เจียงซูเม่ย บุตรสาวตระกูลเจียง

Atticus' POV

The night was cooler than last night. The sound of my men chatting lightly fades as I stare at the fire and listen to the flames crackle. I enjoy the warmth of the flames against my skin, and the way the flames seem to dance, it's almost hypnotizing. 

I feel myself relaxing as I drown everyone out with the flames... That was until a certain annoying Beta plops down beside me, his shoulder bumping me, jarring me from my peaceful little bubble.

"Oh man, you missed it! Alice went to use the bathroom and as she was looking for a tree, she didn't realize Austin was also out there using the bathroom and he ripped ass dropping a log right as she rounded the tree and saw him. That girl came running back to the camp faster than I've ever seen her run!" Tristan nudged me with his arm as he laughed.

I will admit, that was a little comical. I'm sure if I could laugh, I would. But I'm convinced it's impossible for me to laugh. My arm gets nudged again and my attention is once again brought back to the Beta who doesn't know how to stop talking.

"So I think Rose and Nick might get together. They've been chatting almost non-stop for the past 2 days. I can totally see those two together!" Tristan said, as I glanced at him. Tristan had a smile stretching ear to ear as he looked across the fire at them. I followed his gaze and raised an eyebrow as I watched the two. I tilted my head, focusing on what they were talking about for a moment before ignoring their conversation. 

"I don't see it. They look like they're just friends to me."

"No, you have to look past that. Look at the way she's smiling at everything he says. Look at the way she's hanging from every word. She likes him! I wish they were mates and could have children. We could really use the numbers. Someone has to start popping some babies out!" This idiot said, causing my head to snap in his direction and look at him like he just grew a second head.

"Why don't you go ahead and pop one out then!" I said, and the guy who seems to think he's my best friend, or maybe he is, looked at me shocked before laughing.

"I think that's the closest you've ever come to telling a joke. And if I met my mate, I would. He must be hiding under a rock out there somewhere. I just need to flip enough rocks over before I find him." 

I looked at the fire and tried to drown out Tristan's words as he began changing from one subject to another.

The crackle of the flames and the way they danced once again began to hypnotize me and drown out the world around me... That was until my arms were lifted out of my lap and moved aside. 

I looked down and watched as the little Omega happily climbed into my lap and snuggled against my chest. He smiled at the flames before yawning and closing his eyes. I took a deep breath in, and slowly let it out as I wrapped an arm around him and looked at the flames once again... Desperately trying to drown Mr. Chatterbox out.

I woke up to the cold earth underneath me, and a little Omega curled up against my chest, shivering. I wrapped my arms around him, trying to provide more warmth. I looked forward, seeing Tristan out cold. His mouth is open and he's drooling all over his arm... I definitely prefer him like this, I thought. Lifting my head I glanced around the fire, seeing my men lying on the ground all around it, cuddled together for warmth.

One of these days I'm going to find these people a place they can call home. A place they don't have to sleep on the ground and search for warmth throughout the night.

I laid my head back down, wanting to give the Omega a few more minutes of sleep before I had to get up and tuck him into Tristan's arms.

It didn't seem like my head was on the ground very long before the sound of footsteps approaching had my head lifting off the ground again. 

My eyes land on Ron who has a deer draped over his shoulder, and Annabelle who has an arm full of wood.

I nod my head at the two, happy our people won't have to go hungry this morning. The size of the deer is a good catch. We might even be able to get dinner out of him.

Knowing Ron's going to need help preparing the deer, I gently scoop the little Omega off the ground and place him next to Tristan. The little Omega wines at the loss of contact, and the source of his warmth now gone. I lifted Tristan's arm and tucked River against Tristan's chest. The little Omega immediately curled into him and Tristan hummed happily, hugging the Omega close.

                             ....

With the deer skinned and fully gutted, I grabbed my bag and headed to the river, hoping it would help my issue. I can feel my other half restlessly pressing against my skull wanting out. But it's not possible. It's not something I can do without exposing us. So I do the only thing I can do for him, sometimes I find a large enough body of water, and I can disappear underneath it and let him stretch his limbs as long as he can hold his breath. 

I can hear the rush of the water and smell it the closer we get it and I feel Draven get excited.

