Chapter 1 Bucket List

I jumped to the next branch, feeling like a flying squirrel rather than an actual werewolf. When my fingers clasped onto the rough texture of bark, my heart calmed down once again. Adrenaline always forced itself into my body even if I’ve been doing this for as long as I can remember. I really needed to start getting control on that.

Add that to the long list of things to do. On the top of that list was to actually get my powers to work. I knew I had them, being born when my mom was in wolf form but as of late, I was dormant. It was definitely not normal to still be dormant at the age of twenty but what can you do? Underneath me, my pack was running through the woods, their pelts beautifully shining in the moonlight.

Was I jealous? Of course I was jealous.

I was a flying squirrel while my friends, family and… well, people I didn’t like – were able to be vicious, beautiful wolves. I jumped to the next branch, trying to keep my balance. I was a lot better with trees than actually on ground. That was another thing on my bucket list- becoming less clumsy. Which would actually happen if my stupid hands could turn into claws and I could sprout fur.

A howl erupted in my ear. I looked down, seeing the pack stopping, my dad was the one who had howled. He and my mom looked up at me, standing so close to each other you’d instantly know they were mates. Third thing on list by the way – getting a mate.

Like all myths and rules for lycanthrope, we have mates. You are supposed to meet your mate (supposed to because it’s not actually law) by sixteen up until the age of twenty one. I still had time but was still fearful because of the whole not-turning thing. You couldn’t mate with someone if they weren’t a shifter. That’s just how it worked.

I jumped down from the branch, trying to position my fall so I wouldn’t see naked bodies. My pack liked to shift back to human when they took breaks. If I was a wolf, I’d never shift back. Being a wolf would just be so much better… or so I’ve heard. People liked to make you feel even worse about not being a lycanthrope when they could be.

“Hey sweetie” I heard my mom say, enveloping me in a hug. I turned towards her, seeing that she was clothed in the white dress from earlier. Except now it was more like beige, seeing that she had dragged it through the dirt while it was strapped to her leg. Some things never seemed to change. My dad came to stand next to her, putting an arm around her.

“You okay my flower?” he smiled at me, eyeing the scrape I had gotten from one of the stupid branches.

“Dad, I’ve gotten a million of scraps, I’m fine” I smiled, roiling my eyes. He laughed, grabbing me in a fierce dad hug. You know those people who are twice the size of you? My whole pack is that size. The woman are all about a foot taller than me, the men were like skyscrapers.

“Let go!” I laughed, actually enjoying the hug. It made me forget for a moment about my problem. When my parents were wolves, they cuddled me but it wasn’t the same, definitely not the same as a human hug.

When my dad let go, it was by the time the alpha had decided to start moving once again.

“See you soon sweetie, stay save” my mom smiled, kissing my on the head. I nodded, skittering up the tree again.

“Hey! Squirrel girl!” I heard someone yell. I looked down, shooting a glare at Felix. Felix was the biggest asshole that existed. He was one of those that had shifted since he was a baby, he was even born as a wolf. A lot of my pack was like that, but because he was also the future alpha, he got even more applause for that not-at-all-dependent-on-what-type-of-person-he-is skill.

“What!?” I said, rolling my eyes.

“You turn yet?” he asked, knowing that I hadn’t.

“Have you gotten smarter yet? The answers are the same” I smirked, going to go sit down on one of the branches.

Felix rolled his eyes but held his smirk, “I’m going to get you back for that squirrel girl”

“In your dreams”

“We’re splitting squirrel, adults are going on their own”

My heart dropped to my stomach, my eyes widening. I hated when we split. It gave the wolves the opportunity to torture me. And after basically calling their leader an idiot, I know I was screwed. His friends chuckled behind him, making my prediction even more prominent. Maybe I could go home? Or follow the adults. I glanced down at my parents but they weren’t there.

Ah damn…

I started leaping through the trees, following the idiots to wherever they wanted to torture me. As the woods became denser and more unfamiliar, I started to glance up at the sky.

“Felix!” I yelled, stopping dead on one of the branches.

The wolf in front of me just kept running, probably not having heard me over his ego. I glanced over at the space in front of me. It wouldn’t be that dangerous would it? I wasn’t a shifter and can easily be confused for just a normal human… that jumps around on trees.

It was me or the pack… me or the pack. I took a deep breath, jumping to the next branch. I kept going, the wind starting to be the only thing I can hear. The branches and trees in front of me became my only vision, as if my goal was clear. Get in front of Felix and stop them from making a huge mistake.

Who the hell doesn’t notice they’re about to go into another pack’s territory? And the Hellwood pack to make matters worse!? The Hellwood pack were like a gang. You go into their territory and you’re dead. They were fierce and brutal. Completely nuts.

I suddenly stopped, looking down at the pack. Felix was still a few trees away. I let out a whistle, him actually noticing me. He slowed down but still continued to run.

“Hey! Idiot! You’re heading into Hellwood territory!” I yelled, using my hands as a bullhorn.

Felix finally stopped, barking for the pack to stop as well. Felix’s wolf nodded, letting out a howl for who knows what reason.

“Do you want them to hear you so close to you, you idiot!?” I yelled, glaring at him. Felix barked, an evil glint in his eyes. Wow, so scary…

With another howl, he started turning around… slowly.  I rolled my eyes, getting ready to follow them.

But then… then I heard another howl. An unfamiliar one that sent shivers down my spine. I saw Felix’s wolf speeding up, the pack following. Gulping, I got ready once again to jump but as I changed the position of my feet, I felt the branch give way below me.

Shit, shit, shit!

I tried grabbing hold of another but my hands only took hold of air. My scream could probably have been heard by the man in the moon as I plunged to the ground. I was going to die. I didn’t know how far the height had to be for someone to die from impact, but I’m guessing four/five stories would be enough.

I closed my eyes, bracing for impact.