— • 🔐 Lucas 🔐 • —

"Lucas, go gather the doctor and the beta." My dad says to me.

"Yes, da- Alpha."

He doesn't let me call him dad which is annoying. He likes the authority as most alphas do but he is greedy for it. It drives him. His ambition and greed. It doesn't make him a bad alpha. No quite the opposite, he is smart and knows what he wants. It just makes him stubborn- not open to change.

I walk off towards the doctor's tent.

"Dr Kyle? Alpha requires your services."

"Alpha?" He repeats.

"Yes. Go, you know how impatient he is." I say to him.

He turns and run-walks to the Alpha.

Now for the Beta.

I make my way over to David and Lucy. Isabella's Uncle and Aunt. The parents of those irritating twins.

"Beta. Beta-female." I say, turning and bowing slightly to them.

"The Alpha wants you." I say.

Within seconds they have dashed off towards the back of the camp where the Alpha is waiting.

I follow them back. An awaiting Alpha claps his hands when I arrive.

"Now we are all here." He says, his gaze shifting over each and every one of us. "Let's get down to the matter at hands."

"And that is?" David asks.

"Isabella." He simply says.

"What about Bella?" I say. Gritting my teeth at her name.

"Shut it boy. You and I both know she isn't your mate. You shouldn't love her like you love a mate. It only makes it harder when you finally meet her." He says. His eyes swirl with emotion.

I can tell he is talking from experience. Is that what happened with my mum. Did my dad love someone else before her?

I have no time to dwell on my fathers past as he starts talking again. Demanding complete attention from everyone.

"You know about the fight Isabella had earlier this week?" He says seriousness etched into every line on his face.

David- the Beta, turned to face my dad.

"Yes, I heard she performed well. Quite the little firecracker." He says.

"That's just the thing. She performed too well." My dad relays to him.

"Right, and?" David says unsure of his point.

"Do you not get it?" My dad practically screams at him.

"She isn't normal. No one can go from constantly unconscious and nearly dying to having the strength to beat two of my best fighters." He continues.

"Hmmm. I agree. That is a little strange." It's the doctors turn to speak.

"We could carry out tests and try to find the source of strength. I don't think it's simply recovery strength. That's for sure." The doctor continues, turning to face my dad - his Alpha.

"My point exactly." My dad says.

I huff and walk off. I cannot believe they cannot simply be happy that Bella is getting stronger after everything that happened to her.

"Where are you going, Lucas? I'm not finished with you yet!" He shouts at me.

I turn around, eyes blazing.

"You might not be finished with me, but I sure as hell am finished with you!" I shout back. I turn and run into the forest.

The forest is the only place I feel safe from all the responsibility. It's strange really to run to trees when you feel trapped in your own mind. When you need to escape from life. But I guess it's the wolf in me.

I have my cotton shorts and top on. Most of my clothes are made out of natural material, as when we shift the material stays on.

I remember when we used to have to get changed behind a tree and shift, return to that same tree to shift back. But now we can shift whenever we like.

Hurry up!

My wolf is angry, annoyed. I need to shift and let off some steam otherwise I could take it out on the wrong person and hurt someone.

I begin running, there's a tree lying in the path. I leap over it, shifting in mid-air, landing on four paws. I sprint around the woods, like a dart.

The pain of the shift was nothing compared to the anger that spread through my bones like wildfire.

Finally! My wolf says to me.

What Wolfie?

I told you not to call me that!

What you gonna do about it, Wolfie?

With that, he snarls at me and takes control. I gladly let him.

I'm watching from the back of my mind as he wrecks the whole forest. Destroying everything in his path as he runs. Terrifying any nearby creatures.

Then I smell it, or rather he smells it, a deer. He doesn't even slow down to get the best stalking angle.

He just tears right through its throat, ripping straight through it in a single bite. He doesn't even stop to eat the kill. Instead, he races through the forest, towards the lake.