"Easy boy," I said when I felt him getting a little too eager and trying to shift before we even reached the water. I can already smell his scent of ash as he gets a little too eager.

The water comes into view and I feel goosebumps spread across my body, Draven itching to shift. 

I kick my shoes off and quickly begin stripping the clothes off my body.

"All right boy, here you go," I said as I ran toward the water and dived in.

It was like an explosion going off in my body as the giant beast quickly took form. His incredibly large feet kicked off of the ground, pushing us further, deeper into the water as he stretched his massive body out, almost the width of the entire river. He pushes our body lower, and I feel our belly scrape against the rocky bottom.

I feel his playful side kick in as a large bass swims in front of his face. His head whips around and his mouth opens wide before he swallows it whole.

****

Third Person's POV

Draven moves his body under the water, stretching and twisting. His claws extend, gripping the rocky bottom of the river bed before pushing off, and heading toward the surface. Just before his nose breaches the water, his body quickly takes on a new shape, and Atticus's head appears above water. His chest rises as he takes a large breath in and fills his lungs.

After filling his lungs several times, Atticus dives underwater again, his body once more seems to explode as the massive beast inside comes out.

After half an hour, Draven is finally satisfied enough and the scent of ash is barely noticeable. 

By the time the Alpha pulls his clothes on and begins walking back, the scent of ash is completely gone. 

The scent of food gets stronger the closer the Alpha gets. He can hear the chatter of his people who have finally woken up. 

River's eyes light up as his Alpha enters the camp. The little Omega quickly grabs another plate and bounced over to his Alpha, proudly presenting it with a smile beaming on his face. 

It's been several days since they had a big meal like this. However, to most, it's nothing special. Just large chunks of deer meat, and an attempt at making soup with water from the river and bone from the deer.

Atticus nods his head, and offers the faintest of a smile, the best he can muster to thank the little Omega. 

River practically squeals with excitement that the Alpha smiled at him, before bouncing back to his plate and plopping down into Tristan's lap. The little Omega happily picks up his plate and continues to eat.

Tristan smiles at the little Omega and roughs his hair before continuing his one-way conversation with Ron and Annabelle. 

Annabelle groans, she was hoping Tristan would have gotten sidetracked long enough to allow them to escape. Sadly, the Beta's words and smiles held them in place like prisoners, and they forced a smile on their faces before taking another bite. 

"Don't act like you don't enjoy his one-way conversations. You know you would be heartbroken if he was killed tomorrow, and you were forced to face the silence each day that followed without his happy-go-lucky chatterbox of a mouth to entertain us." Roger said through the link to Annabelle and Ron. Annabelle's head snapped in his direction, shock, anger, and fear shown in her eyes.

"I would kill the fucking bastard with my bare hands! I would rip his heart out and shove it down his throat!" Annabelle said out loud, causing Tristan to stop talking and look at her shocked.

"Sooo, who, and why are we killing this "fucking bastard" as you put it?" Tristan asked, and Annabelle looked in her bowl and shoved a bite into her mouth so she didn't have to answer.

Atticus's lips tugged up at her response to Roger. Even though he wasn't included in the link, Atticus still heard them. He doesn't need a link to hear what they're communicating, he can hear it whenever he wants.

Atticus loves the love his small little pack has for each other. Each person would give their life for the other, no matter how much they annoy them. And even though one might seem like he annoys them more than the others, deep down, a part of them loves that annoyance, and above that, they love that person. After all, this little pack doesn't have their own territory. They don't have a place to call their own, or a roof over their heads. They are constantly on the move, no TV, and the only entertainment they have is each other. That, and a deck of cards that's practically falling apart in John's backpack. 

"Hey Alpha, did I tell you Alice saw Austin take a dump last night?" Tristan said out loud as he plopped down next to Atticus, his side bumping against the Alpha and causing him to groan.

"Yes Tristan, you already told me this last night!" The Alpha said, his eyes roaming the group as he turned his head to glare at Tristan. However his eyes caught a glimpse of the horrified expression on Alice's face and his eyes snapped back to her's, quickly realizing what Tristan just did.

"Tristan!... You asshole!" Alice scolds before throwing the closest stick she could find.

Tristan quickly reached out and caught the stick before throwing it into the fire as he laughed.