AN: Finally my computer is out of the shop. This story has been a long time coming. Greetings to all my reviewers from The Wolf's Lover, and hello to all my new readers. This story can stand alone or if you want to get the full picture of who Micalyk is you can check out The Wolf's Lover. Many reviews are welcome and if you review I'll put your name up here on the next chapter for the whole world to see! And you'll get a free gift! A virtual Twinkie! Woo hoo! Anyways enjoy the story.

--

The Wolf's Son

One

"You're mine now," Cal whispered.

He ducked in a clump of ferns staring out at a girl gathering berries in a small meadow. He was sure she couldn't see him. And he wanted it that way. He crouched low inching behind a cedar. The prickling branches scratched his hand as he pushed a branch aside to get a better look at his prey. He scented the air. Mmmmm, raspberries. He thought.

It was the girl's smell her identity that would always give her away. Even if she ran he could still track her.

She placed a handful of blueberries in her basket careful not to squish them. She stooped down to pick another with a sly glint in her eye. She popped it in her mouth licking her lips as its juice trickled down her chin. She wiped her face with the back of her suntanned arm savoring the berry's taste. She set her basket down retiring from her work. She sat in the grass running her fingers through her glistening black hair bound with a leather strap over her left shoulder.

Cal's toes tensed as he clenched his fists. Not yet… wait. He could barely contain the thrill of the hunt.

The girl closed her eyes pursing her lips slightly.

Almost.

She stretched out her legs flexing her bare feet. Cal could almost see the peacefulness settling down over her like a blanket. She rolled her shoulders sliding them behind her. The way she looked in the grass, so small and vulnerable made Cal's pulse thump in his chest like pounding drums. The adrenaline was almost too much to bear.

She stretched out her neck savoring the warmth of the sun on her golden skin. Shifting her weight on her left side she swiveled her hips around sliding her left hand out in front of her chest. The other arm rested on her waist perfectly fitted for the position. With a long yawn the girl curled her knees up close to her chin adjusting her hips until she was comfortable on her side, her berry basket resting above her head.

Now!

Cal jumped forward full throttle. Shoving through cedar branches and briers, he burst into the clearing. He bounded up to the still-resting girl gritting his teeth. You're mine! Just as the girl stirred Cal pushed off the ground with his feet throwing his arms out in front of him. The girl looked up at him in horror shrinking back. It was too late for her to get away.

Cal landed on top of her pinning her to the ground with his hands on her shoulders. She tried to struggle, but all hope was gone. Cal released a canine snarl from his throat as he prepared to devour his prey.

She screamed as he hunched his back over digging his clawed hands into her shoulders. He opened his mouth full of sharp teeth.

"Ahhhh! Cal!! Stop it!" She wiggled under his weight as he slobbered on her neck in a way he knew she couldn't stand.

Cal laughed and tickled her belly. "Never!"

She kicked and screamed flailing her arms. "Cal! That tickles!"

"I shall show no mercy." Cal laughed again.

The girl gritted her teeth then pushed his chest with all her might. "Take that."

She sank her teeth into his arm. He pulled away. Cal lunged forward trying to use his size to win the battle. She lunged too meeting him in the middle. They tumbled to the side growling and snarling. Cal tossed her aside then jumped back in the tumble biting and clawing anything he could.

She pressed her heel into his gut knocking him on his back. Like lightening, she sprung. She clamped her hands on his wrists leaning over him to push his arms to the ground. She glared at him her nose only inches from his.

"I am the victor." The triumph in her voice made him smile.

Cal studied her blue eyes pleased at their annoyance. "Only because I allowed you to."

She shook her head gritting her teeth. "You, Micalyk Whitepaw, are a liar."

"Are you, Jazzira Tanglemane, accusing me of such a crime?" Cal kept a serious face despite the strange feeling of joy that bubbled up in his gut.

Jazz dug sharp claws into his wrists, but Cal didn't even flinch. Playing rough was a part of every wolf's life. Besides it wouldn't even take a day to heal.

"Yes I am." Jazz shifted her weight.

Cal smiled his winning smile. "And just how do you plan to chastise me for such an offense?"

Jazz loosened her grip on his wrists. A wide grin spread across her lips, her white teeth glistening like pearls. "I'll tie you into the most impossible of knots and watch you squirm like a helpless pup as you try in vain to escape."

Cal growled. "Well then where are the ropes so we can get started?"

Jazz rolled her eyes. "I don't even know why I venture to bother with a young pup like you."

She released him and stood to her feet picking twigs and bits of grass out of her hair.

Cal studied her with a smile. "I am no pup."

Jazz looked down her nose at him with her hands folded on her hips.