We stop at the tree line. Isabella is sat there.

Shit.

I attempt to push him back, I don't want him to hurt her.

Give me control back, don't make this difficult.

No!

Zafen! I'm being serious.

He growls at me, but retreats.

Thank you, Wolfie.

He growls again.

Oh and just so you know. Isabella smells weird. I don't know why but she does.

Hmmm...

I walk up to her- in wolf form.

I forgot to shift. Fuck sake.

I'm about to go to the forest and shift back but it's too late. She saw me.

She whips around. Eyes full of fear and calm. How can someone be calm and scared?

I walk past her and lap at the water. That's when I realise.

I'm covered in blood. My muzzle is coated in black blood.

I climb into the water. Washing off the blood and smell of the kill. My pack will be mad if I smell like the kill and return empty-handed.

I climb out slowly. I don't want to scare her. Then I turn around and start to head back to the forest. But I'm stopped in my tracks when she speaks.

"Hey, Wolfie. Come here." She whispers quietly.

My wolf growls at the nickname she unknowingly called him.

She flinches but doesn't move her outstretched hand.

I creep up to her and sniff her hand. She smells human.

What were you on about Zafen? She smells normal.

Then I lick her hand which makes her giggle.

"You're a strange wolf aren't you? Most wolves would have ripped through me without a second glance." She says, running her fingers through my fur.

I instantly think back to a few moments ago when I was gladly letting my wolf ravage the whole forest. I shudder.

"What's wrong wolf? Are you cold."

I just wag my tail and turn around. I sprint into the forest without looking back at Bella.

— •⚡️ Isabella ⚡️• —

I was stood with my horse Dandy, feeding her some of the fresh grass that I found along the lake when I saw Lucas and some other men running around.

I'm curious by nature so obviously went to go look as to why they were running.

I wish I didn't.

I followed Lucas over to where Charlie, Uncle David, Aunt Lucy and the doctor were all stood.

I hid behind the caravan, peaking my head around slightly.

It was Lucas's dad that spoke first- Charlie. "Now we are all here. Let's get down to the matter at hands."

"And that is?" My uncle says.

"Isabella."

Me? Why me? What have I done now?

Shit. Have they seen me?

"What about Bella?" Lucas says through gritted teeth.

At least Luca is sticking up for me.

"Shut it boy. You and I both know she isn't your mate. You shouldn't love her like you love a mate. It only makes it harder when you finally meet her." Charlie says to Lucas aggressively.

Lucas loves me?

Lucas loves me?

Why me? Why hasn't he said anything?

And mate? What's that? How many secrets are my family hiding from me?

"You know about the fight Isabella had earlier this week?"

My uncle speaks next. "Yes. I heard she performed well. Quite the little firecracker."

"That's just the thing. She performed too well." Charlie relays back to him.

My uncle responds. "Right, and?" He doesn't get the point Charlie is trying to make.

I don't either. I thought he would be proud of me, for making a quick recovery and having a good fight. He was fine with it on the day. What changed?

"Do you not get it?" Charlie responds, raising his voice.

"She isn't normal. No one can go from constantly unconscious and nearly dying to having the strength to beat two of my best fighters." He continues.

No. I'm not normal, but I have a feeling you aren't either. Especially with all this 'mate' talk.

"Hmmm. I agree. It is a little strange." The doctor speaks for the first time.

I just roll my eyes.

"We could carry out tests and try to find the source of strength. I don't think it's simply recovery strength, that's for sure." He says.

I will not let them complete tests on me. I'm not some test subject they can stick needles into whenever they please. I'm almost bristling with rage at this point.

Charlie speaks up. "My point exactly."

How dare he! I cannot believe they are all talking about me behind my back.

Lucas seems to have the same idea as he storms off and runs towards the forest. I creep around the caravan and chase after him. He doesn't notice me though.

Charlie calls out something but I don't hear him.

