Maddy heaved, and began to clip the clothes on the worn out clothes line, attracted to two stubborn trees. The wind howled in her fatigued face as dusk approached the wilderness. It had been a long day. I mean after Jana left to go to the human world to buy the wild pack 'human' clothes, which were fresh and clean it meant that someone had to be in charge. Naturally Aran and Menir would have been Alpha for a day (why else would they agree and promise to touch human stuff?!) but Jana decided to make Maddy Alpha because she assumed that Maddy was missing her old pack, and the taste of leading had gone. By the time Jana had come back, the pack were asleep -Maddy, feeling rather 'cubbish' made them hunt and then challenge each other, releasing their wild side. No point two Alphas trying to make a wild pact tame...
"Do you want a hand with that?" Jana asked, standing next to Maddy who was shrugging.
"Yeah thanks."
After some silence, not an awkward or malicious ambiance but a serene, calming one, an atmosphere to make anyone's day relaxing; Jana eventually spoke, pegging the last piece of clothing up.
"I think everyone loved the clothes from the human world."
"I'm not surprised, it must be a change from rags."
"Yeah, although.." Jana's voice trailed off, and Maddy swiveled round her eyes narrowed with suspicion.
"Jana?" Maddy sternly said; she may not be Alpha in this pack, but Maddy was Alpha first out of them - she could still dominate whenever possible, and so, the other alpha looked down half smiling.
"I sort of stole the clothes.." Jana confessed timidly.
"YOU DID WHAT!?"
"Well those humans didn't need it. They were already wearing clothes." Jana said gruffly, Maddy groaned.
"Jana, it doesn't matter if they are wearing clothes or not. Well it does but still. We are meant to keep our heads down -and stealing thirty pieces of clothing won't help us. You said that we won't leave this territory when the seasons change, so if the police tried looking for the stolen goods they might as well look at the woods Jana!"
"Why the woods?"
"It was before you came to stonybridge, me and Rhydian stole some goods and Rhydian got caught on the full moon, I had to say he had clinical lycanthropy as he was wolfing out.." Maddy's voice broke; the pain in her heart never stopped growing.
She never mentioned her own pack to anyone. Like Rhydian she had focused on the wild, she comprehended that sometimes her other side of her wolf didn't occur to her whilst living here, that it didn't feel like she was the plain old Maddy Smith she was back in Stonybridge. Maddy had heeded Rhydian's words when he told her that he should have told Maddy about Jana, and Jana about Maddy. She realized what some distance from being away someone you loved and the natural developments of events could change a person, and it either made a wolfblood tame -or wild. Maddy Smith learned that she couldn't be both.
"So, wait -you, you Maddy Smith stole something! YOU of all people!" Jana exclaimed, as she noticed Maddy's pain in her eyes, and the sudden distance too. They both chuckled, and perched on a log near by, the half-moon glistening in the pearl lit sky.
"Yep, I suppose after Shan and Tom found out I had to be mature, watch me back all the time and made sure none found out about us, but that still didn't work."
"Yeah but that can be sorted out Maddy -it is simple." Jana cried, Maddy's head perked up frowning.
"What do you mean it can be sorted out?"
"Well Dad used to tell me if a weak wolfblood ever revealed it's secret there would be an old trick. You pretend to be killed. Lets say you find whitewood, tell her that your family are the only werewolves alive. You follow her to the lab or where humans experiment wolfbloods and escape to the roof before you get tested on, meaning she won't know your strength. You jump off the roof acting like you are dead -there will be witnesses and Whitewood will have to leave stonybridge or she will be blamed for your murder and you can go back home." Jana explained, panting for air. Maddy's eyes flicker from side to side grinning. Maddy hugs her best friend, although Jana just sat there, not quite remembering why she should hug Maddy back as her human skills went rusty.
"Jana you are a genius!" Maddy yelled.
"I think I inherited the Shannon gene." Jana bluntly replies and Maddy laughs pulling away, her eyes morphed into a golden-yellow -failing to control her wolf.
"Who's Shannon?" Aran gruffly asked, walking alongside his Alpha to be, Menir.
"Just an old friend that's all." Maddy hurriedly said, nodding her head, Aran nodded his head back imitating like a baby- accepting the conditions of Maddy being here although still resenting his human side.
"You need to forget them Maddy, they may not eat you but we should be the ones eating them huh?" Aran rhetorically questioned, using Maddy's famous terminology, the word eat ya had gone down a treat with the pack-making them sound invisible if it sounds like they eat humans or other potential threats.
