Jana perched on the edge of the window, her feet hanging off the edges as she griped the ledge with her hands. Sliding one of her hands along the wall near her bedroom window, she clung onto the vines that twisted near the drain pipes. The green leaves intertwined up and around the pipe providing her with an easy escape.

She shuffled her body closer to the pane of the window until she was as close to the vines she possibly could get, while still being on the ledge. Threading her fingers through the plant and gripping it tight, she swung her body around and onto the entwined stems. Her hand and feet finding a sturdy purchase within the rope like plants.

Making sure her grip was secure, she slowly started climbing down, her feet getting stuck in the vines as she traveled downwards. The climb was one she had been doing for the past 10 years of her life. It was so familiar to her she could almost do it with her eyes closed.

At the age of 10 Jana had moved into her room but had not started sneaking out until she turned 13 when her dating prospects had first began. At the dawn of her teenage years Jana had been riddled with a series of introductions to hopeful mates. That fateful day had marked the beginning of her relationship with the drain pipe she currently clung to.

In all her years of manoeuvring along the vines she had only been caught by Neema once. At the age of 16 she had become much more rebellious and careless.

Her sneaking was no longer mindful of being caught, it was as if she flirted with the notion. Jana had thought she was so victorious because she had successfully made it outside the walls of the compound for the first time without being caught. On her return Jana had walked into her room and had been scared witless by the sight of Neema patiently sitting on her bed.

She had been caught red handed. Her body was filthy with mud and her hair was standing on end, also covered with mud. Her only salvation was that she hadn't used the window to get back in, which was why 7 years down the line she could still use it now.

Even though she was a grown woman of 23 years and beyond the scope of parent control. She lived in Neema's compound under Khan's rule. There really was no alluding the child treatment she constantly received.

Khan was approaching 200 and Neema was in her early thirties. To them she still was a pup. Which was all good and well when she wanted to get her own way but when she wanted some independence there really was no hope.

Creeping about was something she did in her former years but at the age of 23 she longed to have the right to wander around whenever she felt like it.

Her age was of no consequence when she was still but a human.

No matter how much her family loved her, she would always be weak because she was not a wolf. It was the cold hard facts. Humans were weaker than wolves which was why she had to creep out of her window to go to the forest.

While her younger sisters were able to go on midnight runs and daytime runs. They were just allowed to run wild, while she was cooped up. Though they were typically accompanied by someone, when they were caught out by themselves there wasn't world wars started in their name.

Puffing out a sigh Jana jumped down from the remaining vines and dusted of her hands. She took of at a deadly run across the courtyard and I to the forest that lined the garden of the compound.

Once she reached the edge of the garden area she flung off her shoes and placed them by the tree. Running bare foot was the only way she would step foot in the forest. The feel of the mud and grass between her toes was one of her favourite sensations. She also found it was easier to wash her feet from mud than it was to clean her boots.

Trudging through the squelching earth that had turned soppy due to the earlier rains she made her way to the edge of her home.

The compound wall acted as a superficial barrier between her and her destination. One that with a little bit of climbing she could get over. The wall was extremely high but for someone who had been climbing trees for most of her life. The wall was a minor detail.

Jumping down from the tree she used to descend across the wall, she continued on her route through the forest towards her favourite place in the world.

The oak tree was one of the only places she found absolute salvation and peace, as it was the same place were her and Jeremy's relationship had formed. The hill in which her tree stood and her beloved partner rested had many memories.

Memories that were tied to a significant part of her life. Each milestone she had reached she could remember this tree in someway. She would grieve hard when the tree eventually died, as things often did.

The climb up the hill was one she could do blindfolded, that's how ingrained in her memory the journey was. Even though new shrubs grew and some had died and new paths were worn out by people, Jana could always find her way home to her beloved oak tree.

Reaching the top of the hill she began climbing up the tree. Her hands gripping tight on to the damp branches, as the slippery leaves tickled her face. Blowing the stray plants always from her face she continued up until she reached her perch.

It was strong enough for her to spend the night, if she desired to. The air was too chilly for her to do so now, but when the weather improved she would.

Her feet dangled from the branches as the day drifted by. The sun set and the night animals came out. Owls hooted and wolves howled. The crickets made their croaking noises and the stars shone bright. With the night came a slight chill and still Jana remained in her perch. The wind whipping across her face, the fresh scent of the forest mingling in her nostrils.

Sleeping in the tree was something she would not be doing tonight, but staying until Dawn seemed like her new plan. She often felt the world drift away when she sat in her perch. Time was inconsequential when she sat above and watched the world go by.

