Wolf

I stepped up to her, eyeing the big wolf that she was keeping her hand on and knowing it was Sven, and unceremoniously dumped the deer carcass at her feet. Feeling the eyes of the entire pack on me, my feet were itching to run but my fingers were itching to fight, a fight I knew I would never be able to walk away from. Though the pack is smaller than average, a mere forty strong instead of the usual minimum hundred, I was still outnumbered in either form; even with the Tooth in my arsenal. I stood my ground, leaning towards neither of the options my brain was hardwired to, and merely let the entire pack look me over, or sniffing me over if they were so inclined. I could feel their minds passing through mine. Theirs' are weaker than the Alpha’s, they could get the gist of my thoughts but they couldn’t broadcast it to the rest of the pack. Some of them were actually passing on sentiments, even encouragement, so I knew I wasn’t entirely hated by them.

The last to approach me was Farra, and her thoughts were for me alone.

You stupid mutt! Did you really think you
could get away with that? I ought to force you back in the pack as punishment for such an insult!

She slapped me hard across the face, curling her fingers to leave four bleeding scratches across my cheek. My lip curled involuntarily, and I felt a growl rising up in my chest as the stinging slowly faded. I could feel the healing start automatically, but a gesture from Farra stopped it in its tracks. This was the worst punishment a werewolf could receive from its Alpha, for them to stop the regenerative healing of an injury they gave, leaving a permanent scar as reminder of the humiliation. I could feel her seething anger, as palpable as the blood running down my face.

She left, taking the oppressing anger with her, and the mood instantly brightened the moment she disappeared into the cave on the edge of the large clearing, Sven in tow. The rest of the pack went on with whatever they were doing before, most of the members who were in human forms changed to enjoy the experience of the pack-meet better. Pack-meets always seem better in wolf form. Wolves take
pleasure in simple things that humans would consider ridiculous. Like tug-of-war, or tag, or ridiculous mock-fights over scraps, or leaves, or nothing. We also hunt together or just run; and we howl, making music that seems much more beautiful when you understand the meaning. I would say that the sex is better too, but I wouldn’t really know. All the ones who’ve done it with Farra won’t talk about it, and even the pack members who are more inclined to lean towards the same sex won’t do it in wolf form. Some certain instinct is just stronger and harder to resist as wolves.