"Yeah I guess so." Maddy replied.
"Good cub, come. It will be getting darker soon - will you come and hunt with us?" Menir asks.
"I am not good at hunting, I prefer me meat cooked that's all."
"You sound exactly like Rhydian. Maddy." Aran said, half growling half smirking.
"Really?"
"Yeah, he is an idiot." Aran responded, and the two beta wolves sauntered off, Maddy kicks the undergrowth in fury, and Jana pats her shoulder sympathetically.
"Take no notice of those two, they are just typical wolves." Jana insulted.
"Oh and what are typical wolves exactly?" A high pitched husky voice rang.
Maddy and Jana sniffed the air deeply -it was something new, something different. They revolved round to see a medium height girl, with jet black ruffled hair and golden blustery gleaming eyes that pierced into themselves from the reflection of the moonlight. A man stood firmly beside her, dressed in brown ragged torn trousers and a yellow t -shirt, smirking. By this time the pack had gathered round Maddy and Jana cowardly, Dan and Emma standing straight next to their daughter.
"Who are you and what do you want?" Jana demanded, lunging forward, disgusted as her welsh accent aches the other Alphas tender ears.
"I am Megan. Alpha. Alive. I want your territory."
"Well you're not having it, I am Jana -Alpha of this territory." Jana crossed her arms tentatively and looked like a spoilt brat in the process.
"Jana, don't cross your arms, it makes you look weak." Maddy hissed, only for Jana, Dan and Emma to hear. Jana let her arms hang loosely but claws only emerged instead.
"Well Jana -I Megan, challenged you to a fighting duel. If I win -I have your territory, if you win -I leave or are you the wolf with no bite?" Megan goaded. Jana gulped feverishly as Maddy bit her lip nervously -Jana couldn't risk her own life, she was Maddy's best friend, a good Alpha to this pack. Jana was risking everything.
"I accept." Jana announce, gaps echo in the morbid ambiance, Jana wasn't doing this for herself, but for the pack -for her father who brought up the cubs in this pack, who built this pack from scratch, it was her duty -her father taught her that. Alric loved her and she needed to express her pain in some form.
"Glad to hear it." Megan roared, in a jiffy she transformed into a large snarling wolf.
Jana soon transformed and they prowled in circles, bearing their teeth. Patience was one rule -attack too early the other wolf can eat you up in seconds. One bad mistake-then you are a gonna.
(meanwhile)
Rhydian trekked into the wilderness, now he was in year 11, and much more Alpha like and older (two months -but still) his heart was set on finding his Alpha. Finding his Maddy Smith. It took less than a day to arrive near Jana's pack, before she left, Jana had decided to keep her wild pack close to the tame one -so parallel but yet so alike. Rhydian halted, smelling the sweet stench of blood, and hearing the harsh realty of cheering -well two wolfbloods cheering. Leaves crunched under his feet as he edged closer on, grinning as he imagined Maddy's soft face once more. Her sweet lips on his once more. Rhydian's instincts took the better of him and his tingling didn't help. As he approached to the main base of the Jana's territory, something was clearly wrong. He could smell the strong stench of blood and hear roaring and cheering form a couple of wolfbloods -new wolfbloods. Rhydian decided to lurking in the trees, intently watching and hearing the scene that occurred. Jana was laid out in the blood stained snow, groaning in pain and this new wolfblood laughs manically. Maddy knelt and attended to Jana's wounds but she was pushed away forcefully from this new girl.
"Don't even dare. You answer to me now girl. Got that?" This wolfblood spat, but Maddy regardless to what she had just said, carried on attending to Jana's head injury -applying cold snow onto it and putting pressure to it the open gash, Ceri emerged out of the crowd and began to help Maddy.
"I said STOP! I AM YOUR ALPHA NOT HER ANY MORE -SHE DOESN'T DESERVE YOUR SYMPATHY!" Th alpha screamed, and trampled on Maddy''s hand, creating a small crack. Maddy yelped and held back the tears, but Rhydian's stomach growled in hunger; he fought back his instincts, recognizing that he could make this situation worse.
"Leave the cub alone, Jana is her friend, our old Alpha!" Ceri defended but the wolfblood snorted haughtily.
"Friend? Who would want to be friends with Jana?"
"We would!" The wild pack roared, aggravated.
"Well, precious little Jana will be taken to the hollow -if you have that punishment. But instead of two weeks, it will be four. I am sure she will be able to drink the water and eat some berries somewhere. If she survives she will be the omega wolf, no one is to attend to Jana -and no human or tame contact. Or you will die." Megan warmed darkly. Ceri helped Maddy up who was fighting her pent-up anger.
