For me, Levi is the kind of guy most people want. He maybe irrational in thinking but believe me, he's got the skills to propel you to the top.

Just saw your mention.
Let me start reading o.

CHAPTER FIVE
SWIMMING

For the next few days, everything fell into a routine.

In the morning Levi and I would go on a run. Sometimes Derek would join us and hunt down some deer to drink from. The first time I watched him do it, I almost threw up, which was apparently was quite laughable for the two men.

In the evenings I would chop wood.

I hated that damn woodpile. Every evening I would chop and Levi would pull up a chair with his cooler to watch. Mostly to pick at me, which I found became increasingly more difficult to remain neutral to. The beast was not just scratching anymore, it was clawing.

Sometimes at night I would wake up from a dream. A nightmare that would pull the beast so far forward that Derek had to sit with me in a cold shower to suppress it. It was becoming more intertwined with my own being, weaving itself into my own DNA and making it its own.

But I couldn't let it out, let her out.

I wasn't ready and I knew that it would kill me.

This morning Levi took me to a creek, wide and deep. We pulled out a small wooden boat, two oars, and started to glide down the glassy water. Levi opened up his small red cooler, his sidekick, and pulled out a can of beer. He took a long sip and set it down in front of him then looked back at me with a smirk.

"You swim girl?"

I nodded. My father had taught me on a family vacation to the lake one year. I remember being so scared. I couldn't touch the bottom and my father was just a fingertip out of reach.

He was patient with me, though. All you have to do is paddle Char, it's that easy baby girl.

Soon I was practically swimming laps around him like I was a fish, like I had a tail of my own to paddle me to somewhere far far away.

I smiled and nodded. "Ya, I can swim." Levi smirked and I immediately knew that I had answered wrong. His hands were around my waist, and in a flash, he was flinging me into the still water. The water was cold and felt like a hundred electric fingers crawling all over my skin.

I swam back to the surface and spat out water that somehow found its way into my mouth. "The hell was that for?"

Levi reached back and tossed me a thick brown twisted rope. "Time to start pulling Charlie girl."

"Are you kidding me?" I groaned out.

"Nope," he answered leisurely while leaning back in the boat and taking a long drink of his beer.

I let out a low growl of annoyance, low enough that I was sure he wouldn't hear me, before swimming over to the rope.

I had no idea why I kept letting myself be subject to Levi‘s ridiculous ‘training' methods. Maybe it was because I believed him and believed that he could truly help me. Maybe it was because 1 had no other choice, I mean, my only other choice was to run away and then I would surely die on the full moon. But there was something else. Something else nagging in the back of my mind, telling me to follow and trust. I couldn't pin point it or figure out what it was, but it kept me going even when Levi was being more of an asshole than usual, like today.

The only silver lining was that I had wore shorts and a tank that day, courtesy of Derek. According to him, my body temperature would start to rise, apparently, Weres ran a body temperature higher than humans, so the elements would start to have less of an affect on me the closer I got to my shift.

Damn asshole! When I turn I am going to tear into to his old wrinkly rear!

Pulling the boat was no easy task. It took me a few strides to figure out how to hold the rope so I could both swim and pull at the same time. I settled on tying it around my waist so I could use all my limbs which earned me a pleased nod from Levi.

At first, it wasn't too bad swimming the boat. But after an hour my limbs started to burn; legs aching and arms tiring from slicing through the water. I tried to swim back to the boat to take a break, but Levi just used his boot to push me back in.

"You can rest when we get to where we're going," his gruff voice said with a hint of annoyance.

I sighed and tried to let myself float for a few minute, but Levi just tossed a half-eaten apple at me. I started to swim; my legs burned, my arms felt almost like jello, and my skin was burning as the rope continued to rub against it.

"So where are we going then?" I called from over my shoulder.

"' To Never - Neverland Charlie girl,"Levi answered playfully. I felt a rumble in my throat from a low growl. He had been refusing to answer my questions this whole trip, letting me swim blindly to some sort of destination, if there was one...

I gritted my teeth and continued on. Continued going even though my limbs begged me to quit. I tried two more times to rest, but Levi would only curse or throw things at me to keep me going.

"You can't quit girl, even when you want to, you gotta rely on that beast in you to get you through things," he said while popping open another beer.

"I thought you said I had to fear it? Control it?" I hit back. His riddles at the moment were not anything that I really wanted to hear.

"You do and you should. You have to make your beast submit to you, know who is in control. Otherwise, it will eat you up girl, and right now, you still ain't much to eat."

I scoffed and tried to block out the pain that was coursing through my limbs. I was paddling the best I could yet I felt like I was going nowhere. "Why do you care anyways?"

"Well I don't," Levi chuckled out, "but my beast does. Pain in my damn ass. I guess I would be somewhat sad if you died, wouldn't have anyone to chop all my wood for me anymore."

I looked back and shot him a glare and he only shrugged. I turned back and felt my toes hit something. I picked them up like it was wildfire that they touched, then carefully lowered them down. It was the bottom. The water was shallow here, and after a few more feet I was able to comfortable stand flatly on the ground. I let out a long tired breath and inwardly thanked whoever gave me such good fortune. Walking wouldn't be easy, but right now it would be better than swimming.

After a few steps, I was starting to feel slightly better. I pulled at the rope and started to pull it over my shoulder so I could take some of the weight on my waist for a while. I looked back at Levi to see him pop open another beer. I rolled my eyes and tried to ignore him.
Asshole. "So why does he care then?"

Levi let out a frustrating growl. "Who knows, probably to piss me off."

"Never pegged you for a liar Levi," I shot back.

"Never pegged you for a shitty swimmer girl," he answered.

"Ass," I hissed. "Little shit," he tired back.

I slipped on something and hissed when my foot met something sharp. Biting my lips I walked on and tried to ignore the slippery mud or my now throbbing foot. I took another strained step, the boat's resistance was starting to become just as much of a challenge as swimming with it was.

