West With Giraffes: A Novel Novels & Stories

ZARA **Warning episode containing memories about abuse and rape.** We had been running the whole day after we early left Alpha Chase's pack. Grandpa wanted to put as much distance between the Alpha and us. When it gets dark, grandpa finds a safe place to sleep for the night. He found a small cave hidden behind a waterfall that ran into a small lake.

she giggled. After we were dressed and lying back in bed, I unlocked the doors. I tried to find a spray to get rid of the scent of sex. Wolves were very sensitive to smell and, well, that is what our room reeked of. I shared Gamma’s experience with her grandparents, and she laughed. Tomorrow we are going home, and I am going to work that girl out while putting no clothes on.

We were at war. Just the thought of it was outrageous. While growing up in the Chicago area, I’d never even been in the vicinity of a gang rumble, let alone anything else. Now, after only a few months of leaving an area that ranked in the top twenty-five cities for crime in the USA and moving to what appeared to be a sleepy mountain hamlet wedged between small town USA and a city that was barely large enough to claim the title, not only was I at war, but I was at war with werewolves whose savageness was something the Chicago gangs couldn’t fathom. It was all too surreal.

Another reason to get the witch, get out and go home. I wasn’t a fan of music, I preferred silence or books, It was at this point I wished the radio in the truck worked. I fiddled with the dials anyway. Static and more static. Either the radio truly didn’t work or the East still hadn’t figured out how to work transmitter towers. I had been spoiled living in the west, with all the technology, food and lush greenery, and better transportation. This continent was mostly desert, only the outlying countries closer to bodies of water had vegetation.

If I go back with a bloody nose, I’ll never hear the end of it. But several minutes into the woods, I begin to feel regret. I had been too impulsive. I don’t know exactly how long we’ve been walking for and how much further we need to go, but it’s visibly growing darker. The sun is starting to set. Despite my unease, though, I don’t tell the others to turn back. Then something occurs to me. “How close is the west fence to Crescent Ridge territory?” I’ve never gone into the forest before, let alone coming out this far. But been joining the Gathering meetings for close to a year now, and the supervisors had warned us so many times to never cross into Crescent Ridge territory while playing arou

Peter had said, and I rolled my eyes. But as we ventured deeper into the reserve, his infectious excitement began to chip away at my reluctance. I gasped when I saw zebras lying lazily in the distance. A few giraffes towered over the bushes, stretching their necks gracefully to nibble on the leaves of acacia trees. "Look at that one," Peter said, pointing at a particularly playful baby giraffe galloping awkwardly beside its mother. "Reminds me of how I was as a kid."

The Arrival at the West The barge hit the Missouri mud with a "Ruthless" thud. They drove the truck off the ramp and onto the "Unindexed" soil of the West. The landscape here was different—flatter, wider, and filled with a "Raw Vulnerability" that made the Maine woods seem like a "Gilded Cage." Aria looked back at the river. The "Great Divide" was behind them. The "Common Ledger" of the East—the towers, the ruins, and the "Ghost-Scripts"—felt like a dream that was finally beginning to fade.

Instead, a very odd thing happened and the three of them moved to give us a way to pass. Taking a deep, calming breath, I walked further into the West territory. Ryker, Dmitry, and Eros were following behind me while the three wolves were on either side of us. Unlike the North or the South, the West looked like it had never been touched by civilization. The houses and buildings looked like they had been there for at least a hundred years and had never been remodeled.

Lynexia returned to her plate and picked at her food. “So, Lynexia, what do you think of your new home?” Xander questioned. “Its nice.” she responded not looking up. “How did you sleep?” Ginger questioned. “Fine, I guess.” the young girl shrugged. “How did you spend your day?” the older woman asked. “I looked around the apartment, took a nap, and read a couple of books.” Lynexia explained. “Oh, what books did you read?” Ginger perked up. “Well, I actually found a set of books that said they were published right here. The author was listed as Selinas Astrea.” Lynexia responded. “A very good writer. They tell great stories that keep the legends of wolves through the generations.” Xander states

I had never asked him where he came from. Is the West not the same place the lab guy confirmed the healing balms come from? Everything was coming at me all at once. My legs seemed wobbly now. I managed to sit on the bed, looking intensely at the paper in my hand as my brain spun with thoughts. I reached for my phone, typing furiously. “Everything I need to know about the Western Pack.” And just like that, everything that concerned the West popped up. I scrolled, going from one page to another, but… nothing was interesting.