The Runaway Breeder novel Chapter 1

I sit in front of my mirror my reflection staring back at me with my straight chestnut coloured hair pilled on top of my head into a perfect bun, the off-the-shoulder blush coloured top and my high waist black lace skirt adorn my body, hopefully portraying me as a confident young she-wolf ready to take on her role in this pack. Last month I had just turned six-teen, the age a wolf finds their role in their pack and - possibly - their mate. It is the time all wolves are deemed “adults” in our community. Where a she-wolf can chose to give up school and start a family with her mate if she so desires. In the eyes of the werewolf nation, any wolf age six-teen that has shifted to their wolf form is able to take on responsibility in furthering the success of their pack, their Alpha’s designating their rolls at the pack meeting on the first of each month. As I had missed out last month’s meeting due to my birthday being three days after our last pack meeting, I was unable to obtain my pack position, but today I will be taking my place as a functioning adult in Pine Paw. I couldn’t help but smile at my reflection in excitement the prospect of working and gaining respect by all lifting my mood. My eye flickering to the picture tapped to the mirror of my cousin and me. I take a deep breath and remind myself that no matter what roll I receive; my cousin will be there to support me. Just after my birthday when I first shifted into wolf form, Chris and I had gone for a run in the forest our territory is surrounded by his idea of getting me accustomed to being on four limbs instead of two. I remember Chris' black wolf towering over my blue-white fur with black tipped paws form in the warm early spring sunlight that the month of May had to offer that day, the annoyance I had knowing that I still have a few more years to grow into my wolf form while he could easily take me down. I look like a pup compared to my cousin but being able to run around the territory and enjoy the early morning sun in wolf form felt incredible. There's no better feeling for a werewolf than your four paws pounding on the forest floor with the scents of new leaves on the trees, the crisp pine, and scattered scents of prey all around you. As a werewolf in wolf form you feel complete in the forest and on that day with Chris chasing me like we were a set of pups I finally felt that sense of being whole.

“Laina lets go before we are late.” Chris yells impatiently, his voice carrying from the foyer where I know he wait with a look of annoyance directed at me all the way to my room, snapping me out of my thoughts. Taking one last look at myself and adjusting the shirt I sigh, stand from my seat to look around for a pair of shoes to wear and slip on a pair knee high black boots. Making my way out of my room, I grab my cell phone from the desk beside the door and scurry as fast as I can into the hall way. “I'm coming!” I reply back to my cousin hurrying down the stairs where he waits for me. One thing that is annoying about Chris is his need to always be on time. Chris is what I like to call “time O.C.D.” when it comes with being punctual. He will forget where he put his phone down, forget where his keys to his car are but he will never forget to be early to a function or event. An example of Chris' habit of being early would be just a couple of years ago we went to the theatre to see the live action of Beauty and the Beast. You can just imagine Jack and me waiting on Chris to find his wallet and car keys for an hour running around the house like a chicken with its head chopped off only for the three of us to be miraculously two hours early because Chris planned ahead that day for the late night viewing. Needless to say that by the time the movie started to play the bag of popcorn in my hands was a soggy mess that was inedible for my pre-teen self to enjoy. I spent the entire movie with buttery hands and a bag of inedible popcorn that I left discarded on the floor.

“You look amazing.” Chris gushes, a look of pride in his amber eyes as I descend the final steps to the staircase and come to stand before him - doing a small turn for my cousin to approve of my outfit. I did everything with Chris, my cousin being a brother, a parent and a best friend. His approval meant the world to me especially with today being the next step in my adult life as a functioning member of this pack. His mate, Jack, saunters over giving me a once over and a wink before snuggling into Chris’ side with a content smile on his face.

“Thank you. You two look amazing as well.” I reply with a blush as I take in the two complimenting each other with black slacks and button down shirts of similar shades of blue. Jack and Chris are the first openly gay mates in the pack that had come out about ten years ago. This paring had started a little bit of a rift in the pack when the two had found each other on a run in the forest. I remember the excitement Chris had when he came home that night while he whisked my sleeping form out of the princess bed at ten o'clock at night to make me a plate full of chocolate chip pancakes just to talk about his run through the forest when he came across a grey wolf. He couldn't tell who this wolf was only that he knew just by scent that the two of them were mates. At six years old, I remember sitting at the kitchen island, trying to stay awake with the knowledge of my cousin finding his prince charming and the scent of chocolate in the air. My parents were furious with my cousin, stating that a pup needed to sleep when they caught me red handed with a half a plate of pancakes and a chattery Chris, but there was also a look of pride and excitement too for him before they promptly ushered me into bed with Chris promising to tell me more tomorrow after a pack meeting. The next day at the pack meeting, Chris and Jack bumped into each other and, as if a scene out of a movie, Chris and Jack both exclaimed the word "Mate". Apparently there was a huge uproar afterwards, the pack in disbelief of two strong male wolves that could produce strong pups were mated to each other. For the next few days I remembered the pack being tense, Chris explaining that he had to sneak out at night to see his mate because our pack were trying to keep Chris and Jack apart. I was heart broken for my cousin, the man who taught me stories about mates and that they are our other halves we cannot live without. Remembering in kindergarten when this boy in class said his mother called Chris a freak and how I got in trouble for punching that kid in the face. It wasn’t until the previous Alpha had stepped in and stopped any and all complaints before any other incidents that could harm the pack happened, admitting to everyone that same sex mates is legal in the werewolf community and giving the chance for others to flourish in their love life. It was the Moon Goddess’ blessing and intent to pair mates of the same sex together so who were they, the pack, to judge. With the Alpha giving Chris and Jack his blessing, more and more wolves that have admitted that they have yet to find their mates soon came out as pairs. It became normal to see openly gay and lesbian couples around the pack and I couldn’t help but beam with pride at how accepting my pack is to change. Chris and Jack’s relationship is quite sweet in a Romeo and Juliet kind of story in the beginning with most of their families and pack members being against their mating. But the two persevered and kept strong. The only difference from Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet is that no one died in our pack for my cousin to be happy with his mate.