"There, you see that? Pull us over to that bank," Levi gruffed out.

It was a small bank with mossy rocks surrounding it. I had to be careful when I stepped so as not to slip and fall on my ass, mostly because I couldn't stand to hear Levi laughing at my expense again.

We pulled the boat up onto the land then walked until we found a big oak tree. Initials were carved into the base. Hundreds and hundreds of initials.

"What is this place?" My fingers trailed the deep grooves carved into the proud tree.

Levi set down the cooler then took a seat in the soft grass. "This tree is an important part of the Tikanni Pack's traditions. Every Alpha wolf of the tribe has carved their initials into that tree."

"We're on pack lands?"

"Mhmm," Levi answered casually while opening up the cooler. He started pulling out tubs of food, bags of chips, drinks, and other things that tempted my nose to no end.

My fingers were currently tracing the letters, 'L. A. T.’ Carved into the tree when Levi whistled at me. "Come on girl, this isn't going to eat itself."

I didn't need to be told twice. I happily sat and unwrapped a sandwich; turkey with bacon, lettuce, tomatoes, and mustard. Before I could think twice my teeth had sunk into it and my belly beckoned me for more.

I finished the sandwich then tore into another while Levi ate chicken salad out of one of the tubs. Wiping my mouth, I picked up a bag of chips and started popping in my mouth. Salt and vinegar, my favorite.

"So, are we allowed to be on pack lands?" I asked with a mouth full of chips.

"First off, don't talk with your mouth full. We may be wolves but that doesn't mean we need to have the manners of dogs "

Interesting story bro good job waiting for the next update

bro you have got a nice story line,but your lack of update is making the story look stale.

Thrilling story. Waiting for the next update.

mhizv:


It's a Wattpad story. Just completed it

And I'm yelling from the rooftops, "Maaaaaddddddd ooooo"

This story is amazing and intriguing. It's probably one of the best werewolf tales I've read. It's something different from the whole mate craze.

In other words, I totally love it. I love the description and characters. Charlotte reminds me of a character I'm working on. I thought Morin has it bad, Charlotte is suffering.

Please, what is your name on Wattpad? I'd love to check out your other works.

You might also want to check out Hide and Seek and The Alpha's Cinderella on Wattpad. They are nice tale as well.

I look forward to the end of this work.


I don't know if I said this earlier but this work is amazing.

And about Levi... I feel he's a typical Alpha. Broody, strong, melancholic but caring and sweet in a weird way.

He probably had a traumatic experience. Probably lost his Luna or something. Can't wait to find out.

millieademi:



And I'm yelling from the rooftops, "Maaaaaddddddd ooooo"

This story is amazing and intriguing. It's probably one of the best werewolf tales I've read. It's something different from the whole mate craze.

In other words, I totally love it. I love the description and characters. Charlotte reminds me of a character I'm working on. I thought Morin has it bad, Charlotte is suffering.

Please, what is your name on Wattpad? I'd love to check out your other works.

You might also want to check out Hide and Seek and The Alpha's Cinderella on Wattpad. They are nice tale as well.

I look forward to the end of this work.


I don't know if I said this earlier but this work is amazing.

Ahhhhhhh it's not my story oooo!!! When I said "just completed it" I meant I just finished reading it. Lolz story isn't mine.

But yeah it's totally diff from other wolf stories I've read.

It would be gross misconduct if i don't honour this invitation... Preciousbouy,am here.. Thanks for the invite,let me check it out...

So so sorry for the delay guys.... Have been busy with school and projects am really sorry... I'll try and make it up to you guys....


**************************************************************************************************************************************************************************


I rolled my eyes and ate another chip while Levi chuckled. "Secondly, yes, and very good question. When you travel between pack lands, you have to ask for permission to be on the lands from the respected alpha. Otherwise, they'll take you for a rogue and most likely kill you."

"Shit, that's serious."

"Rogues are serious, they've destroyed a lot of packs and hurt a lot of good wolves."

I nodded and opened a tub of grapes. The sweet and mildly sour taste burst in my mouth with each bite.

"So what did you learn today girl?"

"That swimming while pulling a boat behind you is a real bitch?"

He shot me a scowl before he took another bite of his chicken salad. "True, it is a bitch."

Opening a bag of chips for himself, he ate a few-BBQ flavored, before leaning back on his elbows. Musing at me like I was some kind of Rubix cube. "Your shift is going to be long, and strenuous. If you make it, I am sure that your road won't be an easy one. Pretty sure you're doomed to be a pain in my ass forever." He looked back at me and sighed. "You have to learn to endure and push on even when you want to quit. Let that beast help you girl, it's strong for a reason."

I nodded and toyed with the ends of the bag. "I just, I don't know. I guess I just get scared. Everything hard in my life I've just run from. Leaving Marcus was the first thing I've ever done that wasn't running. Well, it was, but in a way it wasn't."

"Past is the past Charlie girl. Learn from it, don't let it define you."

I met his silver gaze and nodded. He was right. I had to come to terms with my past and let it go. Move on. Remember but not dwell.

"So then, why does your beast like me

so much?" I tossed a grape playtuuy at him. "Or is that your way of saying that I've actually grown on you?"

"Pft' He sipped his beer and sat a little more upright. "I guess we're going to have the talk."

"The talk?" I felt dread start to build in my belly. "Like, the talk talk?"

"Do I look like your damn father girl?"
"Uh, no, he was much better looking."

Levi growled and I just laughed. Point for me.

"I don't know why I am telling you this, chances are you're going to die anyways," he muttered out before taking another drink of beer.

My heart dropped a hair. "You don't really believe that."

He gave me a questioning look and rolled his eyes before tossing the can into his cooler and pulling out a fresh one. "Let's say I believe it less than I did.

