Lone Wolf's End (McKayla Series Book 1)

Chapter 17~Unbound~Updated

Mckayla

My muscles ached as I made my way to the home my Gentry built for me. I had been utterly trapped in wolf skin for almost four days and the pain I was experiencing was too familiar. The pain that came from betrayal. Not because my grandmother allowed General to blackmail her but that she kept a secret so severe from me for all these years. But I could never ask why. She was dead. Originally, the moment General left with the girl; my daughter, I shifted running off. My first instinct was to find their scent. I couldn't concentrate. Too distracted.

I was known for finding any wolf I hunted. It seemed that special ability vanished. I was devoured in emotion. Now here I was still trapped in wolf skin. It was never my intent to be in wolf skin this long. In the past, I could be in wolf skin for a few weeks and when I decided to shift, it took a while but I did. But now, no matter how hard I tried I couldn't shift on command.

I had pent up rage sizzling off me like heat converting like smoke coming from a campfire. It had been so long since I felt this type of enmity. My paws stumped beneath the dirt gravel as I paced in unpattern motions.

I leaped up the porch and then turned to the destroyed garden my father was found lifeless at. The sun was almost beneath the earth as dark shades of orange emanated the sky. That was the only real light left around me, besides my gold wolf's eyes. I snarled violently when I caught a scent of someone approaching. I felt wild and unpredictable; an animal anyone sane would have caged in. But there were no cages.

I did not want to be seen like this; out of control and savage. Everything made me angry. Made me want to tear through flesh. Rather it was too cold or hot. Rather I couldn't catch the game I wanted. I wanted a real hunt. A challenge...where someone died at the end.

I could tell it was Nina and Marie; two women I both cared about. Nina who ultimately had my heart. Maybe she always had it as if she literally stole it from my soul; my chest. I made no sense to my emotions. I didn't look at them approaching. I wasn't going to run but I wasn't going to face them either. Anger merged slightly as feeling them near brought shivers down my spine. I snarled deep and low warning them to stay distant.

Marie snarled defiant and I swerved my head in her direction, baring my canines at her. "We know you aren't going to hurt us. Stop your threatening growls."

That woman was always testing her limits with me.

"I'll give you two privacy and head back," Marie said. I figured she was talking to Nina. "I'm positive Mckayla is your best protector."

"Thank you," Nina said. I observed the exchanging of looks they gave each other and Marie nodded.

Time seemed to still as I felt Nina's eyes on me. I felt a light breeze pass through me and I snarled loudly having Nina wince. My claws dug into the wood of the porch. My heartbeat pounded in my ears. In a distant scent, I could still smell my fathers' scent. A lot of it, I could tell, was inside this home. I hadn't been inside yet. Since I'd been back, I had done my best to avoid going inside.

Nina walked around me, no longer being affected by my hostile pacing. She opened the door that I assumed was unlock. It made sense not to lock it. This was packs territory and if anyone tried to trespass, it wouldn't matter if it was locked or not. Nina stepped inside the house and turned waiting for me to decide. I hesitated for a long time. After another few minutes, I decided on going in and ambled through the door. The fresh scent of lavender emerged through my snout as if this home was made of it. That was my favorite scent and my father remembered that.

Nina watched me enter, eyes never wavering. She watched my form closely. The intent in her eyes told me she wanted to brush her fingers through my fur. The anger that was slowly curling around my throat loosen. Nina presence was the soft cushion to hard walls that slowly grounded me. Her eyes saw pain and anger. I returned my gaze back to her not directly facing her.