The Pairing

It is almost time for me to go away for The Pairing. I'm a little scared to go off on my own for the first time into human territory. We've been taken on recon missions to see first hand how humans live, so I do know my way around the closest city, about an hour run if I shift. Their technology, as they call it, I am very unfamiliar with. Don't get me wrong, we are in no way ignorant or uncivilized. We just don't use phones, cars, or computers. We still have electric and running water from a well. Our people just don't interact with the human world much; besides for the Pairing, buying clothes, and selling goods to them that we make so that we have the money to buy clothes. We grow our own produce, hunt, and raise livestock (including chickens). We also take care of our own medical needs, which are few and far between because our Goddess blessed us with magic, along with our wolves. Shifters heal quickly, have superior strength and speed to humans, we can obviously shift into w

As soon as I step out onto the porch Kya captures me into a hug. I can feel the start of a baby bump under her shirt, it makes me smile knowing she will finally have a baby of her own. I worried about her after her miscarriage two years ago, they just weren't common among our kind. I thought she might never try again, no one would make her after a loss like that, but four months ago she decided to go to the city for her heat and now she's the happiest I've ever seen her. "Amora, I know this can be scary, but you are strong and brave and I know you will be okay." My eyes start to water when she kisses my forehead. I know I'll be back in a week, but this almost feels like 'goodbye', instead of 'see you soon'. I hug her again so she won't see the tears in my eyes. When she pulled back to look at me she smiled, almost sadly and said, "Be safe Amora. I love you." "I love you too." I replied as I walked down the steps, probably looking more sure than I felt. I looked back at th

The city looks so big to me, crowded too, but from what I've been told, this is a smaller city. All the smells are overwhelming; food, people, animals, sewage, trash, fumes from cars, etc. The last time I was here for recon, to get to know my way around the city, we passed a couple places I was dying to try. Now I had time to go there. I don't have much money for the week, a little from my sister and a little that the Alpha and Luna provided each female that leaves for The Pairing. It's not enough for me to stay some where like a regular human might, that's why we camp out in the woods, sleeping and hunting as wolves. Because of this I only had enough for small things in the city, I didn't need much anyways. I followed the smell I liked the most to one of the shops I passed during recon, "Ann's Coffee". I've mostly drank water and tea when I was at home, although when I was younger I do remember my mom bringing my sister and I juice from her trip to the city. She didn't

It didn't take long to get back. Keska dropped my stuff at camp and took off through the forest to find herself a more filling dinner. When she gave me back control it was dark and I was naked by my bag, with a surprisingly large squirrel at my feet. I slipped into my night shirt and started a fire. I found myself staring into those orange/red flames, listening to the wood crackling, as I watched my squirrel cook. The meat smelled amazing. I knew it was done but I realized I wasn't really hungry. I guess I was too nervous to eat. In school they taught us how pups were made, grown, and born so I knew what sex was. I was just scared that it would hurt, they said it could. Or that I wouldn't know how to do it, even though they said to reply on instinct. Although birth scared me the most, they say it's the most natural thing in the world but I've seen the dangers of it. I've never forgotten that our Alpha didn't survive because of it, the strongest wolf I'd ever known. So how was I

Mika definitely knew where he was going. He was walking with purpose through the woods, away from the park. All I could do was wonder where he was going, I wasn't about to ask and give away that I'd followed him out here like some kind of stocker. Mika started to slow down a bit, so I did too. I could hear a lot of different animals. The smells were easy to distinguish: raccoon, owl, fox, bobcat, mountain lion, and... wolf. Wolves and shifters got along like family, though they bowed to our dominance, mostly due to our small car sized bodies. What was it doing this close to town? And alone? I worried that it might be hurt or have gotten trapped. Maybe trapped by someone for some unforeseen purpose. Mika didn't seem like the villain to my story... I came to a stop as I started to see large fenced in areas. What was this place? Looking around I realized I don't see Mika. I could have a look around first, right? I felt Keska agreeing with my plan, but she urges me to stay near the