When I reach the forest edge I can't see him. So I wander around for a while.

Then I spot him. He's running towards a fallen log.

He jumps over it and shifts into a wolf.

What.

The.

Fuck?

I thought I was the only one.

He landed with a thud and raced around the forest. Why is he acting like a wild wolf? He's a year older than me so he should be able to control his wolf right?

I make my way over to the lake, I need to sort all these thoughts and questions out in my head. It's giving me a headache.

I hear a deer bleat out and the howl of a wolf.

Lucas.

Athena. Can you talk?

Yes, Izzy, I'm right here. So Lucas is a werewolf too. Funny world right?

But Athena, he didn't tell me. He's my best friend and he didn't tell me. He didn't tell me about his feelings, about his being a wolf. If my best friend is lying to my face, imagine what all the others are keeping from me. I can't do this, I can't be lied to.

Girl chill out. Everything will work out.
I can smell Lucas's wolf. I've got to go.

Athena, one question?

Yes?

What is his wolf called?

I don't know. I'd have to talk to him to find out and I'd rather not reveal myself. I have a feeling it's Zafen though.

Why Zafen?

I don't know.

Athena completely disappears as Lucas walks past me. He crawls towards the lake and starts to lap up the water.

His muzzle is covered in blood. He definitely killed that deer.

After he drank his fill he glanced at me, then waded into the water. He swam around for a while and I just watched him quietly.

He climbs out easily and trots back towards the tree line.

"Hey, Wolfie. Come here." I say, outstretching my hand.

He growls at me.

I flinch, realising this wolf could injure me. However, I don't move my hand.

He licks it which makes me giggle. It tickles.

"You're a strange wolf aren't you? Most wolves would have ripped through me without a second glance."

I'm referring to the kill earlier. He knows because he shakes at my words.

"What's wrong wolf? Are you cold?" I say, stroking his fur.

He just walks away from me, back into the forest.

Great.

I need to talk to him. To Lucas, properly. I mean I pretended to not know because it's not like I can have a conversation with him when he is a wolf.

I get up and chase after the wolf.

He is walking towards a thicket of brambles. Hiding behind them he shifts back into his human. Why is he hiding? He shifts clothed, right?

I stand there, arms crossed. Waiting.

He emerges from the brambles, not aware I'm here.

"So, when were you going to tell me? Really my own best friend as well? I thought you were better than that." I speak up, making him halt in his tracks.

He turns to face me, his eyes full of curiosity and guilt.

"What are you talking about Bella?" He says. But I hear the edge of unease in his voice and I know he knows exactly what I'm talking about.

"Don't play dumb Lucas, I'm sick of this. Everyone is lying to me! Like what the actual fuck?" I shout.

"Why didn't you tell me, Lucas?" I whisper, tears forming in my eyes.

"I... I thought you would hate me. I mean I'm a freak to you. You're human and I can fucking transform into a wolf. It's not exactly normal." He says, stepping towards me.

If only you knew.

"Don't Lucas. Don't come near me." I say.

"H...how long? How long were you planning on keeping this a secret?"

He looks down. When he raises his head to look me in the eye, I can see his eyes swirling with amber.

His wolf.

"I don't know. Probably never." He says, his voice shaking slightly.

"I knew it." I say.

With that I walk off towards camp.

"Isabella. Wait. Please." He says.

I continue to walk.

"No Lucas, you messed up. You've hurt me, you've lied to me for 16 years, what the actual fuck."

"I'm sorry." He says, jogging to catch up to me.

"Sorry doesn't mean shit when you lie to the person you supposedly love. I'm done with this shit Lucas."

He stops and whispers. "How did you know?"

I just keep walking. Until I can't hear him behind me.

I guess the saying is correct, ignorance is bliss.

Storming into camp, I head straight to my tent.

Word count [2411]

Isabella knows she's not the only one. What do you think is gonna happen now?

- Bri xox