Cal stood to his feet and looked down at her flexing his biceps with pride. "You may be the eldest, but you aren't the biggest."

Jazz shook her head jabbing a finger into his abdominal muscles. "You may be bigger than me, but I make up for lack of strength with a superior intellect."

Cal crossed his arms in front of his chest. "The claim of every runt, I hear." Cal bent over scooping up her berry basket.

Jazz sighed. "There's just no getting through your thick head is there?"

Cal grabbed a handful of berries. He shook his head with a grin still on his face.

"Don't you dare eat those, Cal." Jazz glared.

Cal smiled wider shoving the bunch in his mouth. The juice tingled on his tongue. Jazz's glare grew ferocious.

Before she could explode he stepped forward wrapping his arms around her petite frame. With a squeal he lifted her of the grass then over his shoulder. She kicked and flailed, but Cal held her secure.

"Cal!" She pounded a fist into his back. "You let me down this instant!"

Cal laughed throwing his head up in the air. "Tell me again the superiority of the mind over muscle."

"I'm going to tell Ria." Her struggling stopped as she surrendered.

Cal laughed at the threat. "My mother would pay you no mind."

Jazz expelled a sharp breath. "Hmph."

"Come on let us go." Cal gripped her basket in one hand adjusting Jazz's position on his shoulder with the other.

Her body slumped as she propped her chin on her hands with her elbows on his back. "Can't I walk?"

"Never."

And with that Cal walked off toting Jazz over his shoulder. As he walked into the woods he remembered all the times he'd gotten Jazz into trouble or angered her. He could hardly believe she still stuck around. Despite his scheming she was his best friend and he spent nearly every waking moment with her. It'd been that way ever since he was young. He loved her like a younger sister despite her being nearly six years older than him. He felt like he was older at times. Jazz didn't look twenty-five, she looked eighteen or nineteen. So most suspected that Cal, at twenty, was older. They didn't mind though. They just had fun and savored the energy their youth gave them.

Some said they should marry, but both laughed at the suggestion. Cal thought everything was perfect the way things were and he was sure Jazz wouldn't change a thing either. Cal smiled ducking under a clump of knotted vines. She'd probably want to change this. He pulled her tighter realizing she was slipping.

"Are you ever going to put me down?"

"No." Cal chuckled.

"My shoulders are getting sore." Jazz shifted starting to squirm.

"You're shoulders?" Cal noted the soreness in his own shoulder considering her release.

Jazz drummed her balled up fists into his back. "Let me down. Let me down. Let me down!"

Cal released her with a proud smirk painted across his face. Jazz squealed as she tumbled to the ground. She fell on her side with a displeased umph. She glared up at Cal peaking through her long side-swept bangs.

Cal shrugged stuffing some more blueberries in his mouth. "You told me to let you down."

She blew a puff of air into her bangs. They flew up then settled back down over her forehead. "I didn't want it done in that way." She stood dusting off her dress. Cal popped some more berries in his mouth. Jazz growled.

"Stop eating those!" She swiped the basket from his hand. Cal smiled with a mouth full of berries. Jazz stomped her foot. "Do you even care?"

Cal swallowed. "Of course I do." He walked past her sneaking a few more berries from the basket. Jazz swatted his hand.

"No you don't." Jazz trailed behind him.

Cal smiled swallowing his last taste of blueberry as he walked. He loved getting under her skin. Her annoyed expression was his thrill and joy. He knew behind it all she loved it too, and that made him happy.

He looked up at the pine and maple trees drinking in the sweetness of spring. He wanted to open his mouth and howl letting all the restless energy inside him out in a song.

"What are you thinking?" Her voice was soft and gentle.

Cal sighed. "You know." He stepped over a fallen log. "It's nothing... just a phase as my father puts it."

Jazz sighed. "I understand why you want to get away..." She ducks under a limb. "But I think it's utterly stupid of you really."

"You don't understand what it's like, Jazz."

"Oh please, don't whine about that." They stop in their tracks. Cal turns around to face her with drooping shoulders. She shakes her head. "Cal... you." She sighs looking at her feet. "You have such an amazing gift..." She looks up at him. "I would give almost anything to have that. Don't let being different make you leave this place, don't let that be your reason."

Cal sighed looking into her crystal blue eyes. "I just want to be normal."

Jazz rolled her eyes. "Your father stays a wolf until the full moon then he's human, and your mother is a human who is immune to his bite," She throws her hands up in the air. "How can you put the two of them together and not get something a little out of the ordinary?"

Cal sighed. "You'll never see things the way I perceive them. You are normal and so is Shira and the rest of the pack. I am the last, the omega wolf, at least you have some rank."