I sighed. I could work with that. It was better than a flat no, at least there was that.

"Anyways, before I was so rudely interrupted, I was going to give you 'the talk.”

I sat back and tried not to roll my eyes again. "Sorry."

"Wolves share bonds with many things. Pack bonds, bonds with your family, friends, and mate."

He eyes me to make sure I was following. It seemed pretty straightforward so far. I nodded and he took another drink of beer and wiped the loose drops off his scruff.

"Wolves need their pack. Binds them together and keeps them in order. Packs provide for each other and protect each other, everyone contributing for the greater good. In a pack, you feel a bond to your pack mates that increases up the hierarchy. It's like a draw, a pull of loyalty if you Will."

I bit into another chip and chewed on it and his words. "So like, you feel this automatic kinsmanship towards these people? But you feel it more towards like, the beta then you would the omega?"

"Yup, that's about right."

"Pretty straightforward."

He chuckled and nodded. "Next, you have the bonds with your family and friends. Very similar to what you feel your family and friends now. But with wolves, the bonds are always stronger, driven by an animalistic need that humans do not have."

"Are vampires that way too?"

Levi wiggled the beer can again before looking back at me amusingly. "Somewhat.

Their structure is different but mildly similar. They work in covens instead of packs, but the bonds they feel to their coven, family, and mates are strong like ours."

"Ours? You say that like I am already one of you," I said with a small smile.

"Don't get ahead of yourself girl, you have to make sure your tiny ass doesn't die first."

I rolled my eyes and he growled. A routine we seemed to easily fall into. "So what about mates? You've mentioned them before, what's that about?"

It caught me off guard. Levi's eyes softened a bit. Glassy and looking over to the water, it looked more like he was looking far far away from here. A ghost smile was painted on his lips.

"Levi?"

He snapped out of his daydream and sighed. "Mates are like your soulmate, your other half. You can't live without one, literally. They help to tame each other's beasts and are forever bound to love only each other as so deemed by 'fate,"' he finished with dramatic air quotations.

"You can't live without one another?" I scoffed. The thought of being so dependent on a male again made me want to vomit up my lunch.

Levi chewed at his cheek, musing at the way the question seemed to pull me out of my comfort zone. "Some animals mate for life, you know this, ya?"

I nodded. That was Discovery Channel one-oh-one.

"It's more than a cute little pair of wolves girly. Take sea horses for example-"

"Sea horses?"

Levi chunked a grape at me with a scowl. "Yes, sea horses. They also mate for life, but did ya know that When they become separated or if one of them dies, then the other dies too?"

I scrunched my brows. That was almost as dramatic as a Lifetime movie. "Why?"

"No one really knows, but in most cases like this in the animal world, wolves included, they die because their heart is so broken over the loss. When a wolf loses its mate, it's very rare that they take another. Sometimes they do. I have heard of it before, but like I said it's rare. Usually, they die or go crazy, rogue."

"Shit, that's serious."
"Yup," he answered quietly. He chewed at his cheek again and sighed. "They are your other half. Without them, your mind will go mad and your body will start to quit, it's incredibley rare that a wolf makes it without their mate."

I chewed on a grape and tried to comprehend all this. It sounded like a damn fairy tale, but I would be foolish to think otherwise. Everything up until now was so surreal and frightening.

I shivered inwardly at thinking that another man would have such a pull on me, control over me.

I would not have that.

But still, I couldn't help but be curious. "So, how do you find these 'mythical mates'?"

"It's hard," Levi said quietly while toying with the top of his beer can. "Some were's go over half their lifetime before finding them, some find them early on. It all starts with a scent."

"A scent?" I practically laughed out.

Levi growled lowly. He wasn't in the mood apparently for any more of my teasing. I felt a pang of guilt tug at me. I don't know what it was, but something told me that this was a touchy subject was. I wanted to ask him about his mate, but something inside me threw up a red flag at the thought.

"Sorry," I muttered out.

Levi let out a hot breath and took a sip of his beer. He looked back at the tree, longingly, like he was looking at a ghost he knew. "It will be the most beautiful thing you will ever smell, so enticing your whole being will practically lose itself in the euphoria of it. You chase it, because that's what we do, we hunt what we want."

"And when you find them?"

Levi gave me a long look that said that the current conversation was over.

"So what about me then? I'm not any of the things you listed?"

"No," he mused before looking back at me. Gnawing at something that he wasn't quite sure of. "You're not."

"But?"

He sighed and rubbed his eyes before crossing his burly arms over his chest. Even at his age, he was still all muscle. Thick. The man looked better than many younger men I had seen.

"Who knows Charlie girl," he replied in one of those riddles that was starting to drive me crazy.

I was so perplexed, though. I was curious to know more, about him. There was more to him than he wanted to let on. I didn't know much about any of it, but I couldn't imagine that any pack since they are so damn strict, would be happy with some lone wolf and a vampire hanging out on their land.

I helped Levi pack up our things quickly. Apparently, I was going swim back again and he was eager to get back so he could 'take a damn nap,‘ because it's been a long day.

"Bastard... "

He was infuriating, but I needed him. In the same weird way, I felt like he needed me to.

Levi looked back at me while he was picking the little cooler up, almost like he was defeated by my nagging. "I feel a pull towards you. It's not a mate pull or a pack pull. I don't know what it is Charlie girl. I guess we'll find out or we won't."

"Always so full of answers... "

I walked back to the tree and gave it one last parting gaze before I turned to follow Levi. "Hey Levi?"

"Yap ?

"What are you then? Pack wise? I mean, I assume you're not a rouge, right?"

Levi sighed and looked at the sky while muttering a string of curses. He tossed the cooler in the boat and started to pull it back out into the creek with me almost tripping over the slippery rocks to follow.

"An alpha."
"Bu_"......

Levi growled low and deep from his chest. "Enough."