The stars began to fade as the sun rose above her, the weak light strengthening until the forest was enveloped in oranges and reds. The nocturnal creatures lazily crawled back into their caves and ditches, hiding away from the glaring sun. The light glinted across Jana's skin and revived her.

Stumbling back down the tree, Jana heard shuffling along the ground behind her. The slight crunching of boots against the fallen leaves and twigs.

"What kind of person sits in a tree all night," came a mocking voice down on the ground.

From where she was in the tree she could see a head full of pale blonde hair that clung around his shoulders in thick, stringy, strands. His arms were crossed along his chest as he scowled up at her, his frame looking short and stocky from where she was perched.

Jumping off the tree, she crouched down to soften her fall. Rising to her full height she acknowledged that the beautifully, glacial man in front of her was far from stocky. He was the opposite of such.

Though his shoulders were still impossibly wide and his arms extremely thick along his broadened chest, his height reached at least 6ft 4.

He reminded her of the tales her sister used to read to her about the giant folk, people who lived in the clouds above. Tall sturdy people who typically despised humans, the scowl on his face attested to that particular notion.

"The same kind of person who watches some one sit in a tree all night," her head tipped to the side as she gave him a mocking once over.

Her sassy remark caused the Giants lip to tilt up in a rueful smile, as if her chiding reply had pleased him. His large hands stroked at his blonde beard, his sharp teeth poking out of his lips as he gave her a reluctant and somewhat forceful smile.

"I guess we are one in the same, little owl," he chuckled as he continued to play with his facial hair.

Jana hated the way he spoke to her, it was as if they had met before. As if they had some sort of shared intimacy that she remained unaware of. Which was preposterous as the only man she had been with was buried on the other side of the very tree she stood by.

"Just because I sit in trees at night does not make me an owl."

Her argument was petty and immature but the way the male looked at her irked her skin and grated against her nerves.

"Well it wouldn't make you a wolf, Pójdźka."

At that moment Jana hated the man more than she had hated anyone in her entire life. Even his strong jaw bones and piercing blue eyes couldn't soothe her bitterness and anger. He had hit too close to home with his little "wolf" remark.

It was hard enough that she was reminded subconsciously everyday by her family that she was not one, but to have some snarky wolf mock her, that was a step too far.

"Wolves aren't so fearful, not when the three little pigs boiled one alive,' her tone was as ridiculing as his had been, her witty response so fast it left him reeling.

She was the wrong female to engage in verbal battles with. She had a plethora of remarks and information swimming in her head ready at her disposal. This unfortunate cad would find out if he continued to rile her.

"I don't see three little pigs now," he lulled as his eyes flickered over her scantily clad body. The tight black leggings she wore clung around her hips as did her matching long sleeved top. The stretchy material was ideal for climbing and warmth, but did little to hide her body.

"No, but if you push me enough you will meet one mad boar," she grunted, sounding a lot like the boar she warned him about. Her eyes squinted as she challenged him to keep fighting. She was enjoying this repertoire between the two of them, it was a thrill she hadn't felt in a while.

Blondies eyes flickered over her body again as he contemplated whether he wanted to take on the challenge of the small mouthy female. Jana often had men stopping in their tracks as soon as she opened her mouth. She was goby and pretty frank, characteristics most men she encountered didn't like in their significant others.

The blonde giant before her seemed to be deriving the highest pleasure with each remark she spat at him. His eyes lighting up with every rebuke.

"Wild" he hummed as he rolled the word off his tongue. Testing out the words compatibility with her character. Contemplating if she was in fact as wild as she appeared to be.

Her curly hair was blowing around her face and her clothes were smudged with grass stains and twigs. Her feet were completely covered in mud, bare like she was some savage.

"Wild. Mmm, that word fits. Wild pójdźka," he grinned, the words dripping from his mouth in a deep timbre as he walked towards her.

His bulky frame towering over Jana. The musky smell of earth, pines and mint wafting through her nose as he leaned over her intimidatingly. His blonde hair was thick and knotted into matted locks around his shoulders. The hairs intertwined with random threads of red and brown fabric. He wore a long grey top and loose fitting black trousers that folded over heavy black boots. The dark material standing out against his white skin. Skin that was smattered with dirt marks, the grime giving him a tanned hue. His eyes were dark, nearly as dark as the night she had previously been gazing into.

Jana was shocked when one of his hands reached out to tuck one of her stray strands of her away from her face. For some reason she did not stop him from touching her so intimately, she even felt a small sliver of pleasure race across her skin.