"You are not omega," Jazz put her hands on her hips. "Grogan himself, our alpha, said he expects greatness from you and I believe the same. Quit being such a pup."

Cal shook off the self-pity before it consumed him. "Just forget a said anything." He smiled. "Let's just enjoy this amazing day given to us."

Jazz sighed. "That sounds like an excellent idea."

Cal wrinkled his nose. "Where is Grogan now that you mention him?"

Jazz shrugged. "I haven't seen him since last night, but he'll probably show his old face before sunset."

Just as they began to walk back to the den an amazing smell tweaked Cal's nose. He stopped giving Jazz a sly glance. "Smell that?"

Jazz rolled her eyes. "We do not have the time."

Cal smiled pulling his linen shirt over his head. "There's always time for a good hunt." The cloth muffled his voice. Jazz crossed her arms and turned her head as he unlaced the front of his leather breeches tearing them off. He tossed them aside on the ground beside his shirt.

"Is this completely necessary?" She groaned studying a tree opposite Cal.

Cal smiled. Her modesty was always so charming.

He felt a delightful flip in his gut as a painful pleasure surged through his bones and muscles. He hunched his back over groaning as his bones popped and cracked into a new shape. His muscles swelled as thick brown hair covered his naked skin like a fur coat. He stretched out his jaws as his teeth became sharp, his mouth and nose forming into a pointed snout. All kinds of delicious smells surged into his leathery nostrils and his yellow eyes saw the world below with a new acuteness. He stretched out his limbs enjoying the tingling sparks of his new body. He growled in triumphant joy.

Jazz looked up at him standing three heads taller in his wolf form. Her annoyance dissolved melting into wonder and lust to feel the wind in her own fur. A form that was forbidden her without a full moon's light. Cal wagged his tail. He loved it when she looked at him like that, it made him want to howl. He savored her gaze for one moment longer before dropping down on all fours. He lurched forward with powerful canine legs digging his claws into the dirt.

Glancing over his shoulder he saw Jazz sprinting behind him with sleek legs that preformed with the grace of a gazelle. He looked back ahead tasting the air with his open mouth letting his tongue flop around as it pleased.

Cal scented the air. They're close. He spurred himself faster tracking the scent.

He veered to the left splashing through a gurgling creek. Jazz jumped it with one smooth bound. They bursted through a clump of ferns landing on the forest floor face to face with a herd of red deer. They sprang like hares in the other direction at the sight. Cal locked his gaze on a large stag with towering antlers and pushed himself faster. He followed the stag through briers and limbs. The animal moved with speed and elegance, Cal admired the beast for his pride, but he wouldn't be spared.

He launched himself forward outstretching his paws to pounce. He glanced back to make sure Jazz was watching then he fell on the stag grabbing his antlers. He twisted his body to the side pulling the stag down to the ground. It bleated as his hooves were swept out from under his strong body. Cal held on tight as the stag thrashed and kicked screaming to his herd for aid. Cal wrapped his legs around the stags stomach staying clear of his sharp hooves and spear-like antlers. Finally the beast fell limp in surrender panting and coughing.

"Take me," he said in his eyes. "I am at your mercy."

Cal released the animal just when death was certain. He sprung forward disappearing into a thicket as if he never was. Cal jumped to his feet releasing a victory cry from his throat.

"Did you see that?"

Jazz jogged up to him taking a moment to catch her breath. "Yes I saw." She took a mock bow. "You are amazing in every way imaginable."

Cal took a deep breath filling his chest with sweet air. "I know."

Jazz shook her head laughing. She looked into his yellow eyes in the same way she did before. Filled with awe, her eyes seemed to be causing the pure joy and warmth radiating through every part of him. He wouldn't trade anything for that feeling. She glanced away for a moment then her face turned white. "Cal!"

He whirled around. The stag he brought down before charged forward with his head low.

The older pack-mates always warned the young wolves about taking down stags for childish fun. Stags could strike like lightening with deadly precision. He saw a young wolf limp into the den with his stomach ripped to shreds one time. He feared the same fate for himself.

Cal stepped back. The stag sliced into his side. "Argg!"

He tripped over a root. By the time the stag readied himself for another charge Cal was tumbling down a hill.

"Cal!"

A sickening smell invaded Cal's nose as he landed with thud in a rocky valley. He stood on shaky legs staring in horror at a dead body covered in blood laying at his paws. With his long mop of thick gray hair and glazed over brown eyes. Cal recognized him immediately.

He stepped back clenching his paws.

"Cal! Are you okay?"

Cal swallowed. "Jazzira! Get help. Grogan's been killed!"