I sighed and stepped back into the cold water and tied the rope back around my waist that was reluctant to feel its tug. It was going to be a long damn swim.



****************************************************************************************************

[I]Continuation[i]

Derek?"

"Hmm?" Derek was busy cutting my hair because according to him I looked "ratchet."

My locks had grown since I'd left Marcus, and since I had been bitten it was like I took a horse pill of magic hair vitamins.

My wet locks untangled easily thanks to the conditioner that Derek rubbed through my scalp, ridding me of the cold creek water that begged to linger.

"I have a question for you." I hit my lip and prayed that he would sate my curiosity.

"You just asked one little one," he said with a cheeky smile painted on his lips as he combed a long piece out and clipped at the dead ends. "Ask away dear, I won't bite."

I laughed nervously. I knew that he wouldn't bite, but the mischievous twinkle in his eye dared me to think otherwise.

"Today Levi told me about him, that he was an alpha."

"And?" Derek asked suspiciously.

I hit my lip and met his calculating brown eyes in the mirror of his bathroom. "I guess I'm just curious. He doesn't seem to be too keen to talk about it. I don't know, I'm just-".....

"Curious?" he finished my question for me.

I nodded and gave him a half smile. Derek set the scissors and comb down then leaned against the counter opposite of me. "He's right, he is an alpha."

"Then shouldn't he be in charge of a pack? Isn't that how that works? And is this house on pack land? Where we went today was..."

Derek sighed and looked out the door then back at me cautiously. He walked over to the door and closed it then stuffed a towel down to cover the tiny space between the door and floor. I raised my brows at his bizarre behavior, it was almost like he was frightened.
He walked back to the counter and leaned back against it. "Werewolf hearing, well most supernaturals, is much more enhanced than a human's ears."

"Ah..."

He let out a long sigh and nodded. "I won't tell you everything because that is his story to tell. But I will fill in some gaps. You're about to be apart of this world, it's best you start to understand it."

He reached over to his glass of Wine and took a long sip of the deep red cabernet. At least, I think it was a cabernet. Wiping his mouth, he looked back at me and nodded again. "You're right. This house is on pack lands, the Tikanni pack's land, and we are allowed to be here because technically Levi is their alpha."

"What?" I gasped.

Derek sighed again and took another drink then offered me some. I looked at the glass questioningly, unsure of what the red liquid really was.

"It's just wine this time Char, although, you may find that the taste of blood isn't that bad."

I shot him a scowl before taking a sip and handing the glass back to him.

"I think I'll just stick to grape blood, thanks."

He chuckled and set the glass next to him; his long white fingers were playing With the stem.

"Technically Levi is their alpha, just not currently."

"What does that mean?"

"It means that he has temporarily given the position over to his beta, or his younger brother, While he's away."

"But why is he away? I mean, was he challenged? That's what it's called, right?"

Derek chuckled again and shook his head. "No he wasn't challenged, and if he was I am pretty confident that Levi could still beat the shit out of any opponent."

"He is in pretty good shape for an asshole," I added.

"True," Derek agreed. "No, he um, well, something happened Charlotte. Something happened that he will have to speak to you about, it's not my place to tell. But I will say that because of it, he had to get away and get his mind right. That's why I'm here with him. He couldn't be left alone. I know he thinks I am a pain in the ass sometimes, but someone has to make sure the bastard doesn't loose it."

"It must have been terrible," I breathed out.

Derek nodded in agreement. "It wasn't just terrible, it caused an imbalance. An imbalance that has rippled out and caused more harm in the balance of things."

"Balance?" I cocked my head a bit. "You sound like one of the yoga instructors that I used to see."

"You did yoga?" he asked disbelievingly.

"Key word 'did.‘ I hated it and that stupid Stepford wife that taught it."

Derek's deep laugh quickly filled the small bathroom and I shortly joined him. I did hate that damn class and all the damn people in it. They were all fake. Fake hair, fake tits, fake nails, fake yoga mats, but not fake Lululemon because God forbid we buy a knock off.

Marcus thought it would be a great way for me to make friends, when I was allowed to have them. It wasn't.

I was never able to really focus or let my mind settle enough to enjoy it. That and I really couldn't connect with some blonde bimbo whose sole concern in the world was when she would get her next pedicure.

"You do have quite the mouth, no wonder you drive Levi crazy."

"It's good for him," I added and Derek nodded into his glass as he took another sip .

"He did tell me a bit about this pull he has towards me, I still don‘t understand that?"

"Me either to be honest." Derek took up the scissors and comb before walking back around me.

I sighed as he gently tilted my head down and combed out a long piece. "Any thoughts or theories?"

"Well," he said quietly as he concentrated on cutting away my ends. "Wolves are very family and pack oriented creatures. The bonds are strong. Even in-laws feel it towards each other. Kinda like loyalty if you will."

He tilted my head in another direction and moved to my side. Combing the wet hair in different directions he took another long piece and trimmed away the dead ends. "It's not a mate bond. You would have felt that. But I do think it could be something else."

"Like?" I looked up at him through strands of wet hair.

He caught my eyes in the mirror and before snipping away at another piece. "Family."

"Family?" I scoffed. "That's impossible. "Maybe, maybe not. If you live through all this little one, we'll certainly find out."

"If I live," I mumbled to myself.

Derek's cool fingers lifted my chin towards him. His brown eyes were firm and commanding; there was no joking behind them tonight. "You will live Charlotte, you just have to let yourself."

It was an interesting notion. Letting myself live.

I hadn't really thought of it until Derek said the words. Up until this point, I  had been living in so much fear. Fear of Marcus, fear of this new life, and fear of myself. What I am capable of and what I'm not capable of.

The monster inside me rumbled. It clawed at my brain, it always clawed at my brain, and reminded me that it was there. It was like it hated this line of thinking, this notion of being associated with the word 'fear' or 'incapable'.