The goose-bumps raising on her skin as her eyes dilated with lust. Her body shook with the small touch and her nostrils flared as she took in a gasp full of his alluring scent.

Her bodies reaction to his smallest touch was so disarming Jana found herself stumbling. Her back smashing into the oak tree deterred her from her lust induced frenzy. Her eyes wide with her hands gripping the bark behind her. Her tongue flicked out to moisten her all of a sudden dry lips as she properly took in the man before her.

His dark eyes lured her in like a hypnotic trance.

Tempting her to submerge herself in him, to become one with the man in front of her.

Jana felt like the lowest person on the planet. Here she stood centimetres away from the grave of her husband, lusting after another man. Contemplating all the ways she could get closer to him. It was disgusting and yet she could not fight the urge she had.

Releasing the bark from her fingers she approached the giant, who stood in the same place. Waiting for her to make her move. Her fingers trailed over his rough pink lips and smoothed over his skin. Tracing the outline of his face, following the line of his neck down to his chest.

Resting her hand over his chest she felt the heavy strum of his heart. Her thumb rubbing over his left nipple as it hardened against her hand.

"You'll come with me little owl," he husked out as he starred down at her. Brown eyes clashing with black ones.

Her hand abruptly pulled away from his body, severing the contact at his words. His silent demand broke the haze that had wrapped around them. Releasing Jana's mind from the fog that had clouded over her.

There was no way she was going anywhere with a male she did not know, especially when he phrased it in such a demanding way. Slapping his straying hand away from her hip, she side stepped him and headed back down the hill. Making her way towards the compound without giving him a second thought.

She could hear his heavy boots crunching behind her, as he followed after her. He couldn't call her name as they hadn't exchanged such pleasantries and he wouldn't make the mistake of grabbing her. Not when she had warned him of her inclination of turning into wild animals when angered. So he trailed behind her, his loud grunts accompanied her quite muttering as the two marched down the hill.

The sun was high in the sky meaning Jana had been in the forest for much longer then she should have been. There would be no avoiding the questions surrounding her haggled appearance.

Neema would more than likely guess where she had been and because her and Reina weren't on the best of terms, she was sure she would be a tattle tale.

Khan would of course be livid as that seemed to be his favourite mood ever since his children had started reaching puberty. Her brothers would more than likely pity her and her youngest sister Karla would probably be indignant.

The only one who would understand would be Caillum and even then he would give her an earful for her "reckless behaviour". She was so fed up she actually contemplated going with the giant, just to spite her family. Then she looked back and saw his scowling face and changed her mind completely.

She picked up her pace into a light jog when the grey walls of the compound came into sight. Her arms pumping vigorously as she sped up into a fast sprint and propelled herself into one of the trees branches, swinging her body up.

Climbing higher and higher up the tree, she continued her ascent until she reached a thick branch that nearly reached the top of the wall. Standing on the thick branch she jumped onto the wall, gripping the wall with her hands and bare feet. Pulling her body up as her feet grappled against the concrete, she eventually pushed up into a sitting position along the wall.

Looking down she saw the awestruck face of the giant as he squinted up at her. His body looking ant size as she looked down at him.

"This is where we part ways, I would say it was a pleasure but then I would be lying," she shouted down at him before she twisted around and propelled her body into the tree on the right side of the compound walls.

She flew down the branches in record time, her feet bucking as she tumbled down the tree in her haste. Her shoulder smashing into the rough bark, as it splintered her skin. Her hands stretching out to grip onto a stray branch to shelter her fall.

Three feet from the floor her hand wrapped around a thin branch. It was enough to get control back over her body. She used it to swing her body across the tree and onto a thicker and sturdier branch.

Clambering down the rest of the way, Jana gasped for breath as her feet finally touched the solid ground. Dusting herself off from stray debris and leaves she massaged her shoulders, working out any sore joints. Cracking her tense bones, she jogged through the forest, her feet dancing as she dodged random plants and jumping over logs.

Jana was so late she was almost better off walking, that's how hopeless her situation was. She was mentally berating herself as she stormed through the forest. All thoughts of the giant male and what he was doing in Khan's territory slipped her mind as she tried to beat the clock that was already ticking away.

AN/ I'm currently editing this story so I can begin uploading some of the stuff that I have begun writing. I will warn you guys now, updates won't be regular until I have enough chapter's off line because I don't want to have to do a large edit like I did with Capture. Also this book will be a lot more complex in plot lines so I need to weave in these tiny details from the start.

Sorry if you are receiving update notifications but I won't be posting anything new for a few more weeks yet.

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Pójdźka = Little owl