Ren sprinted through the forest, savoring the dull ache in her muscles. Legs barely touching the ground, she felt as though she were flying. Her silver coat caught the sunlight and glistened. She inhaled deeply, smelling the moist earth and catching the scent of rabbits and birds. She noticed the faint scent of an animal she didn't recognize. Ignoring the strange scent, she continued to run deeper and deeper into the heart of the massive forest.
Ren's mind flashed back to the crowded city and university she had left behind. For the entirety of the nineteen years she had lived, Ren had tried to blend in with humans and pretend to be like everyone else. She always had pushed her true nature aside and denied herself the joy of embracing her other half, her wolf half. But she really never had another choice, had she? After her father left fifteen years ago, Ren's heartbroken mother had always needed her support. Her mother had not changed into a wolf once since Ren's father, a regular human, had been gone. Surely her mother would understand why she had left. The call of the wild was so strong, so seductive, Ren couldn't resist it any longer. Last night, before she had slipped out of their apartment, Ren had left a note on the table that simply read Left for forest. Her mother had to understand.
Ren snapped back to reality, the nature around her contrasting sharply with the city in her memories. The crunch of fragrant leaves under her feet, the clean, crisp air, the towering trees-there was not a single place she would rather be. Ren abruptly came to a stop, freezing midstride. The strange scent she had noticed earlier seemed to now surround her. Although she did not know what creature the scent belonged to, she did know that it was nearby. She felt a presence behind her, and whipped around, fangs bared in snarl. Ren was staring into the face of another wolf. Heart trashing in her chest like a caged animal, Ren backed away, mind numb with shock. The other wolf took another step forward, both aggression and curiosity flashing in its eyes. Unaware of the dip in the ground behind her, Ren backed up even further. Before she could catch herself, she was tumbling backwards. Her head suddenly exploded in pain as it slammed into a rock. Her vision went from red to black and she felt herself slip back into her human form. She thought she heard paws pounding towards her before the world faded away into nothingness.
Ren's eyes fluttered open. Her head was throbbing. Soft fabric lay beneath her. Ren sat straight up, frantically trying to figure out where she was.
"Easy, easy. It's okay, you're safe," a gruff voice said behind her. Ren turned around, head protesting with waves of pain. She realized that she was in a house, sitting on a couch. A tall man stood before her. He had a rugged appearance with stubble lining his face and lean muscles visible beneath his shirt. He possessed a fierce, wild manner, but his eyes were tender with concern. The man stared at her as though he wasn't convinced she was real. For some reason, Ren felt like she could trust him.
"What happened?" Ren asked weakly.
"You hit your head. Hard," he replied. The events came flooding back to Ren. Leaving home. Running through the forest. The other wolf.
"There was another wolf-I mean, um…" she stammered. Did he already know her secret? Had she said too much? The man flashed a sly smile, and it was obvious to Ren that he knew something that she didn't. Without warning, her body went rigid as a familiarly mysterious scent registered in her mind. The same scent as the wolf from the forest. Could he truly be like her? The man studied her closely. In that instant, Ren made the decision to bluntly ask the man a question she'd never used before.
"Are, are you like me?" she blurted. The man was taken aback, Ren could see that. Nonetheless, he lowered his head, chin touching his chest. When he raised his head again, a wolf with blue-black ears was staring calmly back at her. A rush of joy and pure exhilaration pulsed through Ren. She shot up and wrapped the man in a tight hug, sobbing uncontrollably. He put his arms around her too, unsure of where to put his hands and feeling quite awkward. Ren's face burned crimson as she released him, mortified of what she had just done. She wiped the remaining tears off of her face.
"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have done that," she said.
"Don't be sorry," he simply replied.
"I never knew there were others like me."
"Neither did I."
"There are so many things I want to ask you, so many things I want to do with you! I, I can't believe that I've found you!"
"There will be plenty of time for all of that, I promise. But let's not forget that you are mortally injured," he chuckled, a smile dancing on his lips.
"Oh yeah. I sorta forgot about that," she conceded, as the pain came rushing back, the adrenaline fading away. She lay back down on the couch, feeling utterly drained of energy yet perfectly content and safe. Sleepiness came to her the way a wolf hunts its prey-patiently at first and then closing in on the animal with incredible speed.
"Stay with me, please," she muttered before shutting her eyes.
"I wouldn't even think about leaving," he said gently.