I let it push forward some more. It was strong, I could feel that much. And it wanted to live, not just for itself, but for me as well.

Levi was right, I had to trust it. We had to trust each other.

And right now, that thing was telling to live. To fight.

So dammit, that is exactly what I was going to do.

I don't know if I should continue this story... You guys aren't really motivating me....

Seriously? Please don't stop. That would be another unfinished story.

Tygold1:
Seriously? Please don't stop. That would be another unfinished story.

There is no motivation from you guys and that's not helping

You have a nice story pls don't stop

nightcrawler123:

There is no motivation from you guys and that's not helping

We are here with you, don't stop posting pls
I can't wait for Charlotte's first change

CHAPTER SIX
FIGHTING


I swam a few more times that week until Derek told Levi that I was learning to be more of how to be a mermaid than a wolf, to which Levi told Derek to 'piss off.‘ The swimming did get better, though, the last time I swam it was like I was practically a fish gliding through water. I was getting stronger and relying more on this damn beast.

Levi and didn't speak much about our conversation from the first time we visited the tree with all the initials. I did learn about other things, though, like different packs and who their leaders were. Derek filled me in on the latest gossip while Levi filled me in on the social behavior of packs, which apparently was really intense.

Apparently, this 'alpha' guy and his female were to constantly be submitted to by the other members of the pack. They provided and kept things safe, kept things organized, and ensured that the pack stayed balanced, happy is what Derek would call it. They were also territorial, protective of their pack members and mates, and a mildly 'dramatic' according to Derek.

It still didn't explain Levi. He was such an enigma to me. We were living on his pack lands, yet he was not with them. That, and I hadn't seen another wolf or person since I had been here. I assumed it was because they were keeping them away. No use bringing people around if I was going to die.

My training every day got harder. More intense. Sometimes I swear I thought Levi was trying to kill me, probably because he was. But every day after we were done he would say, 'Good work Charlie girl, now go chop some wood.‘

It was a ritual that I had come to hate and love.

However, today was different than the previous days. Today was different than the other days though, today I was learning how to fight.

"Now hit me girl, come on, no need to be afraid you'll break my pretty face," Levi taunted.

I was never a fan of Violence. Ever. Levi had been standing in front of me for the last iive minutes, chin raised, and hands on his hips while taunting me to strike him square in the nose.

I didn't want to. I didn't use my fists like he had.

"Girl, what are you so afraid of?"

"I am not afraid!" I dug my heels into the ground and let out a breath of frustration. "I just feel like we should use our words, not our fists."

Both Levi and Derek laughed at me with deep hearty belly laughs. I felt a rumble escape from my mouth. The beast inside of me had not only grown stronger, but more vocal. Apparently, she did not take to their teasing well.

It felt like she was equally annoyed with me, though. We were at odds with each other, at the crossroads, a place where I felt torn in two.

"Go on little one, he definitely deserves to have his teeth rearranged," Derek chuckled out and Levi growled at him.

Levi looked back to me with a scowl. His patience was clearly starting to wear thin with me. "Charlotte, hit me."

"Levi, no," I said through my gritted teeth. I wasn't going to let him push me around and I certainly wasn't going to hit him, especially when I didn't have a good reason to.

"Little girl, you're wearing me thin here and-"

"And you what?" I spat out. "What? Going to smack me for not listening?"

"Charlie," Levi warned.

"Enough!" 1 took a step back and threw my hands up in exasperation. "I'm not going to hit you, ok? I'm not that person." With that, I turned on my heel and stormed off. I had no idea where I was going, just that I was going away from the two of them.

I walked for a while and tried to settle down my emotions that felt like they were having a civil war, but it was no use. The beast in me wanted to tear Levi apart, and part of me did as well, but I couldn't. I couldn't be like him.

I couldn't just hit Levi because I was angry at him.

I shuddered at the thought. At the memories. At the millions of moments when he would blow up and take out his tantrum on me.

One time he came home from work after we spent a weekend at his parents. They were continuously asking why we didn't have children yet, and I was incredibly thankful that I had been taking the pill. It was the only thing that Marcus and I could agree on, no children. It was one of the only blessings to come out of that marriage, the fact that I was not bound to him with a child.

He came home agitated. Agitated because some idiot secretary went on and on and on about her children in front of his mother at work and I apparently I just had to make him look guilty in front of his mother. I blamed him apparently, it was my fault. It was my fault that there were no kids because I apparently pressured him in agreeing to let me stay on the pill for so long.

I remember trying to reason with him, but reasoning with him was like trying to reason with a Iive-year-old. It rarely worked, if ever. He smacked me across my face, hard. I remember tasting the blood in my mouth and thinking that I wouldn't be able to leave for a few days because of the bruises.

Before I could even retaliate, he had grabbed me by my hair and pushed me over the side of our sofa. Our gray tufted modern sofa from Ikea that he had picked out. He took me there. Roughly. Bent over the sofa without warning.

I remember crying and asking him to stop, but he just thrust harder into me. When he was done he grabbed my hair and yanked around so I could face him directly. He smiled and pushed me back a foot before landing a blow directly to my cheek, knocking me out.

It wasn't until after midnight when I woke up on our vinyl hardwood that I had realized what happened; laying with my skirt still bunched around my waist and panties discarded on the glass coffee table.

I didn't want to be like him. Not even a trace.

I walked and walked. The forest was starting to green some more, but Derek warned it wouldn't be for long. Spring in Alaska was never really long.

"Charlie girl," Levi called out gently from my right.

It almost caught me off guard, the gentle tone in his voice. I turned towards him and leaned back against a tree while my foot crushed some dry brown leaves with my tennis-shoe toe.

"You ain't him girl, you know that right?"

I sucked in a sharp breath. It always amazed me at how easily Levi could see through me.

"I just don't want to be him. I won't be violent without a reason."

