he said, his voice softening. He stepped towards me and when I didn't step back this time he continued slowly stepping towards me. "Aeriela, I understand. Haven't I always been a good uncle to you?"

I ignored that, "Why are you here?"

"To ask you to come back." he said, only four feet away from me now and paused. "You're out here all alone. Why?"

I lowered my head, "Because. I was-I'm alone now. I left."

"Why?" he asked. I didn't answer him, I didn't want to tell him everything and have him tell me he knew this would happen. I didn't want to hear any of that. "Aeriela, you knew you were wild. Nothing can change that, it's who you are."

I wanted to say no and I wasn't like that but I am. I couldn't change that fact, I couldn't change who I was and how I am. I shrugged, "So maybe trying to be something else didn't work." He stepped towards me and I gripped tightly onto the rock which he noticed my hand turning brightly red. "What happened to your eye?"

"After you ran, the girl Mat stabbed me in the eye." he said, making my eyes widen. "The others took me back and Eran took the branch out. My eye couldn't heal and I lost my vision. It's horrible to see under the cloth."

"I didn't know that." I said.

"It doesn't matter right now." he said, stepping towards me. "Aeriela, I am your uncle. You're the only family I really have that is my blood. I am willing to forgive you if you come back with me. It's where you truly belong."

I breathed out heavily, "Belong? I don't know where I truly belong, Uncle. I thought I belonged out there in the modern world but that did not work. I couldn't stand the others back in the wild. I want to be myself and just myself. I don't want to be with Aydin."

"Aydin is a strong wolf, Aeriela. He would be a perfect mate-" he paused when my face got hard and I stepped back into the water. "Okay, fine. I won't make you be with Aydin. I'll do anything for you to come back. I promised your mother I will always take care of you and I do not wanna break that promise."

"Anything?" I questioned and he nodded. "I want my books."

"Books?" he questioned.

"Human things."

He shook his head quickly, "No, those don't belong out there with us. We don't need though things."

"Then I won't come back." I said. He breathed heavily out his nose and he waved at me to continued. "I want a toothbrush and mint paste. I want a hair brush and jeans so I don't need to wear dresses anymore. And I want deodorant. Everyone smells back in the wild."

He breathed heavily out his nose, "If I agree to those things-will you come back?

I stared at him for a moment to think about it. I know I left the pack but I was still so hesitant to go back with Uncle Ramses since I'm not sure how much will change. I am his niece though and he should be willing to give me those simple things

"I will but not right now." I said, making he groaned heavily as his head went back. "I'll come back! Just two days, that's all. Gives me time to go back to the pack and get my things. I will come back here. same spot right here at midnight when the moon arrive at the highest it should be."

He stared at me for a moment, "You'll really come back?" he questioned.

I nodded as I lowered my head, "Yes. I. . .I don't belong in the pack. It's been horrible the last few months." I said. "I didn't get along with anyone. They all thought I was a freak and to wildish."

"Aeriela," he said, closing the space towards me and put his hand under my chin to lift my head up. "You are a real wolf, remember that. They are all living in a lie, blending with humans. We are real wolves, we stuck to the true ways. You are not the bad one, they are. They tried to change you but you stayed who you truly are. I can see it in your eyes, you haven't forgotten who you are." He brought me in his arms to hug me but I didn't return it. My arms laid against me as I stared up at the trees and the night sky.

*

I made my way into the town. I arrived at a place where they sell food called a 'diner'. I asked use their phone and I dialed the only number I could remember. Nate picked up the phone and I spoke into the phone telling him who it was. I had asked which town I was in and I told Nate.

I washed up in the bathroom since I was getting weird looks by the waitress and few people in the diner. I was left in dirty shirt and shorts with no shoes as I sat at the table for three hours. The older human lady came over, giving me some water and I drank them quickly.

A car arrived finally and Mat ran into the diner. She stared at me for a moment before running over and hugged me when I expected her to yell and scream at me. I awkwardly sat in the car as she hugged me tightly, "Oh Aeriela, thank God you're alright!" She pulled away with her hands still on my shoulders, "Do you know how worried I was about you? How could you do that to me?"

"I. . ." I trailed off, not knowing what to say.

"Come on." she said, lifting me up from the car and we quickly rushed out of the diner. We got into the car in the back seat and drove away. Mat grabbed me by my shoulders and turned me to face her, "Aeriela, I know I haven't been there for you lately. I'm sorry I've been ignoring you."

I lowered my head since I couldn't look at her. Not because I was angry at her but because I was lying to her. I wasn't telling her anything and I knew I couldn't. "Mat. . ."

"Aeriela, I'm sorry." she said again. "I love you,Aeriela. No matter what, you are my sister now and I'm sorry I haven't been there for you. You probably expected me to be angry with you but I knew-and Killian told me-screaming at you would only cause more problems. I'm sorry if you felt alone. You shouldn't feel that way and I promise you won't ever again."

I stared at her for a moment before clearing my throat, "I. . .I forgive you Mat. I'm sorry I left and worried you so much."

A small smile appeared on her face and she hugged me, "It's okay. You're coming back, that's the only important thing."