CHARLIE

I walked slightly behind my mate as he led me away from the cave and towards the direction of the villiage that I had seen when I had first arrived in this territory. I did not even know his name. I knew only that he was the Alpha of this pack and my mate. He slowed his steps when he realized that I had fallen behind a little. The other wolf walked off to the right and in front of us. He did not look back and I was thankful that he wasn't walking behind me. I was too busy focusing on the man that I almost didn't notice when my mate stopped suddenly and I skidded to a halt behind him. He turn and asked me, "What is your name mate?" He had a smile on his face showing a dimple in the left one. His eyes sparkled. I melted a little. "I was distraced by so many other things that I did not even ask."

"Charlotte. But you can call me Charlie." I answered. He whispered both names like he was savoring them on his tongue. I melted just a little more.

"Charlie. I am Alpha Bishop Wright." He held his hand out towards me. I had the feeling that he wanted me to do something. I slowly extended my hand in front of me and copied his pose. The palm of my hand three or four inched from his own. The smile on his face faultered a little and showed confused humor. He tilted his head to the side and closed the distance between our palms. Wrapping his long fingers around my slim hand and shook it gently. I copied his action again. When I looked into his eyes I quickly pulled my hand back at the confusion written on his face. I held my hands together behind my back and just looked at him. Though the confusion was still there it has been pushed to the back by the little light of pride. I did not understand that either. He is happy that we do not cower and bow to him. We are his equal and he is pleased that we are strong. Lyra addressed my confusion. So it was a werewolf thing. My knowledge is kind of limited. I know, in essence, what things are but most of those things I have never felt or experienced for myself. My wolf can explain to me the things that I need to know but there are no practical applications for instinct in a white room.

I shook my head and continued past him. I did not want him to know that I was also sort of embarrassed that he had put me in a situation in which I did not know how to react. Put me in a room and give me a complicated equation or a sophisticated chemistry set up and I can work out what ever task is given. But the outside world is very different.

His long legs took two strides to catch up and then he lifted me into his arms. Oddly, I did not feel the need to complain. I was suddenly very tired. I had not really slept in at least two day. I had just healed from massive injuries. I felt depleted. The warmth from his body seeped into my small, malnourished frame. We had all been kept weak. An uprising had happened before our time and all they had been working on had almost been destroyed. Precautions had been put in place there after to help ensure the same choas never rained down on them again.

I snuggled deeper into his chest and felt him chuckle against my cheek. It brought a small grin to my lips and the steady fall of his feet finally lulled me to sleep.

The burning, fiery pain woke me from my sleep and i look around at my white cell. I lay quite as I wait. I know what is happening. It is almost as if they seek me out. As if they know they are not alone. Closing my eyes I send out warm tendrils. I can only describe it as a form of love. A soft enegry that fills you up. I send it out to touch the quivering waves that are reaching out. Concentrating, I wrapped my energy around them. Whoever it was. I stayed with them as the scapel peeled apart flesh. As the bones in our chest were seperated. I stayed when hands moved our intestines. When we saw our own heart in someone elses hands. I felt our lungs take shorter and shorter breathes. I stayed and comforted the soul. Because that is what I was doing. I was touching someones soul. I cried with the soul. Soothed the soul. Tired to make the soul hold on but my grip was slipping. I felt the soul shrink smaller in on its self until a great ball of light grew. It grew and grew and grew till it burst in the most brilliant and beautiful light. I did not feel anything after. I gasp for breath as my own soul curls back from the saddness of death and I cry for the soul gone to soon.

I gasp and jack knife up. My breathing is ragged as if I was once agian recovering from the death of that creature. I do not know what it was only that it had been young. Such a young life cut short. I felt an arm wrap itself around my waist and a hard chest pull me close. I was not even afraid. His rain and forest sent surrounded me. I was safe. I grew drowsy again and was slipping off into the dream world when I felt a nudge in my heart. A thump that told me something I fear.

He is here! Lyra screams into my head. I jump up again and this time I dart for the window on the far side of this dark, umfamiliar room. I throw open the drapes covering the window and look out onto the rolling fields. What looked like small businesses lined the main dirt road. Branching off were houses all the way to the tree line. It was at least 70 acres before you hit the trees but I have the feeling that there were more houses hidden in the forest.

I scanned the field and all the way to the tree line. I knew that man that was my mate was walkng up behind me. I felt his warm arms wrap around me. I still was frantically searching. My heart was beating so fast. My eyes darted until I saw what I did not want to see. A bear. A gigantic black bear. I knew who he was and he knew me. Before I could react he turned and walked back into the woods. He was not going to get me now. He was not going to take on a whole pack of wolves. Not yet anyways. I squeezed my eyes shut and leaned back into the support of the body behind me. " What is it Charlie?" he asked me quietly.
"I thought...I do not know what I thought." I sighed out. I don't know. Maybe I hadn't even really seen him. I open my eyes savoring the feeling of my mate against me as I watch the sky turn pink. The sun was rising on a new day.