Levi sighed and walked over to a tree nearby me and leaned back on it. He looked tired today, more than usual. He had his gray hair pulled back again into a tiny bun and was sporting his favorite red plaid shirt. Derek always griped at him, he had tons of other shirts. But Levi didn't care, because according to him, that was apparently his 'favorite' shirt, so why not make every day a great day with your 'favorite' shirt?

His jeans were ripped a little and his brown boots had seen better days. Still,

Levi looked a hell of a lot better than most men his age. It always amazed me at how muscular he was, even under all his wrinkles. He smoked and drank as much as he pleased and still, he could outrun me every morning.

Levi pulled out his favorite carton of cigarettes and took out one. Lighting it up, he took a long drag and let out a cloud of smoke.

"Girl, I'm not telling you to go around picking fights with people, but you're going to have to learn to fend for yourself."

The beast in the back of my mind agreed but I was not quite convinced. "I don’t understand why I need my fists to do that."

"Sometimes you don't," Levi replied causally then took another drag. "But if you live, you're going to be living in a world of wolves girl. At the end of the day, there is a beast inside of them and a good amount of time that beast don't understand pretty words."

"The beast..." my voice trailed off as I fell into my thoughts.

What the hell was this thing doing to me ?!

"You have to learn to be its master before it masters you." I looked at Levi whose eyes were serious as he let bits of smoke out through his lips. It was a warning for me to heed; control the beast so it doesn't make you something you're not.

He took another drag before stepping forward, cigarette in a hand that was aimed towards me. "When you get angry or feel any emotion at its extremes. That beast is going to want to lash out. Sometimes that's ok, and sometimes not. We may be beasts girl, but like humans, we have to be able to control our tempers."

I sighed and nodded in understanding. I didn't want to be mastered by my beast or other people. Being the 'omega' 0f the pack was going to be bad enough and I knew that I was going to have to toughen up, but I couldn't help but still be a tiny bit afraid.

Levi tossed his cigarette down and stomped it out until it was completely out. He looked back to me, eyes trying to asses where my brain was at.

"You're going to have to fight eventually Charlie girl, it's just our way. Eventually, some wolf is going to come at you, and you have to be able to stand there and beat its ass instead of run the other direction."

"Fine," I sighed out in defeat. I hated admitting that he was right. But he was. I wasn't going to run from one monster, just for another to take control of me.

"Good then," Levi said while rubbing his hands together and resting them on his hips. "Hit me. Square in the nose. Don't forget how to do your fists, I don't want to deal with a damn broken hand of yours."

I pushed myself off the tree and with each step I tried to muster the strength to sock him dead in the nose, but with every step, I still wasn't sure.

Levi must have sensed my hesitation because he just rolled his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose.

"What's that beast in ya saying girl, listen to her and let her guide you to the one free shot you're ever going to get."

I tried not to roll my eyes at his remark and instead, I closed my eyes. According to Levi, it would help me to focus on this 'wolf' of mine.

She was hungry.

She was aching to be let out and begging for blood. She wanted to prove to this male that we weren't weak. That we could fend for ourselves. But mostly, she wanted to prove to me that I could, that we could; that I could trust her.

I felt a new found energy buzz through me. It made my body hum and my fists tighten. Before I knew what I was doing, I walked straight towards Levi, pulled my arm back, and landed a blow right on his nose.

Please, keep updating. Loving the story so much.

A blow on the nose, it definitely will hurt
Well done

nightcrawler123:

There is no motivation from you guys and that's not helping

I'm sure I speak for everyone when I say your story is thrilling. More power to your elbow.

Ann2012:


We are here with you, don't stop posting pls
I can't wait for Charlotte's first change

neither can I

Chapter Five Cont


He staggered back a few steps and held onto his nose that was trickling with blood while Derek applauded me with a slow clap. I smiled at him with a new found confidence in myself. I made Levi bleed.

"Dammit, that was a pretty good little shot for a girl," Levi groaned out while adjusting his nose back into place; I cringed at the sound of the cracking it made while Levi muttered a strand of curses.

"Well," I said with some more swagger in my step.

"Maybe if you hit harder, you could hit like a girl too."

Levi's eyes snapped to mine with a mix of shock, rage, and admiration? He looked back at Derek then to me and started to take slow stalking steps around me; sizing me up while my beast licked her lips at the challenge.

"Those are fighting words girl."

"We are fighting, are we not?"

"Where the hell did that come from?"

A low rumble like thunder tore through his throat and his eyes started to glow. His beast was close to surfacing, apparently it wanted a taste at the challenge.

Levi stepped towards me and placed his hands on his hips again with a cool and calculating smile painted on his lips. "Hit me then."

Almost instinctively, I threw a blow at him, but he leaned just out of the way before I could do another number to his nose.

He smiled again while straightening back up. "Hit me."

I threw another blow, this time with my other fist. He leaned quickly out of the way as if my arms were moving like molasses and he was moving like lightening.

I clenched my jaw as he stood straighter and cocked his brow at me. "Gonna hit me, girl?"

A sharp growl tore through my chest. My beast didn't like the taunting, the games. She wanted to be taken seriously and so did I.

I threw another blow at him, but he immediately caught my fist that looked like a child's wrapped in his. He pushed my hand back with caused me to stagger back a few steps before taking a predatorial side step.

He started to stalk me. He stalked and for the first time, I saw a bit of the beast in Levi come out. And it was terrifying. Power radiated off of him in waves while his shining silver looked at me dangerously.

I started to mirror his motions. Taking step for step as he took one.

"You gonna hit me, girl?" Levi asked while taking a step towards me.

"No, I don't hit women," I replied casually with a devious smirk.

He snarled at me. Nostrils flaring while his fangs poked out of his lips, remind me that he could rip me to shreds.

"Well, today is your lucky day girl," he growled out.

He took two threatening steps toward me and instead of running, I stepped forward and threw a fist directly into his chin.

