The Time is Now

Pierce suddenly sat up in bed from his deep sleep. Sweat covered his forehead as he controlled his breathing. His shaggy dark brown hair shook over his deep gray eyes with each breath. Her face haunted him once again. He never remembered what happened in his dreams, but he always remembered her and those piercing hazel eyes. He had seen her in his dreams every night for the past couple of months. He couldn’t get her out of his mind. She was forever there. As he slept, and as he walked the halls of the pack house... she was there. Was she a vision? He didn’t know her. He was certain he had never seen her before. She wasn’t a memory either. He wiped the sweat off his brows and beard and shook himself awake enough to stand up. Though the sun hadn’t come up yet, he knew he was done sleeping.

As he stepped outside for a run, he took a deep breath and smelled the beautiful scents of the summer season. How sweet was the air filled with wildflowers and the crops growing on his packs land. He loved the early morning air. It helped him think and gave him clarity. Every season was precious to him, and gave him a new perspective, and he acknowledged the beauty in them all.

He growled low as he jumped from the steps of the pack house and turned into his majestic wolf, Lux. As the Alpha of the Silver Moon Pack, his wolf was larger than most. He stood above all and outran everyone in pack runs. His impressive strength and agility was far beyond anyone in his region and he knew it. His general lack of modesty held everyone captive in his pack. They praised him for all he did. He was after all, their mighty Alpha. But none of that helped his nightmares or his waking dreams. She always brought him to his knees. One giggle, then her crying out to him in pain and sadness... it shook him every time. And he couldn't escape her.

His long dark brown fur danced as he ran into the thick wall of trees. His large paws felt like they barely touched the ground as he swiftly ran through the darkness of the forest. Maybe this will get her out of his mind. It hasn’t helped for the last two months. Perhaps it will help this time, Pierce hoped. He saw her everywhere. No matter where he went. Lux grunted as he pushed himself to go faster. Her laugh echoed in his memories that he didn't even have and her smile stayed in his vision. Perhaps she was a foretelling of his future mate... but even with her giggles, all he felt was pain. How would she be in so much pain if she was to be his mate?

"Who are you?" He would catch himself mumbling randomly. "How do I get you out of my mind?"

He slowed as he got closer to the end of his territory and found water in a small running spring to drink. He wasn’t ready to go back to being a prisoner of his thoughts in his own home. He winced as he thought, he’s a prisoner wherever he goes. As the sun slowly rose over the horizon he sat and marveled at his view. The calm wind tickled the trees making them slowly sway to their own music as the swift water before him occasionally captured tiny moments in its photographic living memory. The hills in the distance, a dark healthy green, calmed him as he cocked his head to the side and took it all in.

‘We’ve never been over there, have we?” Pierce asked Lux.

“I can’t say that we have.” He replied. “Let’s go. We’ll hunt some breakfast on the way.”

“Right. We need to eat. It’s a good thing we’re on good terms with our neighbors.”

“Yes, Pierce. We do. And it certainly is.”

He jumped through the spring and sprinted across the meadow towards the faraway hills to hopefully no longer see her. In what felt like mere minutes, and after a hearty breakfast, he reached the edge of the hills where he found a clearing hidden behind another wall of trees.

“A bald spot in the woods? We have not been through here. We are, my old friend, in uncharted territory.” Lux spoke matter-of-factually.

“This may be a good thing. We should check it out.”

Lux sniffed the warming air for any scent but there was nothing unusual. After he got a bearing on his surroundings, he found a small path. As he walked along, he picked up the most amazing scent. The smell of honeysuckles and roses. The intoxicating smell caused Lux to immediately take over completely and start sprinting. He began running towards the strength of the smell until he came to another clearing. The path had widened and turned into a road that looked well-traveled. By this time, the smell enveloped him, and it felt as though it was permeating his fur and calling to him. He kept on, slowly peddling down the road until he came to a cottage set away from the road. The inebriating scent was coming from this cottage.

Curiosity got the best of him as he slowly approached. A warm and familiar comfort emanated from the home. He was sucked into it.

‘Witchcraft?’ They both wondered.

And then they heard her voice.

Her sullen song broke into Pierce's heart.

“Mate.” They whispered.

He crept up to the window where the scent and song were the strongest and found her in the shower. He had to change to his human form to look through. Pierce watched the water slide down her curvy body. Her long brown hair clung to her skin down her back as she slowly washed herself. Her hands gracefully caressed as the suds slid down her smoothness. But he couldn’t see her face.

“Fuck, she’s got a nice body.” Pierce thought.

“She’s a human.”

“Alpha.”

“No. Not now.” Pierce whispered annoyed at the interruption.

“Alpha, I heard that.”

“Fuck.”

“Pierce.” His beta, Maxim was getting his attention.

“Yes, Max.”

“Where are you?”

“I’ll be back in an hour.”

“I need you back sooner.”

“I’ll get back as soon as I can.”

“Now. Please. Alpha.”

Sadly, he turned into his wolf form and left. Remembering the way to get back to her.

His mate. Why was his mate alone in a cottage in neutral territory? He had never noticed this place before...

His mate...

He didn’t want to leave her, but he knew he had to.