"You can't do that -Jana will die!"
"Alpha Megan gave her mercy -she would have killed Jana, but she didn't, let nature takes it course." The tall man shouted, and clutched at Megan's shoulder.
"Now. Who will carry this worthless wolfblood huh?" Alpha Megan maliciously questioned. No reply was given.
"Well seeing as no one will, you." Megan said pointing to Maddy. "You will carry her, down to the hollow -and if you meddle with this punishment, you will die in the worst case possible. Got that?"
"Yes Alpha Megan!" Maddy sarcastically murmured, gaining a slap around the cheek.
"I'm not as stupid as you think, now move." The Alpha bitterly said.
Maddy grumbled and looked back at the pack who were wearing sunken faces and sad smiles. This was Rhydian chance. He licked his lips feverishly and pursued Maddy, as she carried Jana to the place Rhydian knew so well. It was near the barriers of their territory - near Maddy and Rhydian's territory. But the massive grey pole and looming trees that surrounded it was still in the wilderness, where the wolf runs free. As if.
Eventually Maddy placed Jana gently on the ground, biting her lip anxiously -her worry masking her own heightened sense -she didn't sense Rhydian;yet. Rhydian's heartbeat increased, his wolf side was torn. Help Jana or relish his moments with Maddy - it was just too hard and complicated to choose. Sighing, Rhydian stepped out of the entwined trees and trudged up to Maddy. The intense smell filled Maddy's nostrils and she looks up. Now it was Maddy's turn to grin like a cub, all thought left her as she stood up blushing at the sight of Rhydian Morris. Rhydian laughed and raced towards Maddy, and enveloped his Alpha in his wrapping arms. Maddy nestles into his chest as he smells Maddy hair once more, this time it wasn't a sad moment -emotional yes, but long-lasting. They broke apart but Rhydian pulled Maddy closer to him and kissed her softly, warm and gentle -that's all they could describe. Rhydian tucked a strand of hair behind his Alphas ear and grinned, no words came -not words can ever describe an emotion, you can't describe an emotion -only what it feels like to have that emotion, but you can't even describe an adjective without using another adjective. Maddy kissed Rhydian again lustfully feeling the love.
"Get a tree." Jana groans, pulling Maddy and Rhydian back into reality.
"Sorry Jana it caught the better of me." Rhydian said, as Maddy walked back to Jana, who was still groaning in agony.
"You need to escape Jana." Maddy murmured, her brain scanning for any possible outcomes; that were good.
"Didn't you here that Alpha Mads, she will kill you!" Rhydian exclaimed, Maddy shot him a look - the' I know what I'm doing one'.
"Yeah Rhydian's right Maddy, you need to do this." Jana wheezed, as Maddy rested Jana's head on a manky old log near by.
"Jana we are not going to let you die. Not whilst this pack should be yours, when you are a best friend to us too -you need to leave, go back to Stonybridge." Maddy commanded.
"No way Maddy!" Jana bawled.
"Yes. You. Are. Now go -Shan and Tom will look after you -if you don;t go then this pack will live is misery and you will die. Do you want that Jana? Do you really want that?!" Maddy sternly shouted, her eyes getting yellow.
"Fine, but I need to heal."
"You can do that in Stonybridge." Rhydian commented, as he and Maddy hauled Jana up, giving her a head start.
"Just go near the river, they won't be able to smell your scent, and get there as soon as possible." Maddy advised breathing hard, as Jana winced in pain.
"What about you two?"
"We'll think of something,just focus on yourself." Maddy responds as they released their grip of the female wolfblood, who was scurrying towards the wild pack, using all her energy up.
"So what do we do now Mads?" Rhydian inquired as they trod back to the wild pact, the cool air getting more glacial.
"We need a plan." Maddy concluded, Rhydian laughed making Maddy confused.
"What's funny?"
"I don't know, just I've missed you are your plans." Rhydian whispered, Maddy smiled and slotted her hands into Rhydian, both of them walked in harmony.
"I've missed you and your prime instincts." Maddy joked, smirking.
"Thank you very much Maddy, and don't worry the 35 mm camera is all safe and sound in the darkroom just in case." Rhydian replied, and they laughed loudly, for once they actually forgot that they were in the wilderness.
Whoops.
"WHO ARE YOU AND WHERE IN THE WEREWOLVES IS JANA!" A loud bellow hit the pair like a wave, smothered in disappointment and betrayal.
Double whoops.