My hand throbbed while Levi looked back to me with a murderous expression. I stepped towards him again, I swung, but this time, my effort was blocked.

He blocked me then landed a blow right in my ribcage, knocking the air clear out of my lungs.

I fell back on the ground and groaned in shock. I hadn't really anticipated that Levi would actually hit me, but then again, I did provoke him.

I felt primal. Animalistic. The wolf was pacing back and forth, scratching and snarling to be let out. She begged me to lash out and stand my ground, and I was very much obliged to do so.

to lash out and stand my ground, and i was very much obliged to do so.

This time, I didn't wait for Levi. I lunged towards him and aimed towards his ribs. He blocked with my with ease and landed another blow on the other side of my torso.

"Shit," I hissed while clutching my side. I knew I would heal quickly, but that didn't do anything for the pain I felt.

"You hit like a damn little girl, like a kitten," Levi said lowly. A cold smile tugged at his lips as he stopped a few feet in front of me, daring me to try again.

I stood up with a snarl of my own and looked at him like he was my next meal. The beast pushed me forward, and I let her; I easily let her.

I threw another blow and he went to block, but almost instinctually I moved my list out of the way and slammed the other into his chin.

"How the hell did I do that?!"



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Am back with another update guys..... Don't forget to comment... Enjoy

Very well written and crafted story line. Weldone. Run to print and make some money.

Following

Nice punch, Levi will definitely feel the impact
Thanks for the update

Goood

saw ur story on frontpage and im really impressed your selection,construction and use of word is just superb when will our girl change now when is the full moon

Continuation

He took a step back and stared at me in white-hot shock and anger. I squared up and growled at him, daring him to test me.

I felt alive. I felt like I was buzzing with some kind of magic. My fingers twitched into a list that begged to be thrown again and my toes curled in anticipation of springing into action.

Derek mused at me from the sideline. The vampire's stoic expression gave away nothing, which irritated me.

Levi stalked towards me, fingers twitching, eyes calculating their next move. He licked his chapped lips in anticipation of the kill, of his Victory. I felt my beast rumble from inside of me, she was not about to lose so easily to this man.

This time, he swung at me, and I dodged his fist. But immediately as I did I knew I had fallen into his trap, a fake. His other fist met my chin and knocked me right on my ass.

I let out a groan as something prickly started to poke through the back of my neck, like needles tried to pierce my skin.

"What's wrong girl? You done for the day?" Levi bit out.

My snarl was abruptly stopped by a hiss as the prickling became more painful and spread down my back. My gums began to ache while my vision swirled. The clawing was rampant. She clawed and clawed at my brain while I tried to seize control back from her.

"Charlie?" Levi asked gruffly.

I let out a whimper. My gums were aching and the prickling was starting to spread throughout my whole body. A pain in my abdomen began to swell a pain that felt like Levi had hit me there a hundred times. I groaned and found myself collapsing back on the ground floor as my breath caught in my throat.

"Charlie!" Levi called again, but I couldn't answer. My gums felt like they were about to explode and the pain in my abdomen wasn't about to start residing.

Suddenly I was flipped onto my back as silver eyes bore into mine. I tried to catch my breath, but I felt like no matter how much air I gulped in, that it wouldn't be enough.

"You gotta fight her girl. It's not time yet."

"What?" I gasped out.

"Push her back girl," Levi gently ordered.

He cradled my head in his lap and pushed my hair out my face. There wasn't a hint of concern or worry on his face, just determination. Pure determination.

"Push. Her. Back." He bit out.

I whimpered and tried to close my eyes. I felt her. She was angry and wanted

to protect us and show this man that she wasn't in capable. It felt like I was tearing myself in two.

Pushing her back into a corner of my brain felt like I was trying to pull and elephant on a boat when I swam, rather than Levi. She lashed out at me angrily, but I just hit back at her.

I groaned again as my gums ached.

She wanted to come out and play. She wanted to come out and show these men that she was not one to be taunted.

"If you can't master your own mind girl, then anyone is going to be able to eat you alive."

I shuddered. I wasn't about to let another being have that kind of control over me, not again.

She hit back at me and I pushed back harder. I tried to reason with her, but she seemed to only response to my inward force. After what felt like hours, she retreated. She was tired and knew that she would not win this fight.

The prickling stopped and my gums ceased to ache. I fluttered my eyes open to see both Derek and Levi looking at me intently. Levi looked wary. It was a look that frightened me, sent chills down my spine. While Derek looked proud. The proud smirk that tugged on his lips completely contrasted with his friend who looked almost fearful.

I rubbed the sweat off my brow and let my heartbeat calm down a bit before I spoke. "What the hell was that?"

Levi looked at Derek then back at me as a small smile of satisfaction started to tug at his lips. "That was you taking control Charlie girl.

"What?"

"You almost shifted," Derek replied in amusement. He looked almost surprised and flickered his knowing eyes to Levi.

Levi helped me sit upright slowly. My vision spun a bit then settled down before I could vomit. "Shifted? I thought I couldn't do that until the full moon."

"Well," Levi scratched his head while he answered slowly. "Sometimes when we get worked up, emotional as you were, our wolves will surface."

"But that doesn't usually happen to bitten wolves prior to the first shift," Derek added.

"Okay, so what does this mean?"

Levi stood up and brushed his pants off before walking away from Derek and I. He looked back at us and rolled his eyes without hesitation. "It means nothing."

I looked at Derek who smiled even wider. "Do you know?"

Derek stood up, brushed his pants off, then offered his hands to me. I stood up slowly and winced a bit. I was sore in so many places that I knew I was going to have to sleep with a blanket of Icy-Hot patches.

"It means you're strong Char."

I met Derek's eyes with my curious ones. Why these two men felt the need to always speak so vaguely was beyond me, but it was sure becoming incredibly annoying.

"Come on Charlie girl, you got some wood to chop before it gets dark," Levi called out. I groaned and looked to Derek who just shrugged his shoulders before trotting off towards Levi.

"I am going to be forever penanced with chopping this damn wood."

Derek made a big pot of deer chili that night. I had never had game meat before, but upon entering the house

the smells that made my mouth water told me that I would certainly enjoy this meal.

Deer chili, Fritos, and garlic rolls with a gooey cheddar center; a carb-tastic meal. My belly rumbled in a growl of its own as I sat down next to Levi.

He was sipping on a fat glass of red wine while reading a worn copy of The Odyssey; strange sophistication that I wouldn't have expected to see from him. He looked at me with his suspicious Silver eyes before setting his book down. "Have something to say Charlie girl?"

I poured myself a glass of wine as well. It was deep red, almost maroon, and smelt of berries with a hint of the woods. I shrugged at Levi while taking a sip, letting the many flavors dance around my tongue and warm my core. "Red wine and The Odyssey?"

He rolled his eyes and picked his book back up. "Just because we are wolves, it does not mean that we cannot be refined girl."

"Touche," I answered quickly while unfolding my napkin and setting it in my lap.

Derek carried a big pot over with ease and set it on a couple of worn red pot holders laying at the center of the table. He plopped down in his seat, unfolded his napkin, and looked at us with a relieved smile. "Let's eat."

You didn't have to tell me twice. I reached into the Frito bag and played the bottom of my bowl with chips, then I sprinkled a perfectly even layer of cheddar cheese over them. My dad used to love eating his chili this way, it was 'the only way it should be eaten,‘ according to him.

I hit my lip and scooped a few heaping labels of the steamy soup down into my bowl then grabbed a cheddar roll and placed it on the side. I started mixing my bowl up, knowing the cheese was good and melted over the Fritos by now.

It was so good. Spicy and savory and cheesy and salty. Like an explosion of flavor in my mouth that reminded me of home, of my father.

I reached for my glass of wine and took a long sip. Under my eyelashes, I could see both Derek and Levi staring at me with the most perplexed expression. I set my glass down cautiously and tried to deduce what it was that these two were doing.

"Girl," Levi looked over at me then down at my bowl, "what the hell do you have going on over there?"

"What do you mean?" I answered slowly.

"That perfect little casserole you layered up," Levi laughed out through his nose. "The hell is that?" 

I bit my lip and smiled. "My dad used to eat his chili this way. He rubbed off on me and I guess the habit stuck."

Derek mused for a bit. He reached into the Frito bag and dropped a heaping handful of them in his bowl before quickly layering cheese over them. He dropped a few ladles of chili in then mixed it all together, as I had, and took a bite.

"Actually, this is quite good."

I smiled as I took another bite. Derek winked at me while Levi went back to eating his meal.

"what were they like, before?" Derek asked gently.

"My parents?"

He nodded into a bite while I toyed with a Frito drowned in chili and cheese in my bowl. I sighed and felt my heart twist a bit before it warmed. Happy and sad all in the same place.

"My mother, well, she was quite the character. She was an artist. A complete bohemian. Always running to the beat of her own drum."

"Sounds like she was quite the character," Derek added.

I nodded, "She was." I laughed a bit to myself and took another bite. "I have no idea how she and my father ended up together. She was like the wind, always moving and almost impossible to catch. There was no containing her."

"My dad, he was an architect. I guess you could say he was an artist in his own way. He designed a lot of structural things, like bridges. He was very, um, 'buttoned up.'"

"Buttoned up?" Levi asked with a cocked brown.

I nodded with a small smile. "My mother used to call him that because she said that when she met him that he was the stiff type. Shirt completely buttoned up."

"So?" Derek looked at me with a playful twinkle in his eye.

I swallowed down my bite and dabbed at the corner of my mouth with my napkin. "Well, they were at a party. One my dad's co-workers had been friends with my mom. They had some kind of party and somehow they ended up talking a bit. She absolutely hated him at first." I laughed a bit at remembering my mom's face when she reminisced that night; it was almost as if she was in disbelief that the whole thing actually happened.

"Apparently, her friend convinced her to come to another party and my dad was there. She apparently just tried to avoid him all night until he spilled red wine on her shirt-"

"Smooth," Levi chuckled.

"I know, dad was never the graceful type."

"Sounds like someone else we know," Levi said with a mouth full of chili.

I rolled my eyes and looked back at him sardonically. "What's that about 'we may be wolves but we have manners?”

Levi shot me a scowl before focusing back on his bowl. I laughed to myself, point for me.

"Anyways, he went to the bathroom with her to help her get it out. The house was really old, the couple liked to flip houses, so the doors were not always even, nor was the house. Apparently, the door shut behind them on its own because the hinge was broken or something like that while they were arguing over how to get the wine out of my mom's shirt, and then even more fortuitous, the door locked. It locked them in. My mom would always joke and say that it was fate's way of ensuring that they ended up together."

"They spent the most of the party in there talking until someone found them and unlocked the door. After that, well the rest is history. They were practically inseparable and eloped after dating for only around three months."

"Sounds like fate was right," Derek said with a warm smile.

I nodded while taking another large bite of chili. I was convinced that there were no two people that were more perfect together than my parents. Opposites that completed each other in every way.

"So," I said after I swallowed, "how did you meet your mate Derek?"

A ghost smile appeared on Derek's lips while his cheeks flushed a bit. He took a long drink of wine and set his glass back in front of him, but his fingers still toyed with the rim while his glassy eyes fell into blissful nostalgia.

"Elliot was somewhere in the middle of a mass celebration in Dublin on St. Patricks Day. I was chatting with some of my coven members at a party. God, we had so much beer that day, it's a miracle I that I wasn't too inebriated to catch his scent."

"Scent?"


Yeah another one for you guys....

I love werewolf series
Pls op don't stop, the story is captivating